Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The New Centurions Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 20, 2017

Richard Fleischer's "The New Centurions" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new documentary from Robert Fischer featuring interviews writer Joseph Wambaugh, actors Stacey Keach and Richard E. Kalk; and archival Super 8mm version of the film. Also included with this release is a 24-page illustrated booklet featuring Nick Pinkerton's essay "The New Centurions"; Jeff Billington's "The New Centurions - Critical Response: From Page to Screen"; Precinct 45/Los Angeles - Production Notes; and technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The rookie

The film is based on a novel written by former LA cop Joseph Wambbaugh and apparently very accurately recreates some of his experiences with real people while he was wearing a badge. It is unfortunate that it does not appear to be as popular as Sidney Lumet’s Serpico because, while different, its message is just as powerful.

Rookie cop Roy (Stacy Keach, Fat City) has promised his wife that he intends to get his degree and then look for a better job that will allow them to be a real family. She has trusted him and now they are sacrificing a lot to make their plan work. But as time goes by Roy reveals that he actually likes his new job and isn’t in a rush to start studying for his exams. He also praises his partner, Kilvinski (George C. Scott, The Hustler), who seems like an invaluable source of information about life on the streets of LA. When his wife eventually reminds him about their plan, Roy reacts angrily and makes her wonder if he was ever serious about spending the rest of his life with her.

Meanwhile, Roy and Kilvinski develop a special bond and he begins spending even less time at home. Their experiences on the streets also make him realize that the law he has sworn to enforce could be interpreted in a lot of different ways. And when a deranged man nearly kills him, Roy reluctantly begins to reevaluate his entire life.

Eventually, Kilvinski retires and Roy gets a new partner who has a difficult time tolerating his new drinking habit, which helps him cope with the fact that while wearing a uniform a cop is basically a moving target. A tragic event then shakes up Roy’s self-confidence even more and profoundly alters his view of the career he has chosen to pursue.

The New Centurions is the type of glamour and politics-free cop film that can no longer be made in Hollywood. It sees the men and women in blue as ordinary, flawed but honorable protectors of a society that in certain ways treats them even worse than the criminals they are expected to place behind bars. It focuses on the tremendous pressure they must endure while patrolling the streets and their seemingly endless struggle to maintain their personal lives in order.

The film is gritty and unforgiving but it never attempts to push buttons and force the audience to side with the cops. It is not one of those miserabilist crime dramas that enjoy having their characters suffer either. Its ultimate goal is to give its audience a genuine sense of what it feels to be stuck in the same emotional grinder where the cops find themselves after the first time they put their uniforms on. And then the film just moves on, a lot like the big national news networks do in the real world after they spend a few minutes summarizing the entire life of some poor guy who died while wearing a uniform and believing that he was making a difference.

Keach is tremendous in this film. In a new documentary included on this release he explains that initially he was on the fence about joining the cast, but after he learned that Scott had inquired about playing Kilvinski he instantly committed to it.

*The entire film was shot on real locations around LA, not on studio lots. The interior footage where the cops report for duty was also shot inside the old Hollenbeck Police Station.

The New Centurions Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Richard Fleischer's The New Centurions arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release has been sourced from the same master that Carlotta Films accessed when they prepared their release of The New Centurions for the French market. This master was prepared by prepared by Sony Pictures in the United States. Unsurprisingly, these releases look identical. I did some direct comparisons but I could not see any notable discrepancies to report in our reviews. Depth and clarity remain pleasing, but it is not difficult to see that there is some room for improvement. Density in particular could be better, though the entire film has a very gritty appearance and some of the obvious fluctuations that can be spotted are actually not inherited (during the darker street footage these fluctuations are part of the original cinematography). The best is news is that there are no traces of recent problematic digital adjustments. So, even though some traces of aging can be spotted, the film does have a consistent organic appearance. Colors are stable and appear natural, though almost certainly saturation and balance can be improved. There are no distracting large cuts, damage marks, debris, warped or torn frames to report. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

The New Centurions Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

There are no technical issues to report. However, because the film has a very fluid organic sound design, some minor balance and dynamic fluctuations occasionally emerge (mostly during the street footage). The dialog is stable and easy to follow. There are no pops, audio dropouts, or digital distortions to report.

The New Centurions Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Cop Stories - in this brand new documentary, writer Joseph Wambaugh, actors Stacey Keach and Richard E. Kalk, and first assistant camera operator Ronald Vidor recall how The New Centurions was put together, how various sequences were shot around LA, director Richard Fleischer's advises during the production process, the socio-cultural climate in the country during the 1970s. The documentary was produced by Robert Fischer for Fiction Factory. In English, not subtitled. (45 min).

• Super 8mm Version - presented here is an archival edited Super 8mm version of the film. In English, with optional French subtitles. (18 min).

• Trailer - original trailer for The New Centurions. In English, with optional French subtitles. (3 min).

• Booklet - 24-page illustrated booklet featuring Nick Pinkerton's essay "The New Centurions"; Jeff Billington's "The New Centurions - Critical Response: From Page to Screen"; Precinct 45/Los Angeles - Production Notes; and technical credits.

The New Centurions Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is pretty odd to see that this gritty thriller from the '70s can so accurately identify the main issues that complicate the ever-evolving relationship between the men and women in uniform and the people they are protecting, and understand the tremendous pressure they endure while doing their jobs and trying to stay alive. It is odd because this type of objectivity cannot possibly exist in the current political climate. It would be instantly destroyed by political activists and various other players with far-reaching agendas. The release is sourced from a master that was prepared by Sony Pictures in the United States, and even though there is some room for improvement the film looks quite good in high-definition. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.