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(aka "The Case of the Stocking Killer")
Directed by Stephen Frears
UK 1971
This brilliant feature debut from
director Stephen Frears (My
Beautiful Laundrette, Dangerous Liaisons,
The Grifters) is an affectionate and uniquely
British tribute to the Hollywood detective movies of the
1940s. Starring the great Albert Finney (Saturday
Night and Sunday Morning,
Tom Jones,
Wolfen) as a Liverpool bingo-caller who dreams
of being a private eye and then finds himself suddenly
contacted for what appears to be an actual piece of
detective work. *** Finney plays a bingo
caller and failed comedian in a seedy Liverpool
nightclub who imagines himself a Bogart-like detective
("gumshoe" was a common slang term for a private eye, a
reference to the soft-soled shoes worn for sneaking
around unheard). The story, narrated by Finney's Eddie
Ginley in language imitative of the tough-talking heroes
created by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler,
follows Ginley's initial foray into his dream job when
his advertised services are called upon by a mysterious
fat man who provides him with a young woman's photo, a
gun, and a 1000 pounds in cash but no instructions.
Ginley becomes enmeshed in a highly convoluted case
involving heroin smuggling, gun running, and African
politics. |
Posters etc.
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Theatrical Release: December 1971
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Review:
Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-rayBox Cover |
|
Distribution |
Indicator |
Runtime |
1:25:50.186 |
Video |
Disc Size: 46,840,014,169 bytes Feature Size: 25,043,248,704 bytes Average Bitrate: 34.80 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video |
Bitrate:
Indicator Blu-ray
|
|
Audio |
LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | English (SDH), None |
Features |
Release
Information: Studio: Indicator
Disc Size: 46,840,014,169 bytes Feature Size: 25,043,248,704 bytes Average Bitrate: 34.80 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • Producer Michael Medwin on Gumshoe (1:51) • Editor Charles Rees on Gumshoe (25:12) • Production Designer Michael Seymour on Gumshoe (2:22) • Actor Tom Kempski on Gumshoe (1:33) • The Burning (1967, 31:54): Frears haunting debut short film • Original theatrical trailer (2:59)
• VHS
Trailer (2:43) Chapters: 10 |
Comments |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Indicator's Blu-ray transfer is in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio and has prominent grain throughout. The 1080P looks authentic and good if not dynamic - and the texture is even and the visuals show some rich colors and consistency proving the HD presentation a film-like appearance. There is some minor depth and detail is exported as well as possible - another dual-layered transfer with a max'ed out bitrate.
The audio transfer is in a linear PCM mono track - 24-bit - in the original English language. Despite the frequent gun-waving in Gumshoe there isn't much aggression in the film but it does offer a score credited to Andrew Lloyd Webber (yes, that one, also did The Odessa File) - and the music in the film ranges from Baby, You're Good For Me (by Webber) sung by Roy Young, Carole King 's Take Good Care Of My Baby, Liverpool Home and Crying In The Rain performed by The Jacksons etc. It all sounds clean, flat and audible in the uncompressed - no flaws. Indicator add optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray disc.
Indicator load the supplements with six new interviews; 18-minutes with
director Stephen Frears discussing the film’s production history, 1/5
hour with screenwriter and actor Neville Smith: the celebrated writer
and actor discusses his work on the film, for which he won a Writers’
Guild of Great Britain Award, Producer Michael Medwin on Gumshoe
for less than 2-minutes, 25-minutes with Editor Charles Rees on
Gumshoe, less than 3-minutes with Production Designer Michael
Seymour on Gumshoe and a brief sequence with actor Tom Kempinski
who recalls the shooting of his, early, scene with Finney. Included is
the 1/2 hour The Burning Frears’ haunting debut short film from
1968, made for Finney’s production company, Memorial Enterprises. There
is an original theatrical trailer, a VHS Trailer and image gallery of
on-set and promotional photography and the package has a limited edition
exclusive booklet with a new essay by Robert Murphy, an overview of
contemporary critical responses, and historic articles on the film. Yes, this is circling the Neo-Noir genre - it is both playful and provides a researched homage to many of the dark cinema's most desirable conventions. I enjoyed it and Finney's performance. Indicator's Blu-ray has plenty of value with the engaging Noirish-nostalgia film and relevant extras including the many interviews, Frear's short and booklet. Another strongly recommended package from the hard-workers at Indicator. Fans are appreciative!- Gary Tooze |
Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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