Herb Kane
Screenwriter
- Joined
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Point Blank
Studio: Warner Brothers
Year: 1967
Rated: Not Rated
Film Length: 92 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Enhanced Widescreen
Audio: DD Mono
Color/B&W: Color
Languages: English & French
Subtitles: English, French & Spanish
MSRP: $19.97
Package: Single disc in a Keepcase
The Feature:
Expressed boldly through a series of sharply edited staccato-like flashbacks, Point Blank reaches beyond its genre with inspiring visuals, yet centering around a rather simplistic storyline. Right off the bat, Point Blank makes no attempt to conceal the extreme violence as Walker (played by Lee Marvin) is shot and left for dead in an abandoned prison cell on Alcatraz. Walker drifts back into the past musing on the circumstances which left him there, all of them centering on his old friend Mal Reese (played by John Vernon). Flashbacks allow us to view the cash drop heist on Alcatraz island that went bad. Walker was willing to help his old friend, Mal pay off some debts but was double crossed, not only with the heist itself and being left for dead, but to add insult to injury, Mal takes off with Walker's wife, Lynne (played by Sharon Acker) as well.
After Walker recovers, he is aboard a tourist boat trip to the closed prison, Alcatraz where he is propositioned by an enigmatic fellow known as Yost (played by Keenan Wynn). Yost claims he knows where Mal and Lynne are and is willing to reveal this to Walker, just as long as he receives some information on a crime syndicate known as "The Organization". Walker wants the money owed to him by Mal and he agrees, registering little emotion as he contemplates his forthcoming actions.
Yost’s information takes Walker on a journey south to Los Angeles and surprises Lynne when he bursts through her front door and ventilates her bed emptying a cylinder of cartridges into her mattress. Walker is late however, as Mal departed months ago, discarding Lynne as easily as he attempted to dispose of Walker. The reappearance of her husband causes Lynne to describe in detail, the circumstances surrounding her actions with Mal. What happens next are a series of confrontations between Walker and various members of “The Organization” as he works his way up the ladder seeking retribution for those who benefited by Mal’s callous acts.
Point Blank was based on “The Hunter”, a tough-as-nails 1962 novel by Richard Stark, and served as the basis for the vastly inferior – almost laughable 1999 remake Payback. When it was first released in 1967, John Boorman's Point Blank was largely ignored at the box office, and greeted with dismay, and dismissal, by many film critics of the time. Heavily influenced by the French New Wave and their reverence for the concept of the "pure image", Boorman's movie was strikingly visual, kinetically edited, and sexually charged. A stylized, yet complex tale of betrayal and revenge, the movie surprised its audience with its fractured time-line and disconcerting narrative rhythms. While the picture failed to capture the imagination of most moviegoers, it certainly caught the attention of other filmmakers, and over the years its influence, and its stature, has grown. Point Blank is a gritty neo-noir that certainly pays a respectable homage to film noir of the 40’s and 50’s.
The Feature: 4/5
:star::star::star::star:
Video:
Shown in its original AR of 2.35:1, this transfer looks great. Filmed in both northern California and southern California, much of the scenery and cinematography is gorgeous. Equally impressive is the actual use of this widescreen film as each frame is filled to capacity. The black levels were as dark as imaginable and the film had a great level of contrast which displayed a very nice sense of texture and dimension.
Though somewhat soft at times, the level of image detail was very impressive. There were several close-ups which would rival many recent releases. The color scheme of the movie is interesting - the chilly blues and grays of Acker's apartment, Angie Dickinson's buttercup yellow bathrobe, the startling red wall in Vernon's penthouse – all to great psychedelic effect. The colors are vibrant and nicely saturated. They looked absolutely gorgeous and beautifully warm. Skin tones also looked appropriate and accurate.
There were a few instances of light shimmer and light speckle but they were neither troublesome nor bothersome. Film dust and dirt was sporadic but never bothersome. Due to the numerous outdoor shots, edge enhancement would have been rife had it existed, thankfully it was virtually free of any enhancement. There were no other compression issues to speak of either.
This is a very pleasing transfer.
Video: 4/5
:star::star::star::star:
Audio:
I really don’t have a lot to say regarding the audio track. The original DD Mono track is offered and is rather unremarkable. Dialogue is always clear and intelligible. There isn’t much here in terms of range although the track does show a better than mono-average sense of oomph during the many action and shootout sequences – and there’s plenty.
There was a slight hint of hiss that played throughout but it was very slight and never detracted. The soundtrack also plays a key role, often fading into absolute silence with only the aural clues of slight movements to break the peace, such as Marvin’s long walk down a corridor with each footstep pounding like a drum, adding to the already heightened level of tension. Johnny Mandel's inspired score is both tense and, when appropriate, heartrending.
Not a track to get excited over but it does deliver what is expected of it…!
Audio: 3.5/5
:star::star::star:1/2
Special Features:
[*] First up is a Commentary by John Boorman and Steven Soderbergh. Again, we’re graced with the presence of a director of a film that approaches 40 years – a privilege indeed. Obviously Mr. Soderbergh has a great deal of admiration for this film and candidly admits borrowing from it on many occasions. Mr. Boorman spends a great of time describing how the project came together. In terms of style, Steven takes the lead in an interview-like setting, asking various questions as Mr. Boorman obliges him with detailed responses. An interesting and worthwhile inclusion.
[*] The next two features are entitled The Rock Part 1 and The Rock Part 2. These are interesting documentaries dealing with the history of The Rock which includes former prisoners and a historical background on the infamous prison. Duration: 7:31 and 8:49 minutes respectively.
[*] Finally, the Theatrical Trailer is included which is in decent shape. Duration: 2:50 minutes.
Special Features: 4/5
:star::star::star::star:
**Special Features rated for the quality of supplements, not the quantity**
Final Thoughts:
Point Blank is possibly one of the most stylized crime thrillers ever put to film. The acting, particularly Marvin as the tenacious and crazed pursuer who embodies the anti-hero, is outstanding as a human tripwire. With very few spoken lines throughout the film, Marvin clearly demonstrates that actions do speak louder than words. The performances of Angie Dickinson as his reluctant accomplice and John Vernon (in his first role) as his prey, are faultless. Point Blank is an important entry laying the groundwork for some of the finest and most excruciatingly violent American crime films ever made i.e. Taxi Driver, The Godfather and Pulp Fiction just to name a few.
July promises to be a great month for fans of classic crime films with the release of Point Blank and the upcoming Film Noir Collection Volume #2 (which will be covered in depth here soon), and I can assure you, these have all been worth the wait. Warner has done a terrific job with the presentation including an interesting complement of special features. For those seeking their monthly crime-drama DVD-fix, leave some room on your shelves – you’re going to need it…
Overall Rating: 4/5 (not an average)
:star::star::star::star:
Recommended.
Release Date: July 5th, 2005
