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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (May 2021): Kino have transferred Hubert Cornfield's The Night of the Following Day to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate but the image has a few inconsistencies - no doubt, part of the source. Through most of the presentation it can look fairly pleasing but there are two sequences (one at around 40-minutes and a second at around the 1 1/4 mark) that are inordinately soft (see sample below.) I can't say what happened but it looks worse than a simple SD-bump. There is also one small instance of damage (see other sample below.) Many parts of the film in 1080P look quite tight and appealing with depth but other parts have a film-like thickness. Overall, it didn't hinder by enjoyment of the film experience.

NOTE: We have added 76 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. The film has some later aggressive effects that come through with impact and a subtle jazz score by Stanley Myers (The Greek Tycoon, The Wind, The Wilby Conspiracy, Eureka, Cimino's The Deer Hunter, Roeg's Insignificance, Harold Becker's The Boost, Pete Walker House of Mortal Sin and Frightmare, etc.) including his own One Early Morning sung by Annie Ross. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a new commentary by Tim Lucas. He cites biography's of Morena (Rita Moreno: A Memoir) and Brando (I think it was "Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me") - their previous relationship and subsequent pregnancy and abortion of the child, how Pamela Franklin had made such an impression on him in his younger years, he talks about director/writer Hubert Cornfield, disagreements with the often enigmatic and self-destructive Brando (no surprise), Richard Boone (who directed sequences), most of the minor supporting cast and some crew (cinematographer Willy Kurant - Orson Welles' The Immortal Story) with references to their filmographies, touches later seen in The Night of the Following Day as influenced by the Belgian surrealist artist René François Ghislain Magritte and significantly more. It's wonderfully informative and, as always, interesting - exporting anecdotes and details from a myriad of sources. Lucas is certainly one of the very best commentarists. There is also a commentary from producer/director Hubert Cornfield, previously found on the 2005 Marlon Brando 4-Movie DVD Collection. Unfortunately while the details he imparts are fascinating, he appears to be using a electrolarynx, sometimes referred to as a "throat back" as he was having voice issues. It can be quite grating listening throughout but he does tell how Stanley Kubrick had the rights to the Lionel White novel although Hollywood had a 'ban' on kidnapping films. Cornfield tells how he eventually got around that utilizing the British film Dead of Night plot and making it a premonition/dream. There is also a Trailers From Hell episode with Joe Dante as well as a theatrical trailer for the film.     

Well, The Night of the Following Day is not a typical thriller, but I found it nonetheless satisfying. It's very character driven with excellent performances from the cast including Richard Boone's 'Leer' as a particularly unsavory psychopath. Brando effortlessly carries his screen-time and there is a lot going on between the characters with the kidnapping details less fleshed-out. I enjoyed it as will those who find Brando fascinating. The Kino Blu-ray has plenty of value with the two illuminating commentaries. Yes, I definitely think this is worth picking up and it's a film I will revisit soon.

Gary Tooze