‘Gorky Park’ (Special Edition) Blu-Ray Review – A Riveting, Layered Investigative Thriller

Murder, seduction and intrigue in the Kremlin! Adapted by Dennis Potter (Dreamchild) from the bestselling novel by Martin Cruz Smith, Gorky Park is a gripping and brilliant thriller starring screen greats William Hurt (Body Heat) and Lee Marvin (Prime Cut). When three murder victims are discovered in Moscow’s Gorky Park—their faces and fingertips removed—detective Arkady Renko (Hurt) is determined to identify the bodies and find the killer. But when the clues point toward the involvement of the KGB, Renko is hunted by the secret police and confronted by an intricate web of deception and treachery reaching to the highest political levels. Directed by Michael Apted (Thunderheart, The World Is Not Enough) and with an excellent supporting cast that includes Joanna Pacula (The Kiss), Brian Dennehy (F/X), Ian Bannen (The Offence), Michael Elphick (Ordeal by Innocence), Richard Griffiths (Withnail & I), Alexander Knox (Accident) and Ian McDiarmid (Return of the Jedi).

For thoughts on Gorky Park, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic: 

[youtube https://youtu.be/Bx4vP5G81XY?t=2455]

Video Quality

This new Blu-Ray from Kino Classics gives Gorky Park an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that looks really nice. The film was released on Blu-Ray nearly a decade ago in 2014 by the label, although it appears to have been out of print for a couple of years. The new disc is derived from the same base master, but this release utilizes a new BD-50 disc instead of the more compressed BD-25 from before. We do not have that disc to compare the two experiences, but this looks quite pleasant despite being from an older source

This is far from the most colorful film on the planet thanks to the cold death surrounding the narrative, but the hues that make up the frame show up on the screen nicely. Black levels hold up well enough with some admirable depth to the image. The feature has a pretty decent grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, showcasing discrete details in the uniforms, corpses and various government interiors. The color palette seems consistent with the intention of the filmmaker with a very natural appearance. There are no obvious bits of damage to be found in this presentation with only a smattering of dirt and specks in the image. Kino Classics made the right decision to give this one a second life. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a fine DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that does what it needs to even without a refresh. As Apted notes, some dialogue had to be re-recorded to account for certain sonic limitations when it came to accents, so any evidence of that is inherent to the source and not an issue with this track. Otherwise, dialogue and background noises are balanced capably with all competing elements so that everything remains distinct. This track reveals very little in the way of age related wear and tear. The track can sound the slightest bit weak when it comes to its peaks, but this is far from a recurring issue. The music does not overwhelm the dialogue or other important information. The audio track complements the visual well. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. 

Special Features

• Interview with Director Michael Apted: A 16-minute conversation with director Michael Apted in which he discusses being brought on board to Gorky Park, the difficulties that arose when scouting in Russia, shooting in Helsinki, his work with the performers, how they settled on the accents, the relationship between William Hurt and Lee Marvin, and much more that is worthwhile. 

• TV Spot: A minute-and-a-half collection of TV spots is provided here. 

• Trailers: The Teaser Trailer (1:31) and Theatrical Trailer (2:24) for Gorky Park is provided here. There are trailers for Prime Cut, Dog Day, F/X, Ffolkes, The Final Option, Runaway Train and The Hunter. 

Final Thoughts

Gorky Park is a truly enthralling investigative thriller which blooms really nicely as the layers are expertly peeled back. The narrative never speeds through its developments, but it likewise never feels sluggish in its pacing. Director Michael Apted has a firm command over the rise and fall of this dramatic symphony, and the experience could not be more satisfying. William Hurt capably leads a very strong ensemble including a pleasantly complex Lee Marvin. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that shows off a strong A/V presentation and a small selection of special features. If you have missed this one until now, you should do your best to fix that. Recommended 

Gorky Park (Special Edition) 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: Kino Classics 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.