Prayer For The Dying, A

Released by: Twilight Time
Released on: April 12th, 2016
Director: Mike Hodges
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Sammi Davis, Bob Hoskins, Liam Neeson, Alan Bates
Year: 1987
Purchase from Twilight Time

The Movie

Get Carter and Flash Gordon director Mike Hodges returned once again to the crime thriller genre with this mildly received effort from 1987. A Prayer for the Dying follows an IRA man by the name of Martin Fallon who, after an attempted car bombing accidentally takes out a school bus full of children, tries to leave his violent life behind. He's promised a passport and way out if he takes on just one more hit on a mob boss, but this too goes awry, as a priest (Bob Hoskins) happens to be a witness. Fallon, not willing to shed any more blood, decides to hide out with the priest and his blind niece, as corrupt forces slowly swarm around the trio and force one final, bloody standoff.

Hodges' original cut of this film apparently stressed the dramatic aspects of the script when compared to the more action forward final cut brought forth by the Samuel Goldwin Company. The studio also hired composer Bill Conti to replace John Scott's soundtrack with a more traditionally 80s sounding score, including a moody and memorable main theme. With respect to Hodges, this actually works in the film's favor, and A Prayer for the Dying rarely drifts away or becomes boring, despite possessing a near two hour running time.

Mickey Rourke's Irish accent may surprise viewers at first, but it's surprisingly strong, while the actor's performance as Fallon is equally smoldering and intense. The film also boasts Liam Neeson in a small role as Fallon's former partner, while Bob Hoskins shines and steals the show as Father Da Costa, a former military man-turned-priest who's seen too much, and is on his last nerve. Sure, the plot device of Fallon confessing his murder to Da Costa-thus tying the priest's hands when it comes to assisting the police-seems a bit contrived, but it's soon forgotten as we spend more time with these characters.

Alan Bates is also intriguing as the villainous mobster Jack Meehan, a man with some sort of twisted moral code (he goes through the ritualistic motions at mass, even as he's plotting Hoskins' demise), to go along with his ruthless business ethics. Fans of taut British crime thrillers will likely enjoy the performances here. and the film benefits greatly from some great locations and settings. Meanwhile, Conti's score is up to his usual high standard, a stirring mixture of orchestral class and subtle synthesizer flourishes.

A Prayer for the Dying may have been lost in the shuffle back in 1987, but this Twilight Time Blu-Ray brings the film back to audiences for some well deserve re-appraisal.

Video/Audio/Extras

The quality of the 1.85:1 transfer here is, frankly, gorgeous. The colors are nicely saturated, with vibrant greens and strong definition, without any sign of artifacting or other glitches. There are only the faintest moments of print damage, apparent only in a scene or two, making this one a beauty to watch. The audio is also strong, featuring a DTS 2.0 English track with no errors or drop outs. There's no hiss or background noise to report, either, which is always a good thing, and error free English subtitles.

There's also a fun camera interview with Mike Hodges, where he discusses how his vision of A Prayer for the Dying differed from the final cut, his thoughts on the film today, and the challenges of working with Mickey Rourke. Specifically, Hodges references the fact that Rourke had casting control over the film, and saw numerous pretty models who were vying for the role of "shy, blind niece," a role which thankfully went to English actress Sammi Davis. The film's director of photography Mike Garfath is also interviewed, and has plenty of interesting recollections of his own, while an isolated score track and the film's original theatrical trailer are included as further bonuses.

The Final Word

A Prayer for the Dying won't burn down the house or anything, but it's a fine and focused thriller with a unique story, stunning scenery and an evocative score which is likely to please thriller fans with a flair for action.

Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!