Disc Reviews

Night Of The Hunter Blu-ray Review

16th Oct 2013

Charles Laughton’s only directorial effort remains a classic to this day. Robert Mitchum plays the preacher who has a habit of murdering lonely windows and taking their money. He comes a cropper though when he sets his sights on Shelley Winters and her two young children after their father is sent to the gallows in the aftermath of an armed robbery.

Whilst the mother turns to the lord in his presence, the children are that much the wiser and manage to keep the money their dad hid from him – right up to the point where things really start to turn sour and the big bad wolves starts a cross country chase.

Arrow have given the film a bit of a polish. There is still a lot of grain left over, but overall the picture quality is a large improvement on Blu-ray. And as it is such a beautifully shot film by Laughton – it’s easy to get pulled in to some very impressionable imagery.

The performances may be of the time, but the message coming across as loud and clear as it is presented is actually part of the film’s charm.

On the extras – there is a short interview from decades ago with the cinematographer, but the feature Charles Laughton Directs is where the really money’s worth lies. Almost 3 hours of behind the scenes footage of Laughton directing the film, often showing take after take of the same scene as the performances are worked to perfection. It’s a novel extra to have for such an old classic and one that makes this package all the more alluring for buyers.