The Deep

A couple (Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset) holidaying in Bermuda go diving and whilst exploring a shipwreck discover evidence of treasure - a medallion over 150 years old, and a 20ml ampule of morphine - of which there are 98 thousand more. The local voodoo drug lord (Louis Gosset Jr) wants to get his hands on the drugs, however the resident ship-wreck aficionado (Robert Shaw) is determined that the drugs remain at the bottom of the sea.

You wouldn't think this was made in 1977 from looking at the quality of the video image, the people in the image, yes, but not the picture quality itself. This is a remarkably clear picture for something that's over twenty years old, and it really helps in all the underwater sequences which are naturally somewhat darker and murky. Colour for the most part looked good, with only one scene that sticks in my mind as looking a little dull. It was consistent however, so it may have been the film, or simply conditions at the time of filming (it was an outdoor shot.)

Again, somewhat surprising for its age, the soundtrack stands up quite well. Although only in 2.0 Surround, I didn't notice anything that really called for a discrete channel soundtrack. Surrounds were used effectively during the underwater sequences, and in the wreck itself. Dialogue was clear, with the exception of one scene where I needed to switch on the subtitles to determine what Jacqueline Bisset was saying, but given she was in hysterics at the time, I believe this was intentional and not an indication of poor quality.

The disc only has filmographies for the principal cast - admittedly it was useful in determining what I'd seen Robert Shaw in before.

A good transfer of a reasonably entertaining film. Not what I'd call a great film, but I don't consider my time watching it to have been a waste. Definitely amusing to see Nick Nolte look so young. :)