A Queen Is Crowned (1953/Umbrella Entertainment/Region Four/4/PAL
DVD) + The British Empire In Color
(2002/Acorn Media DVD/Region One/1/NTSC Set)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: B/D Film/Documentary: B
PLEASE NOTE: This DVD edition of A Queen Is Crowned can only be operated
on machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Four/4 PAL
format software and can be ordered from our friends at Umbrella Entertainment
at the website address provided at the end of the review. British
Empire is an NTSC Region 1 U.S. release.
Still in
power over a half-century later, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned so back on June
the 2nd, 1953 and she will be the last royal to be so at a time when
Britain still had some of their empire left.
Showing that the royals still know how to do things up well, a
documentary record was made of the event and narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier,
as well as shot for and produced in three-strip, dye-transfer Technicolor. Issued on DVD as A Queen Is Crowned, the entire program is pretty good for its 79
minutes duration and even with the age of the print, you can not only see the
color, but the money on the screen. A
huge event, it set the tone for the country in a way that is still with us and
will likely be long after her reign is done.
So good, it was nominated for an Oscar and win a BAFTA, it is history
and though the Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono may be rough and need some work, the
picture (at 1.33 X 1) has the unique look of British Technicolor and worth a
look.
Only a
few seconds of it are featured in a recent three-part documentary TV
mini-series The
British Empire In Color, but it has the advantage of footage never before
scene that has been culled from many private collections and the least likely
archives, like early footage of Britain at its peak in a color film process
from the 1910s thought lost, but found in a Russian archive that the KGB and
Soviets never got to to burn. Though
music and narrative (including quotes from letters and other historical
documents) can enhance what you see, the footage is so compelling that you can
watch it silent or to any music you choose and it is very hard to take your
eyes off of.
This
includes the country over the years, the real Gandhi in color, items you may
never see anywhere else and color formats long gone. The three parts run 147 minutes and are never
boring. A very impressive production, it
could have gone on for twice as long and probably should have. Either way, it is a must see documentary
mini-series and we particularly recommend it to motion picture fans.
Presented
in an anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 aspect ratio, the films have been
restored very well, though money and time stopped even more repair, but the
view is impressive throughout and editing very effective. Sure, you can tell in some cases where 1.33
frames have been cut at the top and bottom, but it is impressive and proves
that the oldest film can be saved if a group really tries. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has limited
surrounds, but is nicely recorded and blends well, though music can slightly
overwhelm what is being said here and there.
Queen has no extras, but an
outstanding featurette on the making of British
Empire running 26 minutes is a fine surprise with its detail on the
research, teamwork and amazing restoration it took to make this. You can even watch it before the mini-series,
though it has a few spoilers.
As noted above, you can order the PAL DVD import of A Queen Is Crowned exclusively from Umbrella at:
http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/
- Nicholas Sheffo
