10 to Midnight (4K UHD Review)

Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
Review Date: May 28, 2026
Format: 4K Ultra HD

Director

J. Lee Thompson

Release Date(s)

1983 (May 12, 2026)

Studio(s)

City Films/The Cannon Group (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)

Film/Program Grade: B+
Video Grade: A-
Audio Grade: B+
Extras Grade: B

kinolorber.com

Review

While many critics considered Charles Bronson’s run of action thrillers for Cannon Films to be bottom of the barrel in terms of quality, they arguably kept droves of audiences entertained for well over a decade, particularly the Death Wish films. J. Lee Thompson, who directed such classics as Cape Fear and The Guns of Navarone early in his career, had worked with Bronson when he directed St. Ives, The White Buffalo, and Caboblanco, and their relationship later continued at Cannon with the great, unsung action slasher 10 to Midnight.

Bronson stars as detective Leo Kessler, a seasoned, hard-nosed cop who’s breaking in his new partner Paul (Andrew Stevens). They begin by investigating a series of murders carried out by a young man named Warren Stacy (Gene Davis), a clever criminal who finds ways of killing his victims by removing his clothes to keep any evidence from getting on them, and having reliable alibis to avoid getting caught. Kessler becomes convinced that Stacy is the one behind the killings. Unable to prove it legally, he must go against the law in order to track him down before his estranged daughter Laurie (Lisa Eilbacher) becomes Stacy’s next victim.

The marketing for 10 to Midnight would lead one to believe that it’s nothing more than a standard Bronson action thriller, which is always welcome, but it’s highly misleading. It’s actually more of a slasher with a police procedural bent, suspenseful in all of the right ways, but also kind of bonkers. Loosely based upon the murderous exploits of Richard Speck, not many films have ever tried the approach of a having a nude killer running amok in the streets of a major city. In fact, the only other instance that I can think of where this idea was put to use was in an episode of Miami Vice. (One wonders if Michael Mann saw 10 to Midnight and was taking notes.)

There are plenty of thrills and over-the-top moments, as well as a satisfying final showdown, making for something more akin to a gritty horror film and having more in common with J. Lee Thompson’s slasher classic Happy Birthday to Me released two years prior. And even though the film’s violent content wasn’t in his particular wheelhouse, Bronson delivers the goods, going head to head with Gene Davis as Warren Stacy, who provides a suitably sinister and maniacal performance.

Cinematographer Adam Greenberg shot 10 to Midnight on 35mm film with Arriflex cameras and spherical lenses, the results of which were finished photochemically, and presented theatrically in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Kino Lorber Studio Classics debuts the film on Ultra HD with a new 4K scan of 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. 10 to Midnight is one of those films that has continued to look better and better with subsequent releases, and this UHD is no exception. There’s an obvious crispness and jump in fine detail on display here. The bitrate sits at or around 80Mbps most of the time with heavy to moderate grain. It doesn’t resolve as well as it perhaps should, but it looks pretty good most of the time, with optically-sourced material appearing the softest and the chunkiest. The HDR grades improve the contrast with deeper blacks and more pronounced shadow detail, as well strong pushes for reds, greens, and blues. The image is clean and stable aside from some minor speckling. With a more precise encode, it could look even better, but this is still a fine step up from the previous Scream Factory Blu-ray.

Audio is included in English 2.0 mono and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. The new 5.1 option widens out the single channel-sourced soundtrack without really adding much to it, mostly pushing Robert O. Ragland’s score into the surrounding speakers. The original mono, presented in a split-channel container, is slightly narrow, but prioritizes score and sound effects well enough, as well as dialogue. Both tracks are clean and free of any major issues besides minor hiss.

The 2-Disc 4K Ultra HD release of 10 to Midnight sits in a black Amaray case with a double-sided insert featuring the original US theatrical poster artwork on the front (as well as the slipcover) and the Spanish theatrical poster artwork with English text on the reverse. The following extras are included on each disc:

DISC ONE (UHD)

Audio Commentary with Paul Talbot
Audio Commentary with Pancho Kohner, John Crowther, and David Del Valle

DISC TWO (BD)

Audio Commentary with Paul Talbot
Audio Commentary with Pancho Kohner, John Crowther, and David Del Valle
Charlie’s Partner with Andrew Stevens (HD – 10:47)
Producing Bronson with Lance Hool (HD – 12:42)
Remembering Bronson with Robert F. Lyons (HD – 6:01)
Knife and Death with Jeana Tomasina (HD – 6:56)
Radio Spots (HD – 3 in all – 1:41)
Trailers:
- 10 to Midnight (SD – 2:13)
- The Mechanic (HD – 2:31)
- Mr. Majestyk (SD – 1:33)
- Death Wish II (Upscaled SD – 1:55)
- Murphy’s Law (SD – 1:30)
- Vice Squad (Upscaled SD – :58)

Carried over are a pair of audio commentaries, the first with Paul Talbot, author of Bronson’s Loose!: The Making of the Death Wish Films and Bronson’s Loose Again!: On the Set with Charles Bronson. He talks about the history of Charles Bronson’s and Cannon Films’ working relationship, various information about the film’s history and production, and the careers of the main cast and crew. The other features producer Pancho Kohner and casting director John Crowther, hosted by film historian David Del Valle, discussing their memories of the film.

Next is a set of Scream Factory-produced interviews conducted by Samuelson Studios. Charlie’s Partner features actor Andrew Stevens who discusses his working history with Charles Bronson, working with J. Lee Thompson, his memories of the cast, becoming somewhat reluctant friends with Bronson, and his appreciation of the part. Producing Bronson speaks to producer Lance Hool about developing the project, incorporating real-life elements into the screenplay, budget and production issues with Cannon Films, his working relationship with both Bronson and Thompson, audience reactions to the film, and his reflections on the final film. Remembering Bronson talks to actor Robert F. Lyons about working with and associating with Charles Bronson, his memories of Bronson with his wife and J. Lee Thompson, and being blown away by the film’s ending. Knife and Death interviews actress Jeana Tomasina about appearing in Playboy, being cast in the film, her height difference inadvertently causing her to lose out on the lead, various films and TV shows that she has appeared in, her interactions with Bronson and Gene Davis, being known for appearing in ZZ Top music videos, and her feelings on the film today. Last are three radio spots, the original theatrical trailer, and trailers for other Kino Lorber releases.

Missing from the Twilight Time Blu-ray release is an isolated score and effects audio track, and Julie Kirgo’s essay from the accompanying 8-page insert booklet; and an image gallery from the Scream Factory Blu-ray release, which contained 94 images of productions photos, posters, and lobby cards.

Most fans of 10 to Midnight tend to be those who watched it on home video or cable over the years, mostly in edited-for-TV forms. It’s a strong piece of work that’s actually much better than its reputation might lead one to believe. Scream Factory’s release was a vast improvement over previous versions, and Kino kicks it up another notch with improved picture quality. Whether you’re a Charles Bronson fan or a slasher/thriller fan, this one comes highly recommended!

- Tim Salmons

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