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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (May 2022): Kino have transferred Giuliano Montaldo's Grand Slam to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The international production has a heavy appearance with a few dated visual effects. There is plenty of thick grain. Colors carry a richness and there is good contrast (plenty of shadows and sweaty faces) plus occasional depth. There aren't many speckles and it seems like a very good 1080P replication of the film's theatrical appearance. 

NOTE: We have added 68 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Grand Slam has decent Dubbing and aggressive moments as well as some loud Rio Carnaval do Brasil music with bass response supported. The score is by iconic Ennio Morricone (Revolver, The Great Silence, Who Saw Her Die?, The Black Belly of the Tarantula, The Fifth Cord, Luna, Danger Diabolik, Two Mules For Sister Sara, A Bullet for the General, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, The French Conspiracy, U Turn, Stay As You Are etc. etc.) including English renditions of songs "Go Away Melancholy" and "He and I". It can sound a shade rough but this would be more in-line with the international production. Dialogue is very audible throughout. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a new commentary by our favorite trio of Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson. They discuss the director Giuliano Montaldo (Machine Gun McCain) - praising his other work - including TV. How the film has no star dominating scenes but a true ensemble cast of less-developed characters. They talk the now-defunct Pan Am airlines, the cigarette lighter tropes, the above-average Dubbing (expecting a US theatrical release,) and about how the opening resembled the TV series Mission Impossible (the debut was a year before) and they provide details on the careers of many of the cast including Janet Leigh, Robert Hoffmann (the Angelique series), Klaus Kinski, Riccardo Cucciolla (his performance in Rabid Dogs,) George Rigaud (Horror Express,) the great, elder statesman, Edward G. Robinson and others. They identify some of the sly comedic moments and they show general affection for the diverse film production. It's at their usual informative, relaxed , standard effortless filling the film's 2-hour running time. There is also a trailer for Grand Slam.  

Giuliano Montaldo's Grand Slam is an intricately detailed diamond heist film with an international cast. It's fun and has some romance - basically, a very adeptly realized plot by the director. It has plenty of twists and turns with the mercenary characters being exposed as the thievery-plot unravels. It's a very good heist thriller. The Kino Blu-ray has the best a/v we are likely to find and the excellent commentary. It is absolutely recommended!

Gary Tooze