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

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (January 2021): Indicator have transferred Terence Young's The Valachi Papers to Blu-ray. Okay, there is a big disparity from the Twilight Time Blu-ray from 2016. Firstly, the older, US, release was one of their rare bare-bones packages and it is in the bastardized 1.78:1 aspect ratio. But as we can now see - not opened-up, but actually cropped as we can see beside the Indicator 1080P 1.85:1 transfer. The UK rendering shows more on the left edge, a sliver additional on the right and top while losing a bit on the bottom. This obviously looks like different sources. As I said about the Twilight Time back in 2017: "The visuals are reasonable but not overwhelming. There is an inherent softness that is consistent but the thick visuals appear film-like in-motion. The lack of grain is disappointing and there is minimal depth. Marginal digitization is possible. The image is clean without speckles or marks." The greener Indicator image quality vastly improves over those weaknesses. For it being 'greener'? Perhaps that is more accurate - certainly probably reflective of the superior density of the source. 

On their Blu-ray, Indicator use a linear PCM mono tracks (24-bit) in both English and Italian language options. It sounds clean with a few richer moments in pushing the film's aggressive requirements in the form of gunfire and fist-fights. There is a score by Riz Ortolani (Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eyes, The McKenzie Break, Day of Anger, Il Sorpasso, Woman Times Seven, Cannibal Holocaust, The Voyeur, Mondo Cane). It sounds solid in the uncompressed adding to the film's tension plus I only briefly sampled the Italian language track and despite sync DUB'ing issues sounded more tinny. Indicator offer optional English (SDH) and English (for the Italian language) subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Indicator Blu-ray offers a valuable commentary from film historian Paul Talbot, author of Bronson's Loose! The Making of the Death Wish Films and Bronson's Loose Again! On the Set with Charles Bronson. He also did Indicator's Blu-ray commentary for Bronson's Breakout. He talks extensively about the history of the Cosa Nostra and Valachi's involvement. It's filled with interesting details - he knows his stuff. There are other new extras; In the Make-up Room (2021) runs over 1/4 hour and spends time with celebrated make-up artist Giannetto De Rossi who recalls his time working on The Valachi Papers. For 1/2 hour screenwriter Stephen Geller shares personal anecdotes about the production entitled 'Reviewing the Evidence' - also made in 2021. Included is a short archival making-of documentary from 1972 with on-set interviews with director Terence Young and actor Charles Bronson. It is entitled Valachi: The Violent Era . There is two minutes of rare behind-the-scenes material capturing the filming of a key scene. Interesting are the 16-minutes of The Valachi Hearings from 1963. It is archival broadcast footage from Joseph Valachi’s original testimony to Senator John L McClellan’s congressional committee on organized crime. There are trailers, TV and Radio Spots as well as an image gallery of promotional and publicity material. The package contains a limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Pasquale Iannone, newspaper reports on Joseph Valachi’s criminal career, excerpts from the source book by Peter Maas, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits.

The Valachi Papers is a fascinating Bronson / prison / mobster flic - brimming with curious history - a highly intriguing film documenting the history of a mobster turned informant - named 'Joe Valachi'. The Indicator Blu-ray provides the best package; a/v, commentary, extras including 'testimony footage' etc.. I enjoyed seeing this again - especially via the Indicator Blu-ray. We remain kind of obsessed with the mob films - many concerning the Mafia; The Godfather saga, Goodfellas, Casino, etc. The Valachi Papers leans more to the docu-drama feel. It's well-made and Bronson has an air of realism in the lead role. 

Gary Tooze