Disappearance (Blu-ray Review)
Director
Walter KlenhardRelease Date(s)
2002 (September 29, 2026)Studio(s)
Nightstar Productions/Robert Greenwald Productions (Iconoscope/Vinegar Syndrome)- Film/Program Grade: B+
- Video Grade: A
- Audio Grade: A-
- Extras Grade: B+
Review
Harry Hamlin (Clash of the Titans) and Susan Dey (The Partridge Family) star as Jim and Patty Henley, a newly married mom and dad Frankensteining a traditional nuclear family out of blended one—his son Matt and daughter Kate who are joined by Patty’s son Ethan. There’s no better way to blend a family than by trapping yourself in a car on a desert road trip through Nevada. Budding photographer Matt wants to make a stop at a local ghost town called Weaver. Stopping off at Two Wells to get directions, they are met by dazed townsfolk who have no idea where or what Weaver is. Curious, but undeterred, the Henley family eventually find Weaver and things go sideways pretty quickly. When their car dies, they find themselves trapped among mysterious symbols, abandoned buildings, solely occupied by creepy videotapes and a stalking unknown force, a mystery starts to rise that could point to a town haunted by ghosts, residents abducted by aliens or an underworld occupied by desert dwelling radioactive mutants. The beauty of this made-for-TV film lies in the possibility that all of these genre cliches are viable options and even by the roll of the credits, it’s not entirely clear which it was—yet it’s a fully satisfying journey.
Disappearance was originally produced for TBS and was a made-for-TV film, it works quite well. It’s a competent thriller brought to life by TV movie work horse writer Walter Klenhard (Lies of the Twins, directed by Tim Hunter, Bill Condon’s Dead in the Water and Buried Alive II). Using full spectrum Australian desert for the American southwest was a brilliant move—the wide-open spaces give a closed in isolation that really ups the tension. The atmospheric cinematography by David Connell is on par with any theatrical desert thriller you could throw it up against.
It’s in that cinematography that this Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome’s TV line Iconoscope really shines. Fully restored in 4K from the original 35mm camera negative, you’ll have a hard time finding a better-looking transfer for an early 2000s made-for-cable film. Color is wonderful, detail is very nice with some pleasing (to me at least) natural film grain and skin tones are well represented. Sound is presented in 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio (with optional English subs) with strong centered dialogue, strong music and some fun atmospheric play. Extras include two audio commentary tracks—one with Klenhard, moderated by film historian Amanda Reyes that works like a standard filmmaker commentary track where the moderator seems to know more about the film than the filmmaker and the more fun two-guys talking track, this one with film historian Rob Kelly and author Daniel Budnik. There’s also the original TBS Superstation promo. A trailer for the New Concorde video release and a quick still gallery. Inside the packaging is a booklet with an essay entitled The Outback in Australian Film Culture by Simon Foster who does a very deep dive of the glory of films shot in the Australian outback. Worth a read if you pick up this set.
- Todd Doogan