ADDITION: (October 2023) Milestone Films Region 'A' - Blu-ray: Firstly, I still absolutely adore this film - it has been a favorite for years. Our comments: this is the same BFI 'restoration' from over a decade ago (same scratches and marks) but the 1080P transfer is significantly more robust (more than double the bitrate.) It won't show much improvement via the static screen captures but in-motion the Milestone is the winner - smoother, less artifact-y and clunky with zero compression. It's never looked better for digital.

NOTE: We have added 74 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

Although DTS-HD Master over linear PCM - my ears could not detect any difference playing many scenes back-to-back - slight imperfections still exist. The music is uncredited by Lambert Williamson (Track the Man Down, Cosh Boy, the piano played in the Pub in The Good Die Young) and Psalm 23 sung a cappella by the congregation in church.

Supplements also duplicate the BFI; from the 2004 BFI DVD - Daniel Day-Lewis reading extracts from 200,000 Feet on Foula, (representing the amount of film footage used) the book that was inspired by the film. In the commentary with Thelma Schoonmaker (Michael Powell's widow, Martin Scorsese's editor) and film critic Ian Christie we get revealing information. The video supplements include Michael Powell's home movies narrated by Schoonmaker, and Powell's 23-minute documentary: Return to the Edge of the World (1978) with color book-ends in which director and actors revisit the island of Foula forty years later and talk about their experiences - with John Laurie, Frankie Reidy, Sydney Streeter, Grant Sutherland and Jimmy Gray. Repeated as well are the silent alternative scenes of the beginning and ending. New is Michael Powell’s WWII-era 6-minute short documentary film An Airman’s Letter to his Mother from 1941 narrated by John Gielgud. The letter in question appeared in The Times of London, written by a pilot who had been killed in the war. There are no liner notes.

The Edge of the World is based on the depopulation of the isolated Scottish archipelago of St Kilda in the North Atlantic Ocean. It represented Powell's first major film effort and it beautifully captures raw nature and the dwindling co-existence with man. It has spectacular sea cliffs and lavish landscapes. Following the death of Belle Chrystall (playing the Manson family's daughter Ruth) in 2003, there are no surviving members of the credited cast or crew. Because of its remote location and oceanic climate there are no permanent residents on St Kilda since 1930. The Edge of the World has our highest recommendation.

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ADDITION: (August 2010) BFI Region FREE - Blu-ray: I always think of, another masterpiece, Powell + Pressburger's I Know Where I'm Going. Something indescribable is captured in The Edge of the World - I doubt I could ever adequately relate my appreciation. I'd love to travel to Foula one day. Seeing and hearing this look and sound even better than my initial viewing was pure pleasure.

I was totally thrilled when I heard this was coming to Blu-ray courtesy of BFI. The transfer may not be as technically robust as I was hoping - single-layered with the feature taking up just over 11 Gig of space on the disc and a modest bitrate - but I can't argue with the appearance. Compared to the DVDs - detail rises notably and the 1080P transfer has lost some of the brightness flaring I saw. Contrast is a shade darker. This remains clean(er) from the BFI restoration and textured grain is evident - and sometimes abundant in the long distance landscape shots. Peter states, via email, that he is surprised at the amount of compression artifacts.

Audio was a bit of an issue on the DVDs - more associated with production/source and the film's age (over 70-years old) . It is still imperfect here but with a linear PCM 2.0 channel at 1500 Kbps it has more depth and I feel it is probably the best it will sound without extensive and costly restoration. Optional English subtitles are included and my Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.  

Extras are duplicated from the 2004 BFI DVD with Daniel Day-Lewis reading extracts from 200,000 Feet on Foula, the book that was inspired by the film in the commentary with Thelma Schoonmaker (Michael Powell's widow, Martin Scorsese's editor) and film critic Ian Christie. The video supplements here are in HD including Michael Powell's home movies, and the documentary: Return to the Edge of the World (1978) and the Travelogue: St Kilda - Britain's Loneliest Isle from 1928 - with optional commentary.

Included are an optional alternate opening title and credit sequences and the 26-page liner notes, fully illustrated, booklet with newly commissioned essay by Professor Ian Christie, reviews and notes on the film. I can't help assume dual-layering with a higher bitrate might have done even more for the visuals but as it stands it is such an impressive piece of cinema I'll take whatever I can get - and this may very well be in my top 10 of the year. If you haven't seen The Edge of the World - I envy your first exposure - and seeing on Blu-ray in your home theater should be an incredibly rewarding experience. Enjoy!

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ON THE DVDs: The Edge of the World used stems from a restoration begun by the National Film and Television Archive in 1990. At that time a previous reel of footage was re-inserted, correcting the damage present in a later reissue. Just this year, the BFI digitally restored the picture and sound. It is marvelous.