Deadfall Blu-ray - Michael Caine

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Bryan Forbes
UK 1968

A jewel thief (Caine) falls in love with the wife (Ralli) of his homosexual accomplice (Portman). She has been mentally scarred by her father's membership of the Gestapo, and her husband, a former French resistance fighter, is buggering a gigolo. And then, bugger moi, it transpires that the wife is also her husband's daughter, and they all commit suicide happily ever after. Replete with a Shirley Bassey theme tune and a 20-minute John Barry guitar concerto to accompany the robbery.

Excerpt from Channel 4 located HERE

In this suspense film straining to be Hitchcockian, Michael Caine plays recovered alcoholic Henry Clarke, who finds himself enticed into the home of Fe Moreau (Giovanna Ralli), where he discovers an unusual arrangement--apparently Fe Moreau would rather engage in a relationship with an ex-alcoholic than her husband Richard (Eric Portman). Richard is an out-of-the-closet homosexual, complete with a young Spanish stud (Carlos Pierre) as a plaything. The staid home life heats up to a boil when the three misfits decide to steal jewels from a rich playboy.

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 11th, 1968

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Comparison:

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1) 20th Century Fox Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers

Distribution	20th Century Fox Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC	Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:59:44	1:59:50.975
Video	1.66:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.73 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	Disc Size: 23,938,626,440 bytes Feature Size: 21,398,283,648 bytes Average Bitrate: 18.00 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 AVC
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital Mono), English (Dolby Digital 2.0)	LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Isolated Score: LPCM Audio Undetermined 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English, Spanish, None	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Video Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Isolated score and soundtrack • Featurette: The John Barry Touch: The Music of a Master • trailers of other films DVD Release Date: October 17th, 2006 Keep Case Chapters: 28	Release Information: Studio: Signal One Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Disc Size: 23,938,626,440 bytes Feature Size: 21,398,283,648 bytes Average Bitrate: 18.00 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 AVC Edition Details: • Interview with film Expert Chris Poggiali (21:34) • Featurette: The John Barry Touch: The Music of a Master (19:05) • Isolated score and effects Soundtrack • Still Gallery (0:35) • Theatrical trailer (2:29) • Booklet by Michael Cain expert Christopher Bray Blu-ray Release Date: February 5th, 2018 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 18

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Signal One - Region 'B' Blu-ray (March 2018): Despite the modest bitrate this 1080P, single-layered, transfer exports a fine HD image. Detail, contrast, grain textures all significantly advance upon the SD. Skin tones warm and we lose the orangey hue from the DVD. It is in the correct 1.66:1 aspect ratio

Signal One use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) and it sounds excellent in exporting the iconic John Barry (The Chase, Midnight Cowboy, Dances With Wolves and the Bond themes among his many credits). It reminded me often of the violins in From Russia With Love. It and the effects are accessible in an isolated option. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles on the Region 'B' Blu-ray disc.

Signal One add some new extras starting with an informative 21-minute interview with Chris Poggiali and he really knows the film well. Repeated is the 19-minute featurette: The John Barry Touch: The Music of a Master as found on the 2006 MGM DVD and it remains an educational look at the composer and his life. We have the aforementioned isolated score and effects soundtrack, a still gallery and a theatrical trailer. The package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by Michael Cain expert Christopher Bray.

I really enjoyed this HD presentation and the film more than my screening 12-years years ago. The Barry score in lossless significantly adds to the film experience and it has plenty of neo-noir tones. Yes, recommended!

***

ON THE DVD: This image transfer looks quite good - 1.66 anamorphic and progressive with no untoward manipulations on a dual-layered DVD. Fairly dark, damage free and sharp. Audio is clear but the accents can be trying at times. There are optional subtitles in English or Spanish.

As well as the outstanding Barry musical score - isolated for listening pleasure - there is a featurette on the composer The John Barry Touch: The Music of a Master that focuses on him briefly touching upon this film.

The film's promise falls somewhat short of expectation, but Caine at his craft is always watchable and Giovanna Ralli is pretty easy on the eyes. There were some inventive camera angles but the sum of the parts don't really add to the whole. Still, reasonably priced to give it a try... just don't expect too much.

Gary W. Tooze

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