Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.5

White of the Eye Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 21, 2014

Donald Cammell's "White of the Eye" (1987) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Arrow Video. The supplemental features on the disc include Kevin Macdonald and Chris Rodley's documentary "Donald Cammell: The Ultimate Performance"; video interview with cinematographer Larry McConkey; deleted scenes; audio commentary by Sam Umland; and more. The release also arrives with a collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Brad Stevens and Sam Umland, and a previously unpublished extract from the memoirs of producer Elliott Kastner, illustrated with original archive stills. In English, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

There is something down there...

David Keith is Paul White, a sound engineer who lives with his wife Joan (Cathy Moriarty, Raging Bull, Cop Land) in a wealthy community somewhere in the Arizona desert. When someone begins butchering beautiful local women, Detective Charles Mendoza (Art Evans, A Soldier's Story) concludes that Paul could be a suspect.

While Detective Mendoza works hard to track down the killer, a series of flashbacks reveal important details about Paul’s past. One of them shows the first encounter between Paul and Joan. Another flashback shows Paul and Mike, Joan’s former lover, involved in some sort of a bizarre hunting accident that ends their friendship. In a third flashback, it is revealed that Paul is cheating on Joan with the bored wife of a local businessman.

Soon after Detective Mendoza meets Paul, Joan realizes that he has been unfaithful. The discovery triggers a series of confrontations that seriously complicate the couple’s relationship. Meanwhile, the killer kills again and everyone in the small community becomes paranoid.

Scottish director Donald Cammell’s thriller White of the Eye has the type of narrative structure some of David Lynch’s best films favor. It is broken into multiple episodes that are shot and arranged in ways that force the viewer to pay attention to all sorts of details that could reveal early the identity of the mysterious killer. To a certain extent the film’s visual style also imitates that of Lynch’s early films -- there is an obvious surrealist expressiveness in the manner in which objects and locations are observed and characters are allowed to move between past and present events.

Unfortunately, the substance that typically makes Lynch’s films so fascinating to behold and worth deconstructing over and over again is missing in White of the Eye. Indeed, a single character transformation is used to bring conventional logic to what initially seems like a very complex case with the potential to deliver multiple surprises. So when it’s all said and done, it really feels like White of the Eye could have used a much better script because the talent to deliver something special was available.

The film’s most impressive moments appear between the casual discussions about the killer’s motives and Joan’s realization that Paul has been cheating on her. There is one sequence, in particular, that easily could have been used in a classic giallo, and another in which the camera behaves in a particularly creepy way.

Keith looks aptly relaxed in front of the camera, but there are select sequences towards the end where he would have looked even more convincing had he remained silent. Moriarty is very good as the disillusioned mother and wife. Evans is mostly likeable as the suspicious detective.

At times cinematographer Larry McConkey’s wonderful lensing creates the impression that the film had a very large budget. (It did not). Even more impressive is the lush ambient soundtrack that compliments the visuals, which was produced by Rick Fenn and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason.

White of the Eye Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.83:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Donald Cammell's White of the Eye arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video.

The high-definition transfer is one of the best that I have seen from the British distributors. It is sourced from a new 2K restoration which has literally given the film a new life. Indeed, despite the fact that sharpness and clarity frequently fluctuate because of various stylistic choices -- for example, light is frequently restricted or captured in ways that affect contrast stability and detail, while selected sequences were treated with a "bleach bypass" -- image depth and fluidity are enormously impressive. Additionally, there is an excellent range of various nuanced colors that always look exceptionally healthy. Depending on whether light is under/overexposed grain can appear more or less prominent, but all of these fluctuations are indeed part of the film's unique image design (see screencaptures #14 and 17). There are absolutely no traces of problematic sharpening corrections. Also, there are no large debris, cuts, stains, or warps, though traces of extremely small surface damage (present on the negative) occasionally sneak in (see screencapture #4). Lastly, there are absolutely no stability issues to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

White of the Eye Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. For the record, Arrow Video have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

White of the Eye is complimented by a very rich and very diverse soundtrack that benefits greatly from the lossless treatment. Indeed, despite the fact that the film's sound design is fairly modest, the terrific depth and clarity transform large sections where the music is carefully used to further enhance the already very unusual atmosphere. The dialog is crisp, clean, and stable. Also, there are no pops, cracks, problematic background hiss, distortions, or dropouts to report in this review.

White of the Eye Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Donald Cammell: The Ultimate Performance - this wonderful documentary, produced by Kevin Macdonald and Chris Rodley, focuses on the personal life and very unique work of director Donald Cammell. It features clips from archival interviews with the late director, Barbara Steele (Black Sunday), Mick Jagger, Anita Pallenberg (Performance), Myriam Gibril (Feedback, The Argument), producer Sandy Lieberson (Peter Gabriel: Live in Athens 1987), and director Nicolas Roeg, amongst others. The documentary was originally broadcast by the BBC on May 17, 1998. In English, not subtitled. (74 min).

• The Argument - an atmospheric short film directed by Donald Cammell and lensed by legendary cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond (Heaven's Gate) in 1972. The film was apparently abandoned shortly after it was completed, but was discovered and reassembled in 1999 by the director's regular editor, Frank Mazzola. Presented with an optional commentary by Sam Umland. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Into the White - in this video interview, cinematographer Larry McConkey recalls how he was approached to shoot White of the Eye and discusses Donald Cammell's directing methods, some of which were apparently quite odd. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• Deleted Scenes - presented here are scenes with John Diehl (Miami Vice) that were removed by White of the Eye's distributors, Cannon. No audio exists for these scenes, but Sam Umland, Donald Cammell's biographer, provides a commentary. Not subtitled. (6 min).

• Bleach Bypass Sequences - presented here are sequences from the film that underwent a "bleach bypass" treatment which enhanced grain exposure and contrast. The sequences, which were transferred from the original 35mm interpositive elements, are presented as they were filmed. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Alternate Credits - in English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Audio Commentary with Sam Umland - Sam Umland, Donald Cammell's biographer, offers a detailed analysis of White of the Eye and discusses the film's unique visual design. Towards the end, there are particularly interesting comments addressing the editing of the film, as well as detailed information about specific shooting locations.

• Cover - reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh

• Booklet - collector's booklet featuring new writing by Brad Stevens and Sam Umland, and a previously unpublished extract from the memoirs of producer Elliott Kastner, illustrated with original archive stills.

White of the Eye Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have mixed feelings about Donald Cammell's White of the Eye. The majority of the film has a terrific atmosphere that reminds of that present in some of David Lynch's early films, but there is not enough substance to support it. This isn't to imply that White of the Eye is a bad film, but I feel that with a stronger script director Cammell could have delivered something very special. Arrow Video's technical presentation of White of the Eye is outstanding. In fact, I think that it is one of the best in their catalog. As usual, the British distributors have provided a strong selection of supplemental features, including a terrific documentary film produced by Kevin Macdonald and Chris Rodley.