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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (February 2021): Kino have also transferred Frank Perry's 'Doc' to Blu-ray. It is described as being from a "Brand New 2K Master". One of the most notable differences from the 2016 Signal One BD, is the amount of information in the frame. There is much more on all sides of the Kino Blu-ray. It also has a more robust, dual-layered, transfer with about 50% higher bitrate than the UK 1080P. This shows in a richer, darker, image with warmer skins tones and deeper black levels. Overall, the Kino easily wins the HD video presentation.

NOTE: We have added 46 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (16-bit) in the original English language. There are horse and gun effects typical of the western genre. The score is credited to acclaimed songwriter Jimmy Webb (his first feature) who's music you will hear in such films as Michael Mann's Heat, The Coen Brothers Fargo and the recent TV documentary The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst. You'd have to say the Signal Entertainment audio transfer wins this feature with with 24-bit rednering - but it would be slight. Kino also offer optional English subtitles put their package is a Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray also offer a new commentary. This one is by Alex Cox (author of 10,000 Ways to Die: A Director's Take on the Spaghetti Western.) He is the director of Tombstone Rashomon a different take on the gunfight at the OK Corral so seems and excellent choice. He talks about director Frank Perry, 'negative space', scriptwriter Pete Hamill who based the character of Wyatt Earp on Lyndon Johnson who hew was covering as a political journalist. Cox extols the cinematography of Gerald Hirschfeld (Fail-Safe, Young Frankenstein, The Car). He discusses production designer Gene Callahan (Eyes of Laura Mars, The Stepford Wives, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds etc.) He talks about this film being shot in Spain as many westerns were at that time, the performance of Harris Yulin. I always enjoy listening to Alex Cox - a wonderful, revealing, commentarist. There is also a trailer. The Kino Blu-ray has a reversible sleeve with alternate artwork (see below.)

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is a highly appealing myth that "Doc" attempts to set straight as a kind of anti-western. I am a big fan of Frank Perry films like Diary of a Mad Housewife, The Swimmer (with Sydney Pollock) Man on a Swing and his first David and Lisa. This is a talented filmmaker and "Doc" is a film worth multiple revisitations. For Region 'A' audiences - the Kino Blu-ray has strong value with a strong HD presentation and Alex Cox commentary addition. Absolutely recommended!  

Gary Tooze

ON THE SIGNAL ENTERTAINMENT (FEB 2016: "Doc" gets an solid transfer to Blu-ray from Signal One in the UK. It is single-layered with a supportive bitrate for the 1.5 hour feature. With subtle but brilliant cinematography by Gerald Hirschfeld we get some impressive visuals (notable in the desert-crossing sequence) the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The HD transfer produces consistent heavy textures, realistic, earthy western, colors and adept contrast layering. I see no damage or scratches and only minor speckles. This looked very strong, IMO. Perhaps we will compare to a Region 'A' edition one day.

Audio comes in a linear PCM 1.0 channel track at 1152 kbps. The typical western effects (winds, horses, guns etc.) are flat and carry some weight in lossless.  There are optional English (HoH) subtitles on the region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

Signal One are certainly no slouch in the supplements department. This disc is stacked, starting with an excellent audio commentary by C. Courtney Joyner author of The Westerners: Interviews with Actors, Directors, Writers and Producers. He is also an award-winning writer of screenplays, with over 25 produced movies to his credit. So... he knows his stuff and gives some highly interesting discussion of Doc referencing many other westerns and Perry's films plus giving important historical context. One of my favorite commentaries so far this year. Truth Be Told is a new 20-minute interview with award-winning actor Stacy Keach as done by Robert Fischer of Fiction Factory and its revealing plus we get another from Fischer entitled Outside the System - also from 2015 - and it runs 25-minutes as an interesting interview with celebrated editor Alan Heim. These are expertly produced and add significant value to the package. There is also a 1 1/2 hour Guardian Interview with Faye Dunaway with critic Alexander Walker from 1980 (audio only) played to the film running. There are Lobby cards, posters and stills gallery and a theatrical trailer.

Without another transfer to compare it to - the Signal One Blu-ray is solid - pleasing a/v, and stacked with extras including the valuable commentary that many will appreciate.  

Gary Tooze