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Scorpio [Blu-ray]
(Michael Winner, 1973)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: The Mirisch Corporation Video: Twilight Time
Disc: Region: FREE (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player) Runtime: 1:54:34.951 Disc Size: 33,020,003,406 bytes Feature Size: 31,769,149,440 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps Chapters: 24 Case: Transparent Blu-ray case Release date: November, 2015
Video: Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1049 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1049 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit) Audio Commentary:
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1813 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1813
kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1799 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1799 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles: • English (SDH), None
Extras: • Audio Commentary with Film Historians Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo, and Nick Redman• Isolated Score Track • Original Theatrical Trailer (2:23) • Liner notes by Julie Kirgo Limited to 3,000 Copies!
Bitrate:
Description: Scorpio (1973), an action-packed tale of espionage, friendship, and betrayal. Lancaster is a CIA agent marked for death by his own boss, with the added wrinkles that the assassin on his trail is a young former protégé (Delon) and the one man who offers him help is his Soviet opposite number (Scofield). Featuring a superb score by Jerry Fielding, available on this Twilight Time release as an isolated track.
The Film: This spy thriller from future Death Wish (1974) director Michael Winner stars Burt Lancaster as the enigmatic Cross, a CIA agent who has hired a government assassin, Jean Laurier (Alain Delon), to kill an Arab terrorist. Once they return home, Laurier is arrested by his superior, McLeod (John Colicos), who wants to know why Cross is still alive, as Laurier was ordered to kill him as well. Laurier doesn't think that Cross is guilty of the crime, but he relents and agrees to carry out the contract for a higher price. Cross, suspected of selling secrets to the Soviets, learns that his life is in danger and flees to Vienna, where he is aided by a former comrade-in-arms from WWII, the sympathetic KGB agent Sergei Zharkov (Paul Scofield). When Cross learns that his wife (Joanne Linville) has been murdered by McLeod, he returns to the U.S. and kills him, leading to a bloody final confrontation with a reluctant Laurier, who is shocked to discover that his lover (Gayle Hunnicutt) is in league with Cross. Scorpio (1973) was the writing debut of David W. Rintels, who went on to author several critically respected made-for-TV films. Excerpt from MRQE located HERE
Set in Vienna, Paris suburban Georgetown and other fleshpots of the
world, "Scorpio" pits C.I.A. agent Cross (Burt Lancaster) against
his boss McLeod (John Colicos), while between them stands Laurier (Alain
Delon), hired assassin, the Scorpio of the title, hired by McLeod
to kill Cross—who happens to be the closest thing he ever had to a best
friend, and who also taught him everything he knows about the
hired-assassination business.
Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Scorpio comes to Twilight Time Blu-ray in a dual-layered, 1080P transfer with their usual high bitrate. The visuals look fine with both texture and depth. Contrast has some decent layering and colors look true and fairly tight in the HD transfer. It looks quite consistent in-motion with no damage or speckles. I see no evidence of manipulation or noise. This Blu-ray gives a good presentation in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio - probably as good as it will get for this film.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :Twilight Time go with an authentic DTS-HD Master 1.0 mono track. It sounds flat but, the fairly limited, aggression has a punch. Jerry Fielding's (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Killer Elite, The Mechanic, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Getaway) score is available in an isolated track - also in lossless. There are optional English subtitles and the Blu-ray disc is region FREE.
Extras : Twilight Time add a new, impressive, audio commentary with film historians Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo, and Nick Redman who discuss Winner's direction, the performances etc. It's quite interesting and adds a lot of value. There is also the usual Isolated Score Track, and an original theatrical trailer. The package has some liner notes by Julie Kirgo and is limited to 3,000 copies.
BOTTOM LINE: Gary Tooze November 25th, 2015
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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 5000 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.
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