Death Takes a Holiday Blu-ray Review

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release of "Death Takes a Holiday" presents a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition video that captures the essence of the original 1.37:1 full frame aspect ratio. The black and white cinematography is rendered with exceptional clarity and detail, which results in a vibrant and sharp visual experience. The grayscale execution enhances the richness of black levels, providing a film-like grain that retains the movie's intended texture. Despite these strengths, the transfer is marred by minor imperfections such as regular scratches and print damage, which are consistently noticeable and can detract from the overall viewing experience.

The encode quality is robust with a strong bit-rate of 30.03 mbps, ensuring that the feature is presented with a high level of detail and clarity. The opening title cards are windowboxed with black bars at the top and bottom but quickly transitions to the full 1.37:1 aspect ratio for the main feature. While the visual presentation has evident constraints, such as print wear, thin scratches, and occasional film damage, it still showcases great detail in its black and white imagery. The consistent appearance of these imperfections may hint at a need for a more thorough restoration effort.

Ultimately, while Kino Lorber's transfer of "Death Takes a Holiday" has its drawbacks in terms of print imperfections, it delivers more positives through its strong image quality, vibrant black and white presentation, and filmic fidelity. The encode quality ensures that despite minor issues, the film remains engaging and visually compelling.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track on the Blu-ray release of "Death Takes a Holiday" delivers a remarkably clear and satisfying audio experience. The dual mono setup ensures that dialogue, music, and sound effects are skillfully blended, staying true to the original sound design. Voices are consistently well-defined, which is particularly impressive for a film of this age. The track exhibits sharp audio quality, indicating substantial restorative efforts to eliminate any age-related hiss, crackle, flutter, or pops.

The audio presentation faithfully reproduces the nuances of the film's original sound design without any distracting background noise. This meticulous restoration work allows the film’s dialogue to come through clearly and effectively, enhancing the overall listening experience. Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing are also included, further adding to the accessibility of the release. Overall, Universal has succeeded in providing a technically proficient and engaging audio presentation for this classic film.

The extras on the Blu-Ray release of "Death Takes a Holiday" offer a mixed bag of content that should appeal to both casual viewers and cinephiles. The highlight is the audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger, who delivers an insightful, albeit occasionally digressive, discussion on director Mitchell Leisen's career. While her commentary provides valuable context about lead actors Fredric March, Evelyn Venable, and Gail Patrick, it somewhat overlooks other key figures. The disc also includes the original theatrical trailer, presented in standard definition. Additionally, several trailers for other Kino Lorber releases are included, providing a broader look at the distributor's catalog.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Kat Ellinger: Offers detailed insights into Mitchell Leisen's career and some background on key actors.
• Death Takes a Holiday Theatrical Trailer: Original promotional content in standard definition.
• Kino Trailers: Previews for Intermezzo, Made for Each Other, Nothing Sacred, A Star is Born, The Young in Heart, Inherit the Wind, and The Iceman Cometh.

Mitchell Leisen's "Death Takes a Holiday" (1934) presents an unusual blend of romance, melodrama, and suspense, distinguished by its macabre and philosophical undertones. The narrative, derived from Alberto Casella's play "La Morte in Vacanza," charts the Grim Reaper's (Fredric March) journey into humanity, assuming the guise of Prince Sirki among a group of affluent socialites led by the pragmatic Duke Lambert (Guy Standing). This three-day soiree becomes a profound exploration as Death experiences human emotions and activities, notably falling for the enchanting Grazia (Evelyn Venable). The film skillfully juxtaposes comic and dramatic elements, harmonizing them through Maxwell Anderson and Gladys Lehman's screenplay—a testament to pre-Code Hollywood's daring avant-garde sensibilities.

The technical craftsmanship in "Death Takes a Holiday" is notable. Special effects guru Gordon Jennings provides striking visual effects, particularly in scenes featuring Death in his gothic form, reminiscent of contemporary cinematic specters. Complementing this is Charles Lang's evocative black-and-white cinematography, enhancing the film's atmospheric depth—transforming mundane settings into eerie, shadow-filled landscapes. The deliberate use of black-and-white visual language imbues the film with a timeless quality, making its gothic undertones more pronounced. Director Mitchell Leisen's meticulous direction is evident, adeptly shifting tones from ominous dread to a light-hearted veneer, culminating in moments of dramatic intensity.

The performances underpinning the film are commendable. Fredric March navigates his enigmatic role with a nuanced portrayal, balancing Death’s unfamiliarity with human experiences against Prince Sirki's charisma. His evolving accent, alongside makeup effects that subtly mark his otherworldly origins, maintains an undercurrent of tension. Guy Standing's portrayal of Duke Lambert lends a sturdy anchor to the narrative, while Evelyn Venable's Grazia imparts both passion and poise to her character. Supporting roles by Gail Patrick, Katherine Alexander, and stalwarts like Henry Travers contribute significantly to the film’s layered performances. While "Death Takes a Holiday" may falter in sustaining storyline momentum, its unique premise and remarkable technical achievements maintain its intrigue within the annals of pre-Code cinema.

Death Takes a Holiday delivers a mixed experience in both its cinematic and Blu-ray presentation. On one hand, the film is a striking allegory on mankind's complex relationship with life and death, encapsulated within a succinct runtime that today’s audiences can still appreciate. Performances in the film, particularly from its lead actor, are commendable and lend a timeless quality to the narrative. However, the storyline occasionally falters, feeling more like an early experimental attempt by Hollywood to delve into macabre themes rather than a fully polished work. The intriguing concept struggles with execution, ultimately leaving some viewers underwhelmed.

Technically, the Blu-ray transfer offers a mixed bag. While the new scan brings out crisp details and vivid contrasts that enhance the viewing experience, it is marred by intermittent print damage that detracts from the overall polish. This inconsistency extends to the supplemental package, which fails to add significant value to the release. Special features are limited and do not provide the comprehensive background or added insight that could elevate the Blu-ray edition.

In conclusion, Death Takes a Holiday is a film that holds historical significance and offers some thought-provoking themes and commendable acting but falls short in storytelling execution. Similarly, its Blu-ray release, while boasting some technical improvements, is hindered by issues that prevent it from being a definitive edition. The film may still resonate with contemporary audiences seeking classic cinema experiences, but its inherent flaws make it a cautious recommendation rather than an essential addition to any collection.