The Human Factor Blu-ray - Nicol Williamson

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

directed by Otto Preminger
UK 1979

Oscar winner John Gielgud*, Derek Jacobi, Richard Attenborough and Nicol Williamson star in this intriguing take of spies and counterspies, based on Graham Greene’s brilliant novel. When a leak in the British Secret Service is discovered in Russia, two agents become the target of the government’s investigation: Arthur Davis (Jacobi), a high-living bachelor whose attempts at a secret rendezvous with a woman arouse the suspicions of his superiors; and Maurice Castle, who eight years earlier had defied his government by falling in love with an African woman and helping her escape to England to become his wife. Ironically, one of the men is selling secrets to the Communists, and in the course of the investigation, the suspected double agent is eliminated by the government. But did they kill the wrong man? Directed by Otto Preminger and written by Tom Stoppard (Empire of the Sun), The Human Factor contains multi-layered plot twists that will keep you in suspense until the climactic finale!

***

This espionage drama is based on a novel by Graham Greene about a low-level British informant who is caught in a trap. Castle (Nicol Williamson) has a desk job in British intelligence. Around him are heavyweights like Col. Daintry (Richard Attenborough), Sir John Hargreaves (Richard Vernon), and Percival (Robert Morley) who will cold-bloodedly stop at nothing to do their jobs as they see fit. And Castle certainly is a nobody compared to them. One day when a friend of his in Africa needs some help, Castle is conned into supplying the Eastern block countries with info on demand. No one suspects him because of his low position, but when his office partner is hauled off, Castle begins to rethink his situation. This was director Otto Preminger's last film.

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Theatrical Release: December 18th, 1979

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Comparison:

Warner Archive Collection - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Concorde - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the DVD Review!

1) Warner - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT

2) Concorde - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Warner Home Video Region 0 - NTSC	Concorde - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:55:08	1:55:22.875
Video	1:78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.6 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,300,697,573 bytes Feature: 23,036,497,920 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.00 Mbps
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate Blu-ray
Audio	Dolby Digital Mono (English)	DTS-HD Master Audio German 823 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 823 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 826 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 826 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles	None	German, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Warner Home Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1:78:1 Edition Details: • None DVD Release Date: June 11th, 2013 Keep Case Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Concorde Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,300,697,573 bytes Feature: 23,036,497,920 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.00 Mbps Edition Details: • 2 Trailers of other films. Blu-ray Release Date: September 12th, 2013 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters: 16

Comments

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

ADDITION: Concorde - Region 'B' Blu-ray - May 2014 - This intentionally paced espionage feature wouldn't have been much of a film without Preminger's deft touch in helming it. Even with, it's only mediocre. But I like Williamson and it was interesting to see Iman.

The Concorde, single-layered, Blu-ray is not exceptional in appearance but it is superior to the DVD which looks to have some damage not present on the 1080P (see first capture). The SD is also cropped to 1.78:1 where the Blu-ray is in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio showing more information on the right and bottom edges. The Blu-ray has cooler skin tones and much better contrast, colors are tighter and it is better in just about every visual category. It has some thickness but overall is not a very appealing HD video presentation.

Audio is in a 1.0 channel mono DTS-HD Master at 826 kbps in original English. There is also an untested, lossless German DUB. Audio is fairly unremarkable being a mostly dialogue driven film with little action. The score is by Gary and Richard Logan (their only film credit). The, region 'B'-locked Blu-ray has optional German subtitles and the DVD offers none.

The only extras are on the Blu-ray (the Warner Archive has nothing) are two, unrelated Concorde trailers. Basically, both are 'bare-bones'.

I would only recommend the film to Preminger fans or completists of his work. Despite a few positive - it isn't a keeper, IMO. If you are keen to watch it - go for the Blu-ray, it's easily the best of the two.

- Gary Tooze

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