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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (October 2020): Kino have transferred Clint Eastwood's Play Misty for Me to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "Brand New 2K Master". Without comparing it to the 2015 Universal Blu-ray, we can say that this look very strong on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. Rich, deep colors, excellent detail in close-ups and a consistently impressive appearance in 1080P showcasing Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Monterey, California.

NOTE: We have added 79 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (16-bit) in the original English language. Effects are not extravagant - a few mental-anguish  screams from Evelyn but the audio is more apparent in the music utilized. The score is by Dee Barton, the jazz trombonist, big band drummer, (who also composed on a couple of other Clint Eastwood films; Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, and High Plains Drifter.) Notable of course are Erroll Garner's "Misty", Roberta Flack's beautiful "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", Johnny Otis, Gene Connors, Cannonball Adderley etc.. all sounding clean and effective in the lossless. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers some excellent supplements.  We get a new audio commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas who is as prepared as anyone in the business. He covers screenwriter Jo Heims early friendship with Eastwood, the scenes that evoke an homage to Hitchcock - notably Psycho, Don Siegel, how Clint Eastwood's Malpaso Productions (established in 1967) was named, how the Roberta Flack song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was heard by Clint on his car radio, he called her at home and she got paid $2,000 for use of the using in the film (she wanted to re-record it - thinking it was too slow - he disagreed.) There are so many interesting anecdotes and details exported and it doesn't hurt that Lucas's own voice sounds like a smooth talking DJ. There is a new dozen-minute interview with co-star Donna Mills done remotely (lockdown). I LOVED the new 1 1/4 hour Video Essay by film historian Howard S. Berger (written by The Flying Maciste Brothers - Kevin Marr and Howard S. Berger) entitled Split Screen: "Clint Eastwood, Play Misty For Me and the Feminine Abstraction" a Thematic Examination. Without spoiling too many details it's magnificently deep analysis and a valuable addition to this, already impressive, package. Wow. Included is the 50-minute Play It Again... A Look Back at "Play Misty For Me" documentary written and directed by Laurent Bouzereau made in 2001 with input from Clint Eastwood, Robert Daley, Dean Riesner, Jessica Walter, Donna Mills and Richard Schickel. We also get "The Beguiled, Misty, Don and Clint" featurette running 6-minute ands also directed by Bouzereau. There is an episode of Trailers From Hell with Adam Rifkin. Trailers, Teasers, TV Spots, Stills montages from the film, 'Clint in production' an the evolution of making a poster. The package has reversible art (see below) with a limited edition slipcase.

Clint Eastwood's directorial debut Play Misty for Me is a fabulous thriller evoking 'obsession' films like "Fatal Attraction" made 17 years later. The script was originally conceived by Jo Heims, a former model and dancer turned secretary and it's a gem realized efficiently by Eastwood. The Kino Blu-ray is a complete package from the top-shelf a/v to the Lucas commentary, from the extensive Berger video essay to the collectable packaging with reversible art and slipcase. This has our highest recommendation!

Gary Tooze