The Ipcress File (1965) coming from Kino

[Akijama]

Coming October 27th!

THE IPCRESS FILE (1965)
• 2K Restoration by ITV
• Audio Commentary by Director Sidney J. Furie and Editor Peter Hunt
• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Troy Howarth and Film Historian/Filmmaker Daniel Kremer
• Interview with Star Michael Caine
• Interview with Production Designer Ken Adams
• TRAILERS FROM HELL with Howard Rodman
• 3:07 Theatrical Trailer in Newly Remastered in HD
• 1:07 Theatrical Trailer
• 4 Radio Spots
• Reversible BD Art
• Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
• Optional English Subtitles

Color 109 Minutes 2.35:1 Not Rated
From Harry Saltzman, the producer of James Bond classics Dr. No, Goldfinger, Thunderball and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, comes a film widely recognized as one of the greatest spy thrillers of all time. The Ipcress File is the first film in the series of Harry Palmer mysteries, based on the bestsellers by Len Deighton (Funeral in Berlin), that made Michael Caine (Gambit, The Black Windmill) a star. It is the height of the cold war, and ex-thief Harry Palmer (Caine), now reluctantly working as a secret agent, has been called in to investigate a strange occurrence among a number of leading scientists. It seems the scientists have been kidnapped, but reappear only days after the kidnapping, brainwashed and useless. During the course of the investigation, a tape is uncovered with the word “Ipcress” on it. This stylish classic was directed by Sidney J. Furie (The Appaloosa), shot by Otto Heller (Peeping Tom) and edited by Peter R. Hunt (From Russia with Love), with production design by Ken Adam (Dr. Strangelove) and music by John Barry (Diamonds Are Forever). The great cast includes Nigel Green (Let’s Kill Uncle), Guy Doleman (Billion Dollar Brain), Sue Lloyd (The B¡tch) and Gordon Jackson (The Great Escape).

[Show spoiler]https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...ostcount=40288

Coming Soon!
Brand New 4K Master!

The Ipcress File (1965) Starring Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson & Stanley Meadows - Shot by Otto Heller (Peeping Tom, Woman of Straw) - Music by John Barry (Goldfinger, The Last Valley) - Based on a Book by Len Deighton (Funeral in Berlin, Billion Dollar Brain) - Directed by Sidney J. Furie (The Appaloosa, The Naked Runner).

[Winslow Leach]

Finally! I've been waiting for this one.

[Killer Meteor]

Can't wait!

[Ramble Tamble-TAN]

Excellent news. Should be a huge improvement over the old ITV studio master.

[StarDestroyer52]

Superb news. I've held off importing the Network release. Kino's release ought to be a BD-50 compared to Network's BD-25 I believe.

[Ramble Tamble-TAN]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

Kino's release ought to be a BD-50 compared to Network's BD-25 I believe.

Disc size is irrelevant as they're two drastically different sources: Kino's is from a new 4K master. The Network is from the old ITV DVD.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by Ramble Tamble-TAN

Disc size is irrelevant as they're two drastically different sources: Kino's is from a new 4K master. The Network is from the old ITV DVD.

Cool, didn't see that part. That's awesome news. I only glanced over the announcement so must missed the 4K master part.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Interesting! Is this from Universal or did ITV gain US rights? The now long OOP Anchor Bay DVD was under licence from Universal, and it hasn't recently appeared on any streaming service in the US.

Granada did a 2k remaster in 2006 from the OCN, which was used for the UK ITV Blu (with lossy 2.0 and 5.1 DD audio) and later ported over for Networks BD (with extras and lossless 5.1 and 2.0 PCM).

I suspect this may be from ITV since they possess original elements and the OCN, but prove me otherwise. If this came from Universal and KL says their 4k transfer is new, then they may have ported over a new 4k restoration recently performed by ITV as their previous one was 2k. Going by the AB DVD using an anamorphic transfer ported over from UK rightsholder Carlton (as it opened with the Rank Gongsman), I suspect Universal doesn't have any good film elements within their possession and worked with the UK rights holders for this one.

[Mysteron Mayhem]

The Network BR looks great imo. I wonder how much better this one can possibly look.

[Monterey Jack]

Never seen this, but 60's espionage thriller + Michael Caine + John Barry score means a blind-buy during the next Kino sale.

[Ramble Tamble-TAN]

Originally Posted by Mysteron Mayhem

The Network BR looks great imo. I wonder how much better this one can possibly look.

Depends on the source they use. The Network BD is showing its age and undoubtedly done on older equipment. The film was shot on techniscope and has always looked a bit soft, but if this is indeed a 4K scan struck from the OCN - it should look A LOT better. Now if the rest of the Harry Palmer's could receive the same treatment...

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Never seen this, but 60's espionage thriller + Michael Caine + John Barry score means a blind-buy during the next Kino sale.

I think you'll really like it. It was produced by Bond producer Harry Saltzman and was meant to be the antithesis to 007, so instead of an agent who jet sets around the world bedding sexy women, Harry Palmer is a mundane, domesticated (as in he lives alone and does all of his own shopping and cooking) agent and the action is mostly centered in and around London. But the plot itself is very suspenseful and is quite reminiscent of the works of John le Carre. In addition to John Barry and Saltzman, there are a lot of other Bond alums who worked on the film including Peter Hunt and Ken Adam.

[Slob]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Never seen this, but 60's espionage thriller + Michael Caine + John Barry score means a blind-buy during the next Kino sale.

+ Nigel Green. The movie is top notch all the way.

[captainsolo]

Oh my word finally someone has done it...this has been my no. 1 requested title and the one I’ve suggested to Criterion about 99999999 times.
It has been OOP here in the USA since 1999!

IPCRESS is an obsession of mine. Not only is it a significant part of the classic Bond team making a serious spy thriller but one that I think rises above all and is the best spy film ever made. Every facet is incredible and it skillfully condenses Deighton’s labyrinthe novel into a remarkable story even for spy buffs.
The techniscope photography was far ahead of its time and helps to support the isolation of the story from the gritty realistic world around it. The direction, sets and every single piece form a picture that has the darkness of a classic hardboiled fiction novel, the surreal paranoia of the best spy thrillers and even a perfect dash of Greene and The Third Man.
Then you add Michael Caine in his signature role as the anti-Bond, Harry Palmer and what is unquestionably John Barry’s finest non Bond score and possibly his career masterwork. I think it sounds best on the original Decca stereo LP but the mono LP is also great. I’ve even picked up the original UK mono LP which sounds equally great.

I could gush about this masterpiece for ages mostly because it’s been out of print so long no one in the US knows of it!
A 4k new scan would be HEAVENLY. I’m pretty sure the Universal dvd is based around the Roan Laserdisc I have which the commentary was originally made for. Older editions like these are much more colorful than the modern scan which otherwise looks pretty good. The network BD disc has been the way to go as it has much better encoding, lossless audio and all the old extras from the deluxe UK dvd.

I’m flabbergasted this will finally happen. I had given up hope. Please let this bode well for Funeral in Berlin and a new uncut transfer of Billion Dollar Brain!!!!!!!

[morris_schaffer]

Will this release as region 2 as well?

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

Will this release as region 2 as well?

It will be Region A locked as most KLSC titles are.

[captainsolo]

I don’t know if they will do the new 4k master as a UK release immediately from network. It’s possible they might not and just keep selling the current disc. Best case scenario would be for Indicator or Arrow to get it.

I think this new scan should have much better grain structure but mostly the color should be a bit more vivid like a 60’s film but perhaps not as much as the LD/dvd master which seemed to be from a print or higher generation source anyway. I’m very curious to know who did the work and what the source was. I never knew if Universal had any negative materials at all so it’s very likely all they had was a US dupe negative.


I don’t see anyone doing a new scan for Brain unfortunately and of course the inclusion of the Beatles scene is a pipe dream even as a silent extra. Funeral in Berlin needs a Blu-ray and I’ve always hoped someone would do a Palmer trilogy boxset. It would help to include the two 1990’s showtime tv films in new proper transfers so you don’t have to resort to the ancient low budget very rare ntsc DVD’s or importing pal DVDs which aren’t very good either.

Good lord I’d do a commentary or work for this in a heartbeat. This is my number one (non problematic titles) disc dream crossed off the list.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

ITV UK dosen't deal with Arrow or Indicator, plus Network seems to have carte blanche on select lesser catalog titles while ITV releases the top tier titles.

[John Earls Umbrella]

Great to see the love for Ipcress. Somewhat frustrating that Paramount hold Funeral in Berlin, which is almost as good as Ipcress. I’m hoping they will release it as part of their new Paramount Presents series but I’m not holding my breath.

[HotRats]

Koch recently released a mediabook in Germany, don't know if it uses the new transfer http://www.kochmedia-film.de/blu-ray...s_1_bonus_dvd/ Billion Dollar Brain is available on a Spanish blu but I suspect it's a copy of the cut US disc