From Karen Shakhnazarov, director of ZEROGRAD, ASSASSIN OF THE TSAR is a mysterious and labyrinthine psychological drama in which the tormented chambers of a patient’s mind come to warp everything around him, even the folds of history itself. In one of his finest latter-day performances, the great Malcolm McDowell (A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, TIME AFTER TIME) stars as Timofeyev, a severe schizophrenic in a dreary Soviet mental hospital who is convinced that, impossibly, he’s the killer of two Tsars: Alexander II in 1881 and Nicholas II in 1918. The thoughtful new head of the hospital, Dr. Smirnov (Oleg Yankovskiy) is determined to cure Timofeyev of his madness – but instead finds himself literally pulled back through time, inhabiting the ghosts of the past as they march towards their tragic destiny.

For thoughts on the new 2025 Issue Limited Slipcover release of The Assassin of the Tsar, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

The Assassin of the Tsar debuted on Blu-Ray in 2023 in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio with a 1080p master derived from a glorious 2K restoration from the original 35mm elements by Mosfilm. Deaf Crocodile is one of our most important labels around for overlooked gems of international cinema, and this release is just another example of their curatorial expertise. The restoration is clear of any print damage thanks to the care put in from the team at Mosfilm. The transfer reveals a sterling amount of depth and enhanced detail within these dueling time periods. The natural grain is intact and allows so much character to be extracted from the photography. Distinct elements of the clothing and production design look unbelievable in their clarity. The colors are saturated precisely with some beautiful hues on display. Black levels are deep with no semblance of black crush or compression artifacts. Highlights likewise hold steady with no blooming at play. Deaf Crocodile has delivered an A+ presentation.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a favorable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track in English (with optional English SDH subtitles), as well as an alternate version of the movie in Russian (with optional English subtitles). Dialogue comes through clearly with neither the sound effects nor the score burying any important information. Some sound effects are given a memorable placement within the mix, but this is not an action powerhouse by any means. The film is filled with unique sonic characteristics that perk up the speakers. The score comes through confidently in relation to the competing sounds. This track presents everything as desired without damage or other unwanted issues. Deaf Crocodile has delivered another quality track.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film journalist Samm Deighan (Diabolique magazine, Daughters of Darkness podcast) provides an engaging and illuminating commentary track in which she provide great context for Russian cinema of the time, Russian history and how it ties into this narrative, the production of the film, the background of the performers, analysis of the themes, and much more.

Interview with Star Malcolm McDowell: A 55-minute conversation with the legendary performer in which he discusses the overlooked nature of the film, what it was like to play a Russian in a Russian film, the unique point in time in Moscow, the process of shooting the film with different languages at play, his relationship with his collaborators, how he approached his character, and more.

Interview with Director/Co-writer Karen Shakhnazarov: A 68-minute interview with the filmmaker conducted by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile Films in which he discusses the production of The Assassin of the Tsar, where he was at during this point in his career, working within the Soviet Union, and more.

Russian Language Version of the Film (1:42:33): An option to watch the film in Russian with a different edit and score fully restored like the English version.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is included in this release which features the essay “Time and Tides” by Walter Chaw which gives a great amount of context to the creation and themes of this film in a way that is quite illuminating.

Final Thoughts

The Assassin of the Tsar is a fascinating gateway into Russian history filtered through the unique viewpoint of Karen Shakhnazarov. The film takes the potential truth of various leaders from the past and weaves in fictional elements that may skew closer to the truth than the official party line. The feature leaves you wondering if you have just embarked on a psychological journey, a metaphysical one, or perhaps something not completely comprehensible. Malcolm McDowell is a terrific anchor who lends the appropriate gravitas to the material that requires real dexterity. Deaf Crocodile has released a Blu-Ray which sports a gorgeous A/V presentation, an invaluable assortment of special features, and a beautiful new limited edition slipcover. Recommended

The Assassin of the Tsar is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a 2025 Issue Limited Slipcover exclusively through the Deaf Crocodile website and DiabolikDVD.

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

Disclaimer: Deaf Crocodile 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.