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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Boom!")

 

Directed by Joseph Losey
 USA 1968

 

Cinema icons (and twice-married couple) Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton light up the screen in what acclaimed playwright Tennessee Williams (A Streetcar Named Desire) described as the best film adaptation of his work he’d ever seen. Sissy Goforth (Taylor), the world’s richest woman, has retired to her lavish island estate to dictate her memoirs. Her reclusive lifestyle is thrown into upheaval when roguish poet Chris Flanders (Burton) washes up on her beach. With the mysterious habit of calling upon a lady one step before the undertaker, Flanders has become known as "The Angel Of Death", but an undaunted Goforth opts to tempt fate when she chooses to take Flanders as her next and last lover.


A notorious bomb on its initial release, Boom! has since built up a cult following for its one-of-a-kind mixture of camp, lyricism, and the highly combustible chemistry of its two leads. More than fifty years after Boom!’s debut, Shout! Factory invites you to light the fuse on a re-examination of this highly unusual drama.

***

Boom is taken from the Tennessee Williams play The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore. Flora Goforth (Elizabeth Taylor) is a foul-mouthed, booze-swilling, pill-popping, middle-aged woman near death. She spends her time swearing at the servants and looks forward to the end of it all, until poet Chris Flanders (Richard Burton) comes to her island home. Known in literary circles as the "angel of death," the poet gives the dying woman some measure of comfort in his presence -- while he takes comfort in her liquor cabinet and her jewelry. Often she is visited by the Witch of Capri (Noel Coward), a gossip-minded homosexual who appears to be Flora's only friend. Williams wrote the screenplay, which unfortunately proved ineffectual, as Taylor and Burton were seemingly caught up in their own world of wallowing in self-importance. The feature did little to boost the sagging careers of Burton and Taylor or to alter the public's negative opinions of their personal lives.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 26th, 1968

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Review: Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

    

Distribution Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:52:40.462        
Video

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,071,859,527 bytes

Feature: 35,138,359,296 bytes

Video Bitrate: 36.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1566 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1566 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1683 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1683 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Shout! Factory

 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,071,859,527 bytes

Feature: 35,138,359,296 bytes

Video Bitrate: 36.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• NEW Audio Commentary With Filmmaker John Waters
 • NEW "The Sound Of A Bomb: Contextualizing Boom!" With Film Critic/Author Alonso Duralde (19:28)
 • Original Theatrical Trailer (2:21)
 • Vintage Photo Galleries


 Blu-ray Release Date: May 28th, 2019
 Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Shout! Factory Blu-ray (May 2019): Shout! Factory have transferred Joseph Losey's Boom to Blu-ray. It is not crisp and colors and contrast seem muted. However, the 1080P image is consistent. It shows texture on the dual-layered Blu-ray with a max'ed out bitrate. I presume this is an authentic representation of the source. There isn't much depth. Liz always looks good in close-ups with moderate detail. Overall, it might be considered a shade underwhelming.

On their Blu-ray, Shout! Factory use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original English language. It sounds impressive with the sometimes subtle and passive score by the iconic John Barry (The Whisperers, Deadfall, The Chase, Midnight Cowboy, Dances With Wolves and the Bond themes among his many credits) sounding reasonably deep with consistent dialogue. Shout! Factory offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Shout! Factory has a new audio commentary with filmmaker John Waters (Multiple Maniacs, Female Trouble) who immediately informs us that Boom is his favorite film and his enthusiasm and knowledge about the production, it's influence on Pink Flamingos, Taylor (comparisons to Divine), Burton, the producers, crew, Tennessee Williams, Joseph Losey (who bragged he was the first person to lose money with Liz Taylor) is wonderful to hear. It's great and he seems to be enjoying himself as we do as well. There is also a 20-minute new video piece; "The Sound Of A Bomb: Contextualizing Boom!" with film critic/author Alonso Duralde (101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men) and he gives fresh insight into the film. There is also an original theatrical trailer and vintage photo galleries including stills and promotional material.

Obviously, despite the stellar assembled team for Boom (Taylor, Burton, Losey, Barry score etc.) it is a muddled mess of staving off mortality, and confused sexuality subtext - although Taylor shines in her role. It's a delightfully odd film experience. It's a film I will revisit many times when in the mood - there is something intangible here to admire. For fans of any of those involved this Blu-ray of a flawed film with fun, insightful commentary is recommended! 

Gary Tooze

 

Menus / Extras

 

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More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

    

Distribution Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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