Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

The President's Analyst Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 15, 2024

Ted Flicker's "The President's Analyst" (1967) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release audio commentary by critic Tim Lucas; audio commentary by Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The matrix speaks

Ted Flicker’s The President’s Analyst and Elia Kazan’s A Face in the Crowd have very different reputations, but their prophecies are equally impressive. A few decades ago, the fate of the former easily could have been linked to its flamboyant style, which does make it rather easy to place it away from the latter. But now it is crystal-clear that Flicker was a brilliant thinker and visionary who went even further into the future than Kazan did and figured out how America’s power structures would evolve. Indeed, the flamboyant style of The President’s Analyst is simply a witty protective facade that ensures its right to exist. The detailed disclaimer in the prologue, which is actually the film's Achilles’ heel because it confirms its true identity, is part of the facade as well.

The film opens up in New York where Dr. Sidney Schaefer (James Coburn) is visited by one of the government’s top spies, Don Masters (Godfrey Cambridge), and offered the opportunity to become the President’s personal shrink. Unable to hide his surprise and barely able to contain his excitement, Dr. Schaefer accepts on the spot and then quickly relocates to Washington D.C. to begin working for the most powerful man in the world. But the daily security procedures and very random nature of the sessions with his new client, as well as his rapidly deteriorating romantic relationship with his capricious girlfriend, Nan (Joan Delany), quickly frustrate Dr. Schaefer, and soon after he begins regretting his decision to abandon his private practice in New York. While struggling to avoid various international spies who have started monitoring his activities, hoping to somehow acquire valuable information from his secretive sessions with the President, Dr. Schaefer gets a perfect opportunity to exit his miserable business arrangement with the U.S. government. Then he makes a bold move -- he joins a band of stoned hippies, puts on a big wig, and becomes invisible. However, domestic and international spies quickly track him down again and promptly initiate various very complex secret operations to ‘retain’ him before their rivals do. Initially, it seems like Masters and his Soviet counterpart, Kropotkin (Severn Darden), are a few steps ahead of everyone else, but their winning strategies are compromised by an unusual new player.

A loose sense of humor permeates the film and creates the impression that Dr. Schaefer is trapped in a big psychedelic circus where very little and quite possibly nothing at all is what it seems. Bits of this humor are effectively used to mock various conventional targets as well. But if viewed only as a whacky piece of satire the film isn’t particularly impressive.

Flicker’s prophecies are what make the film fascinating to behold and deconstruct. Here are a few samples:

The two government agencies that take over Dr. Schaefer’s life, the C.E.A. and F.B.R., are run by delusional unelected bureaucrats with unchecked powers and the ability to ‘improvise’ on the spot in the name of national security. Also, in the higher echelons of these agencies, politically correct lingo is every bit as important as the success of the missions they undertake. The film even predicts the inevitable end of privacy in a completely wired world where Big Brother sees, hears, and documents everything. A massive Phone Company which has figured out how to bypass the entire government is Big Brother’s only competitor, but it seems like it is only a matter of time before the two begin working together and establish the ultimate power structure.

The one major error in Flicker’s prophecies emerges from the notion that an intelligent outsider can successfully challenge and prevent the inevitable formation of the ultimate power structure. In the film, Dr. Schaefer’s journey to the Phone Company is made possible thanks to a series of lucky breaks. In the future world that Flicker constructs, Dr. Schaefer would have been properly vetted and deactivated as soon as he reveals signs of disobedience.

Some of the visuals are astonishing and can easily make one nostalgic about the era they depict. The short sequence where Dr. Schaefer is seen at the top of the Statue of Liberty, for instance, is a perfect reminder that modern technology will never be able to replicate the skills or vision of a master cinematographer. The film was lensed by William A. Fracker (Bullitt, Rosemary's Baby)

The President's Analyst Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The President's Analyst arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

A couple of years ago, we reviewed this Australian release of The President Analyst, which is sourced from an older but solid organic master. Kino Lorber's release introduces a new 4K restoration of the film that was completed by Paramount Pictures.

The new 4K makeover looks very, very good, so I liked everything that I saw on my system. Delineation, clarity, and depth are excellent, and density levels are terrific. Yes, there are several sections that produce softer visuals, but these fluctuations are introduced by lensing choices. (They are also present on the previous release). Darker areas produce great nuances without annoying crushing as well. Image stability is excellent. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections, so if you have a very larger screen, you will see very attractive visuals with very solid organic qualities. What about color reproduction? It is outstanding. All primaries look very rich and healthy, while the supporting nuances are wonderfully balanced. To be honest, this type of outstanding precision makes it impossible not to place The President's Analyst next to The Big Bus, which is one of the very best looking titles to emerge from Paramount's vaults. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The President's Analyst Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

Because I was enormously impressed with the video presentation, I pulled out the Australian release of The President's Analyst to compare various sections where the audio is very active. I could not hear any obvious discrepancies to write that the audio sounds better on this release. However, clarity is outstanding now, so in a couple of areas this track could be preferable. However, I assume that it will also depend on the type of system one uses and especially the preferred settings.

The President's Analyst Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary One - in this recent audio commentary, critic Tim Lucas discusses in great detail the production of The President's Analyst, the various locations where major parts of the film were shot, the nature of its conflicts, the careers of some of the people that made it, etc. The commentary was recorded for Imprint Films' release of The President's Analyst in 2021.

• Commentary Two - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff.

• Trailer - vintage U.S. trailer for The President's Analyst. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

The President's Analyst Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Don't be fooled by the colorful chaos that gives Ted Flicker's The President's Analyst its identity. It's a facade that hides some absolutely astonishing prophecies about the future of America's power structures and, believe it or not, all but one have been fulfilled. Naturally, I think that this film needs a very serious critical reevaluation. Kino Lorber's release introduces a gorgeous new 4K restoration of it that was prepared by Paramount Pictures. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.