Goodbye & Amen: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1977
Director: Damiano Damiani
Writers: Nicola Badalucco, Damiano Damiani
Cast: Tony Musante, Claudia Cardinale, John Steiner, Renzo Palmer, Fabrizio Jovine, Wolfango Soldati, John Forsythe, Francesco Carnelutti, Gioia Scola

Release Date: January 29th, 2024 (UK), February 13th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate running times: 109 Minutes 33 Seconds (Italian Language Version), 102 Minutes 17 Seconds (English Language Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (Italian Language Version), DTS-HD Mono English (English Language Version)
Subtitles: English (Italian Language Version), English SDH (English Language Version)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"John Dannahay (Tony Musante, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage), a CIA agent stationed in Rome, is planning to overthrow an African government. But his plan goes wrong when a corrupt colleague starts shooting people from the roof of a hotel, taking an innocent couple hostage." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5//5 (Both Versions)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Goodbye & Amen was scanned from the original camera negative in 2k resolution at Cinema Communications laboratory in Rome, Italy. The film was restored by Radiance Films at heavenly Movie Corporation in 2023. The film was color graded by Radiance Films in 2023."

Goodbye & Amen comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.2 GB

Feature: 22.6 GB (Italian Language Version), 21 GB (English Language Version)

The source used for this transfer is in great shape, and any debris that remains is very minor. Flesh tones look healthy, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image looks organic. Also, though there are some occasional color variations, for the most part, the colors look very good.

Audio: 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 2.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

Each version comes with one audio option. The Italian-language version comes with a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. The English-language version comes with a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The Italian language track is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound good. Here’s information provided about the English language track: “The English soundtrack was severely damaged and exhibits some challenging moments. Restoration was attempted, but the quality of the materials proved too difficult in some places. It is presented as a curio; it is the first and only distribution of this track on home media as of this release.” This information gives you a clear indication of what to expect when watching the English-language audio track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival interview with Wolfango Soldati (23 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with editor Antonio Siciliano (38 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Eurocrime experts Nathaniel Thompson and Howard Berger, reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled The American Connection: Damiano Damiani’s Goodbye & Amen written by Lucia Rinaldi, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Directed by Damiano Damiani, whose other notable films include The Witch (La strega in amore), A Bullet for the General, The Most Beautiful Wife (La moglie più bella), The Day of the Owl, A Complicated Girl, Confessions of a Police Captain, The Case Is Closed, Forget It, and How to Kill a Judge.

The narrative revolves around a CIA agent whose planned coup of an African nation is put in jeopardy when he finds out that someone who works for him betrayed him. From there, a hostage situation happens nearby that gives the CIA agent an opportunity to deal with the traitor and proceed with his planned coup.

Damiano Damiani made a career out of making tense, politically charged thrillers, and with Goodbye & Amen, he once again delivers a solid example of these types of films. And though the opening moments lay out a plan to overthrow a government, this quickly recedes into the background when a gunman takes hostages at a hotel. Fortunately, this shift in direction does not slow down the narrative, which is perfectly paced.

Despite having many elements that one would associate with Italian crime cinema, Goodbye & Amen has only a few killings and acts of violence. Instead of elaborate action set pieces like car chases, Goodbye & Amen is mostly a dialog-driven affair that culminates with a sensational finale where the gunman and three hostages, all dressed alike, make their way to a getaway helicopter. Despite not being as action-heavy as other Italian crime films from this era, that is not to say that Goodbye & Amen does not do a phenomenal job building and maintaining tension.

Goodbye & Amen has a solid cast of the who's who of 1970s Eurocult cinema. And when it comes to the performances, most of the cast members are great in their roles, especially John Steiner (Shock) in the role of gunman. Notable cast members include Claudia Cardinale (Once Upon a Time in the West) in the role of a hostage who was having an affair at the hotel; John Forsythe (Charlie’s Angels TV series) in the role of an American Ambassador; and Tony Musante (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage) in the role of a CIA agent whose planned coup is in jeopardy. Claudia Cardinale delivers a good performance for her limited screen time, and Tony Musante is convincing in the role of a CIA agent.

Goodbye & Amen’s greatest asset is its use of misdirection. There are characters who pretend to be someone else, and when it comes to motivations, things are never crystal clear, which makes the superbly realized finale all the more potent. Another area where Goodbye & Amen excels is its visuals, which do a great job heightening the mood. Ultimately, Goodbye & Amen is a well-made political thriller from Damiano Damiani that makes a solid companion piece to his mafia crime films.

Goodbye & Amen gets a first-rate release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid video presentation and informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer