Internal Affairs (Limited Edition) (Blu-ray Review)

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Mike Figgis directed this early- ‘90s neo-noir, Internal Affairs. Set in Los Angeles, Andy Garcia plays Sgt. Raymond Avila. He has just joined the titular division of the LAPD as a career move meant to help him climb the ladder in the department. He is assigned to work with Sgt. Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf) as his partner. The two must investigate a case of corruption in the department which leads them to Officer Dennis Peck (Richard Gere). Peck is suspected of running prostitutes and of being a killer for hire among other things. When Peck gets word that there is an investigation opened against him fellow officers who could testify against him start turning up dead. A cat-and-mouse game between Avila and Peck ensues. Furthermore, Peck starts to use psychology against Avila and insidiously plants ideas into Avila’s head about his wife’s (Nancy Travis) possible infidelity.

Co-stars Garcia and Gere could not stand each other in real life, which Figgis used to his advantage in many improvised scenes where the actors confronted each other. When they come to blows, the friction is palpable. The director also gives us a visual feast that is slick and very late 1980s/early 1990s.

Although the film has seedy, psycho-sexual overtones, they never overwhelm the main plot. Avila’s lesbian partner is not the butt of jokes or turned into the cliché psycho killer. The sleazy turns the film could take are subverted and taken in directions one is not expecting. Gere also gives a deliciously devious performance which therefore makes this one of his better films to watch.

The Video

Imprint Films bring Internal Affairs to Blu-ray framed at 1.78:1 in an AVC 1080p encodement. The film is not in its original 1.85:1 framing, but this is not a major reframing; most people, particularly non-videophiles, will not notice this small opening of the matte. That being said, while filmic, this looks a bit coarse in granularity at times therefore is not crisp in detail. There are also varying degrees of ringing with some edges looking sharp enough to carve a pot roast. I also spotted some slight issues with black crush.

The Audio

Internal Affairs comes with a reasonably listenable 5.1 mix in lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The surround channels carry low-level atmospheric foley effects and ambience. The dialogue and action are panned across the front. The sound is clean yet there is nothing exciting about this mix.

The Supplements

From the Limited Edition 7-Disc Hardbox After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Two (1990-2002) with 60-page booklet, featuring essays from film critics Peter Galvin, Blake Howard & Alexei Toliopoulos.

On this Disc:

• Audio Commentary by Alain Silver and James Usini (NEW)
• “The Clever and the Corrupt” – Interview with Director Mike Figgis (NEW) (1080p; 00:33:15)
• “His Most Dangerous Weapon” – Interview with Screenwriter Henry Bean (NEW) (1080p; 00:25:05)
• “One Bad Cop” – Interview with Co-Composer Anthony Marinelli (NEW) (1080p; 00:16:49)
• Extended & Deleted Scenes (1080p; 00:31:58)
• Alternate Ending (1080p; 00:10:00)
• Trailer (720p)

The Final Assessment

Internal Affairs is the second film in Imprint Films’ Limited Edition After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Two (1990-2002). The movie is one that offers a delicious buffet of sex, crime, and thrills, just the sort of popcorn entertainment fans of crime thrillers will love. The included bonus features in the box set and on the disc make the collection well worth purchasing!

Internal Affairs is available on Blu-ray in After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Two (1990-2002) in Australia out 7 December 2022 from Imprint Films. Available for purchase on the Via Vision website.

• Rating Certificate: Australia:M
• Studios & Distributors: Paramount Pictures | Image Organization | Malofilm | Out of the Town Films | Paramount Home Entertainment | Imprint Films
• Director: Mike Figgis
• Written By: Henry Bean
• Run Time: 115 Mins.
• Street Date: 7 December 2022 (After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Two (1990-2002))
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Video Format: AVC 1080p
• Primary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• Secondary Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Stereo
• Subtitles: English HOH