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The Satan Bug
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- Published: 10-28-2015, 08:26 AM
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Satan Bug, The
Released by: Kino Lorber
Released on: September 22, 2015
Directed by: John Sturges
Cast: George Maharis, Richard Basehart, Anne Francis, Dana Andrews, Richard Bull, Edward Asner, Simon Oakland, John Anderson
Year: 1965
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The Movie:
Former intelligence agent turned private investigator Lee Barrett is approached by his former boss with an offer to investigate the murder of a security chief and the disappearance of a scientist at a top-secret biochemical lab located in the southern California desert. Barrett accepts, and once inside the lab he learns that not only was the scientist also murdered but that several vials containing a deadly bacterium, the Satan bug, have been stolen. The anonymous thief soon reveals his plans to use the bug to wipe out Los Angeles unless the weapons lab is destroyed. Assigned to help Barrett identify and thwart the blackmailer is Ann Williams, an army general's daughter and an ex-flame of Barrett's. Old love is rekindled while the two search for the elusive thief, who is helped by traitors both within and outside of the government.
Scottish author Alistair MacLean first wrote and published his novel about germ warfare, The Satan Bug, under the pseudonym Ian Stuart in 1962. The book caught the attention of noted director John Sturges, who had by this time already helmed a number of successful films during his twenty-year directorial career, including Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), The Old Man and the Sea (1958), The Magnificent Seven (1960), and The Great Escape (1963). His later films were often mid-budgeted, epic-looking affairs with lots of Hollywood gloss and just the right amount of grit. After completing work on The Satan Bug in 1965, he went on to make a number of fondly remembered features, including Ice Station Zebra (1968), Joe Kidd (1972), Chino (1973), and his swan song, The Eagle Has Landed (1976).
Unlike most of those works, however, The Satan Bug is a fairly middling film. In some ways it evokes Robert Wise's far-superior The Andromeda Strain (1971), which was based on a novel by Michael Crichton. That doesn't mean The Satan Bug isn't worth watching; it most certainly is, if mostly for Sturges's smooth, silky direction. It can't be said of the man that he couldn't direct action, and The Satan Bug has a number of terrific set pieces. The problem is that there aren't enough of them to carry the overall film. An early scene in the lab is suspenseful, and the final sequence is exciting, but most of The Satan Bug unfolds at a snail's pace, with lots of vapid, repetitious conversation. Yet at the same time, Sturges manages a strikingly realized, sparse desert look that is reflected in the interior sets as well as the exteriors. While most of the film is comprised of dusty browns and mild greens, there are splotches of color that lend a striking visual panache to virtually every frame.
There's also some fun to be had in playing "Spot the TV actor." While most of the cast (including Ed Asner of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Simon Oakland of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and John Anderson of MacGyver) aren't required to do much, they acquit themselves as well as they need to under the circumstances.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Kino has seen fit to release The Satan Bug on Blu-ray in 1080p high definition with an MPEG-4 AVC encode, utilizing the film's original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The film has been placed on a 25GB disc, which, despite the lengthy running time, is more than adequate given that the only extra (other than a commentary) is the film's original theatrical trailer. The image is superb, with cinematography by Robert Surtees that takes full advantage of vast western exteriors. The BD reveals every detail of the rocky outcroppings and dusty hills dotted by desert vegetation, and the interiors are just as sharp. Luscious reds, greens, and blues supplied by DeLuxe are magnified by a terrific transfer—one that never betrays the film's organic architectures—which look as if they could have been designed by Franklin Lloyd Wright himself. Check out, for instance, the lab set with its vials and test tubes of colored liquids. The image is so detailed that it practically looks 3D, a fact that holds true throughout the entire film regardless of location. Grain is steady and appropriate but never overpowering, leaving the viewer to revel in the imagery. Dirt and debris are virtually nonexistent (when they do appear, it's usually in transition or stock shots, which is to be expected), and there's only minor print damage at one point. In short, this is one of the best transfers ever given a film of this vintage and shouldn't disappoint the movie's fans.
The film's soundtrack has been placed on the disc in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and is less enthralling than the film's visuals. The sound isn't terrible by any means; it's just that the musical cues are so much louder than the dialogue, resulting in the viewer having to hold the remote in hand throughout to make adjustments. Otherwise, dialogue is clean and discernible. There's mild hiss on occasion, but it's never too problematic or overpowering. In general, Jerry Goldsmith's score sounds fairly robust and appropriately adds to the suspense. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles for the deaf or hearing impaired.
An audio commentary featuring film historian and critic Glenn Erickson of DVD Savant is included. The commentary is controlled and exact, obviously written in advance, which this particular reviewer prefers, as it allows for greater and more accurate information to be disseminated, with less wasted space than commentaries in which critics or a film's participants watch the film for the first time in years and discuss it as it unfolds. Erickson explains why the film is still rightfully termed science fiction despite how far we've come on the bioterrorism front. Also discussed is MacLean, his original work, and the differences between the book and film, as well as the science behind the film, the director, and various actors.
The only other extra is the film's original theatrical trailer, which runs a little over two minutes. Like the film, it is anamorphic and clearly remastered in hi-def; it looks almost as good as the film itself, with a fairly high level of detail and robust colors.
The film is divided into eight chapters, which seems a bit scant given its running time.
The Final Word:
The Satan Bug isn't a great film, but it has just enough action that, along with its stylish direction and cinematography, it shapes up as watchable entertainment. And Kino Lorber has issued it on Blu-ray with a superb transfer. It's doubtful the film has ever looked better, even on the big screen, and parts of it are almost three-dimensional in their level of detail and color. Capping off the release is an informative commentary from Glenn Erickson and the film's original theatrical trailer.
Christopher D. Workman is a freelance writer, film critic, and co-author (with Troy Howarth) of the Tome of Terror horror-film review series. Volume 2 of that series (covering the 1930s) is currently available from Midnight Marquee Press, Inc.
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