Kathleen Sullivan has been raped at gunpoint. Now she plans her revenge! Having left Boston to start a new job in Dallas, Kathleen Sullivan soon makes friends and begins to enjoy her new life. Larry Keeler is immediately attracted to Kathleen, but Kathleen makes it clear she would rather have a friend than a boyfriend. At the end of one date, Kathleen gives Larry a peck on the cheek and dashes into her apartment, leaving Larry confused and angry. On the next date, however, Larry is determined to get what he wants–at gunpoint. The tables start to turn when Kathleen joins a local gun club and buys her own gun. Now she becomes the hunter–on a vengeful mission.
Producer, writer, and director Tony Garnett (Prostitute) was fascinated and troubled by the proliferation and celebration of firearms in the United States. So, he traveled from his native England to Texas to make a dramatic film that would explore the widespread availability of guns there and the accompanying potential for deadly violence. The result was the hard-hitting Deep in the Heart (released in the U.K. as Handgun). Restored in 4K from its original 35mm camera negative for its worldwide Blu-ray premiere, the film boldly examines issues that continue to torment American society over forty years later.
For thoughts on Deep in the Heart (aka Handgun), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Deep in the Heart debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Fun City Editions with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio that is derived from a 4K restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. Nearly all instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have been cleaned up for a really nice, organic picture. The transfer retains its filmic look with firm image stability and clarity rendering impeccably. Everything appears to be consistent with its intended appearance yet refined to avoid any swarming or clumpy grain frozen in the background.
The Texas setting is preserved well on screen with observable variety in the clothing and production design. Skin tones are natural and consistent with unique features such as peach fuzz and wrinkles easily distinguishable in closeup. Colors are faithfully saturated with robust, natural hues coming through with great accuracy. Black levels hold up well with no major moments of crush or banding in plain view. Fun City Editions continues to do wonders with their restoration efforts. Audiences will be quite pleased with how this turned out.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that executes the sonic ambition of this feature with great stability. We did not spot any deficiencies or signs of age-related wear such as drop-outs, hissing, or distortion. Dialogue is at the forefront of the experience, and every line comes through clearly even when up against competing environmental elements. The film delivers music effectively with resolute fidelity. This track holds up surprisingly well with a sonically consistent experience. Fun City Editions has treated this one well. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Erica Shultz and Chris O’Neill provide an informative commentary track in which they discuss the impact of this being a European production, the careers of the talent involved, the themes of the feature, how Clayton Day feels about his performance, the location shooting, the film’s release and legacy, and much more that is worthwhile.
- Archival Interview with Writer/Producer/Director Tony Garnett: A brief two-minute interview with the filmmaker in which he discusses the plot and his perspective as an outsider telling this story.
- Images Gallery: An image gallery of marketing materials, still photos, and more is provided here.
- Theatrical Trailer: A two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.
- Booklet: There is a bound booklet included featuring the essay “Rape-Revenge Goes West” by critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas that explores the rape-revenge subgenre, the themes, the execution of the film, and much more that is enlightening.
Final Thoughts
Deep in the Heart could easily go full-tilt into exploitation territory with different intentions, but this feature takes a more considered approach that works well thematically. The material is tough and often infuriating on behalf of the character, but there is a sense of catharsis when you see the character coming back to life as she plots her revenge. Karen Young does an amazing job in the lead role, and it leaves you wishing she had more opportunities to be first billed in a feature. This one is quite powerful and worth a watch if you feel you can handle it. Fun City Editions has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a great assortment of special features in nice packaging. Recommended
Deep in the Heart is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Fun City Editions has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.