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  Specs
  • Widescreen 1.85:1
  • 16:9 Enhanced
  • Dual Layer (RSDL )
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  • English: Dolby Digital Mono
  • French: Dolby Digital Mono
  • Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono
  • German: Dolby Digital Mono
  • Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
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  Extras
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Cast/crew biographies

The Caine Mutiny

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment . R4 . COLOR . 120 mins . PG . PAL

  Feature
Contract

I knew nothing about The Caine Mutiny when I asked to review it, but my logic runs along these lines: If a film from 1954 is released on Region 4 DVD, then it simply has to be great, or it would have been forgotten by now!

Once again, this simple belief has stood me in good stead, as I enjoyed this war classic very much. Humphrey Bogart delivers a fantastic performance as Lt. Commander Queeg, the replacement captain for the minesweeping ship Caine. The previous commander had run a sloppy operation, and Queeg's strict enforcement of the rules seems justified when he begins his command. But soon, the officers on board notice other issues with Queeg: he is an obsessive perfectionist and is incapable of admitting error. Before long, the captain is turning the ship upside down looking for a key he believes was used to open the wardroom fridge and steal a quart of strawberries!

The other officers realise that Queeg is becoming mentally unstable, and when he panics in the middle of a dangerous typhoon his executive officer relieves him of command. Queeg then brings his officers up on charges of mutiny.

Adapted from a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, this film has hardly aged and still makes great entertainment.

  Video
Contract

For a film from 1954, the 1.85:1 anamorphic-enhanced picture is stunning. Quite simply, it's the best transfer of an old film I've yet seen, with full, vibrant colours, good detail and no film damage or excessive grain. This disc makes the DVD of Jason and the Argonauts I reviewed a few days ago look poor, and that film was almost a decade younger!

I don't know how this disc looks so good, but I'm glad it does. I can only make two valid criticisms. First, shadow detail is not as good as it could have been, being on par with the disc of The Great Escape, but I notice this problem with many old films, so it's most likely due to limitations of old film stock.

The other flaw of the transfer is some mild colour shifting during some early scenes (if you've watched the original Star Wars you should be familiar with this effect. Check out the scene in the Imperial garbage disposal). This is due to a reel deteriorating over the decades, but the problem is fairly minor, and shouldn't be overly distracting in context.

The layer change isn't wonderful, and had my girlfriend asking, 'What's that?' when she normally doesn't notice a well-placed transition.

  Audio
Contract

The sound quality is as you'd expect for a film of this era. The mono soundtrack is bass-light and a little thin, with no hiss or hum. The score is decently recorded and there is no hint of distortion. Certainly not reference quality, but a perfect reproduction of the original soundtrack.

  Extras
Contract

Very light extras, as I generally expect from Columbia. A solitary theatrical trailer and filmographies are your lot here.

  Overall  
Contract

Virtually no extras, but an excellent film with strong performances from all cast members, and a story that isn't as cut and dried as it orginally appears to be. Don't let the 'War Classics' banner on the cover put you off if you don't like war movies, as this really doesn't focus on war at all, but is far more interested in exploring character motivations.

Recommended.


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