Evil Under the Sun (4K UHD Review)
Director
Guy HamiltonRelease Date(s)
1982 (January 20, 2026)Studio(s)
Universal Pictures/Associated Film Distribution (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)- Film/Program Grade: B
- Video Grade: A
- Audio Grade: A
- Extras Grade: B
Review
After the Academy Award-winning success of Murder on the Orient Express in 1974 (starring Albert Finney) and its financially disappointing follow-up Death on the Nile in 1978, a third outing with Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective extraordinaire, Hercule Poirot, was adapted: 1982’s Evil Under the Sun. Taking over the role of Poirot in the previous film, Peter Ustinov returns for a much less sinister story with another large ensemble cast of familiar and memorable faces.
Poirot is going on vacation—specifically to a small Adriatic Sea island. While there he’s asked by a tempestuous millionaire to track down his former mistress and actress Arlena about a missing diamond, and the island’s hotel manager Daphne Castle (Maggie Smith) is happy to oblige him during his stay. Arriving also are theater owners Odell and Myra (James Mason and Sylvia Miles), Arlena herself (Diana Rigg) and her new husband Kenneth (Denis Quilley), his daughter Linda (Emily Hone), writer and Arlena fanboy Rex (Roddy McDowall), and married couple Patrick and Christine (Nicholas Clay and Jane Birkin). After a day of sunbathing alone, Arlena is found murdered. At the insistence of Miss Castle, Poirot begins investigating immediately to help keep things quiet, and to trace the whereabouts of the missing diamond.
By this time, producers John Brabourne and Richard Goodwin had already tackled Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, as well as The Mirror Crack’d starring Angela Lansbury as Agatha Christie’s other famous sleuth, Miss Marple (also with Guy Hamilton in the director’s chair). It seemed only fitting that another Poirot adaptation would happen. A more lighthearted whodunit than Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun is often characterized by some as one of the weaker Peter Ustinov-led Poirot adventures, while others consider it a step up from its predecessor. All criticisms aside, it failed to compete with films like Chariots of Fire and On Golden Pond at the box office, but grew in popularity afterwards, mostly on television. Ustinov would go on to play the character four more times, including once more on the big screen in 1988’s Appointment with Death under the direction of the infamous Michael Winner.
Evil Under the Sun was shot by Christopher Challis on 35mm film using Panavision cameras and spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Kino Lorber Studio Classics debuts the film on Ultra HD in the US via StudioCanal’s recent 4K 16-Bit restoration from the original camera negative, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and encoded to a triple-layered BD-100 disc. StudioCanal has also released the film on 4K Ultra HD in the UK, and while we don’t have access to that release to make a direct comparison, it would be safe to assume that the presentations are fairly identical. The level of detail is much improved over previous Blu-ray releases, with a medium layer of well-attenuated grain. The image resolves beautifully, with everything appearing sharp and a healthy bitrate in the 70 to 90Mbps range. The HDR passes boost the film’s palette tremendously, allowing for deeper reds, blues, and greens, as well as solid blacks and excellent contrast. The image is stable and organic with nary a blemish to be found. It’s a knockout.
The audio is presented in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Dialogue exchanges are clear and precise while Cole Porter’s score mixes well into the track without overcrowding it. Sound effects have decent depth as well, including cannon fire and the crashing waves of the sea. There are no balance issues, nor are there any leftover instances of hiss, crackle, distortion, or dropouts. It’s unclear if any additional restoration work has been performed on it, but nevertheless, it’s a solid mono-sourced experience.
The Kino Lorber Studio Classics 4K Ultra HD release of Evil Under the Sun sits in a black Amaray case alongside a 1080p Blu-ray with a double-sided insert that features the original US theatrical artwork on the front (as well as the slipcover), and the French theatrical artwork with English text on the reverse. The following extras are included on each disc:
DISC ONE: UHD
- Audio Commentary by Nathaniel Thompson, Howard S. Berger, and Steve Mitchell
DISC TWO: BD
- Audio Commentary by Nathaniel Thompson, Howard S. Berger, and Steve Mitchell
- The Making of Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun (SD – 15:17)
- Radio Spots (HD – 3 in all – 1:26)
- Trailers:
- Evil Under the Sun (HD – 3:13)
- Murder on the Orient Express (Upscaled SD – 2:38)
- Death on the Nile (SD – 2:51)
- Endless Night (SD – 3:15)
- The Mirror Crack’d (HD – 2:48)
- Ordeal by Innocence (HD – 2:06)
- Ten Little Indians (HD – 1:28)
The audio commentary with film historians Nathaniel Thompson, Howard S. Berger, and Steve Mitchell is an entertaining listen as the three discuss the quality of the water color paintings seen during the opening titles, that the film improves upon its source material, that it aired on cable for a long time, how it’s less violent than other Agatha Christie films, how it was severely edited for TV, Diana Rigg’s and Peter Ustinov’s performances, Albert Finney’s impact on the character of Hercule Poirot, the mixing of British and American crews, the film’s influence on Knives Out, that the film suffered due to the glut of films released in 1982, adapting Agatha Christie’s work, other related films, Guy Hamilton’s work, magic tricks in cinema, and an appreciation of working directors. The Making of Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun is a vintage promotional studio piece that interviews some of the main cast and the film’s director, but also shows finished scenes from the final film. The three radio spots and trailer are valuable as Ustinov introduces the film in character, challenging viewers to try and match wits with him. Last are trailers for other releases by Kino Lorber.
There are a few of things not carried over from StudioCanal’s Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD releases, including Back to the Island: Emily Hone Remembers Evil Under the Sun; Excessive Creatures, a video essay by David Cairns; 2017 interviews with costume designer Anthony Powell, screenwriter Barry Sandler, and producer Richard Goodwin; The Royal Film Performance featurette; a Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery; and a Costume Designs Gallery.
Though more Hercule Poirot projects were made, most bundle Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and Evil Under the Sun together as a kind of unofficial trilogy. Each have their own strengths and weaknesses, but even so, they’re still entertaining murder mysteries that modern audiences can and should still appreciate. Kino Lorber’s 4K upgrade is marvelous, though slightly lacking in the supplemental department compared to the StudioCanal release. Regardless, it’s still a great-looking disc, and with a nice scholarly commentary to go with it.
- Tim Salmons
(You can follow Tim on social media at these links: Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Letterboxd. And be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel here.)