Who Killed Teddy Bear Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Who Killed Teddy Bear Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 14, 2018

Joseph Cates' "Who Killed Teddy Bear" (1965) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Network Releasing. The supplemental features on the disc include a vintage trailer for the film; Max Miller's documentary "LSD: Insight or Insanity"; vintage episode of Court Martial; and more. The release also arrives with a 14-page illustrated booklet featuring Laura Mayne's essay "Sexual Transgression in Sixties New York: Who Killed Teddy Bear", as well as original stills and promotional materials for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

I will make you feel like a real woman

Who Killed Teddy Bear is the end product of one of the following two experiments: Director Joseph Cates and his crew shot it as a ‘serious’ thriller meant to appeal to a particular group of people who routinely visited the adult theaters on 42nd Street in New York City, which means that it turned out all right; or, it was intended to be a conventional thriller with a ‘serious’ edge but for some reason, Cates quickly lost control of it and when it became clear that it was already something else, he simply doubled-down on the ‘bad’. Whatever the truth may be, it is a pretty wild and sleazy ‘60s film that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Hardworking nightclub hostess Norah Dain (Juliet Prowse) gets a late night phone call from a stranger (Sal Mineo) who tells her that he is going to make her feel like a real woman. Not too long after that, she discovers a decapitated teddy bear in her tiny apartment, and after the stranger contacts her again, she decides to reach out for help. Veteran detective Dave Madden (Jan Murray) takes over her case and quickly concludes that the stranger isn’t a whacky prankster, but a pervert who could very well do something truly awful. Meanwhile, at the nightclub, Norah mentions her experience to her lesbian boss (Elaine Stritch) who, while pretending to be concerned, attempts to lure her to her bed. The girl politely rejects her advances and instead becomes closer to the detective as he begins to see a revealing pattern in the pervert’s disturbing calls.

The buildup is so quick and so straightforward that Cates is left with no other option but to keep ramping up the creepy, which in all honesty is what makes the film attractive. As a result, the familiar type of atmosphere that a conventional thriller would have promoted is effectively wiped out. The new atmosphere that emerges gives the film a very different vibe -- it looks like an early dramatic project that John Cassavetes might have considered, but it uses a lot of raw street footage that an independent documentarian would have approved.

The most fascinating footage emerges halfway through the film, where the pervert heads to Times Square and 42nd Street and spends some time exploring the sleaze. The camera even follows him inside a popular adult book store, offering an abundance of erotic literature and other ‘promotional materials’. There is one particular segment where a young woman is seen passing by with a few kids and middle-aged couples wandering around, which now looks simply surreal.

A small subplot involving the pervert and his sister is included to explain the nature of his condition, but it does not erode the strength of the new atmosphere. Even during its most dramatic moments, it has an unfiltered edginess that would not work in a conventional thriller from the era.

Cates was lucky to secure the services of cinematographer Joseph Brun, whose credits also include the rough film noir dramas Odds Against Tomorrow and Edge of the City, as well as a contribution to the classic adventure film Hatari!.

*Network Releasing’s presentation of the film is approximately 92 minutes long. Apparently, there is a slightly longer version of the film that runs at approximately 94 minutes, which has additional footage with Mineo’s character.

Who Killed Teddy Bear 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, Joseph Cates' Who Killed Teddy Bear arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Network Releasing.

The release is sourced from a recent remaster that was struck from a 35mm print, apparently one of the few surviving elements. The film looks healthy and has a good organic appearance, but there are a few areas with some obvious rough spots. It is nothing serious that will affect negatively your viewing experience, but be prepared to see a few obvious horizontal lines, some fading spots, and large stains. Naturally, my guess is that the 'remastering work' was primarily transfer work with some automatic cleaning work that removed surface damage and stabilization enhancements. The grading is very nice. However, there are segments with small density fluctuations where some improvements can be made to strengthen the visuals. There are no traces of problematic digital work. However, in an ideal environment grain and overall fluidity would be better. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

Who Killed Teddy Bear Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio is clear and there are no distributions or dropout to report. However, there are a couple of segments where balance is very fluid. To be clear, I am not referring to the raw street footage as it is quite clear that it has a native organic quality. I refer to indoor exchanges where balance isn't as consistent. On the other had, I would not be surprised to hear that the recording equipment might have been less-than-optimal, or that the final audio mix was done with the current qualities.

Who Killed Teddy Bear Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

NOTE: If you reside in a Region-A territory, you will need a Region-Free player to access all bonus features but the gallery with the vintage promotional materials that are listed below.

• Trailer - vintage trailer for Who Killed Teddy Bear. (2 min).

• LSD: Insight or Insanity (1967) - this vintage educational short film by Max Miller focuses on the unexpected adverse effects that LSD can have and its reputation amongst American teenagers during the 1960s. It is narrated by Sal Mineo, the star of Who Killed Teddy Bear. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• The House Where He Lived - this vintage episode of Court Martial, directed by Peter Maxwell, aired on April 29, 1966. Sal Mineo plays Lt. Tony Bianchi, an American soldier who is sent on a dangerous mission deep inside Italy during WW2. In English, not subtitled. (49 min).

• Gallery - a collection of vintage promotional material for Who Killed Teddy Bear.

• PDF Material -

• Booklet - 14-page illustrated booklet featuring Laura Mayne's essay "Sexual Transgression in Sixties New York: Who Killed Teddy Bear", as well as vintage stills and promotional materials for the film.

Who Killed Teddy Bear Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This film most definitely does not play by the rules, and while it is unclear whether its creators envisioned it in its current form, it is difficult not to agree that there is something quite attractive in everything that makes it 'bad'. It feels a lot like a project that a naughty John Cassavetes would have pulled off early in his career. However, it reminded me of James Landis' Rat Fink -- which should not be surprising as both films were conceived in 1965 -- though I did not find Sal Mineo to be quite as engrossing as Schuyler Haydn. Network's Blu-ray release is sourced from a decent remaster, and folks residing in North American should be glad to hear that it is Region-Free. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.