Plot: What’s it about?
Mike Vargas (Charlton Heston) is Mexico’s lead narcotics investigator and he soon has to testify against a powerful drug lord, Grandi (Akim Tamiroff). Vargas is a good, honest man and right now, he is trying to have a nice honeymoon with his wife, Susan (Janet Leigh) in a small bordertown. But since the underground leader he plans to testify again doesn’t want that to happen, he sends his sons and other thugs to push him around. He hopes that if Mike and his wife’s lives are threatened, he will back off, but that isn’t the case at all. Soon more problems arise when an American is killed in a bombing, which Mike decides to spend a lot of time looking into. When he discovers Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles) planting evidence in the case, he challenges the well known policeman and in the process, get himself deeper into danger. Quinlan decides to team up with the drug dealing thugs, in an effort to work together to discredit Vargas as a witness. Can Mike tell the truth and make sure justice is done, or will he simply be scoffed at by the system?
It has been a long time in the coming, but Orson Welles’ classic Touch of Evil has landed on our beloved format. I am very pleased to be able to see the film on DVD at all, but how has Universal treated this movie? Well, I am pleased from the basic standpoint of the movie itself, although I think a two disc release would have suited this title best. This disc contains the complete version of the film as Welles envisioned, which is always welcome, but I think a nice gesture by Universal should have been to included the original also, or at least offer it on a separate disc. I am always glad to see director’s versions of the films, but in this case, I think the original should have been made available also. Also, Universal pulled a documentary from the disc and that is sure to irritate consumers. But in the end, the asking price is fair because simply put, Touch of Evil is one of the finest films ever created. From Welles’ screenplay & direction to the outstanding acting to the tremendous visuals, this film has it all and it works to sheer & utter perfection. Do not miss Touch of Evil, this is a true must see film in all respects.
So who is this Orson Welles, right? His name should ring a bell, as he created some of the most studied and acclaimed films of all time, but I suppose some of you might not know him. If you don’t, you are making a serious mistake, as his works are fantastic and though perhaps a little slow by today’s standards, few ever display a dull moment. In Touch of Evil, Welles and his director of photography work to create a visually stunning atmosphere, one draped in darkness & shadows and that enhances the film’s tone a lot. This film has to rank among the elite in terms of visual tact, with no wasted shots and each seeming to be perfectly planned & executed. I highly recommend other Welles helmed films also, such as The Magnificent Ambersons, The Lady From Shanghai, The Deep, Journey Into Fear (codirected), and of course, Citizen Kane. Welles also gives a nice turn in front of the camera, but then again in this film, it seems as though all the cast members do. Aside from Welles, the cast also includes Charlton Heston (The Omega Man, Soylent Green), Akim Tamiroff (The Black Sleep), Joseph Calleia (Gilda), Janet Leigh (Hitchock’s Psycho), Marlene Dietrich (Blonde Venus, The Love Goddess), and Zsa Zsa Gabor (Drop Dead Darling).
Video: How does it look?
Touch of Evil is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a very dark film, but this is an excellent overall black & white transfer in the end. I saw little marks or debris on the source print, while compression flaws were not even a factor in this case. The contrast is very good here, with deep blacks and a very high level of detail to seen, which adds a lot of information over some overly dark editions I’ve seen. In the end, all is good with this transfer and fans will be very pleased with this visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original mono track is used and while it suffers from the limits of the mono format, it still sounds better than you might think. The film’s musical score is excellent and though not as dynamic as I would like, it comes across in fine form here to be sure. I detected no signs of distortion or age related issues, which is a relief. The sounds effects have a distinct texture to them, but again in mono, not much range can be heard in the least. The dialogue is sharp and clear at all times, no volume errors or harshness can be discerned. It isn’t flashy at all, but this is an above average mono track in my opinion. This disc also includes subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes Orson Welles’ full length memo to Universal, which stated the changes he wanted to see made in the film’s original version. He was ignored of course, but this memo was later used to create this new version, which restores Welles’ vision for the picture. I was so glad this was packed on, it offers a lot of good pieces of information. You’ll also find production notes, talent files, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
