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

ADDITION: BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray March 16': Like the two Ken Russell Blu-ray Collections (Composers and Passions) both these Watkins' efforts were broadcast on TV and filmed at 25fps which was the standard frame-rate in the UK at the time. As Michael Brooke informs us - "The "i" is misleading, as the 1080i50 encode is merely a carrier for a fully progressive 25fps image - you won't see any interlacing in practice." The image, when compared to the DVDs, especially the very strong New Yorkers, seems lighter and richer with less pronounced black levels. It looks quite good in-motion - but definitely different.

The audio is in liner PCM for both The War Game and Culloden. There are no musical scores in the films - maintaining the heavy vérité feel but there are aggressive sounds from battles to conflicts. These are exported purposefully by the uncompressed and there are optional English (SDH) subtitles on the region 'B'-locked Blu-ray discs.

BFI include the previous commentaries - by Dr John Cook on Culloden and Patrick Murphy on The War Game. Both are excellent and well-worth the re-listen, IMO. We also get a 2015, 21-minute interview with editor Mike Bradsell, a video piece on Culloden on Location and 18-minutes of The War Game - The Controversy; Patrick Murphy penned an article that revealed that the British Home Office had intervened against the showing of The War Game. "Watkins worked in the BBC under the supervision of Huw Wheldon, the Head of Documentaries at the BBC. The refusal of Watkins to cut some scenes depicting an unofficial government policy to shoot the looters/protectors and those injured, was the basis for the reason why the film was initially banned by BBC." There is also a scanned version of The War Game Book and the package has an illustrated booklet with essays and full credits.

Watkins fans should be pleased at this Blu-ray release and the valuable extras that are included. Watkins' work represents unique, prescient and important political cinema and it's great to have it in such a stellar package. Recommended!

***

ADDITION: New Yorker - Region 1- NTSC (August 06') - Oliver Groom (Project X) has done some fabulous DVD production work including other Watkins films - Punishment Park, The Gladiators, and Edvard Munch - plus Mai Zetterling's Loving Couples. This new offering includes both Watkins' The War Game and Culloden on one dual-layered DVD released by New Yorker Video in the NTSC standard, coded for region 1.

Comparing this new NTSC DVD edition of The War Game with one that the BFI produced in 2003, we can see some substantial differences. In all cases the New Yorker quality seems to have bettered the older BFI - it is sharper, more pure black + whites (better contrast), more information in the frame, I enjoyed the Cook commentary more than the Murphy one, better rendered subtitles and the New Yorker package includes Culloden - a brilliant reconstruction of the Battle of Culloden. Finally the 12page liner notes booklet in the NY'er is superior (has more information) to the sleeve notes in the BFI. I believe it was first published in Film International magazine. The NY'er commentaries are both detailed and excellent (if somewhat Watkins-slanted).

Aside from the comparison, the NY'er disc looks exceptional. The intentional grain feel is part and parcel with the transfer of a film with so many frugal production features (hand-held camera etc.) It totally suits the expression of both films.

Both of these Watkins works are under-appreciated, have been difficult to see and hard to forget once you have - which, I assume, is Watkins successful intention. Oliver Groom should be strongly commended for his essential part in bringing these film experiences to us digitally in such excellent condition. I consider this NY'er DVD a cineophile essential. 

***

With representations of archival footage and the use of varying lens's to create a realistic feel - some of the images are intentionally degraded. There are also moments of excellent clarity with fine contrast and film grain showing through. The extras are wonderful with a commentary and 2 shorts. Overall a short feature but the extras add value and the image is... well, the image. Audio is clear and consistent. Another fine DVD from BFI.   out of       

Gary W. Tooze