‘Touch’ (1997) Blu-Ray Review – Paul Schrader’s Darkly Funny And Compelling Satire

Former evangelist Bill Hill (Christopher Walken, King of New York), discovers Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich, Scream), a purported miracle worker who can heal people simply by touching them and bears the marks of stigmata on his body. Hill, no stranger to exploiting others, sees a potential fortune in Juvenal and primes him for show business but Hill’s plans go awry when the woman he entrusts to seduce Juvenal (Bridget Fonda, Jackie Brown) falls for him and a fundamentalist reverend (Tom Arnold, True Lies) threatens to put a stop to the whole enterprise.

Based on a novel by noted crime author Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty, Jackie Brown) and adapted for the screen and directed by Paul Schrader (Hardcore, Affliction), TOUCH is a burst of post-Tarantino dark comedy, matching Leonard’s offbeat characters with Schrader’s unwavering examination of theology in America. Featuring an ensemble cast that also includes the likes of Gina Gershon (Bound), Lolita Davidovich (Raising Cain), Paul Mazursky (director of An Unmarried Woman), Janeane Garofalo (Reality Bites) and LL Cool J as himself, TOUCH is quintessential Paul Schrader and ripe for rediscovery. Cinématographe is proud to present this often overlooked entry in the career of one of America’s most prized filmmakers in its first ever blu-ray release, sourced from a new 2K scan of its 35mm interpositive.

For thoughts on Touch (1997), please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Cinématographe premieres Touch on Blu-Ray with an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a newly commissioned 2K restoration from the 35mm Interpositive. The transfer provides a favorable, consistent grain structure that preserves the filmic integrity of the picture, showcasing subtle details in the unique settings from the talk show set to the church and the medical facility. There are fleeting instances where the grain field gets a bit extra gritty, but these times do not stand out. This presentation avoids nearly all print damage such as specks, scratches, and tears. 

The cinematography from Ed Lachman is vital to establishing this world and creating a dazzling palette. Colors blossom off the screen, saturating the frame with enchanting hues in the costumes and even the lighting setup. Skin tones appear to be natural with an excellent amount of facial detail present in close-ups. Black levels hold up with care and never lack for shadow detail. The picture never falls victim to crush, and highlights are firm with no semblance of blooming. This upstart label keeps proving themselves as one of the most exciting new players in the physical media game. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that nails the sound design of the picture.  The soundtrack and the score from Dave Grohl complement the narrative effortlessly as it comes through with resolute fidelity. The sounds of each setting flow through to provide some excellent ambient details such as the chatter in church. All of the sounds in the mix seem deftly rendered so that nothing ever feels awry. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being drowned out by competing noises. Cinématographe has provided an audio track that matches the excellence of the video quality. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided. 

Special Features

The Limited Edition version of Touch comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new writing by film critics Chris Cabin and Bilge Ebiri and filmmaker/writer Cosmo Bjorkenheim plus select archival photo reproductions. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and each piece provides a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows: 

• Audio Commentary: Film historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell provide an informative commentary track that discusses the work of Elmore Leonard, where this fits in his cinematic output, the changes from the source material, details about the production, the shooting locations, the work of director Paul Schrader, the turns and backgrounds of the performers, the photography from Ed Lachman, the legacy of the feature, and much more.

• Shelf Life – An Interview with Paul Schrader: A 13-minute interview with the writer/director in which he discusses how he came to this project, the reasons why this film was not a financial success, working with the performers, the condition Christopher Walken put forth to commit to this role, and more. 

• Video Essay by Daniel Kremer: A 12-minute video essay in which Kremer dissects the film in relation to the balance of the sacred and profane in Schrader’s filmography, the thematic and stylistic gaze in his work, and more that explores the film in nice depth. 

• Theatrical Trailer: A two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

Touch is considered a minor film in Paul Schrader’s cinematic legacy, but this is an unjust assessment. It may be a smidge overambitious and messy, but it is darkly funny and compelling. You have Schrader playing with the religious themes that mesh so well with his sensibilities, and the Elmore Leonard source material has many engaging ideas at hand that often coalesce into something worthwhile. Even when the plot gets a bit tenuous, the performances keep you locked in. Schrader has a way of dialing in these performers into the mode needed for the story, allowing even Tom Arnold to put forth one of his better performances. It is not the best known film, but it deserves the new audience this release affords it. Cinématographe has provided a Blu-Ray that features a strong A/V presentation and a nice array of supplemental features. If you are a fan of any of these performers or just enjoy exploring the dark secrets of a small town, this movie is a true gem. Highly Recommended 

Touch 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: Cinématographe 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.