THE WIZARD OF OZ: 70th Anniversary Blu-Ray (MGM 1939) Warner Home Video

There is much to be said about a film that reports on the basic human need to rediscover our hearts desires in our own backyards. What Frank L. Baum’s turn of the last century series of children's books did for the imagination, director Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz (1939) has recreated on a much broader canvas, and, for the hearts and minds of both the young and the young at heart.

When Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) is swept up by a cyclone and deposited into that magical land beyond the rainbow she meets three of its isolated inhabitants: a lonely scarecrow (Ray Bolger), perceptive tin man (Jack Haley) and cowardly lion (Bert Lahr).Each represents a piece of Dorothy’s inner quest to find her own true place within the world at large; the scarecrow is Dorothy’s thirst for knowledge; the tin man, her desire to be compassionate, and the lion, indicative of her own inner fear of lacking in genuine fortitude to see the journey through.

Unfortunately, Dorothy makes rather a bad enemy of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton). But together with the aid of her friends and a personal commitment to her safety made possible by Glinda; the Good Witch of the North’s (Billie Burke) kiss and gift of ruby slippers – Dorothy sets out to learn that the greatest adventure of all is in the realization of her own power to dictate her destiny.The film’s prophetic introduction that proclaims “time has been powerless to put its kindly philosophy out of fashion” has since served to best summate the enduring cultural impact of The Wizard of Oz on humanity's lasting idealism, mankind's progress and everlasting human faith.

Unable to persuade Darryl F. Zanuck to loan out Shirley Temple, MGM's Louis B. Mayer went ahead with Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, thereby creating one of the most sublime and genuine comings together of star and character in film history.To hear Garland’s opening strains of Over the Rainbow is to be magically teleported into an innate longing for a better tomorrow and brighter future.

In the final hour, the proof in Oz’s purpose is clear; to remind us all that one’s place in the world does not come from the magical dabbling of some omnipotent power, but rather is at the very heart and soul our own will to give form and life to our dreams. And even if the world at hand does not present itself under the most ideal of circumstances, the underlying message is pointed clear; there is still no place like home. As a genre, the fantasy film has never been quite so honest or appealing.

Warner Home Video’s 70th Anniversary Blu-Ray easily bests its Deluxe 3 disc DVD. To discover this is really no great surprise as Warner has mastered the film in 1080p utilizing 8k resolution from 3 individual Technicolor strips. Oz has never shone more brightly. Colors are vibrant, bold and eye-popping. Contrast levels are beautifully realized. Fine detail is evident down to minute information. There is a sheen and resiliency to the image that is quite palpable and winning.

One noted exception comes in the brief long shots of the Emerald City where contrast seems slightly more bumped up than expected. There is also some minor 'breathing' of the original filmic elements along both the right and left side that appears as vertical streaking. Otherwise, this is a flawless visual presentation of a much beloved classic film.

The audio has been remixed yet again to Tru HD 5.1 and delivers an enveloping experience to this vintage soundtrack. The original mono, restored and remarkably resilient is also included for the film purist to enjoy.

Extras are plentiful and well worth the price of admission. Highlights made available previously and included on the Blu-Ray include a thorough audio commentary, multiple featurettes produced by TCM that cover the film’s making and enduring popularity from virtually every conceivable angle; a litany of interviews with surviving cast members and stock interviews; the previously released documentary – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, hosted by Angela Lansbury, and, an extensive biography on author Frank L. Baum.

But wait, Warner Home Video caps off its Oz tribute with an even more impressive round of extras; a masterful bio on director Victor Flemming, many of the silent Oz movies that preceded the MGM film and the award winning 6 hour documentary, MGM: When The Lion Roars presented in its entirety on a single disc!

It should be noted that the visual quality of these extra features ranges from fair to extremely poor. The Angela Lansbury documentary in particular is extremely weak with color bleeding and edge enhancement proving a considerable distraction. Finally, while it is gratifying to have the 6 hour MGM documentary included herein, it should be insisted for future release that this exemplar on the studio system be remastered in HD and color corrected to be fully appreciated.

The non-Blu-Ray extras are equally impressive, if just slightly superflous: including a wrist watch, a collectible book, some vintage promo reproductions and some glorious lobby card art not to be missed. No more could have been expected from the good people at Warner Home Video.

So click your heels and think to yourself, 'There's no disc like this one!' This Oz comes highly recommended!

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)

5+

VIDEO/AUDIO

5

EXTRAS

4.5

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: Season One (Touchstone 1985) Buena Vista Home Entertainment

1985 will forever be marked in television history as a ‘golden’ year. For that is the year NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff and television series creator Susan Harris launched The Golden Girls: a poignant and hilarious situation comedy about the comings and goings of four elderly women living their daily lives together under one roof in Miami, Florida.

Tartikoff originally conceived the series after visiting his elderly aunt and her next-door neighbor who, despite their constant bickering and arguments were life long friends. But it was Harris’ snazzy take on keeping the ladies an eclectic and cosmopolitan blend of diverse personalities that gave and kept the series engaging, fresh and sincere.

Scripted exclusively by Kathy Speer and Terry Grossman (seasons 1-4) this successful writing team eventually gave their more general ideas to other staff writers beginning in Season 5 before bowing out entirely in 1989. From 1990 to 1993 Lavern and Shirley writer Marc Sotkin served as the guiding force for the show with assists by Richard Vaczy, Tracy Gamble, Marc Cherry and Jamie Wooten.

During The Golden Girl’s eight year run on NBC it often tackled such offbeat and taboo topics as gay marriage, impotence, suicide, gambling addiction, cross-dressing, lesbianism, Alzheimer’s Disease, child abandonment, euthanasia and botched plastic surgery, always with tongue firmly in cheek, often with blunt sexual innuendo in play, though never clumsily insincere.

It might have all been for not if casting had not been quite so inspired. Still, choices made then, that now seem so obvious, were anything but at the time of pre-production. For example, originally Rue McClananhan was cast as Rose and Betty White as Blanche; the former having played nutty but nice opposite Bea Arthur’s Maude while the latter had been the man-hungry man trap on Mary Tyler Moore. Also, McClanahan is the youngest of the series’ alumni – almost twelve years everyone else’s junior, while Estelle Getty – cast as Bea Arthur’s mother - was actually 14 months younger than Arthur herself.

In reuniting these television alumni The Golden Girls proved indestructible entertainment and a runaway smash hit for Touchstone Television (a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Co.). The show became the flagship program for NBC's Saturday Night Must See TV line up and during its original run all four stars were honored with at least one Emmy Award; the show itself receiving 65 Emmy nominations and 11 wins, four Golden Globes and two Viewers for Quality Television awards.

The premise for the show is by now, through syndication and rerun, practically a given but worth reiterating herein. Widow Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) has decided to rent rooms in her Miami home to help pay expenses. Widow Rose Nylund (Betty White) and divorcee Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) responded to the ad and are shortly thereafter joined by Dorothy's mother, Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) after Shady Pines, Sophia’s retirement home, burns down.

From the get go, Season One of The Golden Girls opens with superb – if mildly risqué - repartee between its leading ladies, creating iconic and inspired comedy along the way. In all, 25 episodes comprise the first season of this landmark series with ‘Blanche and the Younger Man’, ‘ A Little Romance’ and ‘The Flu’ arguably being the most memorable.

In the first of these, Blanche attempts to turn back the hands of time to keep up with Dirk, her much younger instructor from a jazzercise class. The exercise is all for not as Dirk later confides to Blanche that she reminds him of his mother, but earlier, when Blanche tells the girls that Dirk is nearly “five years younger” than she, Dorothy bluntly replies, “In what, Blanche…dog years?”

In the second of these celebrated episodes, Betty White dates Doctor Jonathan Newman; a ‘little person’ who becomes the subject of much consternation amongst the girls – particularly Blanche, who cannot stop from sticking her foot in her mouth at practically every possible turn in their conversation.

In the latter episode, Rose inadvertently gives Dorothy and Blanche a very nasty cold the week prior to their required attendance at a gala benefit. In their weakened condition and misery the girls turn on one another and thereafter are determined to attend the gala – sick or not!

Buena Vista Home Video’s presentation of Season One of The Golden Girls is hardly worth mentioning except to state that it is one of the worst of all possible tributes for such a memorable television series.

Not only are the episodes presented out of chronology (the wallpaper in the kitchen goes back and forth between a circular and leafy pattern), but there seems to have been little care in the remastering of any of these episodes. Digital noise, color bleeding and a soft hazy patina plague most of these episodes. Flesh tones are orange and unnatural. Contrast often appears overly bright. Aliasing and edge enhancement are prevalent throughout and very often distract.

On Disc One the audio perceivably varies between episodes from very loud to extremely soft. There is even an instance where the audio completely cuts out for a brief but obtrusive moment during The Triangle episode. The only extra feature is an idiotic and pointless ‘fashion commentary’ by Joan and Melissa Rivers. Season One is a thoughtless contribution from The Walt Disney Co.: one that ought to be rectified if this series ever goes to Blu-Ray (which it most definitely should).

Recommended only for content but definitely NOT for transfer quality!

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)
4.5

VIDEO/AUDIO
2

EXTRAS
0

GRUMPY OLD MEN - Blu-ray (WB 1993) Warner Home Video

Conceived as something of a reunion for one time ‘Odd Couple’ costars, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, Donald Petrie’s Grumpy Old Men (1993) is a delightfully acidic romantic comedy charting the exploits of two elderly and very adversarial Wabasha Minnesota bachelors destined to remain the best of friends.

The script by Mark Steven Johnson is devilishly clever and multilayered, superbly tying together a history of gross miscalculations between two men that have paved the way for the current series of subplots that begin to unravel almost from the moment the film begins.

Since the death of his wife May, retired school teacher John Gustafson (Lemmon) has lived his life in relative obscurity. John’s daughter, Melanie (Darryl Hannah) is estranged from her husband, Mike (Christopher MacDonald) and much his concern. Also on John’s plate is immediate eviction from his home after the IRS perceive that he is $30,000 behind in his taxes. Paramount in John’s life is his tempestuous relationship with neighbor, Max Goldman (Matthau). The two simply hate each other – though the ‘why’ at the crux of their mutual disdain will only later yield to cooler reason.

Both men are stirred to romantic thoughts upon the arrival of eclectic free spirit, Ariel Truax (Ann-Margaret). A sculptor/painter with laissez faire ideas about living life to its fullest, Ariel makes her initial move on John and the two become lovers. However, when John believes he has nothing to offer Ariel apart from himself he quietly breaks her heart, allowing Max to move right in.

Meanwhile, John attempts to clumsily entangle Melanie in a romance with Max’s single son, Jacob (Kevin Pollak). The two were once high school sweethearts. However, when Melanie awkwardly arrives to visit John for Christmas with Mike in tow she effectively deflates both John and Jacob’s hopes for rekindling that romance. Depressed and alone, John ventures into the cold and suffers a near fatal heart attack.

Max and Ariel rush to John’s side and Jacob – the newly appointed mayor of Wabasha - thwarts the IRS foreclosure on John’s home with Max cutting a check to make certain John will remain his neighbor for many years to come. Ariel confesses to Max that she loves John and the two are married before the final fade out.

Grumpy Old Men was a colossal success upon its release, grossing more than $70 million and virtually resurrecting the screen careers of both Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon who would continue to work in films until their respective deaths. Viewed today, the film retains its bitter edge of dark, often sexually risqué humor; particularly in the crude barbs randomly pitched by actor Burgess Meredith; cast as John’s randy father, Grandpa J.W. Gustafson. But it’s the feel good crescendo at the end of the story that remains in our hearts after the final fade out.

Warner Home Video has at long last done the film justice with an anamorphic 1080p Blu-Ray transfer that easily bests its own slip-shod full frame standard DVD. There is no comparison between these two discs to intelligently speak of. The Blu-Ray’s refined image captures the subtle starkness of John E. Jensen’s cinematography. Flesh tones appear slightly pinkish but fine detail is evident throughout as is film grain. The audio is True HD Dolby 2.0 and adequate for this presentation.

The one failing of this disc is that Warner Home Video has not seen fit to give us even a brief featurette or retrospective on either the film or the careers of its two memorable costars. A theatrical trailer is the only extra feature. Nevertheless, recommended.

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)
3.5

VIDEO/AUDIO
4

EXTRAS
0

THE SAND PEBBLES - Blu-Ray (2oth Century-Fox 1966) Fox Home Video

A disquieting, ambitious film of immense scope married to subtle poignancies, Robert Wise’s The Sand Pebbles (1966) is a war melodrama with few equals. Based on Richard McKenna’s best seller, the story is centralized in China circa 1920; a turbulent paradise plagued by political strife and home grown revolutions between opposing loyalists on either side.

Into this turbulent mixture come outside forces with hidden agendas; the British, the Americans and the missionaries (the former only referred to, the latter merely touched upon and the central, the focus of our story) – each superficially dedicated to bringing peace to the Far East; though at what price?

The screenplay by Robert Anderson remains relatively faithful to McKenna’s book. China’s political climate circa 1960s precluded director Wise and his company from shooting on actual locations. Hence, Taiwan and Hong Kong are stand-ins for the Yangtze. Nevertheless, the set dressings by Boris Levin and sumptuous cinematography from Joseph MacDonald are quite successful at recapturing a ‘fake realism’ for both the region and the period in which the story takes place.

The film opens with the arrival of engineer Jake Holman (Steve McQueen) aboard the USS San Pablo – a patrolling American vessel overseen by the ineffectual Capt. Collins (Richard Crenna). Holman is an unassuming loner who prefers the company of steam pistons and crank shafts to his fellow crewmates, though eventually he develops a friendship with first mate, Frenchy (Richard Attenborough).

Holman’s relations on board are strained with his Chinese engine crew who all but run the internal machinery of the San Pablo. After the chief engineer is killed in an accident, both the American and Chinese crew regards Holman as a curse. Perhaps in part to lessen these tensions, Holman promotes one of the Chinese, Po-Han (Mako) to chief engineer and then spends the first half of the patrol training Po in his general maintenance duties.

A rather awkward romance blossoms between Holman and missionary Shirley Eckart (Candice Bergan) who is stationed at a mission near China Light. At the same time, Frenchy has begun to favor his affections on Maily (Emmanuella Arsan), a captive in the brothel of corrupt Oriental pimp, Victor Shu (James Hong). After bidding for her freedom, Frenchy and Maily escape Shu’s wrath and are secretly married. Their joy together, however, is short lived.

Threatened with retaliation from the marauding forces of Chiang-Kai-Shek, the crew is confined to the San Pablo for the duration of their journey. Po-Han is captured and quartered by revolutionaries, forcing Holman to shoot him before the torture is completed. This mercenary act brands Holman a murderer in the eyes of the Chinese and very nearly results in a mutiny aboard the San Pablo.

There is much more to this lengthy narrative, best left absent from this review for the first time viewer to discover. In hindsight, the most impressive aspect of the film is its pictorial backdrop – starkly contrasted and conflicting cultures caught in maelstrom of danger and intrigue. The most outstanding performance in the film belongs to McQueen – a sustained tour de force that, perhaps, more than mirrors the actor’s own aloof nature.

On set, McQueen briefly clashed with Wise – resulting in a two week stalemate between director and star that ended only after McQueen saw the rushes from the footage already shot and deemed Wise a genius. Inclement weather and repeated delays caused the originally budgeted and scheduled nine week location shoot to balloon into nine months, a staggering oversight that sunk Fox Studios more deeply into the red following the disastrous release of Cleopatra (1963).

In the last analysis, The Sand Pebbles emerges as one of the major grand exercises in old time epic film making. No expense has been spared. Built expressly for the film by Vaughn and Jung in Hong Kong from the keel up at a cost of $200,000 (then a considerable sum), the San Pablo is a fully functional sea faring vessel.

Some two thousand costumes were either created or assembled for this production, representing an eclectic melding of American, Cantonese and Mandarin styles. Existing streets and structures were refitted with convincing facades to resurrect the look and feel of 1920s China. In all then, The Sand Pebbles is elephantine and impressive – a must see spectacle with an engaging story to propel its 3 hr. plus running time.

Fox Home Video’s Blu-Ray easily bests its previously issued and lavishly appointed 2 disc DVD released as part of their Cinema Classics Collection. Curiously, the 196 min. road show edition (included on the DVD) is absent from the Blu-Ray, though all of the deleted scenes are offered as extras on the Blu-Ray.

On the Blu-Ray: the 183 min. version exhibits extremely vibrant colors, stunning clarity and a considerable amount of fine detail throughout. Superior color fidelity, solid contrast levels, accurately rendered flesh tones and a minor smattering of film grain mark a near flawless presentation. The audio is 5.1 lossless and exhibits remarkable clarity, though it retains a strident tinny echo during battle sequences.

Extras are direct imports from the Cinema Classics DVD and include two comprehensive audio commentaries and an isolated track showcasing Jerry Goldsmith’s superlative score. Also included is the rather choppy 6 part documentary on the making of the film, two incongruously edited tributes to Robert Wise and Steve McQueen and a litany of vintage extras from the Fox Vaults – trailers, stills, press kits and radio spots.

What is missing from the Blu-Ray are all of the collectible extras featured with the DVD; these include lobby cards, a brief historical summary and the reproduction of the film’s original press kit. Nevertheless, the Blu-Ray comes highly recommended for its superior video presentation of the film itself.

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)
4

VIDEO/AUDIO
4.5

EXTRAS
3

THE TOWERING INFERNO - Blu-Ray (Fox/WB 1974) Fox Home Video

A gargantuan undertaking by any stretch of the imagination, Irwin Allen/John Guillerman’s The Towering Inferno (1974) was the co-production launched between two major Hollywood studios. Initially, Fox and Warner Bros. had acquired rival novels with similar themes; Richard Martin Stern’s The Tower and Thomas N. Scortia’s The Glass Inferno – both about a skyscraper going up in flames.

However, when the cost of mounting these productions proved exorbitant (and with returns predictably split from having two like-themed films hitting the box office at the same time) the powers that be at each studio decided instead to pool their resources and talents for one super production.

Dubbed by one critic as “Grand Hotel in flames,” a fitting tag since nearly every major talent (and a few minor ones) were jam-packed into the world’s tallest skyscraper, the film stars two of the biggest names in cinema then; Paul Newman, as architect Doug Roberts and Steve McQueen as Fire Chief Michael O’Hallorhan. Initially, McQueen balked over who would get top billing above the title. Eventually, a compromise was worked out where both actors would share a title card with Newman’s name positioned just slightly higher than McQueen’s.
Irwin Allen, no stranger to the disaster genre and riding high after the smashing success of The Poseidon Adventure, imbued The Towering Inferno with a philosophical slant on architectural esthetics versus fire safety. Allen also chose to turn the filming into a social event, erecting lavish star bungalows for all his principle cast that faced one another on the backlot.

The plot begins in earnest with preparations for the inaugural of the world’s tallest skyscraper in San Francisco. Tired of his hectic life in the fast lane, Doug Roberts plans his retirement after surveying his creation from a harrowing helicopter ride. He is persuaded to attend the debut party inside the roof top Promenade Room by the building’s contractor and friend, James Duncan (William Holden). However, Roberts is delayed from these plans by sultry book publisher, Susan Franklin (Faye Dunaway) who does not share Doug’s desire to rough it away from the city. In fact, Susan’s just been given a promotion at her job and is settling in for the career of a lifetime.

A small electrical fire in the basement powerhouse inadvertently leads to an undetected power surge in one of the building’s storerooms on the 81st floor where another fire quickly spreads undetected for several hours.

In the meantime, P.R. man Dan Bigolow (Robert Wagner) is planning an inner office tryst with personal secretary, Lorrie (Susan Flannery). Unfortunately their passion proves not quite as hot as the raging firestorm that rapidly engulfs Dan’s outer office, thereby trapping the two inside.

In the ballroom high atop this grand glass and steel stick of kindling there is a veritable who’s who of celebrities, including Fred Astaire as engaging con-artist Harlee Claiborne, out to seduce and swindle the elegant and wealthy widow Lisolette Muir (Jennifer Jones), though his heart isn’t in the rouse. Building supervisor and Duncan’s son-in-law, Roger Simmons (Richard Chamberlain) is also in attendance with wife Patty (Susan Blakely), but with one roving eye focused on Susan.

The cast is rounded out by stellar performances from Robert Vaughn (Senator Gary Parker), character actors Norman Burton (electrical engineer Will Giddings), Jack Collins (Mayor Ramsey) and even, O.J. Simpson (Jernigan – a security guard).Of course the real star of this film is fire – credibly ignited and made palpably frightening by very engaging special effects that continue to hold up even under today’s scrutiny.

Actual exteriors of the skyscraper were meticulously crafted models made in various sizes while the various interiors proved to be an amalgam of location shooting and sound stage recreations – particularly the Promenade Room – built several feet above the stage floor on a Fox soundstage to accommodate the climactic flooding sequence. Director/producer Allen’s fastidious attention to preproduction details resulted in a very organized ‘safe’ environment for the actors. What emerges on camera is anything but: a harrowing saga of lives hanging in the balance.

Guillermin and Allen split the directorial responsibilities on this film with Allen encouraging screenwriter Stirling Silliphant to come down hard on the building code and moral ethics involved in cutting corners on construction costs that render the finished product ultimately unsafe for its inhabitants. The film is also noteworthy for one of composer John Williams’ memorable early scores and the Oscar winning ‘We May Never Love Like This Again’ sung by Maureen McGovern.

Fox Home Video’s Blu-Ray incarnation easily bests its deluxe DVD treatment. The sumptuous color palette has been rendered with fine details present throughout. The image is so crisp and clean that it belies the fact that the film was made over thirty years ago. The audio is an aggressive 5.1 Dolby Tru-HD lossless with slight – though understandable limitations in fidelity.

Extras have all been imported from the 2 disc Cinema Classics collector’s set and include a comprehensive audio commentary that fills up all of the 170 min. running time by F.X. Feeney and Special Effects Director Mike Venzina and Stunt Coordinator, Branko Racki.

A retrospective looks at the film and brief bio on Irwin Allen, and shorts on the stunts and special effects as well as the AMC original documentary: Backstory – The Towering Inferno, plus a litany of extended scenes, outtakes and alternatives present the film as it might have been. The original theatrical trailer is also included. What is disappointing is that none of the printed materials produced for the Cinema Classics DVD have been included for the Blu-Ray. These include a beautiful press kit and lobby cards. So if you already own this film in its DVD incarnation, hang on to it for these extras.

Bottom line: The Towering Inferno is exceptional entertainment that continues to excite and entertain. Just don’t expect to get a night’s sleep after you’ve seen it – particularly if you live in a high rise. Highly recommended!

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)
4

VIDEO/AUDIO
4.5

EXTRAS
3.5

GLADIATOR: Blu-Ray (Universal/Dreamworks SKG 2000) Paramount Home Video

Ridley Scott’s Gladiator (2000) effectively resurrects the Roman epic from oblivion and to thunderous effect. The film stars resident Aussie heartthrob, Russell Crowe as Maximus, a loyal General to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (the late and very great Richard Harris).

After a victorious campaign in Germania, Marcus decides that Maximus will succeed him on the throne; a move that does not bode well with the Emperor’s only son and legitimate heir, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).

Determined to secure his birthright, Commodus murders his father before he has a chance to tell Maximus of his placement, and shortly thereafter frames Maximus for that murder. Although Commodus’ sister – and sometimes incestuous playmate, Lucilla (Connie Nielson) is both enamored by, and loyal to, her father and, by extension, Maximus, there is precious little she can do but acquiesce to Commodus’ sycophantic desire to be loved, in order to keep his psychotic wrath at bay.

Director Scott fills his screen with gorgeous, mesmerizing – and for the most part – stylized and desaturated glories of the coliseum and senate, its byways and winding streets of ancient Rome, and the reinvented rustic countryside peppered with barbarism and deceit.

This is the sort of grandiose potluck entertainment Hollywood and audiences have not seen for some time, and it provides stellar bits of business for quality British talents Derek Jacobi, David Schofield and the late Oliver Reed, as gladiator turned slave trade merchant Proximo.

Reed’s long overdue absence from the big screen seemed to be at an end when the actor suddenly died of a heart attack while filming, forcing director Ridley Scott into a minor quandary. Either recast the part or restructure the screenplay to account for Reed’s absence. Scott chose the latter, but only slightly, relying on the wizardry of computer generated images and use of stock footage and outtakes from scenes already shot, with a voice double to finish Reed’s performance. The results are unperceivable and satisfying.

Though, at least in this reviewer’s mind, nothing will ever quite rival the emotional swell of William Wyler’s Ben-Hur (1959), Gladiator is a close second on all accounts; a vivid, powerful and ultimately satisfying escapism that should continue to thrill audiences as long as there are fans of the sword and sandal epic.

Paramount’s new Sapphire Edition Blu-Ray DVD easily bests any of the previous incarnations made available to the home video consumer. The image is peerless and virtually without flaws. An incredible amount of fine detail is evident even during the darkest scenes, with superiorly balanced contrast levels that recreate even the most subtle and soft texture. The digital effects are seamlessly blended together with the full scale action.

The audio is 5.1 Tru HD Dolby with superb fidelity – seeming even more robust and nuanced than the DTS track from the previously issued disc. A chariot full of extras – most directly imported from the previously issued and lavishly appointed box set - include extensive documentaries on nearly every facet of the film’s production, with special attention paid to casting, production design and staging of set pieces like the action sequences in the coliseum.

My admiration for Paramount’s efforts on Blu-Ray in general continues to grow. The studio has raised the bar considerably on what it means to call any disc a ‘special edition’. This one is very special indeed! Highly recommended!

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)
5+

VIDEO/AUDIO
5+

EXTRAS
4.5

BRAVEHEART - Blu-Ray (Paramount 1995) Paramount Home Video

Braveheart (1995) is the historical/mythological cinematic hybrid of the life and times of William Wallace (Mel Gibson); a Scottish commoner turned vigilant crusader for his people’s freedom. The movie opens large with the brutal slaughter of Scottish noblemen at the hands of tyrannical English monarch, King Edward Longshanks I (Patrick McGoohan).

The battle that ensues to avenge these deaths leaves young Will’ without a father in the small town of Elderslie. Raised by his uncle, Argyle (Brian Cox), Will returns to find love amongst the craggy mores with winsome Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack). Their pastoral bliss, however, is short-lived.

Meanwhile, Longshanks is determined to divide and conquer the Scots and leave their country as a trophy to his son and heir, Edward (Peter Hanly). To ensure the continuation of his monarchy, Longshanks arranges the reluctant Edward’s marriage to Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau) even though Edward prefers the company of his royal consort, Philip (Steven Billington) instead. Their badinage is playful and frequent. Though the queen knows of her husband’s homosexual philandering she is silent until Philip is murdered by Longshanks after the truth about his homosexuality is brought to light.

The last act of this sprawling epic is a struggle of wills. William is betrayed, drawn and quartered, his head placed on London Bridge as a warning against future rebellion. But in murdering a patriot, England resurrects a martyr whose legend far outweighs the importance of the man.

Braveheart is both epic and satisfying. Despite its historic discrepancies and the rather obtrusive inclusion of director Randall Wallace’s scripted humor that occasionally translates as more James Bond pithy comeback – the narrative holds together due in large part to its’director/star’s overriding vision embodied in the total sum of Will’s earthly heroism.

Reportedly, director Wallace knew nothing of William Wallace until he took a vacation to Scotland – after which he became engrossed with legends told by historians and common folk alike. The curiosity for the film – as well as the historical record - is that the real William Wallace remains largely a myth. Following his bloody end at Longshank’s hand, all textual evidence to Wallace’s existence was expunged from the historical record, leaving word of mouth as the only surviving narrative.

Much has been made of the ‘inconsistent’ handling of Wallace’s charge across the open field to fight the English. He begins in full stride with pickaxe firmly in hand, then seen reaching for the sword behind his back, then pictured in full marathon sprint with hands pumping in slow-mo by his side and finally with sword fully raised overhead. Are these continuity errors, or director Wallace’s way of depicting how the gallantry of this myth or a man is viewed by the English as an unstoppable weapon of destruction?

Paramount’s Sapphire Edition Blu-Ray easily bests all previously issued DVD incarnations. While overall fidelity on the previously released DVD was solid, the Blu-Ray’s superior bit rate reveals clarity and texture to the overall image that was previously unseen. In short, the Blu-Ray is a revelation. Colors are bold. Contrast levels are superior, particularly during dark scenes. This is a reference quality image. The audio is Tru-HD lossless Dolby, rich and full bodies with an aggressive bass.

Extras include the previously recorded audio commentary by Mel Gibson, as well as several interactive features that provide an in-depth timeline of the Scottish rebellion. There are also featurettes on medieval battle and the process of writing this film. But perhaps the most satisfying extra included this time around is the hour long ‘look back’ with insightful reflections from much of the principle cast and crew. There are also two theatrical trailers in HD to view.
Once again, this reviewer’s admiration for Paramount’s efforts on Blu-Ray in general continues to grow. The studio has raised the bar considerably on what it means to call any disc a ‘special edition’. This one is very special indeed! Highly recommended!

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)
5+

VIDEO/AUDIO
5+

EXTRAS
5