Directed by Henry King
USA 1957

 

  In all probability, many bristling book-readers are going to march into the Roxy for the screen version of Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" with a unanimous, grim conviction; it had better be good. It is.

Bravely tackling one of the most hallowed of all American novels, as his second independent project under the Twentieth Century-Fox banner, Darryl F. Zanuck has assembled a glitteringly spacious and beautiful background canvas, on location in France, Spain and Mexico.

This visual magnificence, in CinemaScope and color, frames a picturesque cast, headed by Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner and Mel Ferrer, that looks hand-picked down to the last bit "extra." Director Henry King has staged a personalized, handsome big "show," from Peter Viertel's admirably faithful script, which slices a few corners and minor characters from the source.

While the result is emotionally intriguing, rather than powerful, it remains, nevertheless, Hemingway all the way.

Excerpt of Bosley Crowther's NY Times review published August 24, 1957 located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 23rd, 1957

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DVD Comparison:

 Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC

(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover

   

Distribution Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC
The Fox edition is also available in The Hemingway Classics Collection which includes - The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Under My Skin and Adventures of a Young Man here:

         

Runtime 2:04:48 (4% PAL speedup) 2:10:04 
Video 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.57 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.19 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

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

Bitrate:  Cinema Club

Bitrate:  Fox NTSC

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0)  English (Dolby Digital 4.0 Stereo), DUBs: French (Dolby Digital Mono), Spanish (Dolby Digital Mono)
Subtitles None English, Spanish, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Cinema Club

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1

Edition Details:

• none 

DVD Release Date: August 28th, 2006

Transparent Keep Case
Chapters: 15

Release Information:
Studio: 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection)
 

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by film historians Patricia King Hanson and  Frank Thompson
• Featurette: The Old Men and The Bulls: The Making of The Sun Also Rises

•  Featurette - Hemingway on Film
• Audio conversation with director Henry King
• Restoration comparison
• Original theatrical trailer

Stills Gallery
 

DVD Release Date: March 7th, 2007
Slim Keep Case inside cardboard box

Chapters 25

 

 

Comments:

I still feel that the Cinema Club may be one of the best single-layered images I have ever seen, but the dual-layered Fox appearance is superior in their magnificent and stacked new DVD package. The Fox is marginally brighter and makes the Cinema Club image appear vertically compressed. Both images are fairly free of artifacts but the Fox is sharper and smoother. In audio the Fox gives the original 4.0 channel stereo and two mono DUBs. The Fox offers optional subtitles in English or Spanish.

The Fox DVD offers some excellent supplements including another informative and professional commentary by film historians Patricia King Hanson and Frank Thompson (who has written a book on director Henry King - Henry King Director: From Silents to Scope). They discuss things associated with Hemingway's novel and the evolution of the screen play. It is a very calmly paced commentary and the two work well together supporting each other's comments with supplementary facts. There is a 21 minute featurette entitled The Old Men and The Bulls: The Making of The Sun Also Rises - plus a 23 minute Featurette entitled Hemingway on Film. Fox found another audio conversation with director King about the film. There is also a restoration comparison, stills gallery and theatrical trailer. There are no liner notes.

If bought individually the PAL edition is about half the price of the Fox but we support purchasing the entire Hemingway Collection (which we hope to review in detail) and accrue that handsome savings. Fox has done another admirable job with this collection. Recommended.  

Gary W. Tooze



DVD Menus

 

(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)


 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 

Subtitle Sample - NOTE: only the Fox offers subtitles

 

 


Screen Captures

 

(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 

 


 

(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 

 


 

(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 

 


 

(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 

 


 

(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 

 


 
(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
 

 


 
(Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
 

 


Report Card:

 

Image:

Fox

Sound:

Fox

Extras: Fox
Menu: Fox

 

DVD Box Cover

   

Distribution Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL 20th Century Fox (Hemingway Film Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC
The Fox edition is also available in The Hemingway Classics Collection which includes - The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Under My Skin and Adventures of a Young Man here:

         




 

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