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

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (January 2022): Indicator have transferred Alvin Rakoff's Hoffman to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative by Powerhouse Films". It looks highly pleasing in 1080P with rich contrast and full colors. Hoffman is in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio and looks quite fetching in this HD presentation. It's blemish-free, bright and detailed. It looks excellent. 

NOTE: We have added 34 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Indicator use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Hoffman has no aggressive moments and is authentically flat. The score is by Ron Grainer (The Devil Within Her, Station Six Sahara, Night Must Fall, Doctor Who theme, The Prisoner theme, To Sir with Love, The Omega Man etc.) sounding clean with consistent dialogue in the lossless transfer. Matt Monro sings "If There Ever Is A Next Time" (not 'Monroe' as spelled in the credits.) Indicator offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' / 'B' Blu-ray.

The Indicator Blu-ray offers a a new 25-minute selected scenes commentary with director Alvin Rakoff plus a new 20-minute interview with him. His comments are highly interesting. Indicator include a new 1/2 hour interview with focus puller Eddie Collins who describes his contribution to "Hoffman". There is a brief new interview with draughtsman Terry Ackland-Snow. He did work on On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Battle of Britain and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Included in an original theatrical trailer and Trailers From Hell segment, plus the standard image gallery: promotional and publicity material. The package contains a limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by John Rain, archival interviews with Peter Sellers and Sinead Cusack, a look at author Ernest Gébler's multiple iterations of the Hoffman story, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits.

Alvin Rakoff's Hoffman has the difficult, but effective, transition of Seller's character in the viewer's perception. It's quite provocative. IMDb trivia states "Peter Sellers hated the film, feeling that his character was too close to his own actual personality. After failing to buy the film negative, so that he could re-shoot the film, he went into a period of depression about it." Rakoff' directed the TV version three years earlier in 1967. I am so happy to have seen this unique,  emotionally challenging, film via the Indicator Blu-ray. Absolutely recommended!

Gary Tooze