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directed by
Zoltan Korda
UK 1939
This Technicolor spectacular, directed by Zoltán Korda, is considered the finest of the many adaptations of A. E. W. Mason’s classic 1902 adventure novel about the British empire’s exploits in Africa, and a crowning achievement of Alexander Korda’s legendary production company, London Films. Set at the end of the nineteenth century, The Four Feathers follows the travails of a young officer (John Clements) accused of cowardice after he resigns his post on the eve of a major deployment to Khartoum; he must then fight to redeem himself in the eyes of his fellow officers (including Ralph Richardson) and fiancée (June Duprez). Featuring music by Miklós Rózsa and Oscar-nominated cinematography by Georges Périnal and Osmond Borradaile, The Four Feathers is a thrilling, thunderous epic. ***
Perhaps the brothers Korda had their finest UK achievement in 1939 with their
Technicolor production of The Four Feathers. It combined thrilling action
scenes, breathtaking cinematography and a heartfelt story of war, its
interpretations and effects. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: April 20th, 1939
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Comparison:
MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT 2) Criterion Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT
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DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC | Criterion Region 'A' - Blu-ray Spine # 583 |
Runtime | 1:55:00 | 1:55:15.325 |
Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.88 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,746,461,852 bytesFeature: 34,003,218,432 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: |
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Bitrate: Blu-ray |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital mono) | LPCM Audio English
1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
Subtitles | English, French, Spanish, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information:
Edition Details: • Theatrical
Trailer (2:43) |
Release Information: 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,746,461,852 bytesFeature: 34,003,218,432 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps Edition Details:
• Audio commentary by film historian Charles
Drazin |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - September 11': Predictably the Criterion 1080P 1:37:1 image is visually superior to the interlaced, single-layered, MGM SD transfer. Notable differences are that some colors have taken shifts from dull brown to bluish grey hues. Detail marginally advances and more textured grain is evident. The DVD looks flatter with some contrast flaring and the hi-def decreases those deficiencies. There is some more information that the bottom of the DVD frame than on the Criterion but the Blu-ray gains data on top and both side frames. Certainly the Criterion is far more film-like. The Technicolor reds - via the uniforms - appear more intense and rich. There were only a very few instances of frame specific speckles but otherwise the image is, reasonably, clean.
Criterion have transferred the audio in a linear PCM
mono track at 1152 kbps. It is is unremarkable but
consistent with the associated weaknesses coming from a
film of over 70-years ago. The Miklos Rosza score's
strings can 'screech' a bit. I did some toggling testing
with the DVD and there is a notable improvement - even
in the depth - that barely exists. There are optional
English subtitles on the Region 'A'-locked
Blu-ray disc.
Criterion's extras include an audio commentary featuring
British film historian Charles Drazin - author of
Korda: Britain's Only Movie Mogul and
In Search of "The Third Man" . We get a
20-minute video interview with David Korda, the eldest
son of The Four Feathers director, Zoltan Korda,
recorded in London in 2011. In it he discusses his
family and his father's career. 'A Day at
Denham' is a, 10-minute, 1939 promotional film that
takes viewers on a brief tour of London Film
Productions' studios, operated from 1936 to 1952 and
founded by Alexander Korda at that city and includes
rare footage of Zoltan Korda at work on The Four
Feathers. There is also a theatrical trailer (2:52)
and a liner notes booklet with an essay by film critic
Michael Sragow.
The Drazin commentary further boosted my, already lofty,
appreciation of this incredible film. Despite renditions
afterward this was the fourth version of A.E.W. Mason's
magnificent story. The Four Feathers had already
been filmed in 1915, 1921 and 1929! It's a classic tale
of war adventure and heroic gestures - crafted together
brilliantly by Korda. For many it doesn't get much
better than this and we expect Criterion's transfer to
be the definitive one for decades to come. Our absolute
highest recommendation. This is an essential part of
every digital collection.
***
ON THE DVD: Most who read my
reviews know I am not a big fan of MGM's DVD productions. I feel they
are always trying to slide weak transfers by us with little or no effort
to the extra features. There are never any significant liner notes and
occasionally the transfer is not progressive or even High Definition.
This is no exception
- poor scene frame shifts and combing are evident (see last capture)
indicating, again, that this is not a progressive transfer (each frame
transferred individually). Aside from that the image looks very nice,
with minor damage. The mono
audio track is consistent, but nothing spectacular. Subtitles are clear
and bright. Again there are no extras - save a very poor quality
theatrical trailer. I certainly don't want to detract from this fine
film and it's possible that the majority of tube owners won't notice the
transfer weakness, but I wager this DVD lasts longer in peoples
collections than their current viewing set-up. This is supposed to be
the beauty of DVD - its versatility and potential. Well, there is a UK
and Aussie DVD of the film that we hope to compare to this one day.
Typically old-technology MGM transfer with no extras, but to see this
grand film in its early Technicolor beauty is reason for some small joy.
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