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

ADDITION: BFI Blu-ray (August 2020): BFI have transferred Sidney Lumet's Equus to 1080P Blu-ray. It is a step forward in image from the Twilight Time with more than 50% higher bitrate (the Twilight Time has the 2-hour Richard Burton: In from the Cold documentary on the Blu-ray - where BFI, intelligently put in on a second DVD.) This shows in a tighter image with warmer flesh tones. The BFI loses the orange-yellow-ness of the US transfer, contrast is superior on the BFI and there is more depth as well as having a higher degree of detail. A great looking 1080P presentation.

NOTE: We have added 33 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, BFI use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It handles the high end a bit more effectively than Twilight Time's DTS-HD Master - notable in the film's score by Richard Rodney Bennett (Billy Liar Figures in a Landscape Far From the Madding Crowd, The Witches, Secret Ceremony, The Man Who Could Cheat Death)  sounding impactful. Like the Twilight Time it is available as an isolated option. BFI offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The BFI Blu-ray has the same excellent Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman commentary, aforementioned isolated Richard Rodney Bennett score, and trailer on BFI's dual-layered BD disc. BFI include on their Blu-ray a 1981 1.5 hour Sidney Lumet Guardian Lecture that runs to the film. Director Sidney Lumet talks to Derek Malcolm about US politics, the state of the film industry and how he approaches his craft in this interview recorded at the National Film Theatre. Also on the BD is the 40-minute 'Peter Firth in conversation with Leigh Singer' from 2020. Actor Peter Firth talks to Leigh Singer about his work in both the National Theatre and Broadway productions of Peter Shaffer's play Equus and how he came to be involved in Sidney Lumet's film adaptation. There was also space to include Richard Foster's BFI-produced short "The Watchers" running 27-minute. It imbues the English landscape with extra-terrestrial menace as Julie's fate is sealed in an extraordinary climax. Lastly is a trailer. BFI add a DVD where they house the same Tony Palmer 2-hour documentary Richard Burton: In from the Cold made in 1988. It is described as "Few great actors have been so unfairly represented in the public image. Drunk, a wastrel, uncontrollable, unprofessional, besotted with glamour and wealth - just a few epithets dumped on Richard Burton. This documentary, made at Richard Burton's widow's request, is a small celebration of an extraordinary man whose public image may have been seen as much different. Tony Palmer's portrait of actor Richard Burton, featuring Sally Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Kate Burton, Philip Burton, Lauren Bacall, Joe Mankiewicz, Mike Nichols, Robert Hardy, Sir John Gielgud, Claire Bloom, Emlyn Williams and John Neville." Also on the DVD are 1940's Religion and the People short documentary by Andrew Buchanan illustrating a time when faith lay at the very heart of the British experience and 1951's The Farmer's Horse short. In a time of increasing mechanization, this public information film makes the case for the sturdy and reliable farm horse. The first pressing of this package includes a fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the film, director Sidney Lumet and writer Peter Shaffer and full film credits.

Great to revisit Sidney Lumet's Equus that continues to advance in my estimation as a fascinating, mysterious and hypnotic piece of cinema. The BFI Blu-ray is the one to own - superior to the Twilight Time in every facet - a/v and supplements. Wow. Very strongly recommended!

Gary Tooze