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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (April 2019): Kino Lorber offer up Michael Winner's "The Nightcomers" on a single-layered Blu-ray. The 1.85:1 HD image has a modest bitrate, on the lower end of the spectrum. The texture of the film is thick with heavy grain and a somewhat softer focus, not showing an abundance of detail. It can tend to look waxy. The somewhat worn-out dullish color palette is fitting give the film's gothic locale. Blacks aren't too deep and varied, though thankfully most of the picture is set in daylight. There are occasionally brief, frame-specific instances of damage, with tiny purple or white speckles. These are not distracting at all, we have seen much worse.

Kino's release of "The Nightcomers" comes with a 16-bit 2.0 DTS-HD Master audio track. Though this track is rather flat, dialogue comes through clear as day, and if there was any ADR looping, it is hard to notice. When people are speaking in a large room with tall ceilings, for example, there is an appropriate echo. One of the better aspects of this film is Jerry Fielding's (Scorpio, The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Killer Elite, The Mechanic, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Getaway) score. Fielding is notable for his iconic work with directors Sam Peckinpah and Clint Eastwood, but his work on some of Winner's pictures is equally impressive. There are optional English subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Though sadly Michael Winner has passed away, Kino Lorber have kept his audio commentary and introduction from a previously released LionsGate DVD. It is always a pleasure to get a commentary track from Author and Film Historian Kat Ellinger, and her all new commentary does not disappoint. This track is well worth your time. Ellinger's commentary features analysis and contextual information not covered by Winner on his track. Kat, being well versed in film history, is able to provide a more honest critique, not having directed the picture and having a certain sense of remove. That said, both tracks provide a nice complete picture. Also here from that previous DVD is the film's trailer and teaser. What's new (other than Ellinger's track) are 3 other Brando trailers for The Appaloosa, The Missouri Breaks, and Candy.

I'll be honest, it has been a while since I've read Henry James' "The Turn of the Screw", yet the commentaries certainly fill in the blanks. This film is a pre-cursor to the events in James' gothic horror, and yet is more of a tense psycho-sexual drama than a classic ghost story. This transfer is certainly not reference quality, but it is acceptable. To those curious, this Kino Blu-ray is worth a spin, though to be honest I would gladly watch Brando in anything, so I'm somewhat biased. As Ellinger notes in her track, this film was made just before Brando's resurgence in Coppola's "The Godfather".  

Colin Zavitz