Director: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Archive
Running Time: 116 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: November 20, 2012
Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars
“Deathtrap” is a fun mix of comedy and cat and mouse genre. The duo of Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve are brilliant and they work well together. Since the film is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary, it stills works and holds it own today. This release is one of the first from Warner Bros Archive on Blu-ray and it is quite impressive. If you are a fan of this little cult classic, I would highly recommend this release. It is being made via MOD, so be sure to get it before it goes out of print.
Official Synopsis: If you were a famed mystery playwright with a devastating string of recent flops, what would you do for a can’t-miss thriller script? Beg for it? Pay for it? Or would you kill for it? You would if you were Sidney Bruhl, the leading character in Ira Levin’s dazzlingly funny, deliciously scary, Broadway-smash-turned-movie-hit Deathtrap. Michael Caine starts as Bruhl and Christopher Reeve stars as Bruhl’s one-time student, who’s written a play so flawless “even a gifted director couldn’t ruin it” …and who requests Bruhl’s production help. And Dyan Cannon is Bruhl’s loving wife, who doesn’t want the student helped to an early grave. Sydney Lumet directs Deathtrap’s hairpin twists with such drop-dead wit and delightful dread that you’ll stop laughing only long enough to gasp in surprise.
For a film made back in 1982, this film looks very nice it’s brand new high-definition 1080p transfer and the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The audio includes an DTS-HD MA 2.0 surround track. It works for the film’s dialogue but don’t otherwise blow you away. When it comes to special features, unfortunately this release only comes with a trailer and nothing else. Hopefully this will change in the future, especially since Warner Archive’s Blu-ray for “Gypsy” includes some extras. Overall, for Warner Archive’s first go-round on Blu-ray it is very impressive and I look forward to future releases.