Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

The Servant 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 4, 2021

Joseph Losey's "The Servant" (1963) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; interview with actor James Fox; interview with actress Wendy Craig; audio interview with cinematographer Douglas Slocombe; archival video interview with playwright Harold Pinter; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH, French and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

After years of living and working in Africa, Tony (James Fox, A Passage to India) returns home to London and buys himself a new home. To get the house in order Tony also recruits Barrett (Dirk Bogarde, The Night Porter, The Damned), a quiet and very efficient servant.

Barrett immediately decorates the house like a stylish club for wealthy gentlemen. Then he proceeds to reorganize Tony’s chaotic life. But the move quickly annoys Tony’s upper-class fiancee, Susan (Wendy Craig, The Mind Benders), who likes to be in control. With Tony present, Barrett is made aware that his efforts are not appreciated.

Sensing that tension is building up, Tony attempts to spend more time with Susan and make her understand that Barrett is simply trying to be helpful. For a while Susan relaxes, but when Barrett accidentally spoils what should have been a very special night for her and Tony, she once again confronts him.

But instead of stepping back, Barrett introduces his sister, Vera (Sarah Miles, Blow-Up), to Tony. Shortly after, she is hired as a maid. Before Susan can intervene, Vera completely overwhelms Tony with her physical attributes and he makes a crucial mistake.

Based on the novel by Robin Maugham (nephew of Somerset), Joseph Losey’s The Servant is a wildly entertaining and subversive film that is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest ever made in Britain. Scripted by the legendary Harold Pinter, The Servant is like a giant puzzle whose pieces can be rearranged in endless ways to expose different themes and undertones.

The film is loosely divided into two somewhat uneven parts. In the first the main characters’ interactions are predetermined by a familiar set of rules – Tony, the wealthy master, gives all the orders and Barrett, the poor but sophisticated servant, follows them. Here the two men are well aware of their roles and never dispute them. Vera’s arrival, however, quickly undermines the authority of the master and a gradual shift of powers occurs. After a series of provocative scenes, most highlighting in different ways the hypocrisy of the master and his servant, the roles are discarded. Without their masks the ‘new’ characters and their actions are carefully used to produce some quite scathing observations about the true nature of the British class system.

Also in the second part plenty of attention is given to the homoerotic nature of the relationship between the stripped of their class identities characters. Very sharp and at times brilliantly subversive exchanges between them repeatedly target different stereotypes and prejudices.

The majority of the film takes place inside the house where the master and his servant live, but it never feels claustrophobic. On the contrary, light and shadow are carefully used by the great cinematographer Douglas Slocombe (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Titfield Thunderbolt) to give the film a notably stylish look. A fantastic jazz score with lush sax solos courtesy of John Dankworth (TV's The Avengers) also compliments the elegant visuals.

*In 1964, The Servant won BAFTA Awards for Best British Actor (Dirk Bogarde), Best British Cinematography, and Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles (James Fox).

The Servant 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

There are two versions of The Servant on this release. The first frames it in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, while the second frames it in an aspect ratio of 1.75:1. I viewed the 4K presentation in 1.75:1 because on the previous release I have in my library the only option was 1.67:1. This release is a combo pack with 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray discs that have been sourced from an exclusive new 4K restoration.

While noticeable, the framing discrepancy is so small that it will likely be spotted only by people that are doing very careful direct comparisons. Obviously, the positioning of the black bars immediately highlights the difference, but the composition of the visuals within the frame is extremely similar.

Delineation, clarity, and depth are excellent, but I did a number of comparisons with the previous release and even when projected on a large screen the two presentations looked hugely impressive. In native 4K some of the most noticeable upticks in quality emerged during the outdoor panoramic shots where background nuances became more convincing. Also, grain looked healthier and better exposed, so the overall tightness of the visuals was superior as well. Fluidity is very strong throughout the entire film, but I did not find it to be noticeably better than that of the previous release. The grayscale is definitely better, so with HDR enabled you should expect to see expanded ranges of richer and healthier gray nuances that help the equally healthy blacks and whites produce more vibrant visuals. There are a few indoor sequences where the blacks tend to become a tad too strong, but I have to admit that I was able to notice the difference only while using the previous release to run direct comparisons. Image stability is outstanding. The entire film looks incredibly clean as well.

*The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. The Blu-ray that is included with it is Region-B "locked".

The Servant 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three standard audio tracks on this release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono, French: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono, and German: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. Optional English SDH, German, and French subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track is very healthy and boasts wonderful clarity and dynamic nuances. I don't know if any new work was done during the 4K restoration process to strengthen it, so I would like to mention that the light flatness that is present in a few music themes on the previous DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track is retained. You can hear an example around the 0:30:12 mark. Is it possible that a Dolby Atmos could have been more appropriate for this release? I don't think so, unless some very particular adjustments were made on it to address the light flatness I mentioned above.

The Servant 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Bonus Features - all bonus features are placed on the second Blu-ray disc. See description below.

BLU-RAY DISC ONE

• Bonus Features - all bonus features are placed on the second Blu-ray disc. See description below.

BLU-RAY DISC TWO

• Locations Featurette - in this new program, writer and filmmaker Adam Scovell visits some of the key locations that are seen in The Servant. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (15 min).

• Video Essay - this brand new video essay was created by film historian Matthew Sweet and film critic Phuong Le. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (41 min).

• James Fox Interviewed by Richard Ayoade - in this video interview, actor James Fox (Tony) recalls how he became involved with The Servant as well as his first encounters with director Joseph Losey and Dirk Bogarde. Mr. Fox also talks about the different reactions the film generated, its very unique narrative, etc. The interview is conducted by director Richard Ayoade (Submarine). In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (46 min).

• Interview with Wendy Craig - in this video interview, actress Wendy Craig (Susan) discusses her contribution to The Servant and Joseph Losey's work ethic. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (6 min).

• Interview with Sarah Miles - in this video interview, actress Sarah Miles (Vera) recalls how she was chosen to play her character, her parents' initial reactions to the final version of the film, what it was like to work with Joseph Losey, etc. The actress also discusses what is arguably the most famous scene in the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (11 min).

• Interview with Stephen Woolley - in this video interview, producer and director Stephen Woolley (Great Expectations, Breakfast on Pluto) discusses the unique qualities of The Servant. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (11 min).

• Harry Burton on Harold Pinter - in this video interview, Harry Burton, director of Channel 4's Working with Pinter, discusses Harold Pinter's legacy and political fascinations. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (14 min).

• John Coldstream on Dirk Bogarde - in this video piece, John Coldstream, Dirk Bogarde's official biographer, discusses the legendary actor's life, image and legacy. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (19 min).

• Audio Interview with Douglas Slocombe - acclaimed cinematographer Douglas Slocombe talks about his collaboration with director Joseph Losey on The Servant. The interview was conducted by Matthew Sweet at Mr. Slocombe's home on October 15th, 2012. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (20 min).

• Joseph Losey & Adolphus Mekas at the New York Film Festival - this video discussion was recorded in 1963, after the first edition of the New York Film Festival, where The Servant was screened. Director Joseph Losey, director Adolphus Mekas ( Hallelujah the Hills), festival organizer Richard Roud, and festival coordinator Amos Vogel discuss the future of the newly founded festival, the selection of films, the unique themes in The Servant, the film's message, etc. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (28 min).

• Harold Pinter Tempo Interview - an archival video interview with playwright Harold Pinter. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (31 min).

• Joseph Losey Talks About The Servant - in this archival video interview, director Joseph Losey explains what inspired him to shoot The Servant, and discusses Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles, and James Fox contribution to the film as well as its unique atmosphere. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (6 min).

• Trailer - original trailer for The Servant. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (3 min).

• Stills Gallery - a collection of stills from the shooting of the The Servant. (1080p).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Booklet - 64-page booklet featuring Peter Bradshaw's essay "The Servant", Anna Smith's essay "The Female Characters in The Servant", Charles Drazin's "Between Chatterley and the Beatles' First LP", excerpts from the film's screenplay, production notes, original press books, and more.

• Cards - collectible artcards.

The Servant 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I was very happy with StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release of Joseph Losey's The Servant. However, after it was restored in 4K this film looks gorgeous on 4K Blu-ray. Should you upgrade if you have the previous release in your library? Well, if you view your films on a large screen or project, I think that you will appreciate the various upticks in quality the 4K Blu-ray release offers. Some of them are minor, but there are a few that make quite a difference when the visuals become bigger. If you decide to upgrade, please keep in mind that the 4K Blu-ray release is Region-Free, while the Blu-ray copy that is included with it is Region-B "locked". VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.