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

ADDITION: Network Blu-ray (August 2022): Network have transferred John Mills' Sky West and Crooked to Blu-ray. It is cited as being a "brand-new High Definition remaster from original film elements". The 1.66:1 1080P image has a minor gloss and is not especially tight with a shade of, consistent, softness. Colors look true and it was reasonably pleasing on my system appearing bright with frequent depth exported. Hopefully the screen captures below can give you an idea. I enjoyed the video portion of my viewing. 

NOTE: We have added 28 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Network use a linear PCM dual-mono track (16-bit) in the original English language. Sky West and Crooked has one notable aggressive moment early in the film and the rest of passively authentic - flat and with strong accents. The score is by Malcolm Arnold (The Night My Number Came Up, The Captain's Paradise, The Holly and the Ivy, Tunes of Glory, No Highway in the Sky. The Bridge On the River Kwai, Island in the Sun, Stolen Face, Hobson's Choice) and supports a convincing and placid portrayal of village life. Network offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

The Network Blu-ray offers 50-minutes worth of a featurette, Takes With Baby Faces, that include interviews with actors Irene Bradshaw, Stephen Salt and Lola Payne, 1st assistant director David Tringham and 2nd assistant director Hugh Harlow sharing experiences and recollection on working on Sky West and Crooked. Network include the US title sequence (Gypsy Girl), a theatrical trailer and an image gallery plus the package offers a limited edition booklet written by Neil Sinyard.

John Mills' Sky West and Crooked is the actor's only directorial effort. It really was a family project with the screenplay penned by Mills' wife Mary Hayley Bell, starring daughter Hayley and even the family dog, a spaniel, named Hamlet. 'Sky West and Crooked' is a West Country term for someone who is "mentally unsound". It's about children and a focus on understanding death. It has a romantic edge with Hayley falling for a handsome gypsy (Ian McShane). Sky West and Crooked has some beautiful countryside shot on location in and around the village of Little Badminton in South Gloucestershire, although the film production did erect a tower for the church. Kudos as well to the cinematography of Arthur Ibbetson (The Chalk Garden, Die! Die! My Darling!, The Railway Children.) The alternate title Bats With Baby Faces was based on a line from a T.S. Eliot poem. I was very glad I saw this - although I found it quite dark at times. The acting is superb. The Network Blu-ray provides a pleasing 1080P presentation, uncompressed audio and an extensive supplements filled with interviews of 5 of the participants plus a liner notes booklet. Recommend to fans of John and Hayley Mills and 60's British cinema. 

Gary Tooze