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Body Double
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - United Kingdom - Powerhouse Films Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (15th October 2016). |
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The Film
 ***This is an A/V and Extras review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** Do you like to watch? Brian De Palma The Modern Master of Suspense. Invites you to witness... A Seduction. A Mystery. A Murder.
Video
Powerhouse Films release Brian De Palma thriller "Body Double" on to Blu-ray in the United Kingdom for the first time. They provide the latest 4K transfer undertaken by Sony in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 using an AVC MPEG-4 codec. This 1080p feature looks, quite simply, top drawer. This 4K source was previously used on the French Carlotta Films releases to great acclaim, and it is easy to see why. Details are exceptional throughout whether the scenes are internal or external, in the light or in the dark. The most minute detail in clothing, small items in the backgrounds of the sets, the clarity of the faces of the extras in the backdrop.... heck - even light specks of dirt on the black camera that Jake is viewing Holly from - are all instantly noticeable. The shots at 35:12 and 43:16 are good examples of how much detail can be captured in a simple non-busy shot. Colours are strong, skin tones decent and the various whites and browns that really encapsulate the film well, are replicated without issue here. Apart from one very minor little scratch which was barely noticeable, the print is strikingly clean and natural. There are no signs of obvious damage and no manipulation or digital noise reduction. I did notice a small anomaly at 10:10 where there is slight break-up around the red jacket of the woman who calls Jack Scully into the office. Aside from that, I have nothing to report. This transfer is in the upper echelons of eighties catalogue titles around. The feature is uncut and runs 114:10.
Audio
Two audio tracks have been provided: - English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 - English LPCM 2.0 Stereo To start with, I jumped between the two available soundtracks, but ended up doing the unthinkable and settled on the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 upmix for the duration as it had a little more tenacity when it came to Pino Donaggio's score. Other music tracks included, like "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood sounds incredible too. Dialogue is crystal clear at all times and volume levels consistent and relevant to what is on screen (the "Relax" music is a little louder than others for emphasis for example). Channel separation for dialogue is fine, and the LFE is used sparingly and efficiently. There are no issues with the audio such as dropouts, pops, or scratches, and I noticed no background hiss. This is as good as it gets for films of this age and nature in my opinion. Optional subtitles have been included in English for the hard-of-hearing.
Extras
The first extra here is an isolated score (LPCM 2.0) and, with the score being great, it is an excellent addition to the disc. It's not the type of extra I personally would sit and listen to (I just sampled it for the purposes of this review) but for those who love to just chill out and listen to film scores, this is great for the tension and atmosphere we get. The most exciting extra for those who own releases from other localities, is the interview with Craig Wasson (7:26). This is an archive interview done by Bobbie Wygant which originally aired on the 13th October 1984. Although not particularly in-depth, Wygant is certainly a competent interviewer and asks some interesting questions, particularly towards De Palma being a controversial and dark director, and whether he knows what was cut to get from an "X" rating to an "R". There have been reports over the years that Wasson wasn't too keen on the film, but that doesn't show here. Arguably the most substantial extra in this package is the "Pure Cinema" documentary (38:16). Produced by the ever reliable Fiction Factory, this documentary has first assistant director Joe Napolitano discussing various aspects of the film in good technical depth. As Napolitano comments, we get plenty of film clips that are relevant to the points being made. He admits that sometimes Melanie Griffith needed a little extra time to get through some of the scenes she was being asked to do, and that it was often a little difficult to film some shots tastefully, especially when you consider the setting of the film. Interestingly he tells us that the two main houses used are actually at opposite ends of the city - one in the North, and one on the Hollywood side overlooking Sunset Boulevard - and how they shot the exterior scenes to get around that. This is a very interesting piece, and essential viewing for those who enjoyed the film, or like to learn about the production process in general. "The Seduction" featurette (16:43) has Brian De Palma talking about the original conception of the story and the original New York setting, whilst also talking about the casting. He also talks about how he hired a pornography actress for the nude scenes, but because she couldn't do the dancing scenes, Griffith actually ended up doing these scenes herself. Cast members are also interviewed about being cast, and De Palma also says he talked some actresses out of starring in the film as he knew the controversy it would provoke. "The Setup" featurette (16:54) looks closely at the attention to detail that De Palma has when it comes to various aspects of production. We hear about locations, the script, rehearsals, pre-production and, of course, the way De Palma uses many Hitchcockian devices within his film. "The Mystery" featurette (12:14) looks at the effect that the feature had on Melanie Griffiths career, the pornography aspects of the film, and more production elements that kind of follow on from the previous featurette. The final featurette is "The Controversy" (5:31) which takes a closer look at the critical reception the film received upon its original release over thirty years ago. The participants talk about various aspects of the film which created controversy and how they believe it is perhaps misunderstood. As can be seen in the Wasson interview included on this set, it is the interpretation that De Palma is himself a dark person, and although this doesn't touch on that per se, the resulting controversy the film received does explore this in a roundabout way. The image gallery (73 pages) and theatrical trailer (1:28) are self-explanatory. A 40-page booklet with a new essay by Ashley Clark and archival reprints, including a lengthy 1985 interview with De Palma rounds out the extras, though note it is available with the first 5000 copies only (along with a DVD copy).
Overall
Powerhouse have done a superb job with this release, with a cracking A/V presentation and a great extras package. Highly recommended.
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