In 1925, a gold prospector (Gene Hackman) strikes it rich beyond his wildest dreams. But twenty years later, arrogant and abusive, he’s obsessed with the motives of those around him and suspects that even his own family could be plotting his demise!

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[youtube https://youtu.be/e75oPdYf6F0?si=9BW_KU7QMKeSmtyc&t=4241]

Video Quality

Eureka debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer in its original 1.85:1 which appears to be from a fine older master from MGM. This capitalizes on a recent trend of the company throwing a dart at their back catalog and dumping out whatever masters they have on hand. While we would love a fresh master, these discs typically get the job done. The transfer avoids signs of egregious damage and digital manipulation. There are plenty of specks of damage throughout, but they are very light compared to some transfers we have viewed.

The picture retains its natural film grain with not much observed in the way of density fluctuations. Black levels could be more impressive when it comes to depth, as some of the nighttime scenes deserve more clarity. Highlights are kept at bay without any obvious blooming at play. The transfer is decently defined with acceptable clarity when it comes to observing detail. Colors are a high point when it comes to saturation with a welcome vibrancy within articles of clothing, the production design, and the landscapes. Compression artifacts and other digital anomalies do not spoil the image. We are glad MGM released this one even without a new master.

Audio Quality

MGM brings us this new Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that works well for what is asked of it. Dialogue radiates clearly without being drowned out by the presence of any competing element. The environmental effects allow the location to have a vibrant personality, even if nothing too complicated is asked of the soundscape. The sound effects are not too heavy-handed outside of some explosions, but they add some weight to the mix. The score establishes the tone of the narrative, and it radiates out with a pleasant fidelity. MGM has done an acceptable job with this one. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on the disc.

Final Thoughts

Eureka is a nasty tale of distrust and greed as brought to the screen by the great Nicolas Roeg. Not every element works, but there are enough compelling threads to keep you glued to the screen to see how this unpredictable narrative plays out. The performances are quite strong even when the script asks the characters to make some questionable decisions. Even with its flaws, it is well worth a watch if you like any of the talent involved. MGM has brought this film to Blu-Ray with a solid enough A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. Recommended

Eureka can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

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

Disclaimer: MGM 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.