The Scent of the Night (1998) is a provocative thriller in which a former policeman turns full-time criminal and goes on a downward spiral in 1990s Rome. Remo (Valerio Mastandrea) is a disgruntled cop who pads his income by raiding rich people’s houses with a group of thugs. Because of his hatred for discipline he is soon dismissed from the force, while continuing his criminal escapades full time…until he gets arrested. When he is released, he tries to live a normal life but the debts he has incurred keep pulling him back to the life of a robber.

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Video Quality

The Scent of the Night comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer that is not noted as being from a new master, but it delivers a pretty solid experience all the same. There are some brief hiccups here and there, but the transfer looks really strong throughout most of the runtime. There are occasional lingering specks of damage that are easily overlooked and overall clarity is impressive. The shots inside the various houses being robbed are packed with little details in the production design that stand out thanks to this transfer.

Black levels hold up firmly with strong details in the shadow and not much in the way of crush. Digital noise is not a prevalent part of this viewing experience. Colors are nicely saturated in a way that makes the locations really pop. Skin tones are natural and consistent with facial features easily noticeable in closeup. This new presentation should please those who have been waiting for this one to be treated well. Raro Video has put a decent amount of care into this one.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a very enjoyable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original Italian with optional English subtitles. The dialogue is the star here as it stays firmly mounted in the mix without being overwhelmed by competing elements. The track maintains a strong balance with all competing sounds so that dialogue comes through crisp and clear. The score sounds very impactful throughout the duration of the film, as it immerses you into the tonal variance of the narrative. Environmental sounds such as car noises are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any major instances of age-related wear and tear. This audio presentation offers a good representation of the film.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on this disc.

Final Thoughts

The Scent of the Night is another depiction of the moral corruption of society embodied in a particular group of distinct personalities. You typically find what they are doing reprehensible, but the ways in which they are depicted makes them fascinating to watch. Valerio Mastandrea puts forth a really complex performance that only frustrates due to the character choices, but even the performer makes certain turns go down a bit easier. Raro Video and Kino Classics have delivered a Blu-Ray with a fine A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. If you enjoy watching narratives focused on the moral decay within individuals, this may do something for you.

The Scent of the Night is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.

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

Disclaimer: Raro Video and Kino Lorber have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.