The Swiss Conspiracy – Film Masters (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA/West Germany, 1976
Director: Jack Arnold
Writers: Norman Klenman, Horward Merrill, Philip Saltzman, Norman Sedawie, Michael Stanley
Cast: David Janssen, Senta Berger, John Ireland, John Saxon, Ray Milland, Elke Sommer, Anton Diffring, Arthur Brauss, Inigo Gallo, Curt Lowens, David Hess

Release Date: February 20th, 2024
Approximate running time: 87 Minutes 47 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"A Swiss Bank president hires an American investigator to ferret out a group of blackmailers that have been terrorizing his clients. Meanwhile, American gangsters hit the streets of Zurich with the intention of killing a Chicago mob figure, who happens to be one of the blackmail victims. Other blackmail victims include a beautiful Zurish resident, a Texas businessman, and a wealthy Dutchman. The investigator (David Janssen) identifies four potential suspects, including the bank vice-president's mistress (Elke Sommer). Adding to the intrigue is that the Swiss Federal Police are suspicious of the American and are soon making his job more difficult. Ultimately, the investigation leads to the bank paying the chief blackmailer in uncut diamonds, which results in a dramatic showdown in the snow-covered Alps and a surprise revelation." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New Restoration from 4k scan from 35mm original archival elements".

The Swiss Conspiracy comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.1 GB

Feature: 23.9 GB

The source has been cleaned up, and any debris that remains is very minor. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a Dolby Digital mono mix in English. For this review, I only listened to the DTS-HD mono track. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, this track sounds very good. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include original 1976 35mm theatrical trailer (1 minute 46 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), restored 35mm theatrical trailer (1 minute 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a video essay about director Jack Arnold titled A Three Dimensional Filmmaker by Will Dodson and Ryan Verrill of Someone's Favorite Productions (28 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), a featurette with film historians Ted Newsom and Dana M. Remes titled Jack Arnold: The Lost Years (14 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), an audio commentary with Robert Kelly and Daniel Budnik with optional English SDH, and a 16-page booklet with an essay titled The Swiss Conspiracy a Gem You Probably Haven’t Seen written by Lee Pfeiffer.

Summary:

Directed by Jack Arnold, whose other notable films are It Came from Outer Space, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Tarantula, and The Incredible Shrinking Man.

The narrative revolves around a U.S. Justice Department official who is brought in by a Swiss bank to investigate who leaked information about five client accounts who are being blackmailed.

The Swiss Conspiracy is a 1970s action/crime film that tries to emulate the formula that began with The French Connection. Though its premise, characters being blackmailed has been done countless times before, and in most instances, more effectively. What I can say positively about The Swiss Conspiracy is that it is very good when it comes to misdirection, so that when the moment of truth arrives, the blackmailer and their intentions are a surprise.

One area where The Swiss Conspiracy cannot be accused of cutting corners is its cast, which is filled with recognizable faces like Ray Milland (Dial M for Murder), John Saxon (Enter the Dragon), Elke Sommer (Lisa and the Devil), John Ireland (All the King's Men), and David Janssen (The Fugitive TV series). There are also several faces that fans of 1970s exploitation cinema and Eurocult cinema are sure to recognize, like David Hess (The Last House on the Left), Anton Diffring (The Beast Must Die), and Senta Berger (Puzzle).

When it comes to the performances, though most are merely adequate, there are a few that are really entertaining, like David Hess and Arthur Brauss, who portray two hitmen. It is amusing watching them chase and kill their targets with reckless abandon, instead of someone who performs a clean hit that leaves no trace. Another strength of The Swiss Conspiracy is its cast of colorful characters, none of whom are likeable, and all are equally guilty when it comes to the blackmail scheme.

Though it is clear that The Swiss Conspiracy is working within a limited budget, the result is a film that often exceeds expectations. The narrative does a great job building momentum towards its big reveal finale, and the visuals fully exploit the Swiss locations. That said, The Swiss Conspiracy would be the final feature film directed by Jack Arnold, a filmmaker whose most notable films were made in the 1950s. Ultimately, The Swiss Conspiracy is a well-made action/crime film that fans of Eurocrime cinema should enjoy.

The Swiss Conspiracy gets a first-rate release from Film Masters that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer