A routine nighttime stakeout. A shadowy figure. A foot chase, with shots fired. And then…every police officer’s nightmare. David Janssen (Macho Callahan, TV’s The Fugitive) heads an all-star cast in this absorbing crime drama set in Los Angeles. Janssen is Tom Valens, an L.A.P.D. sergeant who fatally shoots what he perceives to be an armed suspect…but the man’s purported “weapon” is nowhere to be found. And, moreover, the deceased is a respected doctor with a seemingly impeccable reputation and character. Charged with manslaughter and suspended from the force, Sgt. Valens ignores public outcry and sets out to gather the puzzle’s pieces, produce the “missing” gun…and clear his name. Steve Allen, Ed Begley, Joan Collins, Lillian Gish, George Grizzard, Carroll O’Connor, Eleanor Parker, Walter Pidgeon, Stefanie Powers, George Sanders, Sam Wanamaker and Keenan Wynn are among the Hollywood luminaries featured in this taut and gripping thriller, directed and produced by Buzz Kulik (Shamus) with a sparkling jazz score by Jerry Goldsmith (Lonely Are the Brave).

For thoughts on Warning Shot, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/lhmNYo6Vx6c?t=1257]

Video Quality

Kino Classics presents Warning Shot with a pleasant upgrade in the form of a new 1080p transfer in 1.78:1 sourced from a new 2K scan of the 35mm interpositive which brings the movie to life well. There is an upswing in fine detail that should please most audience members. There does not appear to have been any digital manipulation of the source, which is always appreciated. The transfer provides natural film grain absent of any compression artifacts or other such digital anomalies which brings an added level of detail. Skin tones look natural, and the presentation offers up some fairly deep black levels that do not really veer into crush even in the darkest moments.

There are a handful of moments here and there that can skew more towards the rough side, but there is little in the way of major complaints throughout. Absent with this new scan is the majority of previous damage and dirt, and fluctuations in density are kept to a minimum. There are a few soft shots that pop up, but these are ultimately fleeting. The film features some robust color saturation within the interiors and specific costumes. Kino Classics has rescued another feature from obscurity with a solid presentation.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a good DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that showcases the film admirably. This track shows no obvious instances of age related wear and tear such as hissing or popping. Dialogue and background noises are balanced well with all competing elements. The sound effects and the Jerry Goldsmith score appears to be in line with the original intention for the sound. This disc maintains a lovely sense of fidelity that allows for an amiable viewing experience. The vibrancy and clarity of the score stands out when moments are supported with music. Nothing ever overpowers the dialogue or other pivotal information. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historian/Filmmaker Steve Mitchell and Film Historian Howard S. Berger provide an entertaining and informative commentary track in which they discuss the push and pull of old-school perspective and progressive storytelling, the behind-the-scenes details of the production of the film, the careers of the creative figures involved, where this fits into the history of the performers, the score from Jerry Goldsmith, the daring aesthetic choices with angles and “reality tv”-esque moments, and much more that is worth digging into. .

Trailers: There are trailers provided for Masquerade, The Thomas Crown Affair, Coogan’s Bluff, The Files of the Golden Goose, P.J., When Eight Bells Toll, The Ipcress File, Arabesque and The Counterfeit Traitor.

Final Thoughts

Warning Shot is a film with an uneasy perspective on the place of law enforcement, as you have classic values clashing against the bubbling counterculture. David Janssen sits right in the middle of this moral questioning as a weary cop in the midst of personal and professional turmoil. His performance is great, and it goes a long way toward cementing the empathy of the audience. The film still leaves you with some conflicted feelings, but taken as a complete narrative it delivers formidable intrigue. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a pleasing A/V presentation and a top tier commentary track. If you are a fan of detective tales, give it a shot. Recommended

Warning Shot 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: Kino Classics 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.