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A view on Blu-ray by Gary W. Tooze

Under Suspicion [Blu-ray]

 

(Simon Moore, 1991)

 

 

Review by Gary Tooze

 

Production:

Theatrical: Columbia Pictures Corporation

Video: Image Entertainment

 

Disc:

Region: 'A' (as verified by the Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player)

Runtime: 1:39:57.992

Disc Size: 23,585,234,740 bytes

Feature Size: 22,601,318,400 bytes

Video Bitrate: 26.99 Mbps

Chapters: 16

Case: Standard Blu-ray case

Release date: October 18th, 2011

 

Video:

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Audio:

LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit

 

Subtitles:

English (SDH), Spanish, none

 

Extras:

• None

 

Bitrate:

 

 

Description: Two people come together in a dangerous liaison turned deadly affair. This is the provocative premise for Under Suspicion, a brilliantly crafted thriller starring Academy Award nominee Liam Neeson (Best Actor in a Leading Role, Schindler's List, 1993) and Laura San Giacomo (Sex, Lies and Videotape). Tony Aaron (Neeson) is a private eye who makes his living setting up phony adultery cases with the help of his wife. But a routine set up fatally backfires when Tony's wife and his client – a wealthy artist– are murdered. At first, all clues point to the artist's mysterious mistress, Angeline (San Giacomo), but Tony is also named as a prime suspect. Both maintain their innocence, and guilt seems even harder to assign when the two plunge into a steamy, forbidden affair. One is guilty, the other is innocent - but the real killer might ultimately get away with murder.

 

 

The Film:

Simon Moore, an English playwright and television dramatist, makes his theatrical film debut as the writer and director of "Under Suspicion," a taut and entertaining mystery melodrama set in the English Channel resort city of Brighton in 1959.

The year is important. The death penalty was still in effect. England's divorce laws had not yet been changed, and adultery was still the favorite ground for dissolving a marriage.

Excerpt from Vincent Canby of the NY Times located HERE

Tony Aaron (Neeson) is a private investigator with a seedy line in divorce work and dogged charm fraying with desperation. Then the bottom drops out of his low-rent world: his wife and a wealthy client are slaughtered in a bloody double murder, and naturally Aaron is the prime suspect. Cannily set in downtown Brighton on the very brink of the '60s, Under Suspicion is the sort of polished British crime melodrama that might have been made in the '50s with Richard Todd and some circumspection. Modern audiences may have doubts about the enterprise: the denouement hinges on a series of shameless contrivances and a last gasp race against the gallows. More damagingly, perhaps, Aaron's relationship with an American femme fatale (San Giacomo) smacks less of amour fou than an affair of convenience. Nevertheless, it's an engrossing mystery, snappily written and smartly directed by Moore in a promising debut.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

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

Under Suspicion looks adequate on Blu-ray from Image Entertainment.  It's single-layered and while not scaling the heights of the format's visual capabilities - definitely looks more advanced than SD. Sony (or was it Columbia back then) released this on DVD back in 2003. This Blu-ray has excellent contrast and black levels, colors are tight and true and there is some depth creeping in here and there.  There is a bit of noise but nothing too extravagant. This Blu-ray probably gives a decent, and un-manipulated, representation of the film. It's consistent and very clean and should suffice for an entertaining night in the Home Theater.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio :

Image Entertainment utilize a linear PCM 2.0 channel track at 1536 kbps. It's modest with no range but exports depth decently through the uncompressed track. Christopher Gunning supplies a standard thriller score that actually sounds quite atmospheric and tense in lossless. There are optional subtitles and my Momitsu has identified it as being a region 'A'-locked.

 

Extras :

Nutt'in... not even a trailer.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
Those who enjoy Film Noir will probably appreciate Under Suspicion. Neeson is a kind of anti-hero protagonist but more as a mercenary/patsy than a downright baddie. No Walter Neff but equally as 'played'. Laura San Giacomo is on fire and the period aspects of the film are done quite well. Simon Moore has writing credits but only one other directorial effort after this - and it's a shame because I think he had a flair and could export the story to the screen with some aplomb. The Blu-ray is typical Image Entertainment - single-layered and bare-bones but the price is right for this above-average crime-thriller. Recommended for more than enough positives! 

Gary Tooze

October 10th, 2011

 


 

About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 9500 DVDs and have reviewed over 3500 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.

Although I never wanted to become one of those guys who focused 'too much' on image and sound quality - I find HD is swiftly pushing me in that direction.

Gary's Home Theatre:

60-Inch Class (59.58” Diagonal) 1080p Pioneer KURO Plasma Flat Panel HDTV PDP6020-FD

Oppo Digital BDP-83 Universal Region FREE Blu-ray/SACD Player
Momitsu - BDP-899 Region FREE Blu-ray player
Marantz SA8001 Super Audio CD Player
Marantz SR7002 THX Select2 Surround Receiver
Tannoy DC6-T (fronts) + Energy (centre, rear, subwoofer) speakers (5.1)

APC AV 1.5 kVA H Type Power Conditioner 120V

Gary W. Tooze

 

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