Presumed Innocent / Frantic Blu-ray delivers great video and solid audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
'Presumed Innocent' - A prosecutor is accused of murdering a beautiful colleague with whom he was having
an extramarital affair.
'Frantic' - Roman Polanski's 'Frantic' is an engaging thriller in the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock. Harrison Ford
plays Richard Walker, a U.S. heart surgeon vacationing with his wife, Sondra (Betty Buckley), in Paris, where
he is to attend a medical convention. Sondra suddenly and unexpectedly disappears from the couple's hotel
room while Richard is taking a shower, and when she doesn't return after several hours, he decides to report
the incident. But neither the French police nor the U.S. embassy offers much help or even appears particularly
interested in his dilemma. On the brink of despair, Walker decides to embark on an investigation himself,
aided by Michelle (Emmanuelle Seigner), a carefree, seductive gamine who is also mixed up in the case, as
he discovers after tracing back to her a mysterious piece of switched luggage that he suspects his wife's
kidnappers are after. When the mismatched duo finally succeed in tracking down the perpetrators, it becomes
apparent that the stakes in this extortion scheme are far higher than they imagined.
Warner Bros. | 1988 | 120 min | Rated R | Region A (B, C untested) | No Release Date
Richard Walker is heart surgeon from the U.S. vacationing in Paris with his wife. She suddenly disappears and he decides to report the incident. But neither the French police nor the US embassy offer much help or even appear...
Whether bellowing "get off my plane," quipping "it's not the years, honey, it's the mileage," or answering a declaration of love with the words "I know," Harrison Ford has built an impressive career on the backs of believable, matter-of-fact heroes; an unforgettable parade of stalwart presidents, CIA family men, bull-whipping adventurers, determined investigators, intergalactic smugglers, and wrongly accused everymen who, regardless of their circumstances, continue to strike audiences as genuine and real. Even Ford's lesser, oft-overlooked works -- among them strong legal dramas like director Alan J. Pakula's Presumed Innocent, and shaky international thrillers like filmmaker Roman Polanski's Frantic -- would be easier to brush past if it weren't for the veteran actor's grounding presence. Warner's latest Double Feature release takes advantage of Ford's talent, offering fans two distinct experiences wrapped in a tidy, bargain-priced bow.
Rusty: "It was never love." Barbara: "Then what was it?" Rusty: "It was never love."
When Kindle County prosecutor Rusty Sabich (Harrison Ford) is tasked with investigating the death of his colleague and ex-lover, Carolyn Polhemus (Greta Scacchi), he doesn't realize that in a few, short weeks he'll be charged with her murder. But as Head of Homicide Tommy Molto (Joe Grifasi) and newly elected Prosecuting Attorney Nico Della Guardia (Tom Mardirosian) scrutinize every aspect of his work and uncover his affair, they launch an attack on Sabich, hellbent on proving their old rival isn't the boyscout he pretends to be. Meanwhile, Rusty's personal life is in shambles. His wife Barbara (Bonnie Bedelia) isn't taking the news so well, his former boss (Brian Dennehy) tells Molto and Guardia some choice lies, and his longtime friend (John Spencer), a streetwise detective who helped him with his investigation, isn't sure what he should believe. Soon, Sabich begins preparing for his looming trial and seeks the aid of defense attorney Sandy Stern (Raúl Juliá), all while continuing to try and solve Carolyn's murder. But his only lead, a hand-written note with the name "Leon," isn't panning out, and his hopes of an acquittal start to fade as more and more evidence piles up against him.
Presumed Innocent is an old fashioned, character-driven murder mystery; the kind of of no-frills, no-spills whodunit that, if released today, would barely scratch the box office charts. Modern filmfans shouldn't brace themselves for a last-minute bombshell in the vein of No Way Out, or dig through every frame in search of some elusive clue. No, Pakula's adaptation of Scott Turow's 1987 novel unfolds, teases, and slinks along with the weight and stride of an early '90s Law & Order episode. Tells are irrelevant, as are suspects, and Sabich's measured reaction to his predicament takes prescience over all else. That's not to say the outcome of his trial is ambiguous or the eventual reveal of Polhemus' killer is disappointing, just that the allure of the film lies in the ease with which Pakula draws in his audience, forces each viewer to confront the same questions as its disgraced protagonist, and provides ample opportunity to explore Turow's characters rather than the murder at the heart of the tale. Even when the evidence being stacked against Sabich indulges in the trappings of a decades-old thriller (CSI junkies will snicker at the prosecution's fingerprint charts, connect-the-dots conspiracy theories, and tangled paperwork trail), it rarely renders the film obsolete, allowing Ford's quiet desperation to emerge as the defense's most convincing testimony.
It also affords Pakula the opportunity to sit back and rely on the nuanced performances of his actors. Ford trots out his best calm-and-collected Harrison Ford schtick, pitting yet another stiff-jawed, fiery-eyed everyman against daunting odds. However, the once-and-future Dr. Jones makes Sabich's every expression and lonely reflection that of a believable human being, so much so that it's easy to forget Ford is the one stepping in front of the camera. Dennehy, Spencer, Grifasi, Mardirosian, and Juliá rise to the occasion as well, turning their relatively one-dimensional characters inward, and effectively sowing the seeds of doubt and waning loyalty in a mystery that thrives on both. Bedelia stumbles on occasion -- as the scorned wife of a defamed career prosecutor, hers is the most complex yet most hurriedly dissected character in the film -- but most of her missteps can (and should) be attributed to a number of small, almost negligible holes in Pakula and co-writer Frank Pierson's otherwise sharp script. Still, her scenes with Ford are unaffected, allowing her ever-dutiful Barbara to stand by her husband's side regardless of the accusations of murder and infidelity being hurled his way. As the trial approaches, surges, and relents, Pakula subtly pushes and pulls each character into place like a master strategist; aligning rivalries, pitting old friends against each other, and landing one last gut-punch that actually stings. Presumed Innocent may be a lesser known Harrison Ford film, but it remains a solid legal thriller, one that holds up quite well even some twenty-years after its release.
Legendary director Roman Polanski lures viewers into Frantic's tightly wound web more quickly and efficiently than Pakula (Presumed Innocent lurks about for an hour before sinking its teeth in), but ultimately fails to hold their interest and, more to the point, return on their investment. As the story begins, successful surgeon Dr. Richard Walker (Ford) and his wife Sondra (Betty Buckley) travel to their honeymoon hotspot in France to attend a medical conference. Within minutes, the happy couple realize they grabbed the wrong suitcase at the airport, Sondra is kidnapped from their hotel, and Richard hits the streets of Paris to get her back. The local police and US embassy officials offer him little help though, and the only clues the good doctor has to work with lie within the mysterious, seemingly ordinary suitcase at his bedside. But as Walker begins to piece together the circumstances surrounding his wife's disappearance, Polanski loses focus, pairing his protagonist with a young smuggler named Michelle (Emmanuelle Seigner); a development that spells the end of Frantic's innate momentum, and launches the story into terribly familiar, utterly predictable waters.
Initially, Polanski and co-writer Gérard Brach's meager screenplay is an asset, forgoing dense plotting to celebrate the intricacies of Ford's increasingly manic performance. And for a moment, for a brief, glorious first act, it works. It's easy to overlook the film's lineup of wooden supporting actors when its lead is so convincing; it's easy to look past how jarring its accelerated setup actually is when Walker's harrowing, panic-driven search hits the ground running; it's easy to ignore the haphazard nature of the doctor's private investigation when Ford's awkward indecisiveness begins to morph into steady resolve. Unfortunately, the second the routine grows old, the film settles into a rut and stalls out. Michelle -- a pouty-lipped, tough-skinned Parisian street-nymph -- is as much of an infuriating macguffin as the strange statue tucked in Walker's suitcase. She exists for the sole purpose of propelling the plot along, no matter how much Polanski would like us to believe she fuels Richard's inner-conflict. Even when the kidnappers finally enter the trite fray, it's an anticlimactic letdown; a reminder that Frantic doesn't have any grand surprises or engrossing revelations to offer. Like Presumed Innocent, the director's story hones in on his characters, but unlike Pakula's legal drama, Polanski's dull thriller never makes the people Walker meets remotely engaging.
But as mired in convention as it all becomes, Ford nevertheless imbues Frantic with an ongoing sense of legitimate urgency that, at the very least, makes the film far more interesting than it would have been without him. Don't misunderstand, Polanski's thriller isn't bad per se, it just doesn't live up to Ford's more memorable mainstays or the director's staggering canon (this is, after all, the same man who gave us Repulsion, Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown, Death and the Maiden, and The Pianist). It's second-tier Ford, third-tier Polanski at best, and rarely surpasses expectation, much less the formulaic thrillers that inspired it, and the countless others that came after it. While it certainly shouldn't scare anyone away from this well-priced Double Feature release, particularly when Presumed Innocent has so much to offer, a more resonant classic would have made this genre twofer more enticing.
Warner's first Thriller Double Feature release tells a tale of two transfers. Presumed Innocent's 1080p/VC-1 encode is an unexpectedly impressive one; strong enough, in fact, that it could have easily anchored a standalone release. Gordon Willis' unassuming palette has been perfectly preserved, warm courtroom mahoganies, lifelike skintones, inky blacks and all. Detail is crisp and revealing throughout -- a remarkable development considering the age and lower-tier nature of the film -- and the slightest facial and fabric textures are intact. Moreover, the studio's faithful presentation retains the appearance of an early '90s production, yet feels entirely new. Contrast hasn't been boosted to ludicrous levels, artificial sharpening hasn't left everything in shambles, and the image doesn't suffer from the telltale signs of overzealous processing. As it stands, a fine, almost imperceptible veneer of grain is present at all times, and noise reduction hasn't been employed. Faint edge enhancement is apparent, but aside from a bit of intermittent ringing, it doesn't take a toll on the integrity of the image. Better still, artifacting, aliasing, banding, source noise, notable print damage, and other anomalies are nowhere to be found, and crush -- though a minor issue -- doesn't hamper the otherwise striking presentation. I imagine the film's original print was either in exceptional condition or granted an exceedingly meticulous overhaul. Either way, the resulting presentation looks fantastic, and justifies the cost of admission alone.
Sadly, most viewers will scoff at Frantic's 1080p/VC-1 transfer, particularly after marveling at its discmate's finer qualities. But Polanski isn't Pakula, and his film wasn't shot to look anything like Presumed Innocent. To that end, Warner pays a fair amount of respect to Polanski's intentions, leaving Witold Sobocinski's stark photography to rise and fall on its own terms. Colors, save several visceral splashes of red, have all but been washed away, contrast is overpowering, visibility is dependent on Sobocinski's lighting, delineation is unforgiving (to say the least), and detail is terribly inconsistent. Yet it all traces back to the film's original source. DNR hasn't been applied, artifacting and unattributable noise aren't an issue, and the print appears to be in good condition. Ringing and crush will give videophiles pause, but casual viewers probably won't notice either one. If anything, Polanski's thick grainfield, and the twenty-two-year old picture's persistent wavering will drive modern filmfans mad. Still, those with an appreciation for filmic presentations and a grasp of source limitations will be relatively pleased with the results. Just don't immediately hop from Presumed Innocent to Frantic unless you're trying to set yourself up for disappointment.
Both Presumed Innocent and Frantic have been granted a capable DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo track and, once again, the age of the films -- not the studio's technical efforts -- are responsible for any sonic shortcomings. I'm sure some will be upset that Warner didn't provide snazzy 5.1 remixes, but I couldn't be happier. I'd much rather listen to a faithful two-channel reproduction like the two presented here than wallow in the murky waters of an artificial soundfield. Both films feature clean, intelligible, well-prioritized dialogue, and handle their low-key soundscapes in stride. Granted, the tone and tenor of Pakula's legal drama is warmer and more satisfying than Polanski's brash thriller, but the differences trace back to the directors' distinct intentions, and aren't indicative of any neglect. All things considered, potential buyers shouldn't balk at Warner's stereo tracks. They aren't lossy rehashes, they aren't chained to shallow mixes, and they shouldn't give Ford fans any serious pause.
Warner's latest Double Feature is also its most satisfying. Presumed Innocent and Frantic may be lesser Harrison Ford thrillers, but they're presented with faithful video transfers (one of which is arresting enough to have warranted its own release) and solid DTS-HD Master Audio stereo tracks. Alas, like the majority of the studio's other Double Features, the pair doesn't include any supplemental content. That being said, it's less of a disappointment since neither film has ever been released with special features. All in all, it's an above average twofer that renders its DVD counterparts obsolete and, considering its low price, offers fans of either film a decent bargain.
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