We have started a Patreon page with the hopes that
some of our followers would be
willing to donate a small amount to keep DVDBeaver
alive. We are a tiny niche, so your
generosity is vital to our
existence.
We are talking about a minimum of
$0.10 - $0.15 a day, perhaps a
quarter (or more) to those who won't
miss it from their budget. It
equates to buying DVDBeaver a coffee
once, twice or a few times a month.
You can then participate in our
monthly
Silent
auctions. |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
directed
by Rob Reiner
USA 1992
A taut script and bravura performances distinguish Rob Reiner's masterfully directed adaptation of the award-winning play written by West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin. Tom Cruise heads the powerhouse cast, portraying a callow Navy lawyer who defends two young Marines accused of murdering a fellow Leatherneck on their Guantánamo Bay base. Although he's got only three major scenes, Jack Nicholson sparkles as the stern commanding officer, a much-decorated veteran who resents Cruise's intimation that the accidental death resulted from the misinterpretation of orders from higher-ups. Nicholson's fiery courtroom confrontation with Cruise precipitates a shattering climax, and it has come to rank among the most memorable sequences in any Hollywood movie. The direction by Reiner (The American President) is assured but unobtrusive, relying more on the forcefulness of Sorkin's screenplay and the skill of a stellar ensemble cast (which also includes Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, and J. T. Walsh) than on flashy camera moves. Solid and unpretentious, albeit somewhat floridly melodramatic in spots, A Few Good Men certainly makes riveting entertainment, but it also reminds us that courage, honor, and integrity are virtues worth defending -- even when the defenders themselves are the ones making mistakes.
***
The role doesn't
have to be big, but if it's good, and if the actor playing it is great, the
results can be magically transforming. Witness Jack Nicholson's vicious,
funny, superbly reptilian turn in Rob Reiner's entertaining "A Few Good
Men," adapted by Aaron Sorkin from his hit Broadway courtroom drama. Excerpt from Vincent Canby's review at the NY Times located HERE |
Posters
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Theatrical Release: December 9th, 1992
![]() |
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC vs. Sony Pictures (SuperBit) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Sony Pictures - Blu-ray vs. Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD |
1) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC - LEFT 2) Sony Pictures (SuperBit) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) Sony Pictures - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD 4) Sony Pictures - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - RIGHT
|
Box Covers |
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
|
||||
Distribution |
Sony Pictures (SE) Region 1,3,4 - NTSC |
Sony (SuperBit) Region 0 - NTSC |
Sony Pictures - Blu-ray Region FREE |
Sony
Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD |
Runtime | 2:17:50 | 2:17:50 | 2:18:01.273 | 2:18:01.272 |
Video |
2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
2.35 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 44,323,203,268 bytesFeature: 39,556,442,112 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.14 MbpsCodec: MPEG2 Video |
2.4 :1 2060P 4K Ultra HDDisc Size: 62,590,145,023 bytesFeature: 62,324,023,296 bytes Video Bitrate: 47.80 MbpsCodec: HEVC Video |
Bitrate : Special Edition |
|
|||
Bitrate: SuperBit |
|
|||
Bitrate: Blu-ray |
|
|||
Bitrate:
Sony
|
|
|||
Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), DUBs: French, Spanish, Portuguese (Dolby Digital 2.0) | English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS) |
Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
Dolby TrueHD + Atmos English 3895 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 3895 kbps / 24-bit
(AC3 Embedded: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps) Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / Dolby Surround |
Subtitles | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, None | English, Japanese, None |
English, English SDH, Arabic, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Greek,
Hebrew, Hindi, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish, French, Hungarian, Romanian,
Icelandic, Bulgaria, Croatian, Slovenian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, None Supplements in English, Dutch, French, German, Korean, None |
English, English SDH, Arabic, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish, French, Hungarian, Romanian, Icelandic, Bulgaria, Croatian, Slovenian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Sony Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: • Featurette: Code of Conduct • Featurette: From Stage to Screen (with Sorkin and Reiner) • Filmographies
• Theatrical trailer Chapters 28 |
Release Information: Studio: Sony Aspect Ratio:
Edition
Details:
DVD
Release Date: April 23rd, 2003 Chapters 28 |
Release Information: Studio: Sony
2.35 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 44,323,203,268 bytesFeature: 39,556,442,112 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.14 MbpsCodec: MPEG2 Video
Edition Details: • Featurette: Code of Conduct (34:51)
• Featurette: From Stage to Screen (with
Sorkin and Reiner) (13:45) Chapters 16 |
Release Information: Studio: Sony
2.4 :1 2060P 4K Ultra HDDisc Size: 62,590,145,023 bytesFeature: 62,324,023,296 bytes Video Bitrate: 47.80 MbpsCodec: HEVC Video
Edition Details: on UHD • Director Reiner Commentary
on Included Blu-ray • Director Reiner Commentary • Featurette: Code of Conduct (34:51)
• Featurette: From Stage to Screen (with
Sorkin and Reiner) (13:45) Chapters 16 |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the respective discs. ADDITION: Sony "25th Anniversary" - Region FREE - 4K UHD - (May 2019): Sony transferred "A Few Good Men" in 2017 a 2-disc set with a 4K UHD disc that includes the exact same MPEG2 Blu-ray from 2007 (VOB files: 02/28/2008.) The 4K rending has over 8 X the bitrate of the 2001 DVD and is in the 2.40:1 where the previously released Blu-ray was 2.35:1. The precise level of fine detail in the image results in a much brighter image with intense white levels (in the uniforms). The HDR (or Dolby Vision, to those with the capability) utilize the format's ability to show a wider spectrum of light (and color) which looks highly impressive on our OLED TV (which has the capability to show almost pure black) - especially compared to the 2007 Blu-ray. The 4K image dramatically benefits from superior contrast and detailed image. The framing is ever-so-slightly different from the old Blu-ray as the matched screen captures bear out.
NOTE:
18 more full resolution (3840 X 2160) captures for
Patrons
HERE.
It is likely that the monitor
you are seeing this review is not an HDR-compatible display
(High Dynamic Range) where each pixel can be assigned with a wider and
notably granular range of color and light. This is the first where our
capture software if simulating the HDR (in a uniform manner) for standard
monitors. This should make it easier for us to review more
4K UHD titles in the
future.
We have reviewed the following 4K
UHD packages to date:
*** ADDITION (2007): The new Sony Blu-ray - while ahead of the DVDs is using the same, less dynamic, MPEG2 encode and has lossy Dolby audio. It has DUB and subtitle options and the same commentary and extras as the 2001 DVD. It requires an upgrade. *** RE the DVD's: There is no significant image quality differences - the Special Edition may have slightly redder skin tones but detail and external colors are an fairly exact match. Both DVDs are progressive, anamorphic in the film's original 2.35 ratio and transferred to dual-layered discs. Both have black borders circumventing the edge of the frame slightly limiting the horizontal resolution. But overall the image is excellent, very few artifacts - clean and sharp.
The differences come in the supplements. In the SuperBit - on the pretext of filtering more data - has none. It offers English and Japanese subtitles and a 5.1 and, largely superfluous, DTS track. The Special Edition has a rather bland commentary from 2001 by director Rob Reiner (lots of gaps) and two featurettes - of the two I preferred 'From Stage to Screen' with input from Sorkin about his original play and Reiner again about the adaptation to film. There are also text screen filmographies and a theatrical trailer. It is coded for regions 1, 3 and 4 with subtitles options making it suitable for sale in alternate locations (parts of Asia and Europe). It loses the DTS track for a 2.0 channel stereo and another 5.1 job with a few offered DUBs. Both are in the NTSC standard. NOTE: My software states the Japanese SuperBit is region 0 although I would assume it is region 2. Bottom line - I'm expecting the Blu-ray to look marvelous and hope it contains some new extras (as well as the old). Great film and Jack's performance borders on terrifyingly sobering as an extremely fundamentalist military mind. I look forward to owning the Blu-ray. We will get some comparative shots if possible. |
Menus
Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Sony Pictures (SuperBit) - Region 0 - NTSC
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Sony Pictures - Blu-ray Region Free
![]() |
![]() |
|
Sony Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY (1920 X 1080) and 4K UHD (3840 X 2060) CAPTURE TO SEE IN FULL RESOLUTION
1) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC - TOP 2) Sony Pictures (SuperBit) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) Sony Pictures - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD 4) Sony Pictures - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC - TOP 2) Sony Pictures (SuperBit) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) Sony Pictures - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD 4) Sony Pictures - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Sony - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD - BOTTOM
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Box Covers |
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
|
||||
Distribution |
Sony Pictures (SE) Region 1,3,4 - NTSC |
Sony (SuperBit) Region 0 - NTSC |
Sony Pictures - Blu-ray Region FREE |
Sony
Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD |