NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (July 2021): Indicator have also transferred The Big Fix to Blu-ray. Despite the similar bitrates the UK release has a far richer, darker, image with warmer skins tones and tighter lines. Contrast levels are more pronounced and essentially it is the better looking 1080P in my opinion showing much more film grain textures.  

NOTE: We have added 30 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Indicator use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language advancing on the 16-bit Twilight Time. There are guns and violence related effects, and a cool score by Bill Conti (Betrayed, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Neighbors, The Right Stuff, Rocky, Harry and Tonto, For Your Eyes Only) with a couple of songs sung by Richard Dreyfuss, sounding even and authentically flat in the uncompressed transfer. Indicator offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Indicator Blu-ray has included a new (2021) audio commentary by Little White Lies editor David Jenkins. He talks about the honky-tonk jazz vibe of the music, finds Paul Mazursky connections and much more. It's a well-researched commentary with plenty of less-exposed information. I enjoyed it. The Big Self is new and spends 23-minutes with director Jeremy Paul Kagan discussing his early career as a filmmaker. The Crime in Mind is also a new interview with screenwriter Roger L. Simon recalls the origins of The Big Fix and the process of translating his novel to the big screen. It runs shy of 8-minutes. There is an archival TV interview with Richard Dreyfuss from 1978 where the actor and producer is in conversation with Bobbie Wygant for about 5-minutes. There is also another archival TV interview with Jeremy Paul Kagan, Roger L Simon and Carl Borack: the director, writer and producer chat with Wygant. We get an original theatrical trailer, TV and Radio spots, plus Indicator's usual image galleries - this has two - for promotional and publicity material. The package includes a limited edition exclusive 32-page booklet with a new essay by Andrew Nette, an introduction by Richard Dreyfuss, archival interviews with Jeremy Paul Kagan and costume designer Edith Head, an overview of critical responses, and film credits. 

The Big Fix is all Dreyfuss as the awkward gumshoe - and it works as a cute slice-of-life that morphs into a more serious crime drama. The supporting cast (Susan Anspach, Bonnie Bedelia, John Lithgow, F. Murray Abraham etc.) are excellent. It is quite enjoyable and has a nostalgia factor going for it (it's over 40-years old!) The Indicator Blu-ray is stacked with commentary, interviews and other supplements as well as having the superior a/v. It's not much of a competition - Indicator show how to create a complete Blu-ray package. Dreyfuss adds charm and the serious nature approaches an appealing thriller / Neo-Noir. The extras help me appreciate it even more and we definitely recommend! 

***

Twilight Time bring the crime-drama The Big Fix to Blu-ray. It's on a dual-layered Blu-ray in 1080P with a max'ed out bitrate. It looks very grainy - almost to a fault with some frailty and thinness. Colors appear true, sometimes dull, without artificial enhancement.  The visuals are not dynamic but it seems a consistent, if underwhelming, HD presentation. There is no damage and is probably accurate to the best source used with solid detail and occasional depth.

The audio is transferred in a 16-bit DTS-HD Master Audio track 2.0 channel mono track. There aren't abundance of aggressive effects.  The score is by Bill Conti (Betrayed, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Neighbors, The Right Stuff, Rocky, Harry and Tonto, For Your Eyes Only) with a couple of songs sung by Richard Dreyfuss, and is reasonably supported via the lossless transfer although not sounding particularly remarkable. It is offered as an optional isolated track. There are no subtitles included on this Region FREE Blu-ray.

Twilight Time only have the isolated Conti score, a trailer and some liner notes as supplements.

Gary Tooze