The Manchurian Candidate

Originally released in 1962, re-released to rapturous praise in 1988, and remade in 2004 by Jonathan Demme, The Manchurian Candidate remains a diabolically clever, darkly comic political thriller that, old school Cold War politics aside, still packs a wallop. Laurence Harvey stars as Raymond Shaw, a decorated soldier and unwitting, brainwashed pawn in a sinister Communist plot to gain control of the United States government. Frank Sinatra, in one of his very best performances, costars as Bennett Marco, an Army intelligence officer and member of Shaw's shanghaied platoon, whose horrific nightmares are the key to an audacious assassination plot, while Angela Lansbury turns in a brilliant Oscar-nominated performance as Shaw's coldly manipulative, monstrous mother, who literally holds the cards controlling Raymond and her stooge of a husband. This "special edition" release features a newly remastered widescreen transfer, along with commentary by late director John Frankenheimer, and a joint interview with Frankenheimer, the late Sinatra, and screenwriter George Axelrod (both of which appeared on the original DVD release). New to this version are an interview with Lansbury, and an appreciation of Frankenheimer and the film from William Friedkin. More than 40 years later, The Manchurian Candidate still gets our vote. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (D. Liebenson)[Blu-ray Review—May 24, 2011—MGM, 126 min., PG-13, $19.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1962's The Manchurian Candidate features a solid transfer with DTS-HD sound. Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director John Frankenheimer, a “Queen of Diamonds” featurette with costar Angela Lansbury (15 min.), “A Little Solitaire” featurette with filmmaker William Friedkin (13 min.), an interview with star Frank Sinatra, writer George Axelrod, and Frankenheimer (8 min.), a “How to Get Shot” featurette (2 min.), a brief outtake, and trailers. Bottom line: a welcome Blu-ray debut for a classic ‘60s thriller.][Blu-ray/DVD Review—Mar. 22, 2016—Criterion, 126 min., PG-13, DVD: 2 discs, $29.95; Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and Blu-ray, 1962's The Manchurian Candidate features a great transfer and an uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray release. Extras include audio commentary by director John Frankenheimer from 1997, interviews with historian Susan Carruthers (21 min.), filmmaker Errol Morris (17 min.), and costar Angela Lansbury (11 min.), a 1987 discussion with Frankenheimer, star Frank Sinatra, and producer George Axelrod (8 min.), a trailer, and an essay by critic Howard Hampton. Bottom line: an excellent edition of this classic thriller.]