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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Subway Panic" or "Pelham" or "The Mastermind" or "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3")

 

Directed by Joseph Sargent
USA 1974

 

Screen legends Walter Matthau (Charley Varrick) and Robert Shaw (Force 10 from Navarone) team up with Martin Balsam (After the Fox) and Hector Elizondo (Valdez is Coming) to deliver a sure-fire entertainment that's gripping and exciting from beginning to end and is guaranteed to give you the ride of your life. A gang of armed professionals hijack a New York subway train somewhere outside the Pelham station threatening to kill one hostage per minute unless their demands are met. Forced to stall these unknown assailants until a ransom is delivered or a rescue is made, transit chief Lt. Garber (Matthau) must shrewdly outmaneuver one of the craftiest and cruelest villains (Shaw) in a battle of wits that will either end heroically or tragically. Featuring masterful direction by Joseph Sargent (White Lightning), gorgeous widescreen cinematography by Owen Roizman (The French Connection), a classic rousing score by David Shire (The Conversation) and top-notch editing by Jerry Greenberg (Apocalypse Now) and Robert Q. Lovett (Cotton Comes to Harlem).

***

Four armed men hijack a New York City subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. The city's police are faced with a conundrum: Even if it's paid, how could they get away?

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 1974 (San Sebastián Film Festival)

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Review: Kino - Region FREE - 4K UHD

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Kino - Region FREE - 4K UHD
Runtime 1:44:22.458        
Video

2.35:1 2160P 4K Ultra HD

Disc Size: 80,625,393,165 bytes

Feature: 79,910,043,648 bytes

Video Bitrate: 69.99 Mbps

Codec: HEVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate 4K Ultra HD:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1969 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1969 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 3636 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3636 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentaries:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1557 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1557 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

2.35:1 2160P 4K Ultra HD

Disc Size: 80,625,393,165 bytes

Feature: 79,910,043,648 bytes

Video Bitrate: 69.99 Mbps

Codec: HEVC Video

 

Edition Details:

4K Ultra HD disc

• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson
• Audio Commentary by Actor/Filmmaker Pat Healy and Film Programmer/Historian Jim Healy

DISC 2 (
BLU-RAY):
• Brand New 4K Master
• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson
• Audio Commentary by Actor/Filmmaker Pat Healy and Film Programmer/Historian Jim Healy
• THE MAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE: Vintage Featurette from the Point of View of New York City Transit Policeman, Carmine Foresta, who appears in the Film as a Train Expediter (6:08)
• 12 MINUTES WITH MR. GREY: Interview with Actor Hector Elizondo (12:02)
• CUTTING ON ACTION: Interview with Editor Gerald B. Greenberg (9:09)
• THE SOUND OF THE CITY: Interview with Composer David Shire (9:07)
• Trailers from Hell with Josh Olson (2:40)
• Image and Poster Gallery (2:20)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:33)
• TV Spot (0:32)
• 2 Radio Spots (1:01)


4K Ultra HD Release Date:
December 20th, 2022
Black 4K Ultra HD Case

Chapters 10

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the respective discs.

ADDITION: Kino 4K UHD (December 2022): Kino's are releasing Joseph Sargent's "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" to 4K UHD. It is cited as being a "Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative". The Taking of Pelham One Two Three was released on Blu-ray by Kino in 2016 HERE. And before that an MGM Blu-ray in 2011, HERE. The 2160P video has quite a bit of softness and untoward waxiness at times. It doesn't resemble film thickness to me. There is infrequent depth and a strong heaviness to the visuals. Not every film transfers well to digital. This doesn't look like DNR to me - more like less-resilient film stock. In-motion it looked appealing on my system. The 4K UHD transfer is on a triple-layered disc with a very high bitrate. The package include a second disc Blu-ray that has the feature, from a "Brand New 4K Master", and supplements (see below.)

It is likely that the monitor you are seeing this review is not an HDR-compatible display (High Dynamic Range) or Dolby Vision, where each pixel can be assigned with a wider and notably granular range of color and light. Our capture software if simulating the HDR (in a uniform manner) for standard monitors. This should make it easier for us to review more 4K UHD titles in the future and give you a decent idea of its attributes on your system. So our captures may not support the exact same colors (coolness of skin tones, brighter or darker hues etc.) as the 4K system at your home. But the framing, detail, grain texture support etc. are, generally, not effected by this simulation representation.

NOTE: 50 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (no HDR), High Plains Drifter (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mystery Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Silent Running (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dressed to Kill (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Power of the Dog  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Escape From Alcatraz (software uniformly simulated HDR), I, the Jury (no HDR), Casablanca (software uniformly simulated HDR), In the Mood For Love (NO HDR applied to disc), The Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Blow Out (software uniformly simulated HDR), Night of the Living Dead (NO HDR applied to disc), Lost Highway (software uniformly simulated HDR), Videodrome (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Last Picture Show (software uniformly simulated HDR), It Happened One Night (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Mummy (1932)(software uniformly simulated HDR), Creature From the Black Lagoon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Bride of Frankenstein (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Amityville Horror  (software uniformly simulated HDR), The War of the Worlds (1953) (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Incredible Melting Man  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Event Horizon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Get Carter (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Killing (software uniformly simulated HDR), Killer's Kiss (software uniformly simulated HDR), Out of Sight (software uniformly simulated HDR), Raging Bull (software uniformly simulated HDR), Shaft (1971),  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Double Indemnity (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Untouchables (software uniformly simulated HDR) For a Few Dollars More (no HDR), Saboteur (software uniformly simulated HDR), Marnie (software uniformly simulated HDR), Shadow of a Doubt (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (software uniformly simulated HDR), A Fistful of Dollars (no HDR), In the Heat of the Night (no HDR), Jack Reacher (software uniformly simulated HDR), Death Wish II (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Apartment (no HDR), The Proposition (software uniformly simulated HDR), Nightmare Alley (2021) (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Godfather (software uniformly simulated HDR), Le Crecle Rouge (software uniformly simulated HDR), An American Werewolf in London (software uniformly simulated HDR), A Hard Day's Night (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Piano (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Great Escape (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Red Shoes (software uniformly simulated HDR), Citizen Kane (software uniformly simulated HDR), Unbreakable (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mulholland Dr. (software uniformly simulated HDR), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Hills Have Eyes (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Servant (software uniformly simulated HDR), Anatomy of a Murder (software uniformly simulated HDR), Taxi Driver  (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Wolf Man (1941) (software uniformly simulated HDR), Frankenstein (1931) (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Deep Red (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Misery (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Silence of the Lambs (software uniformly simulated HDR), John Carpenter's "The Thing" (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Cat' o'Nine Tails (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (software uniformly simulated HDR), Perdita Durango (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Django (software uniformly simulated HDR) Fanny Lye Deliver'd (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, (NO HDR applied to disc),  Rollerball (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Chernobyl  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Daughters of Darkness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Vigilante (software uniformly simulated HDR), Tremors (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cinema Paradiso (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Bourne Legacy (software uniformly simulated HDR), Full Metal Jacket (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Psycho (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Birds (software uniformly simulated HDR), Rear Window (software uniformly simulated HDR), Vertigo (software uniformly simulated HDR) Spartacus (software uniformly simulated HDR), Jaws (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Invisible Man, (software uniformly simulated HDR), Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lucio Fulci's 1979 Zombie  (software uniformly simulated HDR),, 2004's Van Helsing (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Shallows (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Bridge on the River Kwai (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Deer Hunter (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Elephant Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), A Quiet Place (software uniformly simulated HDR), Easy Rider (software uniformly simulated HDR), Suspiria (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pan's Labyrinth (software uniformly simulated HDR) The Wizard of Oz, (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Shining, (software uniformly simulated HDR), Batman Returns (software uniformly simulated HDR), Don't Look Now (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Man Who Killed Killed and then The Bigfoot  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Bram Stoker's Dracula (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lucy (software uniformly simulated HDR), They Live (software uniformly simulated HDR), Shutter Island (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Matrix (software uniformly simulated HDR), Alien (software uniformly simulated HDR), Toy Story (software uniformly simulated HDR),  A Few Good Men (software uniformly simulated HDR),  2001: A Space Odyssey (HDR caps udated), Schindler's List (simulated HDR), The Neon Demon (No HDR), Dawn of the Dead (No HDR), Saving Private Ryan (simulated HDR and 'raw' captures), Suspiria (No HDR), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (No HDR), The Big Lebowski, and I Am Legend (simulated and 'raw' HDR captures).

On their 4K UHD, Kino offers the option of DTS-HD Master tracks (24-bit) in dual-mono or a 5.1 surround bump - both in the original English language. "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" is filled with subway noises and some gunfire. There are modest separations in the surround. The, much-discussed, horn-keyboard etc. score is by David Shire (Farewell, My Lovely, All the President's Men, Showdown, Zodiac, The Conversation) that has been described as "one of the best and most inventive thriller scores of the 1970s".  It adds an effective edge to the viewing experience and it comes through supportively in the lossless. Kino's two discs offers optional English subtitles - Region 'A' for the Blu-ray and, like all 4K UHD, region FREE, playable worldwide.

There are two commentaries on the 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs - one new. Film historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson talk about the New York centricity of the film and its quintessential representation of the city and its citizen's personalities in the 70's. They cover a ton of detail including differences from the book and, as always, are enjoyable to listen to. The second commentary is by brothers Pat and Jim Healy who related some interesting tidbit for the production including information about director Joseph Sargent, cinematographer Owen Roizman, how the motorman was played by James Broderick - actor Matthew’s dad and much more. It's also worthwhile indulging. On the second disc Blu-ray, are interviews with actor Hector Elizondo, editor Gerald B. Greenberg and composer David Shire. They run about 1/2 hour in total. There is also the 'making of' The Taking of Pelham One Two Three - a 6-minute vintage featurette from the 'Point of View' of New York City Transit Policeman, Carmine Foresta, who appears in the film as a train expediter. Lastly are a 'Trailers from Hell' piece with Josh Olson, an image and poster gallery, theatrical trailer, TV Spot and 2 Radio Spots.

Aside from Kino's
4K UHD
image quality being somewhat underwhelming the overall package - notably the film and two commentaries make it very desirable. Peter Stone adapted the screenplay from the 1973 novel The Taking of Pelham One Two Three written by Morton Freedgood (under the pen name John Godey.) I thought the 2009 Tony Scott adaptation was enjoyable with Denzel Washington, John Travolta and Luis Guzmán - reviewed on Blu-ray HERE. The original, considered one of 1974's best films, is another level up though. It was also made into a TV movie in 1998 starring Edward James Olmos, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Donnie Walberg - that I have not seen. It's an inventive premise; a group of four gun-toting criminals take 18 passengers, including the conductor and an undercover police officer, hostage on a New York City Subway - car seeking ransom money. The Court Street station in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three was also used for The French Connection, Death Wish, and the 2009 Tony Scott remake. The original has a superb cast with Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam etc. and carries the crime-thriller to rarely reached heights. This film is absolutely recommended. A wonderful addition to any film fan's library.

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY and 4K UHD CAPTURE TO SEE IN FULL RESOLUTION

 

1) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino - Region FREE - 4K UHD BOTTOM

 

 


1) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino - Region FREE - 4K UHD BOTTOM

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 

More full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K Ultra HD Captures for Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Kino - Region FREE - 4K UHD


 


 

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