Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1835 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1835 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

Bitrates:

 

Description: English widow Anne Osborne (Sarah Miles) lives by the sea with her young son, Jonathan. The arrival of a rugged American sailor, Jim (Kris Kristofferson), brings Anne the joy and sensual fulfillment she thought had gone forever, but her son is disturbed by this new intruder and joins a perverse group of fellow students led by the charismatic Chief. With its disturbing shock ending and frank love scenes, this stylish adaptation of the novel by legendary writer Yukio Mishima has become a timeless classic with powerhouse performances, exquisite cinematography by the legendary Douglas Slocombe (Raiders of the Lost Ark), and a haunting score by Johnny Mandel (M*A*S*H).

***

In a small English port town, adolescent Jonathan Osborne (Jonathan Kahn) and his widowed mother, Anne (Sarah Miles), lead a fairly predictable life until American sailor Jim Cameron (Kris Kristofferson) comes to town and sweeps Anne off her feet. Jonathan is wary of this intruder, but likes him in spite of himself -- for a time. It's only when Jim moves in permanently that Jonathan is pushed too far. With the help of a sadistic gang of neighborhood boys, he plots to eliminate Jim for good.

 

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

The Film:

Excerpt from Wikipedia located HERE

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

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea looks very poor on Blu-ray from Shout! Factory. It is described with the caveat "Note: This Blu-ray was created using the best available film elements which was a film print and not the original negative!".  The 2.24:1 image transfer, on a single-layered disc, is soft, with speckles, no depth and artefacts. Skin tones fluctuate looking too yellow or pink-ish at times, and primary colors have little depth or tightness looking faded. It appears to be a poor source - appearing akin to an analog upgrade. The visual presentation is partially saved by the impressive cinematography of Douglas Slocombe (Rollerball, The Fearless Vampire Killers) but it's impossible to believe that a superior 1080P image isn't within the capabilities of another Blu-ray production company. Frankly, it shouldn't have been released like this.

The Scorpion Releasing is cited as a "Brand New 2019 HD Scan of the Original Camera Negative". It is in the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio and gains an immense amount of information mostly on the right edge of the frame, a shade on the top and it loses a sliver ohm the left edge. This may be one of the most effusive transfer upgrades in a long while.... possibly ever. The comparison only exemplifies how weak the Shout! Factory 1080P image is. It should never have been released at all. The Scorpion colors are far bolder and richer while detail rises dramatically - there is depth. There is a slight blue and green leaning to the Scorpion - but no where near on the level of the faded green-yellow cast of the Shout! Factory. The video differences are extreme. The Scorpion may not be perfect but it's such a huge improvement that we aren't about to look a gift-horse in the mouth.       

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample - Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

Scorpion better the Shout! Factory here as well with a lossless (DTS-HD Master) but 24-bit as opposed to Shout! Factory's 16-bit. The score by Johnny Mandel's (I Want to Live! Pretty Poison, Point Blank, Deathtrap, M*A*S*H, That Cold Day in the Park, Heaven with a Gun etc.) adds to the film's unusualness and has some improved buoyancy in the audio although occasionally dialogue seems muffled by the ocean waves. Scorpion add optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray disc.

Extras :

Nothing in the way of extras and only a single screen menu.

Scorpion also handily trounces the Shout! Factory in the extras department as well. There are new interview with Star Sarah Miles for 10-minutes talking about how she had read the book before being offer to read the screenplay, an 18-minute interview with writer/director Lewis John Carlino discussing Japanese sensibilities and aesthetics. He admits that it is an odd film. I liked the new interviews with crew members Anthony Wayne (assistant director), Robin Vidgeon (focus puller), Graham Attwood (stills photographer), Hugh Harlow (production manager) and Ian Whittaker. The last chap - the 'set dresser' - doesn't hold back says he hated working on the film, that they hated him and he has never seen The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea and has no intention to. He stayed as far away from the nude scenes as he could and thought the locals were fooled into thinking the film was different and were shocked when they actually saw it in the theatre. It was refreshing to hear him vent. These interviews run a total of about 1/2 hour and there are a handful of Scorpion trailers - none for the feature. There is reversible cover art (see below).

Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 

Scorpion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea is not only an odd title, but, predictably, an odd film as well... and an odd Yellow-Submarine-esque poster! It was recognized for the sadistic qualities of the youth leader which he imparts upon his impressionable rebel-bent followers, but also because of the film's perversities; having poor Sarah Miles masturbate with her 'peeping Tom' son watching and then embarrassingly masturbated by rugged Kris under the restaurant table while the frowning neighbours looked on disapprovingly. Yeah - that's a kinda strange, potentially erotic, circumstance. The Shout! Factory Blu-ray is a dud and even this, misunderstood, film deserves better - especially when you consider the impressive scenery and cinematography. Pass.

 

Well, the film hasn't got any less odd, but I did enjoy my viewing via the Scorpion HD presentation significantly more. There is some beautiful scenery in The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea in Dartmouth, Devon - the ocean and rolling hills. It's a perversely intriguing romance with some distasteful juvenile behaviour. I will watch this again, now, and the extras are revealing. There isn't any doubt which Blu-ray to own.       

Gary Tooze

July 22nd, 2017

July 1st, 2020