UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Murder by Decree -- in 4k UHD (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

For anyone with even a basic knowledge of British cinema in the second half of the twentieth century, the cast of Bob Clark's Murder by Decree reads like a "best of" British thespians.

Christopher Plummer, James Mason, Anthony Quayle, and John Gielgud, supported by some of the new kids on the block - David Hemmings, Susan Clark, Donald Sutherland and Genevieve Bujold.

An extension of Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes mystique, it pits him against Jack the Ripper, in what The Foreign Press would have considered a musical / comedy romp.

4k is helpful here, but the London fog somehow seems to make its presence known on occasion, and when that occurs resolution drops well below 1k.

A great deal of Holmesian fun, and a wonderful progenitor of Mr. Clark's opus.

Image

Forensic - 7
NSD - 10

Audio – 10 (DTS-HD MA 5.1 & 2.0 Monaural)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k - 7

Worth your attention - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - Yes

Slipcover rating - 2

Looks like Film - 8

Very Highly Recommended


RAH


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https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Decree-4KUHD-4K-UHD/dp/B0DNNM16LN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LKKTS84I5JGW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aDznUbo5mkelMwwB_DYU0THvaMdMldHNHP-0uKgJQp3oKqVsbWHMXRBFsSYJbkFTrgusMOJlMvrVn0ABatNnNJjXXyrsC0c6zbljq-JwxgPJXayBsw0IIMErzXZ_O7EjYwljuKFfqUTGL2-G1b-96hd7hpoJQkioi6y930WukdVhnT4z8Ynl3YpGj1oGbIpi.bSbnPbTI4o1JjVwKHYI3t3EbZg1sWkrns0wG23yCMqk&dib_tag=se&keywords=murder+by+decree+4k&qid=1741937689&sprefix=murder+by+decree+4k,aps,146&sr=8-1

 

[Dave B Ferris]

I see some similarities to this Few Words, and the Few Words for Tommy Boy. Both feature "best of" casts from their respective countries.

 

[Worth]

4k is helpful here, as is HDR, but the London fog somehow seems to make its presence known on occasion, and when that occurs resolution drops well below 1k.

Isn't this SDR only?

 

[Robert Harris]

Isn't this SDR only?

Possible. I thought I saw HDR at start. Re-checked and didn't come up. Thx.

 

[Robert Harris]

I see some similarities to this Few Words, and the Few Words for Tommy Boy. Both feature "best of" casts from their respective countries.

True.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Thanks for the review. This is only one of a handful of films I haven't upgraded from DVD to blu ray but might now go straight to 4k. I like James Mason as Watson but never warmed to Plummer as Holmes (truth is I don't much care for Plummer as an actor).

 

[Stephen_J_H]

A classic from the height of the Canadian tax shelter productions, lensed by Reginald H. Morris, younger brother of Oswald Morris. Unlike some, not actually shot in Canada, but the production companies were Canadian.

 

[Robert Harris]

Thanks for the review. This is only one of a handful of films I haven't upgraded from DVD to blu ray but might now go straight to 4k. I like James Mason as Watson but never warmed to Plummer as Holmes (truth is I don't much care for Plummer as an actor).

I’d watch Mr. Mason play anything.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

Peas on a knife. Brilliant.

 

[Sultanofcinema]

Peas on a knife. Brilliant.

" Yes, play Holmes".

 

[B-ROLL]

A classic from the height of the Canadian tax shelter productions, lensed by Reginald H. Morris, younger brother of Oswald Morris. Unlike some, not actually shot in Canada, but the production companies were Canadian.

...As I believe was Plummer, Sutherland the Elder...

(the younger) and Ms. Bujold

...

EH!

 

[Bartman]

For anyone, like me, who is not going to double-dip the old KL Blu-ray here are my comments from a recent post:

"I rewatched the original KL Blu-ray last night & believe my original statement about brightness to be correct. On my LG B8 OLED in a dark room, in ISF-Dark mode with no additional processing I tried adjusting contrast, black level or brightness to get a natural picture. Only adjusting brightness from 50 to 25 did the trick. A good scene to verify improvement is when Watson is eating supper, approx 23 minutes in. Of course, your TV & viewing conditions may vary from mine. This is a very difficult picture to get right. Almost impossible to watch in daylight. HTH".

 

[Robert Harris]

For anyone, like me, who is not going to double-dip the old KL Blu-ray here are my comments from a recent post:

"I rewatched the original KL Blu-ray last night & believe my original statement about brightness to be correct. On my LG B8 OLED in a dark room, in ISF-Dark mode with no additional processing I tried adjusting contrast, black level or brightness to get a natural picture. Only adjusting brightness from 50 to 25 did the trick. A good scene to verify improvement is when Watson is eating supper, approx 23 minutes in. Of course, your TV & viewing conditions may vary from mine. This is a very difficult picture to get right. Almost impossible to watch in daylight. HTH".

Same with Nosferatu.

 

[Wayne Klein]

I liked the 4k better than the previous Blu.

 

[Reed Grele]

"You squashed my pea"

 

[Reed Grele]

"You squashed my pea"

 

[warnerbro]

I love this movie and find it very scary and well-done. This looks miles better than the bluray.