Who’s the guy lying next to her? How did they meet? All Alex knows is that he’s as dead as a toe-tagged John Doe. “He had a heart attack?” Alex’s ex asks over the phone. “From a knife in the chest,” she retorts.
Two-time Academy Award winner Jane Fonda earned her seventh Oscar nomination as Alex, an alcoholic has-been actress cast in the real-life role of Suspect #1. Panicked at facing the police, Alex runs for it right into the battered convertible of a washed-up former cop (Jeff Bridges). Their uneasy alliance draws them nearer to each other and closer to the startling truth behind the murder. Director Sidney Lumet (Network, The Verdict) draws strong performances from his leads and an ensemble that includes Raul Julia and Kathy Bates. The murder happened the night before. But the real mystery begins The Morning After.
For thoughts on The Morning After, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:
Video Quality
The Morning After debuts on Blu-Ray with a first-rate digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer derived from a new 2K scan of the Interpositive. The transfer retains the natural film grain of the source without any unwarranted manipulation to compromise the image. The grain helps unleash the complexity of the image while staying clear of a weak encode that could introduce some unwanted elements. Print damage has been eliminated with nothing major showing up in the frame.
Clarity and detail are wonderful with the bloody makeup effects standing out in the beginning along with plenty of unique facets on full display. The bold Los Angeles locale, the costume choices, and the production design all render with a favorable amount of texture and definition. Skin tones are appropriately warm given the climate and more importantly consistent across the runtime. Colors resolutely saturate the frame with key hues leaping off the screen. Black levels never succumb to crush and compression artifacts are completely avoided. Shout! Studios has done nice work here.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio dual mono track that executes the soundscape as intended. Dialogue comes through clearly in tandem with all of the competing sounds. The environmental effects such as the car engines and the announcer on television are delineated without a hiccup. The score from composer Paul Chihara sounds wonderful as it establishes a tone for the narrative. His compositions radiate out with robust fidelity. This track does not attempt anything overly ambitious, but it provides the appropriate texture while never showing any weakness. Shout! Studios has delivered in all respects. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Sidney Lumet provides an archival commentary track in which he discusses the benefits of shooting in a location you are unfamiliar with, working with the performers, shooting in Los Angeles, crafting the look of the characters, and more.
- Serious Bender – Remembering The Morning After with Associate Producer/Assistant Director Wolfgang Glattes: A new 12-minute interview with the creative in which he discusses his background in filmmaking, working with Sidney Lumet, the shooting locations, the challenges of the production, and more.
- A Night to Remember – Composing The Morning After with Composer Paul Chihara: A new 13-minute interview with the composer in which he discusses his relationship with Sidney Lumet, developing themes for specific characters, the thematic resonance of the narrative, and more.
- Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute long trailer is provided.
Final Thoughts
The Morning After is a somewhat middling effort from Sidney Lumet, but with such a major career that is hardly a damning statement. The screenplay is a bit messy with characters who make some frustrating decisions, yet it is easy to stay engrossed in this twisty narrative thanks to the power of the two lead performances. We probably wouldn’t have given Fonda an Oscar nomination for this particular performance, but she does put in her usual level of proficiency. Shout! Studios has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a respectable A/V presentation and some welcome new and archival special features. If you are a fan of the talent involved, this is worth a look. Recommended
The Morning After 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: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this set 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.
