White of the Eye (Blu-ray)
Anthony Arrigo
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Starring David Keith, Cathy Moriarty, Alan Rosenberg, Art Evans
Directed by Donald Cammell
Distributed by Scream Factory
There is a sense of deflation when viewing a stylish, solid film marked by capable direction, only to look up the director and find his filmography is either full of duds or lacking in entries. Writer/director Donald Cammell falls into the latter category, placing himself there after committing suicide in 1996 with only four directing credits to his name. It was his fourth film, Wild Side (1995), which landed him in the afterlife once he’d learned the film’s producer re-cut the picture without his input. Overreaction? A noble sacrifice for his art? Both? Either way, Cammell left behind a legacy that includes Mick Jagger’s film debut in Performance (1968), the Dean Koontz-sourced Demon Seed (1977) and White of the Eye (1987), a sweltering tale of psychotic murder set in Arizona. Making use of artistic filmmaking techniques and boasting a very capable cast, White of the Eye is indeed a thrilling mystery that feels like a sibling film to Michael Mann’s Manhunter (1986). All that prevents it from being a totally unheralded classic is the third act, which feels slightly deflated compared to the tense, puzzling build-up that precedes it.
Someone is killing wealthy women in Tucson. The only clues left behind by the killer are evidence of some kind of Indian ritual and a set of fairly rare tire tracks – tires that belong to very few people in the state. One of those people is Paul White (David Keith), a local high-end home theater installer with a wife, Joan (Cathy Moriarty) and young child at home. Paul is about as affable as they come; it just doesn’t add up that he’d be a ritualistic killer. His only real crime is infidelity, which eventually turns out to be his one hope for salvation when his whereabouts need to be determined by a couple of detectives who are convinced he’s their man. Only problem is, should Paul admit his wrongdoing it’ll drive a major wedge between him and Joan. Paul eventually finds his fortunes turned when the killer strikes again while he’s out tending to his tryst, giving him a solid alibi. But if Paul isn’t the one behind these gruesome slayings, then who is?
There are twists in White of the Eye that preclude me from saying anything more than the brief synopsis above. Cammell’s film is taut, brimming with anticipation for the big reveal and far more artistic than the average serial killer picture. The earlier comparison to Manhunter is less for the story content and more for Cammell’s aesthetics, which are very reminiscent of Michael Mann’s early works. This is due to choices such as camera placement, camera movement, flash-cut inserts, and even a bleach bypass process used to degrade flashback sequences. Until the third act takes the film in a new direction, what keeps the pace afloat is Cammell’s decision to imbue his picture with real panache. Some scenes, such as the opening kill, are infused with energy thanks to an abundance of angles and cuts; but this isn’t frenzied like today’s action movies. Keith is superb in the lead role, and Moriarty works well as his wife (although I’ve never found her to be a particularly good actress), but the characters are secondary to the experience of viewing White of the Eye. It’s a shame Cammell left us so early because it would be great to hear his commentary on having made the film all these years later. Visually, he was operating on a level above most contemporaries.
Another obvious comparison to Manhunter can be heard in this film’s score, composed by Rick Fenn and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason. The keyboard and rock-n-roll compositions are very similar to the work done by Tangerine Dream for Mann’s film. The sound here is distinctly ‘80s, though some of the more psychedelic synthesized melodies sound like they came right out of the ‘70s. A good score can always elevate a film, something this one accomplishes nicely.
As mentioned earlier, the third act brings with it the film’s big reveal, and with that comes a change of course. It can be hard for films playing up a big mystery to maintain that same level of interest once the proverbial cat is out of the bag; White of the Eye swaps out intrigue for savagery, pumping up the film’s pulse immensely. There are some wonderfully unhinged moments of insanity from the killer, including a chilling monologue about setting his victims “free from misery”. Scream Factory’s Blu-ray marks the first time since VHS the film has been issued in the U.S. Setting aside some of the third act’s trite scripting, this is an aesthetically impressive picture that deserves appreciation from a wider audience.
Here is a note which accompanied this review copy:
Please note: The back-of-the-packaging lists that this presentation is from an “all-new transfer taken from the original camera negative”; however, this needs some clarification… The HD transfer is recent (about a year old) but it was not created specifically brand-new for our release. Unfortunately, we learned of this after our product was manufactured and could not correct the verbiage…
Additionally, there is also a text card preceding the film which offers further information:
The 2K transfer of the 35mm negative was done by Arrow Video in the UK and supplied by our licensor, Cinema 7.
Sharpness, grain and clarity fluctuate during the film as director Donald Cammell used different stylistic choices during the filming, including a “bleach bypass” process during some scenes.”
So, based on the above it would be reasonable to expect fluctuations aplenty for the 1.85:1 1080p picture, yet that isn’t quite the case. The biggest inconsistency to be seen here is the film grain, which varies from moderate to heavy – sometimes within a single scene – yet it maintains an organic appearance. Definition is also moderate, never spectacular, though certainly HD. The flashback sequences, done with bleach bypass process, exhibit high contrast and heavy grain – and that’s exactly how they’re supposed to look. Considering all of the “warnings” viewers might be fooled into thinking this is a poor transfer, which simply isn’t the case.
The English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound track delivers Fenn and Mason’s sweltering synth-laden score with excellent fidelity. Sound effects are nicely separated, allowing this mix to spread out within the soundfield. Dialogue is well-balanced, though a tad muffled at times. An English DTS-HD MA 2.0 track is also included. Subtitles are available in English SDH.
The film’s audio commentary features Donald Cammell biographer Sam Umland who, as some may surmise, is a bit stiff and dry in his lecture-style reading on this track. It is definitely informative, if not a bit snooze-inducing due to his lack of enthusiasm.
“Into the White with Cinematographer Larry McConkey” – The veteran camera operator discusses how he worked with Cammell to block out scenes, achieve aesthetics, and more.
“Into the Vortex with Actor Alan Rosenberg” – He starts off with talking about how much he loves the work of David Cronenberg before segueing into the usual chatter regarding his role here.
“Eye of the Detective with Actor Art Evans” – Want to talk about being a workhorse? This guy was shooting two movies at the same time, flying back and forth between sets for weeks. He also highly praises Cammell.
A reel of deleted scenes, with commentary from Sam Umland, runs for just over 5 minutes. No audio exists for these scenes, which mainly focus on Joan’s part-time job, but Umland knows the intended dialogue and his commentary aids in making them more cohesive.
An alternate credit sequence and “Bleach Bypass Sequences”, which shows the flashback scenes prior to their adjustment, are also included here.
Special Features:
- NEW Into the Vortex – an interview with actor Alan Rosenberg
- NEW Eye of the Detective – an interview with actor Art Evans
- Audio Commentary by Donald Cammell biographer Sam Umland
- Deleted Scenes with commentary by Sam Umland
- Into the White – an interview with cinematographer and Steadicam operator Larry McConkey
- Alternate Credit Sequence
- Flashback Sequences prior to the Bleach Bypass process
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White of the Eye
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Special Features
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