Go Tell the Spartans Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Ted Post
USA 1978

Screen legend Burt Lancaster (Run Silent, Run Deep) delivers one of the finest performances of his career as a hard-boiled major in command of a grubby Vietnam outpost in this classic film of wartime confrontation. The war was still a conflict and American soldiers were merely advisors, yet the ambushes, the betrayals and the brutality were all very real. While the riveting action concentrates on a single, obscure incident, this excellent, understated and sharply intelligent film illuminates the vast landscape of an era. Directed by veteran Hollywood and TV director Ted Post (Magnum Force) and featuring top-notch cinematography by Harry Stradling (Little Big Man, Convoy) with a stellar cast that includes Craig Wasson (Body Double), Marc Singer (The Beastmaster), Jonathan Goldsmith (Most Interesting Man in the World commercials), Joe Unger (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Clyde Kusatsu (The Challenge), James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China), David Clennon (John Carpenter's The Thing) and Dolph Sweet (Fear is the Key)....

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Go Tell the Spartans is set in Vietnam during that period in which American troops were euphemistically termed "advisors." Reluctantly dispensing much of that advice is veteran American major Asa Barker (Burt Lancaster). Though he knows what works and what doesn't on the battlefield, Barker is obliged to carry out the go-nowhere policies of the American military brass. His current objective is a woebegone, barely crucial outpost, which he must defend with a handful of green soldiers and end-of-tether Vietnamese militiamen. True to his predictions, the outpost is overwhelmed by the Vietcong, who have something to fight about and are ruthless in their tactics. Before the relief troops can arrive, virtually everyone is senselessly killed, including Barker. The only survivor is Corporal Stephen Courcey (Craig Wasson), a willing draftee whose initial idealism dies along with his comrades. Wendell Mayes adapted Go Tell the Spartans from the novel Incident at Muc Wa by Daniel Ford.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters etc.

Release: June 14th, 1978

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Review: Scorpion Releasing - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: There is also a French Blu-ray available;:
Distribution	Scorpion Releasing - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:54:25.859
Video	1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,493,361,985 bytes Feature: 33,339,512,832 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1912 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1912 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Scorpion Releasing 1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,493,361,985 bytes Feature: 33,339,512,832 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Interview with Marc Singer (29:48) • Interview with Ted Post (18:53) • Interview with Jonathan Goldsmith (11:53) • Interview with Joe Unger (14:17) • Interview with David Clennon (24:43) Reversible sleeve (see below) Blu-ray Release Date: December 5th, 2017 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 13

Comments:

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

ADDITION: (August 2018) Scorpion Releasing - Region FREE - Blu-ray: This Vietnam flic, with Burt Lancaster,, comes to us via Scorpion Releasing on a, Region FREE, dual-layered Blu-ray. The 1.78:1 image is exported with a max'ed out bitrate. The presentation weaknesses are reflected more by the source than the adept transfer. The image can look thin and a bit frail - never consistently crisp with softness with occasional 'jaggies'. It looks pleasing in-motion but gave me a sense of minor digitization, which wasn't overtly hindering my enjoyment.

"Go Tell the Spartans" is given a 24-bit DTS-HD Master track in the original English language, with some Vietnamese. The dialogue is clear and the film sports an unremarkable score by Dick Halligan. There are aggressive effects including explosions and gunfire that do carry a modicum of depth. There are no subtitles offered on this Region-Free Blu-ray.

Scorpion Releasing have provided interviews with Marc Singer - 'Capt. Alfred Olivetti' in the film for almost a 1/2 hour, we spend 20-minutes with director Ted Post (Magnum Force, The Baby, Nightkill), a dozen minutes with Jonathan Goldsmith who portrayed Sgt. Oleonowski, 14-minutes with Joe Unger (Lt. Raymond Hamilton) and 25-minutes with David Clennon (Lt. Finley Wattsberg). They recall the production hurdles, working with Lancaster etc. The package has a reversible cover sleeve (see below.)

Thanks to Scorpion Releasing, for releasing "Go Tell the Spartans" in 1080P. It's a reasonably highly-regarded Vietnam war effect despite not providing a reference quality Blu-ray image. Probably more suited to Burt Lancaster fans although is role is not a typical 'lead' performance appearing in a little over 1/2 the film. The conflicted soldiers and officers give the film a unique outlook, although the film was overshadowed by many late 70's Hollywood films condemning the Vietnam War. With the 1.5 hours of interviews there is certainly some value here for those keen.