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

ADDITION: 88 Films Blu-ray (September 2023): 88 Films have transferred Pete Walker's Home Before Midnight to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "Remastered Transfer, Extensive Dust and Damage Repair and Removal". was also part of Redemption's Pete Walker Collection Volume 2 Blu-ray that we reviewed HERE. We also reviewed the Blu-ray individually by Redemption HERE. The image quality is quite similar but there are less speckles and skin tones tend to warm in a few scenes. It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate and although I thought I saw some compression - it wouldn't have been enough to disturb the HD presentation.

NOTE: We have added 32 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, 88 Films use a linear PCM 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original English language. A stated in the previous review; there isn't much going on effects-wise in Home Before Midnight but what is kind of amusing is the period rock/pop music written by Clive Scott and Des Dyer tunes, mostly performed by 'Jigsaw'. I found it quite irritating but suitable to the protagonist's profession, I suppose. There is incidental music by sessions musician Ray Russell. It does give the air of 'rock'n roll' with Mick's brother Chris Jagger in the film. 88 Films offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The 88 Films Blu-ray offers three video supplements; Michael Armstrong - The Midnight Man is a dozen-minute interview with the co-writer of Home Before Midnight. Michael is also a director; Mark of the Devil. Pete Walker’s A Star Is Dead: Sex Pistols ‘77 spends 7-minutes with the director discussing meeting the English impresario, visual artist, musician, and fashion designer Malcolm McLaren and the legacy of The Sex Pistols including a potential film by Pete Walker ('A Star is Dead'.) Working For Walker spends 1/4 hour with Juliet Harmer (Susan Wilshire in the film), Terry Madden (second assistant director), composer Ray Russell and camera operator Peter Sinclair recalling the production of Home Before Midnight and working with Walker. There is also a theatrical trailer.

I do like Peter Walker's work; Frightmare, House of Whipcord and Die Screaming Marianne, but this is very different - which is not a bad thing. Home Before Midnight deals with the definition of statutory rape and was quite controversial for its time. There are some less-explicit sexual situations and minor nudity - however, if we buy into the premise - any eroticism becomes very creepy (to say the least.) Not a 'T+A' flic. So Walker remains immersed in his 'sleazy' genre although he would approach it from a totally different angle than from his horror crossovers with sexploitation. This film intersects the world of a 28-year old rock'n roller and his, presumably, honorable tryst with a schoolgirl. Home Before Midnight doesn't do a bad job fuelling a debate about the legality, parental responsibility, does he really love her? does it matter? So it is the outlier of Walker's oeuvre and that gives it a curious edge that some will appreciate. I think the 88 Films Blu-ray advances on the older Redemption, in a/v and extras (and it offers optional subtitles,) and that would be the one we endorse to any who may be keen.

Gary Tooze