WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We have started a Patreon page with the hopes that some of our followers would be willing to donate to keep DVDBeaver alive. We are a small niche, so your generosity is vital to our existence.

To those that are unfamiliar, Patreon is a secure/verified third-party service where users can agree to a monthly donation via credit card or PayPal by clicking the button below.



 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Le flic se rebiffe')

 

Directed by Roland Kibbee, Burt Lancaster

USA 1974

 

One night after finishing his rounds as security chief at Jordan College, Quartz Willinger (Cameron Mitchell) stops by an after-hours club for a drink and walks in on the middle of a robbery, during which he is savagely beaten by three hillbilly thugs. While recovering from his injuries, he needs a replacement and arranges to hire an old friend, Jim Slade (Burt Lancaster), an ex-cop who has just been paroled on a murder conviction, for killing the man he caught with his wife. He finds the job an awkward fit but a welcome relief from prison, especially once he meets his parole officer, Linda Thorpe (Susan Clark). On his first night on the job, there's a break-in at the office of the college's resident psychiatrist (Robert Quarry), and the theft of some tapes made by students, only one of whom -- Natalie Clayborne (Catherine Bach), a pretty yet troubled coed, and daughter of a very powerful politician (Morgan Woodward) -- isn't upset by the incident.

Excerpt from AllMovie located HERE

Poster

Theatrical Release: March 7th, 1974

Reviews                                                                        More Reviews                                                            DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Movinside - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

1) Movinside - Region FREE Blu-ray LEFT

2) Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray RIGHT

 

Box Covers

 

 

Distribution

Movinside
Region
FREE Blu-ray

Kino
Region 'A'
Blu-ray
The Midnight Man is also available from Movinside in a 3 Blu-ray boxset with Stephen Frears, 1984 neo-noir, The Hit (Reviewed HERE) and Richard Fleischer's The Don is Dead (1973), with Anthony Quinn, Robert Forster, and Frederic Forrest.

      

Runtime

1:58:45.910

1:58:47.120
Video

Disc Size:  24,962,102,024 bytes

Feature Size: 24,139,793,856 bytes

Average Bitrate: 21.99 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

Disc Size:  24,760,734,885 bytes

Feature Size: 22,612,420,608 bytes

Average Bitrate: 22.16 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

Bitrate:

 

Movinside Blu-ray

 

Bitrate:

 

Kino Blu-ray

 

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1804 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1804 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio French 1579 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1579 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit))

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1555 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1555 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles French, None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Movinside

 

Disc Size:  24,962,102,024 bytes

Feature Size: 24,139,793,856 bytes

Average Bitrate: 21.99 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• None


Blu-ray  Release Date: June 27th, 2017
Black Blu-ray Case

Chapters: 13

Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

Disc Size:  24,760,734,885 bytes

Feature Size: 22,612,420,608 bytes

Average Bitrate: 22.16 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• NEW Audio Commentary by Films Historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson
• Trailer (2:10)


Blu-ray  Release Date: February 26th, 2019
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters: 8

 

 

 

Comments

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

ADDITION: Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray (February 2019): Technically a very similar transfer although I prefer the warmer and darker look of the Kino. It's probably the same source and looks as good - if not a shade better.

Audio has a similar DTS-HD Master transfer but only 16-bit as opposed to 24. There is no French DUB on the Kino that also supports the score by Dave Grusin (Candy, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, ...And Justice For All, 3 Days of the Condor, The Front) and helps establish mood including "Come On Back Where You Belong ". Kino add optional English subtitles (see sample).

Big difference is that the Kino adds a new commentary by Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson who seem to have a genuine affection for the film seeing how its stretched boundaries and was more complex that the films coming out at the time. They talk of Burt's son, Bill Lancaster, who plays a character in the story. Plenty of good information. There is also a trailer.

I agree with Berger in the commentary in that you get more out of The Midnight Man in subsequent viewings where clues keep appearing that are less-obvious on an initial screening. Obviously the Kino Blu-ray is the way to go to indulge in this Lancaster neo-noir crime mystery effort. 

***  

The Midnight Man gets an HD transfer to Blu-ray from Movinside. It's single-layered disc and the image quality is quite strong with some pleasing grain and it looks consistent throughout. Detail is adept and the image is-motion is impressive. This 1080P looked quite film-like in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio and the Blu-ray gave me a solid video presentation.

Movinside include both the original English language track as well as a French DUB on the
Blu-ray via lossless DTS-HD Master (24-bit) tracks. It all sounds clean and the film exports a few sequences of aggressive depth. It is a fittingly subtle augmenting the tone of the film. There are optional French subtitles, and the Blu-ray is region FREE.

 

NOTE: Despite the menu - the French subtitles are fully optional on my Oppo and this is a Region FREE disc (as are the other two films in the boxset).

There are no extras.

The Midnight Man is a neat thriller - a bit complex but seeing Burt Lancaster, as an ex-con, in this
neo-noir crime mystery will be satisfying for his fans. It's not stellar but is an enticing addition to the Movinside boxset.
Sure - recommended! 

 - Gary Tooze

Menus

Movinside - Region FREE Blu-ray

 

Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray

 

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray

 

 

1) Movinside - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Movinside - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Movinside - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Box Covers

 

 

Distribution

Movinside
Region
FREE Blu-ray

Kino
Region 'A'
Blu-ray
The Midnight Man is also available from Movinside in a 3 Blu-ray boxset with Stephen Frears, 1984 neo-noir, The Hit (Reviewed HERE) and Richard Fleischer's The Don is Dead (1973), with Anthony Quinn, Robert Forster, and Frederic Forrest.

      




Search DVDBeaver
S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!