Ministry of Fear – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1944
Director: Fritz Lang
Writer: Seton I. Miller
Cast: Ray Milland, Marjorie Reynolds, Carl Esmond, Hillary Brooke, Percy Waram, Dan Duryea, Alan Napier, Erskine Sanford

Release Date: March 12th, 2013
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 8 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"En route to London after being released from a mental institution, Stephen Neale (Ray Milland) stops at a seemingly innocent village fair, after which he finds himself caught in the web of a sinister underworld with possible Nazi connections." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "This new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on a Lasergraphics scanner from a 35mm safety fine-grain master. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, and jitter were manually removed using MTI's DRS and Pixel Farm's PFClean, while Image Systems' Phoenix was used for small dirt, grain, noise reduction, and flicker."

Ministry of Fear comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.7 GB

Feature: 23.7 GB

The source is in great shape; some minor debris remains. Image clarity and compression are solid, contrast and black levels are strong, and the image looks organic.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Though there is some light background hiss, dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with Fritz Lang scholar Joe McElhaney (17 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and an 8-page leaflet with an essay titled Paranoid Style written by Glenn Kenny, cast & crew information, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Fritz Lang directed Ministry of Fear. Notable films he directed include Der Müde Tod (Destiny), Metropolis, Spies, M, Scarlet Street, The Woman in the Window, and The Big Heat.

After being released from an asylum for killing his wife, a man accidentally receives something that was meant for someone else, making him the target of Nazi sympathizers.

Set in Britain during World War II, Ministry of Fear is a spy thriller that does a remarkable job executing Alfred Hitchcock’s wrong man premise. The opening setup is exemplary, and what follows are a series of well-timed moments of misdirection that reinforce the mounting tension. While the pacing slows a bit in the middle section, it still manages to maintain your attention. The final 30 minutes feature expertly crafted moments of suspense that culminate in a gripping rooftop shootout, providing an outstanding climax.

All around, the cast are excellent in the roles, especially Ray Milland (The Lost Weekend), who portrays Stephen Neale, a man who was recently released from an asylum, and a chance encounter puts his life in danger. He delivers a convincing portrayal of a man riddled with guilt. Another performance of note is Dan Duryea (Scarlet Street), who portrays one of the Nazi sympathizers. Although his role has limited screentime, it aligns with the unscrupulous characters he typically portrays.

Ministry of Fear is one of four anti-Nazi films Fritz Lang directed. The other three films are Manhunt, Hangmen Also Die!, and Cloak and Dagger. Although Ministry of Fear is the weakest of these four films, it still exceeds the best works of numerous other directors. Fritz Lang’s direction is solid; the visuals are filled with arresting moments that are overflowing with tension. One of the more striking moments is a séance scene in which a gun accidentally goes off and kills someone. Ultimately, Ministry of Fear is a well-made spy thriller that fans of this genre should thoroughly enjoy.

Ministry of Fear gets a first-rate release from The Criterion Collection that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer