Disc:

Video:

Aspect ratio: 1.66:1

Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Bitrate:

 

 

Audio:

The Film:

A New York Times film critic Vincent Canby wrote in 1985, “A Passage to India is the kind of movie that people think they are talking about when they insist that ‘they’—meaning Hollywood in the generic sense—don’t make movies the way they used to.” Indeed, it is an epic echo to the way movies used to be made, as demonstrated by director David Lean’s own previous epics, such as Doctor Zhivago (1965) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Based on the novel by E. M. Forster, the film is set in colonial India in 1924. Adela Quested (Judy Davis), a sheltered, well-bred British woman, travels to the subcontinent to visit her fiancé, a British magistrate posted in a small town; her traveling companion is his mother Mrs. Moore (Peggy Ashcroft). They arrive in the fictional town of Chandrapore, and soon wish to escape the trappings of colonial Britain and hope to experience the sensual sights and the sounds of "the real India". Soon, Adela and Mrs. Moore meet and befriend Dr. Aziz (Victor Banerjee), who, despite longstanding racial and social taboos, moves with relative ease and freedom amongst highborn British circles. Feeling comfortable with Adela, Aziz invites her and Mrs. Moore to accompany him on a visit to the Marabar caves. Leaving an overcome Mrs. Moore behind, Aziz and Adela climb a mountain to reach a more forbidden part of the caves. What happens in the mystical caves touches off a mystery that implicates Aziz in a shameful crime, and brings to light the shameful hypocrisy and racism prevalent in the ruling British class.

Excerpt from Turner Classic Films located HERE

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Audio & Music: We are given a lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track (and similar French DUB) that although not extensively tested - does the job well with some scattered separation to the rears (as in crowd jeers, train whistles, the echo sequence etc.). It's, obviously, very clean and clear (no pops, gaps etc.) and supported by English, French or Spanish subtitles. My Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide. 

Extras: Great job by Sony by including this new commentary by one of the producers; Richard Goodwin - who's most recent work would be as executive producer on Brad Pitt's Seven Years in Tibet (1997) and before Passage producing some Agatha Christie films; Evil Under the Sun (1982) and The Mirror Crack'd (1980). With over 30 years in the industry he knows his stuff and although I wouldn't begin to consider this an academic commentary, as one might find on a Criterion disc, he does his job adequately and I genuinely appreciated the effort discussing locales and sets, plus some minor controversies. There is an impractical feature - Beyond the Passage - Picture-in-Graphic Track (which one can view while the film runs - exclusive to the Blu-ray) and seven shortish featurettes (about 10 minutes each) with input from crew and cast - basically on the 'Making of...'. There is lots of justified glad-handing to Lean and some interesting nostalgic anecdotal information imparted.

I especially enjoyed the Vision of India segment. There is enough to justify perusing them if not simply leisurely sitting through and soaking up the aura of the production. Aside from that - we have a promo on Blu-ray and another on 'The David Lean Collection' with hints at more of the master's work to surface in high-definition. 

Bottom line: Well folks, this is all very positive and you want some more good news? - it's less than $20 - making it an essential purchase in my mind. The film is a bona-fide classic infusing expressions of pride, prejudice, respect with a backdrop of cultural diversity... and this Blu-ray exports the sumptuous image with grace and precision. The perfect film for the new format. It has our highest recommendation.