In 1988, Mike Figgis (Internal Affairs, Leaving Las Vegas) made his feature directorial debut with Stormy Monday, a taut, noir-influenced gangster movie that drew on his key formative influences, including his youth in the Newcastle of the late ’50s and early ’60s, and the city’s vibrant jazz scene.

Sean Bean (Ronin) plays Brendan, a young loafer taken under the wing of jazz club owner Finney (Sting, Quadrophenia), who’s under pressure from American mobster Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones, The Fugitive) to sell up in exchange for a cut of a local land development deal. Brendan just wants to earn an honest crust, but his burgeoning relationship with Cosmo’s ex-lover Kate (Melanie Griffith, Body Double) threatens to drag him into the middle of the impending showdown…

A romantic crime thriller with genuine heart, Stormy Monday features striking, rain-drenched cinematography by Roger Deakins (The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men) and a seductive jazz score provided by the director himself. Presented here for the first time in high definition in the UK, there has never been a better time to discover one of this iconic filmmaker’s most assured and uniquely haunting efforts.

For thoughts on Stormy Monday, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/oIMXO-PMrZQ?t=2086]

Video Quality

Stormy Monday comes to Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer in its original 1.85:1 that is pretty strong courtesy of MGM. There is no indication that this transfer is derived from a new master, but this film was previously released on Blu-Ray courtesy of Arrow Video in 2017. We do not have that release to compare, but this is likely derived from the same one utilized for that release. There is some expected room for improvement after six years, but the source thankfully shows minimal signs of damage and digital tinkering. The very mild undercurrent of nicks and scratches is unobtrusive and unlikely to impede anyone’s enjoyment. .

Colors are pleasantly saturated with a fine vibrancy to them which accentuates the Roger Deakins cinematography. Black levels could be a bit more robust when it comes to depth, as some moments struggle with depth, delineation and a chunky grain structure. The transfer looks fairly clear and detailed for the majority of the runtime with only a couple of moments exhibiting notable density fluctuations in the grain field. Image quality is stable with some enjoyable detail in the environment and texture of outfits. Compression artifacts and other digital anomalies are occasionally present but not a prominent aspect. The presentation is one that holds up fairly well given the age of the master, but this one would look nice with a refresh.

Audio Quality

MGM brings us this new Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that holds up even better than the video side of the equation. The sounds of certain energetic moments such as the band performing at various venues and other sounds such as exploding cars bring some energy to the mix. The Mike Figgis score establishes the tone of this journey, and you do not hear any weakness when it comes to fidelity. Dialogue holds up very well, coming through clearly without being overwhelmed by the music or competing elements. The environmental effects are delineated nicely within the channels. MGM has delivered a perfectly fine audio experience here. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on the disc.

Final Thoughts

Stormy Monday is a really entertaining, at times surprising, crime drama which keeps you properly transfixed. There are a handful of different narrative threads at play which are balanced capably and do not all play out in the most cliche manner. The performance of a young Sean Bean is a very engaging anchor point, and the rest of the ensemble fleshes out the world well. MGM has brought this film to Blu-Ray with an enjoyable A/V presentation but no special features. If you love crime dramas or anyone in the cast, this could be a worthwhile discovery. Recommended

Stormy Monday can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through 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.