6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A woman is taken to a mysterious clinic whose patients have a mental disorder in which their memories and identities are disintegrating as a result of a strange environmental accident.
Starring: Brigitte Lahaie, Vincent Gardère, Dominique Journet, Bernard Papineau, Rachel MhasHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
French: LPCM Mono
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Jean Rollin's "The Night of the Hunted" (1980) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the release include archival programs with the director and cast members; archival documentaries on the making of the film; several audio commentaries; vintage promotional materials; and more. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
This 4K Blu-ray release of The Night of the Hunted introduces a recent 4K restoration of the film, which can be viewed with HDR and Dolby Vision. A separate Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration is available as well. Included below are screencaptures from the 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases. Please note that the screencaptures from the 4K Blu-ray are downscaled to 1080p and do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the disc, including the actual color values of this content.
Screencaptures #1-14 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #17-24 are from the 4K Blu-ray.
Screencaptures#26-29 are from the Redemption label's release of The Night of the Hunted.
The only other release of The Night of the Hunted that I have in my library is this North American release, which the Redemption label produced in 2013. I did some comparisons with it and think that it is very easy to declare that the 4K makeover is a lot healthier. Density levels, for instance, are much better, so on a large screen the improvements in terms of depth are substantial. Sharpness levels are better as well. In fact, in some of the brighter and better-lit footage the visuals now look dramatically better. Image stability is outstanding. Colors are stable and look healthy. However, this is the one area where I do not think that everything looks as convincing as it should. Before I explain why, let me make it very clear that there are more examples of better balanced primaries and nuances on the new 4K makeover. But there is one primary and several nuances that interact with it that appear a bit off. It is primary blue and several supporting nuances that lean toward light turquoise. Examples can be seen in screencaptures #2, 5, and 10. The segment screencapture #11 is taken from looks very good too, which is fine if there was more light blue. While I do not think that the previous release has a perfect color balance -- for example, several areas reveal too much green/yellow -- the blue that appears in places where there is turquoise on the new 4K makeover is more convincing. In fact, screencapture #2, the moving clouds are practically eliminated from the upper corner of the window, but are visible on the previous release. Obviously, the color adjustments are responsible for the loss of detail. The HDR and Dolby Vision do now introduce any meaningful improvements. I tested several areas with both, and they are very gentle grades, so even in darker areas with more subtle nuances the color palette is extremely similar in native 4K and 1080p. All in all, I think that there is more to like on the new 4K makeover, but I also think that the color grade could have been more convincing.
There is only one standard audio track on this release: French LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The audio is very healthy. I did a few quick comparisons with the lossless track that is included on the Redemption label's release of The Night of the Hunted and can confirm that the light pops and cracks that are present on it are now gone. Stability is very good. Dynamic intensity is unimpressive, but this is a limitation of the original soundtrack. The English translation is very good.
While The Night of the Hunted is a very close relative of the various psychedelic thrillers Jess Franco made during the 1970s and 1980s, as odd as it may sound, it has a lot in common with the cheap and minimalistic films Soviet and Eastern European directors shot during the Cold War era. It is strange, misleadingly chaotic, and remarkably atmospheric, but promotes an eerie message that right at this moment is surprisingly relevant. I have always liked The Night of the Hunted. This release introduces a new 4K restoration of the film with a great selection of new and archival bonus features. RECOMMENDED. (If you enjoy your viewing experience of The Night of the Hunted, consider booking a date with Franco's Shining Sex).
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1980
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1980
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1979
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1970
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1962
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1977
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1998
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1971
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1970
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