ffolkes Blu-ray - Roger Moore

Firstly, a massive thank you to our Patreon supporters. Your generosity touches me deeply. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance has become essential.

What do Patrons receive, that you don't?

1) Our weekly Newsletter sent to your Inbox every Monday morning!
2) Patron-only Silent Auctions - so far over 30 Out-of-Print titles have moved to deserved, appreciative, hands!
3) Access to over 50,000 unpublished screen captures in lossless high-resolution format!

Please consider keeping us in existence with a couple of dollars or more each month (your pocket change!) so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. Thank you very much.

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "ffolkes" or "North Sea Hijack")

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
UK 1980

Screen legends Roger Moore (Gold), Anthony Perkins (Psycho) and James Mason (Lolita) star in this fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat espionage thriller. Madman Lou Kramer (Perkins) captures and threatens to destroy a vital North Sea oil rig in 24 hours unless the British government delivers a huge ransom. Only one man has the skills to defeat him—Rufus Excalibur Folks (Moore), a reclusive underwater expert who leads an elite commando team in a race-against-the-clock high-seas assault. Veteran filmmaker Andrew V. McLaglen (The Wild Geese, The Devil’s Brigade) directed this entertaining, action-packed, humorous and offbeat thriller in a genre all its own.

***

Roger Moore took a brief vacation from playing James Bond in this witty adventure drama. Rufus Excalibur ffolkes (Moore), who for some reason prefers not to capitalize his last name, is a scuba-diving adventurer for hire with a sharp mind, a quick wit, a fondness for cats, and a certain distrust of women. When terrorist Lou Kramer (Anthony Perkins) takes over an oil drilling platform in the North Sea and threatens to blow it sky high if his demands are not met, ffolkes is called in by Admiral Brinsden (James Mason) to foil Kramer's scheme before it's too late. ffolkes, also released as North Sea Hijack and Assault Force, was based on the novel Esther, Ruth, and Jennifer by Jack Davies, who also penned the screenplay ("Esther, Ruth, and Jennifer," incidentally, are the code names for the ship, drilling rig, and platform seized by Kramer in the film).

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: March 30th, 1980

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Distribution	Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray	88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:39:47.982	1:39:34.969
Video	1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,913,810,960 bytes Feature: 20,756,656,128 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.45 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 42,830,531,779 bytes Feature: 29,099,612,160 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Kino Blu-ray:
Bitrate 88 Films Blu-ray:
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1554 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1554 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1973 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1973 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Kino 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,913,810,960 bytes Feature: 20,756,656,128 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.45 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson • Trailer (2:14) Blu-ray Release Date: October 1st, 2019 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 9	Release Information: Studio: 88 Films 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 42,830,531,779 bytes Feature: 29,099,612,160 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • A Meat and Potatoes Movie - Jeremy Clyde Interview (11:40) • North Atlantic Hi-Jinks - interview with David Wood (30:22) • The Fall Guy - interview with stuntman Dinny Powell (10:46) • Rigging the Explosives (10:55) • Alternate Ffolkes Title Sequence (1:47) • Trailer (2:13) Blu-ray Release Date: March 9th, 2020 Standard Blu-ray Case inside cardboard slipcase Chapters 9

Comments:

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

ADDITION: 88 Films (UK) Blu-ray (March 2020): 88 Films have brought North Sea Hijack (aka "ffolkes") to Region 'B' Blu-ray. It offers the alternate title to the Kino in the opening credits, but the transfer looks remarkably similar - in fact, few would be able to distinguish the two although with the max'ed out bitrate, 88 Films will have an edge 'in-motion'. Both are from the same strong source.

88 Films also take a slight edge in the audio with a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit - as opposed to 16-bit) in the original English language. Discerning ears may note some increased depth also apparent in the score by Michael J. Lewis (The Legacy, The Medusa Touch, 11 Harrowhouse, Julius Caesar). 88 Films also add optional English subtitles but their Blu-ray disc is Region 'B'-locked.

88 Films don't offer a commentary, but do have 4 interviews with cast/crew starting with A Meat and Potatoes Movie and Jeremy Clyde for a dozen minutes, North Atlantic Hi-Jinks with actor David Wood for over 1/2 hour recounting anecdotes about the production. The Fall Guy is a 10-minute interview with stuntman Dinny Powell and there is also a piece on the effects entitled "Rigging the Explosives". 88 Films also add as an extra the alternate 'ffolkes' title sequence , a trailer and extensive liner notes booklet with an essay by James Oliver and many color photos.

So, a slight edge in the HD presentation - both audio and video - and over an hour's worth of supplements. We love to have differences - it means more options for the consumer. I did like the Kino commentary but these interviews have plenty of value as well. Nice job 88 Films!

***

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (September 2019): Kino have transferred the 80's British espionage-adventure-heist flic "ffolkes" to Blu-ray. It is on a single-layered disc with a middling bitrate. The beginning can look a bit 'thin' (digitized) but after 10-minutes settles in to look quite pleasing with rich colors (reds, greens and yellows) but only decent detail in close-ups. It's not the most stellar looking film-to-digital but is clean and in 1080P. Without undue scrutiny, most will appreciate the HD video appearance.

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (16-bit) in the original English language. There are some aggressive effects (guns) and a few underwater sequences plus a score by Michael J. Lewis (The Legacy, The Medusa Touch, 11 Harrowhouse, Julius Caesar) sounding consistent and adept in the lossless. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray includes a commentary from Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson where they address the 'Alistair MacLean-genre', a lot on Moore as Bond and beyond, his representation as a great guy outside of the set, Perkins and other cast members and how the film carries a nostalgic edge. It's worth a listen. There is also a trailer - and trailers of other films.

Nice to see Roger Moore attempt to break out of his Bondian 'mold' of debonair, fun and witty womanizer, and the film has a good storyline. Here he's an unlikable hard-ass who drinks, pets his cat and does needle-point. I liked it as I did Gold, as Moore can carry a film in his own less-arrogant yet macho way. I will revisit this on Blu-ray. Recommended to those who enjoy Moore or have some nostalgia associated with 'ffolkes'.