‘Child’s Play’ (1972) Blu-Ray Review – Sidney Lumet’s Underrated Psychological Thriller Gets A New Life

Paul Reis (Beau Bridges, The Landlord) returns to his almamatter, St. Charles, an exclusive Catholic boarding school for male adolescents, as the new physical education teacher. When he arrives, he finds two of his new colleagues, English teacher Joseph Dobbs (Robert Preston, Victor/Victoria) and Latin teacher Jerome Malley (James Mason, Lolita), engaged in a bitter rivalry. As tensions rise, and anonymous threatening phone calls disrupt the usually tranquil environs of St. Charles, Reis finds himself embroiled in an unpredictable cycle of violence which begins to reflect in the increasingly aggressive behavior of the students.

Sidney Lumet’s (Serpico, Network) often overlooked marriage of coming-of-age angst and subtle thriller dynamics is a deft adaptation of Robert Marasco’s (Burnt Offerings) play of the same name. Featuring claustrophobic photography by Gerald Hirschfeld (Fail-Safe) accompanied by a paranoia-inducing score from Michael Small (Klute, The Stepford Wives), CHILD’S PLAY is vintage Lumet. Cinématographe is proud to present this beguiling entry in the career of America’s most treasured auteurs in a brand new 4K restoration from its original camera negative.

For thoughts on Child’s Play (1972), please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

This new Blu-Ray release from Cinématographe gives Child’s Play an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a newly commissioned 4K restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray with an ancient master by Olive Films in 2012 that looked decent but needed an upgrade. The only slight disappointment is that we did not get a full 4K UHD Blu-Ray upgrade, but we appreciate the upgrade nonetheless. The film has a natural grain structure that preserves the filmic source of the picture, revealing subtle details in the boarding school. You can specifically appreciate the production design and costumes on display with this transfer. 

The cinematography from Gerald Hirschfeld is very claustrophobic and packed with character. The grain field can be thick, yet it never devolves into what we would classify as noise. This presentation is essentially free of print damage such as specks, scratches, and tears. Colors are not especially vibrant within this uniform space, but everything appears to be accurate with the perfect amount of depth. Certain flourishes within the uniforms and some lighting choices make the biggest impression. Black levels hold up very well and never fall short in shadow detail. The picture never suffers from crush, and the highlights are strong with no semblance of blooming. Skin tones look natural, with a formidable amount of facial detail present in close-ups. This beloved label has given this film a necessary second chance at life on Blu-Ray with a tremendous presentation. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that captures this reserved soundscape well. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being overshadowed by the sound effects or the soundtrack. The unsettling music from Michael Small complements the general vibe of the picture as it comes through faithfully in this presentation. The sounds of the students in the corridor creep through to provide some effective ambient details. All of the various sounds in the mix seem precisely rendered so that nothing ever feels askew. The presentation holds up very well from beginning to end. Cinématographe has provided an audio track that exhibits this one with great care. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

The Limited Edition version of Child’s Play (1972) comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new writing by film critic Mitchell Beaupre, and culture writers Patrick Dahl and Madelyn Sutton plus select archival photo reproductions. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and provide a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows: 

• Audio Commentary: Historian Adrian Martin provides a fine commentary track that explores how this film fits into the career of Sidney Lumet, the themes of the film, the background of the performers, the era in which this film was released, and more. 

• Play To Strengths – A Video Essay by Daniel Kremer: A nine-minute piece from Daniel Kremer that delves into the career of Sidney Lumet, his affinity for adapting stage production, his reputation as an actor’s director, the themes explored, and more. 

• Interview with Production Designer Philip Rosenberg: A 15-minute interview with production designer Philip Rosenberg discussing his collaborations with Sidney Lumet, memories of working with international crews, Lumet’s approach to filmmaking, and more.

• One Stop On The Road To Serpico – Documentary Short: A nine-minute piece that explores the production of Child’s Play, the controversy around Marlon Brando, the reception to the film, how it stands in connection to Serpico and more. 

• One Step Further – Becoming Lumet: A 57-minute documentary on the first half of Lumet’s career from early childhood to Serpico. This is a terrific piece that fans will love originally found in the Directed by…Sidney Lumet: Volume 1 set from Imprint. 

• Sidney Lumet On Charlie Rose: A great 43-minute archival interview with the filmmaker in the midst of promoting Find Me Guilty that explores his legendary career. 

Final Thoughts

Child’s Play (1972) is an undervalued entry in the filmography of the great Sidney Lumet. When you have made so many classics, it can be hard for some of the middle-tier efforts to get any time in the spotlight. Thankfully, labels such as this one have the power to recontextualize films and give them another chance at life. The film features some really great performances from Robert Preston and James Mason, especially, and it keeps you entertained until the very end. Cinématographe has provided a Blu-Ray that features a great A/V presentation and an A+ assortment of supplemental features. The label continues to bring some worthy titles back into the spotlight. Recommended 

Child’s Play (1972) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Cinématographe has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.