A Quiet Place in the Country – Shout! Factory (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France, 1968
Director: Elio Petri
Writers: Tonino Guerra, Elio Petri, Luciano Vincenzoni
Cast: Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave, Georges Géret, Rita Calderoni

Release Date: September 26th, 2017
Approximate running time: 106 minutes 12 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.99

"A prominent painter Leonardo (Franco Nero, John Wick: Chapter 2) is plagued by nightmares that include himself and his lover/press agent Flavia (Vanessa Redgrave, The Devils). His agent is convinced that he just needs some rest. So, he rents a villa in the countryside. Between creating a new painting and trying to fix up the dilapidated cottage, Leonardo's nightmares continue but … they are now getting worse. Will the nightmares continue and take the artist into a downward spiral into madness?” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.25/5

This disc has a disclaimer about the transfer and it says, "This new HD master was created from the best surviving film elements in the vault."

A Quiet Place in the Country comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35 GB

Feature: 27.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in good shape. There is print related damage to varying degrees throughout. Colors and flesh look accurate, and details look crisp throughout. That said, this transfer is best described as serviceable.

Audio: 3.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options: a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian. Both audio mixes are in good shape, and any background noise is never intrusive. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the ambient aspects are well represented. Included with this release are removable English subtitles. It should be noted that the English subtitles are a direct translation of the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a U.S. theatrical trailer (2 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Franco Nero titled Journey into Madness (32 minutes 7 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Italian with English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historian/author Troy Howarth.

Summary:

A Quiet Place in the Country was co-written and directed by Elio Petri, whose other notable films include The Assassin (L'assassino), The 10th Victim, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, Property Is No Longer a Theft, and The Working Class Goes to Heaven.

At the heart of A Quiet Place in the Country is a tale about an artist who is trying to create something that is commercially viable without giving up his own needs as an artist. And his artistic vision becomes distorted due to the demands brought on by the commercializing of his art.

Though there is a linear structure to the protagonist's deteriorating state of mind, This is the only area where A Quiet Place in the Country resembles traditional cinema. Needless to say, there are many layers to A Quiet Place in the Country. And multiple viewings are recommended.

The cast members deliver excellent performances in their respective roles. With A Quiet Place in the Country's greatest asset being Franco Nero’s (Django) performance in the role of the protagonist, a tortured artist named Leonardo Ferri. This character is in direct contrast to the type of character he usually portrays, and he delivers an utterly convincing performance that is arguably one of the best performances of his career.

Another performance of note is Vanessa Redgrave (Camelot) in the role of Flavia, Leonardo’s lover and business manager. Other notable cast members include Georges Géret (Diary of a Chambermaid) in the role of a groundskeeper named Attilio and Rita Calderoni (The Reincarnation of Isabel) in the role of a housekeeper named Egle.

From a production standpoint, A Quiet Place in the Country’s main theme of madness is superbly realized. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to how the dreamlike/nightmarish visuals perfectly reinforce the protagonist's state of mind. Not to be overlooked is Ennio Morricone’s jarring score, which reinforces the mood.

A Quiet Place in the Country gets a strong release from Shout! Factory that comes with a good audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer