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

ADDITION: BFI Blu-ray (July 2022): BFI have transferred Lindsey C. Vickers's The Appointment to Blu-ray. It is spine #44 of their 'Flipside' series. The 1080P image is subject to its source condition cited as "the best materials as yet discovered". For the most part it looks fine but does have some weaknesses that don't always translate well to video with a shade of infrequent noise. It was shot on 35m and there is grain and the transfer is housed on a dual-layered Blu-ray disc with a high bitrate. 

NOTE: We have added 64 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, BFI use a linear PCM dual-mono track (16-bit) in the original English language. The Appointment has few aggressive moments (mostly auto-related) and has, relatively, little dialogue. The ornate orchestral score is by Trevor Jones (varied compositions include the films Runaway Train, In the Name of the Father, Angel Heart and Arachnophobia)  sounding occasionally unique but supporting the film well via the lossless transfer. BFI offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The BFI Blu-ray offers a new audio commentary by director Lindsey Vickers, hosted by Vic Pratt. They discuss how the opening sequences is so disconnected form the rest of the film, Vickers' use of sounds and electronic noises contrasting the background orchestral score, the film's early narration, Edward Woodward's character's unlikable traits - awkwardness regarding his daughter, Vickers' dislike of The Wicker Man, a bit on how Jane Merrow (Night of the Big Heat) become involved, the film's pacing and so much more. Vickers explains many of the details of the story that I wasn't aware of as Pratt draws information out of him. BFI include a lot more in their supplements - many new; Vickers on Vickers has the director looks back on his life and career for 3/4 of an hour. He was assistant director on a few later Hammer and genre films; Vampire Circus, Blood from the Mummy's Tomb, Scars of Dracula, The Horror of Frankenstein, The Vampire Lovers, Taste the Blood of Dracula. Another Outing has a 1/4 hour of Jane Merrow recalling co-starring in The Appointment. Appointments Shared spends a short time with Lindsey and Jan Vickers remember the making of the ‘haunted film’. Framing The Appointment has Lindsey Vickers recalling the making the film with Vic Pratt asking questions. Remembering The Appointment sends 10-minutes with assistant director Gregory Dark shares his recollections of the film. Also included is Vickers’ eerie 1/2 hour short The Lake from 1978 which finds young lovers choosing to picnic at a spot haunted by echoes of a violent event. It also offers an optional, newly recorded audio commentary by Vickers. Splashing Around is also new and interviews actor Julie Peasgood on making The Lake for almost 20-minutes. There are multiple galleries featuring annotated scripts, storyboards, images and production materials and newly commissioned sleeve art by Matt Needle. For the first pressing there is an illustrated booklet featuring new writing on the film by Vic Pratt and contributions from William Fowler, Jon Dear and Lindsey Vickers. It is limited to 4000 copies.

Lindsey C. Vickers's The Appointment is a fascinating, unique, and disturbing, horror filled with plenty of unspoken gestures, creepy sounds, an unsettling atmosphere and sporadic Maguffins - often irrelevant in themselves but subtly impactful to an attentive audience. It's been highly neglected - only seen on TV and videotape. It's moody and your sense of suspense is generated by its intentionally limited details and visual storytelling. It may evoke Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now in that sense. The BFI Blu-ray is totally stacked with a decent-enough a/v transfer (best elements), new director commentary, a host of video extras - interviews and more - plus a riveting short and a limited edition booklet. I was very taken with The Appointment especially after the commentary. Absolutely recommended!

Gary Tooze