Firstly, a massive thank you to our Patreon supporters. Your generosity touches me deeply. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance has become essential.

 

What do Patrons receive, that you don't?

 

1) Our weekly Newsletter sent to your Inbox every Monday morning!
2) Patron-only Silent Auctions - so far over 30 Out-of-Print titles have moved to deserved, appreciative, hands!
3) Access to over 50,000 unpublished screen captures in lossless high-resolution format!

 

Please consider keeping us in existence with a couple of dollars or more each month (your pocket change!) so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. Thank you very much.


 

Search DVDBeaver

 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Walter Grauman
USA / UK 1964

Directed by Boris Sagal

USA / UK 1969

 

Cliff Robertson (Charly, Midway) and George Chakiris (West Side Story, Kings of the Sun) lead a do-or-die mission in 633 Squadron. The year is 1944, and Allied forces learn that the Nazis are planning to pummel England with an all-out rocket blitz. The only way to stop the threat is to send the Royal Air Force’s Mosquito bombers into narrow Norwegian fjords to create an avalanche that will crush the Nazis’ rocket-fuel plants. Can Wing Commander Roy Grant (Robertson) and the boys of the courageous 633 Squadron pull it off? And if so, will they live to reap the glory? Breathtaking aerial attack sequences featuring authentic period aircraft highlight this pulse-pounding WWII action-adventure. Co-Starring Harry Andrews (The Hill) and Donald Houston (Where Eagles Dare) and directed by television and Hollywood veteran Walter E. Grauman (Lady in a Cage).

 

In Mosquito Squadron David McCallum (The Great Escape, TV’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) stars in this epic WWII adventure that perfectly captures the explosive action and emotional torment of war. With its astonishing special effects, stark cinematography and brilliantly choreographed aerial combat sequences, Mosquito Squadron catapults the viewer into the searing heat of battle! As Allied forces struggle against the awesome might of the German Luftwaffe, an even greater threat is posed by the destructive V3 rocket nearing completion at a secret testing center. The Royal Air Force’s Mosquito Squadron gears up to destroy the site, but its leader, Quint Munroe (McCallum), becomes conflicted when he discovers that the air strike may kill hundreds of British POWs—including the squad’s former commander! Co-starring Charles Gray (Diamonds are Forever, The File of the Golden Goose) and directed by television and Hollywood veteran Boris Sagal (The Omega Man).

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 4th, 1964 / August 22nd, 1969

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Review: Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Mosquito Squadron is coming to Blu-ray in the UK from 88 Films in January 2024:

Bonus Captures:
Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 633 Squadron 1:34:57.817  / Mosquito Squadron: 1:30:39.934
Video

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,587,788,263 bytes

2.35:1 - 633 Squadron: 20,856,649,728 bytes

1.66:1 - Mosquito Squadron: 21,016,571,904 bytes

Video Bitrate: 25.93 Mbps / 27.49 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate 633 Squadron Blu-ray:

Bitrate Mosquito Squadron Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1566 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1566 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentaries:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Kino

 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,587,788,263 bytes

2.35:1 - 633 Squadron: 20,856,649,728 bytes

1.66:1 - Mosquito Squadron: 21,016,571,904 bytes

Video Bitrate: 25.93 Mbps / 27.49 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• NEW Audio Commentaries by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin
 • Theatrical Trailers 633 Squadron (3:16) / Mosquito Squadron (2:42)


 Blu-ray Release Date: July 20th, 2021
 Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 10 / 9

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (July 2021): Kino have transferred a "Mosquito Bomber" double feature with 1964's 633 Squadron and 1969's Mosquito Squadron to Blu-ray. They share a dual-layered disc. The quality is sub-standard with compromised moments, damage (see sample below) and a few scenes that vary in image quality. It's undoubtedly the source condition and the 1080P exports clunkier grain than we are used to. They are both watchable but may be a notch below anticipated standards.   

NOTE: We have added 50 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel tracks (16-bit) in the original English language for both films (with some German in both films.) There are aerial effects, plane engines and bombing, strafing etc. There are scores by Ron Goodwin (Village of the Damned, The Day of the Triffids, Operation Crossbow, Hitchcock's Frenzy etc.) for 633 Squadron and for Mosquito Squadron the score was composed by Frank Cordell (Ring of Bright Water, The Rebel, "God Told Me To", "Khartoum") - both support the adventurous and dramatic sequences well enough if not being exceptionally memorable. Kino offer optional English subtitles on both films on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a new commentaries for both films by filmmaker/historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism author Steven Jay Rubin. They talk about the quick and maneuverable Mosquito Bomber, the American star stars (Robertson, Chakiris McCallum etc.) in UK films and the usual large budget for this genre of films (not lacking production values.) They fill both films running time with relevant information discussing the relative short shooting time, the wooden-built Mosquito Bomber making it faster, the support from Maria Perschy (The Castle of Fu Manchu,) Harry Andrews (Watership Down), Suzanne Neve (the UFO TV series), Robert Urquhart (a Hammer Studio connection - The Curse of Frankenstein) etc. There are also trailers for both films.   

Fans of planes and war films will appreciate this double bill - especially the RAF variety - although both would be considered mid-tier. The Kino Blu-ray offers the twin commentaries and both are transferred in 1080P. There are plenty of support cast to recognize helping the cause against the secret Nazi V-2 rocket production! Recommended to a select group.

Gary Tooze

 

Menus / Extras

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

633 Squadron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mosquito Squadron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damage on 633 Squadron

 

(CLICK to ENLARGE)

 

 

 

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

 

633 Squadron

 

Mosquito Squadron

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Mosquito Squadron is coming to Blu-ray in the UK from 88 Films in January 2024:

Bonus Captures:
Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

Search DVDBeaver

 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

 CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!