Columbia
Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume Two
(Anatomy Of A Murder
(1959) / Oliver!
(1968) / Sense and
Sensibility (1995) /
Social Network
(2010) / Stripes
(1981) / Taxi Driver
(1976) / Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray Box Set)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: B+/B+/B+/B/B+/A Picture: B/B/B/B-/B/B
Sound: B-/B-/B+ & B/B+ & B/B-/B Extras: B/C+/B/B+/B-/B
Films: B-/C+/B-/B/C+/A-
Sony
is back with another huge 4K box set, continuing the biggest series
of such sets so far in the early years of the format with Columbia
Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume Two
covering six key films from the legendary studio's output. This
includes three films we are finally catching up with and all have
fine upgrades, including unexpected in the sound department on more
of these releases than expected. We'll address some of the audio
upgrades in the extras section with each title.
We
start with Otto Preminger's Anatomy
Of A Murder
(1959) with James Stewart, staying the the shocking world of murder a
year after his great turn as the investigator in Hitchcock's Rope
(1948, reviewed elsewhere on this site) as a small-town lawyer
against a hard-headed prosecutor (George C. Scott) as a military man
(Ben Gazzara) is on trial for murdering the man who sexually
assaulted his wife (Lee Remick) even if some may consider that
justified.
As
Stewart's investigation gains speed, eh knows something is simply not
adding up. Then it gets more complicated from there. For its time,
there is some racy moments here that shocked audiences and showed
that the old Hollywood Censorship Code was slowly continuing to
crumble. Though this has a few off moments, it is one of Preminger's
better films and has fine work from all involved. The posters and
credits were designed by the great Saul Bass.
The
2160p HECV/H.265, 1.85 X 1, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra
High Definition image looks pretty good, but know this is a film just
coming out at the end of the Noir era and the more light-sensitive
film stocks had more grain, plus this is still a murder mystery film.
However, you can see the improvements in detail and depth better
when comparing it to the still decent 1080p 1.85 X 1 black &
white digital High Definition image transfer on
the regular Blu-ray. With the 4K version, I have never seen the film
look better.
Both
discs versions offer 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and original Mono DTS-HD
Master Audio lossless mixes and the 5.1 sounds good, though fans
might prefer the mono for authenticity. However, the 4K version
introduces a new 12-track Dolby Atmos English audio lossless mix that
makes it the oldest such monophonic film to get this treatment
(Hitchcock's Psycho
4K
arrived about a year later and has a great DTS: X upgrade) but this
one is pushing it a little too much and thins out the sound as little
too much for my tastes. Points for trying to feature the Duke
Ellington music more clearly, though, but I'll stick with the 5.1 in
this case.
NEW:
Commentary with Film Historian Foster Hirsch
Gary
Giddins Interview
Pat
Kirkham Interview
Foster
Hirsch Interview
Excerpt
from Firing Line Featuring Otto Preminger
and
an Original Theatrical Trailer
Years
later and I still cannot believe Sir Carol Reed's film of Lionel
Bart's classic musical Oliver!
(1968) beat Kubrick's 2001:
A Space Odyssey
for the Best Picture Academy Award, but it did and I originally
reviewed the film in its now out-of-print Twilight Time limited
edition Blu-ray at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/12451/Oliver!+(1968/Sony/Columbia/Twilight+Time+Limit
One
of the few hit musicals after The
Sound Of Music
(1965) surprised the industry by being a huge megahit, I could argue
that it is even more successful as a children's film or even fantasy
film (think the original Willy
Wonka,
Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang,
Rex Harrison Doctor
Dolittle)
than an outright musical. Mark Lester and Jack Wild had great
careers after this, but it is Ron Moody who puts the film over the
top as Fagin and won an Oscar for his troubles. It is still very
long at abut 2.5 hours, but that's the film and it still had to be
faithful to the original Charles Dickens book as well.
The
2160p HECV/H.265, 2.35 X 1, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra
High Definition image looks great with the color quality you would
expect form a three-strip British Technicolor (or is that
Technicolour?) print. The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition
image transfer on the regular Blu-ray here looks to be the same as
the Twilight Time version, but the 4K really reveals the depth,
detail and color quality the film originally had. That's the way to
treat a Best Picture film!
Both
discs versions offer 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 Stereo Surround
DTS-HD Master Audio lossless mixes and the 5.1 still sounds good off
of the original, 6-track magnetic stereo soundmaster (with its
traveling dialogue and sound effects) for its 70mm blow-ups as
featured on the out-of-print Twilight Time Blu-ray. The 4K version
introduces a new 12-track Dolby Atmos English audio lossless mix that
wants to further expand the sound, but cannot totally outdo the 5.1
DTS-HD Master Audio's detail and warmth, but you can go back and
fourth to see for yourself. This is the first time I know of a 70mm
soundmaster from this era getting such an upgrade.
Extras
on the regular Blu-ray repeats many from that Twilight Time disc, but
minus its booklet and isolated music score track. We do get a BRAND
NEW Feature Length Audio Commentary with Film Historian Steven C.
Smith plus...
Sense
and Sensibility
(1995) is the second of three films I've reviewed before and you can
see more about it at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/15184/Love,+Simon+(2018/Fox+4K+Ultra+HD+Blu-ray
I
am not much of a Jane Austen fan and less of an Ang Lee fan,
especially since this was released on that now out-of-print Blu-ray.
However, this film is still one of the few Austen adaptations I can
take seriously, as most seem so pretentious and flat. The many
reason are more appropriate for a separate essay, but the cast,
locales and look of this filmed production led by Emma Thompson is
what makes it the best of its kind in decades.
Also
helping is the very impressive 2160p HECV/H.265, 2.35 X 1, HDR (10;
Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on the 4K
disc, making this look like a fresh 35mm print from the lab with
perfect color correctness and a rich look that makes it a true
pleasure to watch. Yes, the 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition
image transfer on the regular Blu-ray copy included is fine and the
same transfer as the out-of-print Twilight Time version. That;s a
god thing.
Both
discs version offer a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless mix, but the
4K version introduces a new 12-track Dolby Atmos English audio
lossless mix and the big surprise is how much more audio information
we are getting here, so it is a very welcome upgrade. It makes the
film more involving and is impressive.
Extras
on the regular Blu-ray repeats many from that Twilight Time disc, but
minus its booklet and isolated music score track. We get a fine new
extra in a 25th Anniversary Reunion: Back
to Barton Cottage
- an expansive on-camera reunion featuring Emma Thompson, Kate
Winslet, Greg Wise, Imelda Staunton, Imogen Stubbs, Myriam Francois,
producer Lindsay Doran, and director Ang Lee plus...
Emma
Thompson & Producer Lindsay Doran's Audio Commentary
Director
Ang Lee & Co-Producer James Schamus's Audio Commentary
Adapting
Austen
Featurette
A
Sense of Character
Featurette
A
Very Quiet Man
Featurette
Locating
the World of Sense
and Sensibility
Featurette
Elegance
& Simplicity: The Wardrobe of Sense
and Sensibility
Featurette
Deleted
Scenes
Theatrical
& International Trailers
When
David Fincher's
The
Social Network
(2010) first arrived only 11 years ago, Facebook was something new
and tells the story (roughly) of how Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse
Eisenberg) becomes its sole owner after fighting with the Winklevoss
Twins (Armie Hammer in both roles) and friend Eduardo (a great turn
by Andrew Garfield) among others. Told in flashback during a court
case, the screenplay takes a few liberties to stretch some ideas (sex
driving the formation of Facebook is fine, but playing loose with
whom Zuckerberg was dating is an odd change, despite another great
Rooney Mara performance) and even Justin Timberlake is good here as
Napster founder Sean Parker, finally seeing that he might really get
to cash in as an Internet pioneer after all.
More
relevant than even when it came out, we can now look at it to see how
out of control what the film was portraying has really become, even
threatening U.S. Democracy itself. But this is starting with the
basics and even when it was first released, everyone knew how
important this film was, its greatest achievement communicating the
social media world as part of the real world in and with the real
mortal one. That makes it worth revisiting and with this stunning
restoration, a must-see and re-see for those who have not seen it for
a while. Fincher pulled off another classic.
The
2160p HECV/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on the 4K version is
the best image that could be gained from the original RED One MX 4.5K
HD shoot by Fincher and Director of Photography Jeff Cronenweth,
A.S.C., in one of the few HD shoots of the time with any look,
character or memorability. This is now the only way to see this
film, so the 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer on
the regular Blu-ray just looks too dark and lacking in detail to
really enjoy. There is still some motion blur inherent to the shoot,
but it looks good otherwise, though color range can be limited.
Extras
are expanded from the older Blu-ray set and the 4K Ultra HD version
here includes:
Feature
presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, highly restored
Unrated
Dolby Atmos English audio expanding the superior soundtrack further
Unrated
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Theatrical
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
NEW
Special Feature:Theatrical Trailers
The
Standard Blu-ray features include:
Feature
presented in high definition
Theatrical
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
and
its Special Features include:
Feature
Length Audio Commentary with David Fincher
Feature
Length Audio Commentary with Aaron Sorkin & Cast
Special
Feature Blu-ray Includes:
How
Did They Ever Make a Movie of Facebook?
David
Fincher and Jeff Cronenweth on the Visuals
Angus
Wall, Kirk Baxter and Ren Klyce on Post
Trent
Reznor, Atticus Ross and David Fincher on the Score
Ruby
Skye VIP Room: Multi-Angle Scene Breakdown
In
the Hall of the Mountain King: Reznor's First Draft
and
Swarmatron
THE
EXCLUSIVE BONUS DISC FOR THIS FILM INCLUDES:
Ivan
Reitman's Stripes
(1981) was a bigger hit than many tend to remember, with the Second
City/Saturday
Night Live
brand of comedy on a big roll at the box office and Bill Murray
quickly becoming one of the biggest comedy actors in box office
history. Though many military comedies had been made before and were
still funny after the U.S. ended the draft post-Vietnam (hit TV
series Gomer
Pyle, U.S.M.C.
was still in syndication making a fortune at the time) and the
counterculture had set up many an anti-authoritarian comedy and the
like, there was still plenty of mileage left in the idea and the
makers here found new ways to go crazy on the subject.
Now
thought of as the big Reitman/Murray hit before the first
Ghostbusters
(1984) and more successful than Spielberg's now cult comedy 1941
(1979,) the other edge it had that people often fail to realize (much
like Caddyshack
for that matter) is a Canadian sense of comedy so easily melding with
comedy in 'the states' and that hybrid approach (intended or not)
worked for audiences. I like Murray, but this film was a little
obvious at times and not for me, but its supporting cast including
the late, great John Candy, P.J. Soles, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates,
John Larroquette, Judge Reinhold, Mary Fran, Joe Flaherty, Dave
Thomas, Timothy Busfield, Bill Paxton and uncredited Dennis Quaid and
Sean Young all add the the madness we get.
If
anything, the film is ready for rediscovery and this new edition can
only help that situation. Murray can more than carry the film,
leading everyone to rebel, but we would not have him any other way.
The
2160p HECV/H.265, 1.85 X 1, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra
High Definition image is a much-needed restoration and new 4K scan of
the original 35mm camera negative, easily looking the best the film
has since its original release. The 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High
Definition image transfer on the included Blu-ray is also supposed to
be from the 4K scan, but it is much softer for some reason to me.
Still, the 4K is the way to go, especially in the way it makes the
outdoors look so good.
Both
discs version offer a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio for both cuts and 2.0
Mono DTS-HD Master Audio lossless (for the theatrical version only)
mixes, but the 4K version introduces a new 12-track Dolby Atmos
English audio lossless mix (both versions) and it can only do so much
with the sound, one of the last big hit films with mono sound before
Hollywood moves back to stereo. Both the Theatrical & Extended
versions are presented in 4K resolution with HDR10, restored from the
original camera negative. Special Features on the 4K include a NEW:
40 Years of Stripes With Bill & Ivan
- a two-part on-camera reunion between star Bill Murray and director
Ivan Reitman, discussing their careers, memories from set, a tribute
to the cast, as well as a special guest appearance from
cinematographer Bill Butler and a NEW addition of a Theatrical
Trailer.
Standard
Blu-ray Special Features:
Feature
Length Audio Commentary with Ivan Reitman and Dan Goldberg
(Extended version only)
NEW:
11 Additional Deleted & Extended Scenes
NEW:
1983 TV Version of the film (in standard definition)
Deleted
& Extended Scenes from the Extended version of the film
and
a Stars
and Stripes
Documentary
And
finally, the most undisputed classic here, Martin Scorsese's Taxi
Driver
(1976) with Robert De Niro, a film that announced one of the greatest
actors of all time had arrived and one of the greatest directors of
all time had also arrived and would make uncompromising film, no
matter how controversial. Here is a link to my coverage of the first
of two previous editions of the film I have reviewed, with a link to
the other:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14557/Game+Of+Thrones:+The+Complete+Sixth+Season
From
Paul Schrader's stunning screenplay, De Niro is former Marine Travis
Bickle, who signs up to be a cabbie because he says he cannot sleep.
However, he's got other major issues and has never been able to truly
integrate into society, so that lack of connection and loneliness has
resulted in a man who has some issues slowly boiling underneath. Its
an election year and he not only gets to drive a Presidential
candidate around at one time, he looks into what he is about, only to
get interested in a lady in his office (Cybill Shepherd) working to
help him get elected.
More
twists and turns come about as his new job starts exposing him to the
dirtier sides of the city and his own issues catch up with him, as he
meets an underaged prostitute (Jodie Foster) who adds on to his
obsessions. From there, he becomes more radical and might finally
act on his desires.
The
2160p HECV/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision, HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image was featured on the
Mastered
In 4K
basic, regular Blu-ray and looked good there, but this is one of the
best 4K discs I have seen to date with the outstanding color, detail,
definition and brilliant cinematography (by Michael Chapman) are demo
material to say the least form the first frame to the last shot. You
have to see this one to believe it and it is the ace entry in a box
set that is very impressive.
The
1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer is more basic
like the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray I reviewed and not even as good as
that Mastered
In 4K
version which had no extras, but this is passable.
Extras
are the same as the 40th Anniversary set we previously reviewed, but
the 4K Ultra HD Includes the Feature itself presented in 4K
resolution with scene-specific, 12-bit color Dolby Vision, restored
from the original camera negative. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
sounds a little better here than on any other version of the film (as
supervised by Scorsese, of course) and only this edition has the
original monophonic sound as lossless Mono DTS-HD Master Audio. The
4K extras are limited a NEW 20th Anniversary Re-Release Trailer,
plus...
Making
Taxi
Driver
Documentary
Storyboard
to Film Comparisons with Martin Scorsese Introduction
and
Animated Photo Galleries
The
regular Blu-ray has much more and includes the 40-Minute
Taxi Driver Q&A
featuring Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster and Many
More Recorded Live at the Beacon Theatre in New York City at the
2016 Tribeca Film Festival plus...
Feature
Length Audio Commentary with Director Martin Scorsese and Writer
Paul Schrader Recorded by the Criterion Collection decades ago
Feature
Length Audio Commentaries by Writer Paul Schrader and by Professor
Robert Kolker (author of the brilliant book A
Cinema Of Loneliness,
reviewed elsewhere on this site)
Martin
Scorsese on Taxi
Driver
Influence
and Appreciation: A Martin Scorsese Tribute
Producing
Taxi Driver
God's
Lonely Man
Taxi
Driver
Stories
Travis'
New York
Travis'
New York Locations
and
an Original Theatrical Trailer
Besides
the fancy casing, the one other great extra is an 80-page hardcover
booklet the size of case that covers all six films, is well
illustrated, has great tech info and is a high quality volume.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
