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Straw Dogs Blu-ray Disc Review

Straw Dogs [Blu-ray] (1971)

STRAW DOGS (1971, Blu-ray released September 6, 2011 – MSRP $24.99)

MOVIE: ★★★★★ 
VIDEO: ★★★★½ 
AUDIO: ★★★★☆ 
EXTRAS: ½☆☆☆☆ 
BLU-RAY: ★★★½☆ 


The original Straw Dogs is one of a handful of true masterpieces of the cinema to come out of the seventies and it’s never looked or sounded better than on this new bare-bones Blu-ray from MGM/Fox.

    Brace yourself for the extended version of this daring and provocative drama from the director of “The Wild Bunch”. Starring Dustin Hoffman in a “superbly realized” (Time) performance, this “brilliant” (Cue), disturbing film charts one man’s brutally violent journey from cowardice to courage and “delivers one helluva jolt” (Playboy). To escape the Vietnam-era chaos in the U.S., American mathematician David Sumner (Hoffman) moves with his British wife Amy (Susan George) to an isolated English village. Their presence provokes antagonism among the village’s men. Escalating from routine bullying to the gang rape of his wife, David finds his pacifist self being backed into a corner and responds in the violent and gruesome manner he abhors.

When most film nuts are asked to name their favourite Sam Peckinpah film, dollars to donuts the answer will be The Wild Bunch. But I’ve always been more of a Straw Dogs kind of guy, myself (with a healthy amount of love and fascination with the amazing Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, added in for good measure.) There’s something about the quiet build of the film, the menace that’s lurking right under their noses, as Hoffman and his wife (Susan George) move to their new home in rural England. It might not be the most action packed Peckinpah film but I think it’s the most nuanced and well balanced of his oevre. I didn’t get a chance to see the recent remake (this Blu-ray disc was released just in time to promote the film) but I find it tough to believe that it could possibly be superior to this classic in any way.

Straw Dogs makes its Blu-ray debut in a very handsome, rich transfer from MGM. The 1080p/AVC encode is thick with grain and colour, sporting deep blacks and tons of detail. This is an entirely film-like and shockingly stable presentation that I’m proud to shelve alongside my Criterion Collection 2-DVD set. I’m sorry to report, however, that the original mono soundtrack has not been included on the disc – a critical strike against the Blu-ray for purists. The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is, thankfully, quite respectful and eschews unnecessary bombast and effect for clean and clear audio, mostly centered around the front of the soundstage.

As I said above, I’ll be shelving this new Blu-ray disc alongside my old 2-disc DVD set from Criterion. I’ll be holding onto to that one because it contains a ton of bonus content, almost all of which has been left off of the MGM Blu. The only extras provided on the disc are a bunch of TV spots and a trailer for the film – a far cry from the commentary track, isolated score, documentaries, behind the scenes footage and interviews available on the DVD. That said, the Blu-ray provides a big enough leap forward in presentation that any fan of the film would do well to upgrade from their old standard-def DVD. And, despite the lack of extras, you can’t go wrong picking up Straw Dogs on Blu at current Amazon prices (only $10.99 at the moment!)

Recommended!

Special Features:

  • Original Theatrical Trailer
  • Three Original Television Spots

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