Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

The Whistle Blower Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 12, 2020

Simon Langton's " The Whistle Blower" (1986) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only bonus feature on the disc is a vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtiles for the main feature. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Do you have answers for my questions?

Even though The Whistle Blower is set in a different era, it functions in pretty much the same manner The Ear does. It reveals how a small group of government officials can manufacture realities and use them to manipulate the masses in the name of national security. It also reveals the apparatus they rely on to keep them in power.

Michael Caine is Frank Jones, a British war veteran who is informed by the authorities that his son, Bob (Nigel Havers), a linguist working for GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters), has committed suicide. But Frank does not believe the official story about Bob’s premature death, and immediately after he picks up his personal belongings begins digging for the truth. Soon after, he meets with an investigative reporter, who reveals to him that he was in contact with Bob and expected to receive information about shocking irregularities at GCHQ involving high-profile spy cases. Immediately after the reporter confirms one of Bob’s key leads, however, he dies in a terrible car accident. Frank then meets an old pal who still does difficult kills for GCHQ, and after he gets him drunk in a posh hotel, he admits to him that Bob had become a target because he was considering going leaking damaging information about the agency. The admission then sends Frank on a collision course with some of the top people at GCHQ, and they confirm his suspicion that Bob was a sacrificial piece in a complex scheme involving international players.

The environment in which Frank performs his search for the truth is a lot more important than the complex scheme and the identities of the people that are responsible for the death of his son. Why? Because the environment is what makes their existence possible. This is also the reason why the film does not show a particular interest in the actual killers -- their identification and possible elimination are meaningless because they are entirely expendable. The elitist who has become a traitor (John Gielgud), however, isn’t. He is the most dangerous kind of ideological loon that has the ability to permanently corrupt the minds of those that become entangled in his lies, which is why when Frank eventually meets him, he demands a written confession that exposes his dual nature.

The revelation that GCHQ is a self-monitoring agency using the same tactics its competitors do isn’t shocking either. This is the same revelation The Ear produces, but in a different environment. (Then again, the set-up is practically the same, as the threat of global nuclear annihilation is essentially the main pretext that justifies the actions of the spies that are ‘protecting’ the state. They are the almighty guardians of the ‘right’ order. In The Whistle Blower, they are simply part of the opposing team, but their tactics are unchanged). Even the top spies are spied on because the practice ensures a healthy degree of Cold War paranoia, and without it a spy agency instantly becomes incredibly vulnerable.

The film is devoid of action and notably quiet, and for a good reason. As Frank begins to deconstruct the exact order of the events that have led to the death of his son and seeks justice, the film effectively moves away from the murder case and focuses on the puppet masters and their politics. After that, a conventional resolution becomes meaningless because it is made clear that justice is no longer possible when the people serving the system that is supposed to guarantee it are identified as the system.

The Whistle Blower is the one and only theatrical film Simon Langton directed. However, his credits include such classic TV productions as Smiley's People, Pride & Prejudice, and Rebecca.

The Whistle Blower Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Whistle Blower arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from a lovely new 2K master. Other than some specific but minor optimizations that could have exposed grain a little bit better, I think that the technical presentation is quite impressive. Most close-ups with natural light, for instance, reveal terrific delineation (see screencapture #7), while outdoor panoramic shots can boast great depth (see screencapture #17). Clarity is very good as well. Some of the indoor darker footage is where the better grain exposure could have helped strengthen depth, but I still think that the visuals are strong (see screencaptures #9 and 15). The new master is very nicely graded as well. The primaries are rich and stable, plus there are solid ranges of healthy nuances. Only in darker areas some ranges of blacks could have been slightly better managed. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. Image stability is excellent. All in all, this is a very fine organic presentation of The Whistle Blower that makes it a treat to revisit the film on Blu-ray. My score is 4.25/5.00. (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 Whistle Blower 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.

The lossless track is very healthy. The dialog is exceptionally clear, sharp, and easy to follow. There isn't a lot of notable dynamic movement, but in areas where John Scott's soundtrack has to do specific things to enhance the desired atmosphere it does so really, really well. So, expect to hear good dynamic nuances, rather than impressive spikes/drops in dynamic intensity. There are no encoding anomalies to report in our review.

The Whistle Blower Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for The Whistle Blower. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Additional Trailers - additional trailers for the following titles from Kino Lorber's catalog:
  
  1. Billion Dollar Brain
  2. The Black Windmill
  3. The Destructors
  4. The Wilby Conspiracy
  5. Blame It on Rio
  6. The Holcroft Covenant
  7. Mr. Destiny

The Whistle Blower Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Whistle Blower comes from a different era and its take on world order is, for obvious reasons, no longer relevant. However, the same cannot be said about its dissection of the politics of the watchers that are supposed to keep us safe. In fact, at this very moment its conclusion that they are some of the most dangerous people in a democratic state that is supposed to advocate freedom and justice is spot on. How could they not be? If no one is watching the watchers, then trouble is unavoidable. Kino Lorber's release of The Whistle Blower is sourced from a lovely exclusive new 2K master, but the only bonus feature on it is a vintage trailer for the film. RECOMMENDED.