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

ADDITION: Imprint Blu-ray (September 2024): Imprint have transferred Stuart Rosenberg's Voyage of the Damned to Blu-ray. This package includes both the theatrical cut (158 minutes) transferred in 1.78:1 and the a rarely-seen 3-hour extended cut (actually this is an earlier version of the film) on separate dual-layered Blu-rays. We've compared captures of the two below and it's as stark as it gets. The extended cut video is in 1080i (1.33:1) (interlaced) and starts with an ITV logo - it was supplied by commentator Daniel Kramer and it is prefaced with "This rare 181-minute version of Voyage of the Damned was sourced from the only available material, specifically a now extremely scarce 1979 VHS tape transfer. Although some artifacts and flaws are present in the image, Imprint Films is proud to present this alternate longer cut of the film. This version not only features additional footage and scenes, but also new sequential orders and different takes than those seen in the original theatrical cut." The 1080P image on the theatrical cut is thin and never looks stellar... except directly beside the extended cut video. The bitrate is middling and it can appear flat with colors having no richness. It is consistent and certainly watchable. There are frequent frame-specific marks, speckles and light scratches - I have identified four examples below.

NOTE: We have added 72 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Imprint use linear PCM 2.0 channel tracks (24-bit) in the original English language - for both cuts. Voyage of the Damned has no demonstratively aggressive moments. The score was composed, arranged and conducted by Argentinean Lalo Schifrin (famous as the guy behind the Mission: Impossible theme as well as The President's Analyst, Cool Hand Luke, Coogan's Bluff, Joe Kidd, Eye of the Cat, Rollercoaster, Charley Varrick, The Nude Bomb, Day of the Animals, Hit!, Man on a Swing, The Manitou, Tango and many other films.) A soundtrack album of Voyage of the Damned was released on the Entr'Acte label in 1977. The film also has Strauss, Haydn, Glenn Miller and other music augmenting the score. Imprint offer optional English subtitles on the theatrical cut - none on the extended cut - and both discs are Region FREE Blu-rays.

The Imprint Blu-ray offers two new commentaries - one for each cut. On the Theatrical Cut the commentary is by cinema author and critic Matthew Asprey Gear (Moseby Confidential: Arthur Penn’s Night Moves and the Rise of Neo-Noir) He discusses financier Lew Grade, many of the cast - even with brief appearances, the locations (Barcelona, London etc.), the uncoordinated portal of accents, how it was initially planned as a TV mini-series, and plenty of side stories on much of the cast. He fills the time well - with a few gaps - and I always found it interesting. The commentary on the Extended Cut is by film historian / filmmaker Daniel Kremer (Sidney J. Furie: Life and Films.) I enjoyed Daniel talking about the differences between the theatrical and extended cuts - totally different editing, the director Stuart Rosenberg, the cast including difficulties in Dunaway's career with certain directors, the 1974 Television miniseries QB VII, also with Ben Gazzara, the many different cuts of Voyage of the Damned and much more. Daniel can talk off-the-cuff and always export relevant data. He made the 3-hours fly by. On the Theatrical Cut Blu-ray is also a 'Photo Gallery' and trailer. Also on the "Extended Cut" Blu-ray is an hour long video entitled Movie Memories – Stories From Behind the Lens abut the career, with interview, of cinematographer Billy Williams. He has worked on Billion Dollar Brain, The Magus, Women in Love, Tam-Lin, Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Silent Partner and many other films. There is also a new 1/4 hour interview with actor Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, The Assassin of the Tsar, The Raging Moon, O Lucky Man!, If..., Cat People etc. ) entitled The Crowd Around The Concierge where he talks about his recollections of the film, cast and director.   

Stuart Rosenberg's Voyage of the Damned has a dream-cast (if many only in brief roles) including Faye Dunaway, Max von Sydow, Oskar Werner, Malcolm McDowell, Orson Welles, James Mason, Lee Grant, Katharine Ross, Michael Constantine, Denholm Elliott, José Ferrer, Wendy Hiller, Fernando Rey, Ben Gazzara and many more. It was was inspired by the real-life historical events, and best-selling book, concerning the fate of the ocean liner St. Louis carrying 937 Jewish refugees from Germany to Cuba in 1939. The passage was planned as an exercise in Nazi propaganda never intending to disembark in Cuba. Voyage of the Damned is a very long film but has historical interest and fine performances. Serious film students have the option of dissecting the extended cut - so Daniel Kremer's commentary has plenty of value. The Imprint Blu-ray has gone the extra mile with both the theatrical and rarely-seen extended cuts, a commentary for each version, and other new extras. Those curious may wish to indulge.

Gary Tooze