This listing is for the standard edition Blu-ray. The limited edition slipcover (designed by Tony Stella) was limited to 4,000 units and is sold out. The two versions are identical, aside from the slipcover.
Welcome Vinegar Syndrome Labs (VSL) to the VS Sub-Label family! As with each of our sub-labels we are hoping to expand and defy expectations with the diversity of films we restore and release. As the name implies, VSL will serve as a kind of testing area for releasing genres and eras of film that one might not immediately expect to come from VS. The ultimate objective of VSL will be to see if these types of films will find an audience, and if so, pursue and release more of them…and even if not, still serve as a means of restoring more of the weird, rare, and unusual movies you might not expect from Vinegar Syndrome.
After a player is discovered to have cheated his way to winning at a high-stakes card game, he’s sentenced to a no-trial hanging, despite the objections of fellow player, Van Morgan. Although the men responsible for the murder go unpunished, it’s not long before a cowboy-garbed killer begins stalking those involved with the crime and killing them off one by one. Is Van dispensing his own breed of outlaw justice or could another, even more vengeful assailant be responsible for the bloodshed?
A creative blend of old-fashioned Hollywood Western sensibilities with a twist-filled whodunit, acclaimed Western director Henry Hathaway’s (True Grit) unique thriller 5 CARD STUD stars Academy Award® nominee Robert Mitchum (The Night of the Hunter), Rat Pack member Dean Martin (Ocean’s 11), cult character actor Roddy McDowell (Fright Night), two time Emmy® nominee Inger Stevens, plus an early performance from future star Yaphet Kotto (Alien). Juxtaposing exciting action sequences with unexpectedly mean-spirited murders, all leading to a very giallo-esque final act, Vinegar Syndrome Labs proudly brings this unique Hollywood genre hybrid to Blu-ray for the first time, freshly restored in 4K from its 35mm camera negative!
directed by: Henry Hathaway
starring: Dean Martin, Robert Mitchum, Inger Stevens, Roddy McDowall, Yaphet Kotto
1968 / 103 min / 1.85:1 / English mono soundtrack
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.609091 / 5 from 330 reviews.
This limited edition Blu-ray of '5 Card Stud' is praised for its elegant packaging, exceptional 4K transfer, and engaging performances. The film, a blend of Western and thriller genres, is highly recommended for its well-researched content and solid cast.
Review topics: ["colors","quality","looks","picture","design","packaging","sound","issues","improvement","detail","presentation","service","buy","work","film","movie","cast","release","transfer","westerns","performances","mystery","slipcover","dean martin","restoration","5 card stud","robert mitchum","genre","art","features"].
"More of an intriguing curio than a true classic, this whodunnit murder mystery wrapped in western trappings has its own odd charm. Robert Mitchum and especially Roddy McDowall clearly relish the chance to camp it up, and they’re easily the most entertaining part of the ride. Dean Martin, on the other hand, never quite convinces as the leading man. The restoration looks great though."
"For something that came out in 1968 the picture and sound quality is amazing. The transfer makes a 1968 woman look like a 1998 woman. The deaths in here are more brutal than your typical western for sure. The acting is really good actually, everyone is in flow. Robert Mitchum is his usual badass self. I Am not very familiar with Dean Martin so this was kind of like my introduction to him, and I know Yaphet Kotto from Midnight Run and 🤣 The Running Man. There are a couple of babes in here who I'd totally bone if it was 1968. I wouldn't bone now, it's 2026. I'm not into necrophilia. The movie was all around a nice watch with thriller elements and actually could have been a little longer in my opinion. I haven't watched any of the supplements yet."
"Not the best Western with Deano, but definitely a zippy and fun thriller that is unlike most Westerns of its time."
"It's like a slasher western, and just a great color western at the same time."
"Intriguing, beyond the dual leads of Dean Martin and Robert Mitchum."
"Five Card Stud is a sly hybrid of western and murder mystery, unfolding like a frontier whodunit with a streak of cruelty running beneath its saloon doors. Dean Martin brings an easygoing charm to the drifting gambler at the center of the story, while Robert Mitchum turns up later with the kind of weathered authority only he could summon. The film also features Inger Stevens, whose presence gives the dusty town a touch of warmth—and, in a personal aside, she happens to be a relative of mine, which made revisiting the film here especially fun. Cinematographe’s transfer looks terrific, restoring the deep colors of the western landscapes and the smoky interiors of the town’s gambling halls. The release itself is a handsome physical package with thoughtful extras that place the film within the late-1960s western cycle, another strong entry in the carefully curated catalog from Cinematographe."
"Classic Western"
"Hathaway is often just reduced to a personality-less journeyman. Which couldn't be less true. Yes, a journeyman, but also bursting with style and personality. The film continually surprises you with where it goes and the cast is stellar too. Great supplements when I feared there would be none. VLS forever."
"A very cool slipcover, though it's the exact same design as the case's cover, which is unimaginative. Not enough special features, either, but the film looks fantastic and its cinematography really pops. The booklet is short but good."
"I’ve never seen a western with a plot like this it’s a breath of fresh air. Can’t recommend it enough"
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