Based on the novel by Alistair MacLean, Breakheart Pass is a 1975 Western mystery film about a man thought to be an outlaw, comes aboard a train, and finds himself in a situation where murders are taking place during the long ride.
Screen icon Charles Bronson is John Deakin, a man looking to solve a conspiracy on a train where people are mysteriously being killed. He comes aboard a train as a prisoner of US Marshal Pearce (Western film screen legend Ben Johnson, One-Eyed-Jacks, Shane). Aboard the train are Nevada Governor
Richard Fairchild (Richard Crenna, Wait Until Dark, Leviathan), his wife Marica (Jill Ireland, Death Wish II), Charles Durning (The Sting, Dick Tracy) and Ed Lauter (Cujo, Gleaming the Cube). As more murders occur, Deakin finds himself fighting for his life and discovers all the deadly secrets going on the train rides through the Rocky Mountains! But Deakin has a few surprises and revelations of his own leading to an explosive climax at Breakheart Pass!
Breakheart Pass is an excellent thriller! The film has plenty of twists and turns, just like the train-ride itself! This movie reminded me of several Alfred Hitchcock films where murders and murder attempts took place on a train! Charles Bronson hands in another excellent performance as the mysterious Deakin, as does the rest of the great all-star cast!
Given a new 2K master by Kino, Tom Gries’ Breakheart Pass has arrived on Blu-ray with the best audio and image quality to date. Colors are solid and rich with browns and reds looking the strongest. Shots of the train’s interiors, the clothing the actors wear look as strong as ever with great details. The cinematography by Lucien Ballard shines out well here as the 2K scan adds a lot of depth to the image under those clear blue skies with lots of deep textures to the beautiful scenery outside as the train rushes forward. Flesh tones also look detailed, with close-ups looking exceptionally sharp. No DNR appears to have been used on this Blu-ray.
The English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack is perfectly clear with rich, clear dialogue and action noises. The music by Jerry Goldsmith comes in clearly without much aggressiveness. The balance between music, background noise and spoken dialogue is perfect without hissing or drop-offs.
Extras for this Blu-ray offering include a new commentary track from a trio of film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell, and Nathaniel Thompson. They essay the film and its cast in their usual their usual enthusiasm! This Blu-ray also includes a plethora of trailers for other Kino Lorber releases.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Breakheart Pass should satisfy fans of films with Charles Bronson, especially if you love thrillers that take places on a train! The audio and video quality are top-notch, and with the supplements for this release, I can easily recommend it!
Breakheart Pass
Director- Tom Gries
Cast- Charles Bronson, Richard Crenna, Charles Durning
Country of Origin- US
Distributor – Kino Lorber
Number of Discs – 1
Reviewed by – David Steigman
Date –1/6/2022