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

ADDITION: 88 Films Blu-ray (September 2024): 88 Films have transferred Peter Sasdy's Doomwatch to Blu-ray. It was released by Kino in the US on Blu-ray in 2016 HERE. This 1080P is very thick and not particularly crisp. I have a feeling this modest-budgeted Tigon film didn't have the most stellar production values. There are a few marks and the heaviness can come across as soft. There isn't much depth and the colors can look faded - but I presume the Kino is similar in terms of HD presentation.

NOTE: We have added 56 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, 88 Films use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Doomwatch has boats / helicopters plus some science lab effects and underwater cinematography - but it all quite minor with the tone carried by the score by John Scott who, in his career, had composed for restored silents like the 1920 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as Ted Kotcheff's classic Wake in Fright, Billy Two Hats, plus Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, Cop-Out, Symptoms, Satan's Slave, A Study in Terror, and Cult Camp Classics like 1970's Trog with Joan Crawford. John Scott also played the flute in The Beatles's 1965 recording "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away". This score carries both subtle mood, and overt energy and suits the film splendidly. 88 Films offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

The 88 Films Blu-ray offers a new commentary by Kim Newman (author of Something More than Night) and Sean Hogan (author of England's Screaming.) They discuss the television show - pointing out differences, director Sasdy (Countess Dracula, The Devil Within Her), Bannen, Geeson and they identify many of the minor roles (including George Sanders as 'The Admiral') as well as other tangential eco-horror/sci-fi flics. It's informative and fun. Also included is the older audio commentary by director Sasdy (The Stone Tape, Taste the Blood of Dracula and Hands of the Ripper.) He was born in Hungary and there is a bit of an accent although easy to discern. He comments that he had nothing to do with the TV series, how the characters were different and no continuity to the television programme and about eco-concerns as well as production details. Sasdy also gives a short introduction to Doomwatch. Saving Our Oceans spends over a dozen-minutes with Jean Trend (who played Dr. Fay Chantry in Doomwatch) on Doomwatch. She recalls the production. To the Big Screen - Making Doomwatch is a vintage featurette running almost 1/4 hour with a handful of cast and crew. Lastly are an original trailer, stills gallery and the package has a reversible sleeve featuring new artwork by Sean Longmore & original poster and booklet notes by Jon Dear (We Don't Go Back: A Watcher's Guide to Folk Horror).

Peter Sasdy's Doomwatch was based on the BBC television series Doomwatch (1970–1972). This feature stars Ian Bannen (The Driver's Seat, The Flight of the Phoenix, The Offence) - who is often only in supporting roles - and fan favorite Judy Geeson (A Candle for the Devil, Three Into Two Won't Go, Fear in the Night.) This is part of 88 Films Tigon Collection. Tigon had a relatively small output (producing films from 1967-73) with modest budgets but are best remembered for its horror films, directly competing for audiences with Hammer and Amicus. This is totally suited to my tastes - warts and all. I enjoyed the 'small village with a secret' echoing The Wicker Man made the following year - it was shot in around Cornwall. The 'disease' was thought to be acromegaly which was also used to explain the over growth in 1955's creature-feature  Tarantula. The 88 Films Blu-ray is stacked - two commentaries, featurettes, booklet notes, great cover... A "keeper" for me.

Gary Tooze