Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

• Fortress of Peace (1964): A Swiss Army propaganda film shot in Cinerama and nominated for the 1965 Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short Film (21:57)
• Concorde (1966): A 70mm Cinerama short about the then soon-to-be-unveiled supersonic airplane (15:07)
• Working With Our Father on Russian Adventure: An interview with film editors Craig and Hal Dennis Jr., sons of producer Hal Dennis (24:39)
• Reconstructing Russian Adventure: A restoration demonstration with Dave Strohmaier (12:43)

• A Look At Some old Cinema Equipment (2:08)
• Russian Adventure Trailer: Theatrical trailer (5:01)
• Trailer Gallery: Collection of trailers from other Cinerama shows (41:13)
• Slideshows: Ads and publicity materials, sample scripts pages, and Russian Adventure Study Guide (8:22)
• 32-page Program Booklet: A facsimile representation of the original program booklet

Second disc DVD included

Bitrate:

 

Description: Photographed over an eight-year period by Russia's top filmmakers, Cinerama's Russian Adventure brings together some of the most exquisite, jaw-dropping, and beautiful sequences from over six Soviet Kinopanorama productions (the Russian equivalent of three-panel Cinerama). The film's locations stretch from one end of Russia to the other, from the snow-covered countryside to the majestic subways of Moscow, from the deck of a whaling ship to the front seats of the Bolshoi Theater. Bing Crosby narrates the journey, offering both a grand and intimate view of a country and culture so often cited and yet so seldom seen.

In classic Cinerama style, your first glimpse of Russia is from behind the reigns of a troika, a traditional three-horse sled, speeding through the snow. Next, you'll land in Moscow for spectacular shots of the Kremlin, the Volga River, the bustling street life, and a spring carnival complete with singing, dancing, and clowns on stilts. From there, you'll marvel at the dazzling Moscow Circus, take a raft ride down the Tisza River, join in a wild antelope roundup on the Barsa-Kelmes, and witness a show-stopping performance of the famous Moiseyev Dancers. The most visceral sequences, though, take place not on land, but on water: the spare-no-details whale hunt aboard a factory ship in the Antarctic and the alien voyage of an octopus as it glides beneath the sea.

Flicker Alley, Cinerama Inc., and the family of Hal Dennis / Hal Dennis Productions are proud to present Cinerama's Russian Adventure in the Smilebox® Curved Screen Simulation. The film has been digitally remastered, and beautifully so, allowing audiences to experience - in the words of Bing Crosby - "what I believe will be our most exciting journey..."

 

 

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

 

 

Audio :

No commentary on Cinerama's Russian Adventure but we do get Fortress of Peace - a 22-minute, 1964, Swiss Army propaganda film shot in Cinerama and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. Concorde (1966) is a 70mm Cinerama, 15-minute, short about the then soon-to-be-unveiled supersonic airplane. Working With Our Father on Russian Adventure is a 25-minute interview with film editors Craig and Hal Dennis Jr., sons of producer Hal Dennis. Reconstructing Russian Adventure is a 13-minute restoration demonstration with Dave Strohmaier and we also can see a brief piece on some old Cinema Equipment. After that are trailers; a 5-minute Russian Adventure theatrical trailer plus a gallery with 40-minutes worth of trailers from other Cinerama shows. Included is an 8-minute slideshows with ads and publicity materials, sample scripts pages, and Russian Adventure Study Guide and lastly the package contains a 32-page liner notes booklet: a facsimile representation of the original Russian Adventure booklet. There is also a second disc DVD included in the case.

BOTTOM LINE:
This is still totally unique and thrilling to watch - I really got a sense of being there - akin to when this Roadshow version was originally shown. It incorporates both a nostalgia factor, and a historic look at a less-promoted culture. I'd also say that the visuals were impressive from the horse-drawn sledding to the Moscow Circus to the Moiseyev Dancers. Intriguing. This remains a wonderful curiosity and its availability on Blu-ray should appeal to many. We should remember how few of these were made (less than 10?) and the HD format can allow fans to step back in time and drink deep of this now-uncovered technological experience! There really is nothing like it and I have played these Cinerama adventures for many friends in my Home Theater and they always watch with fascination. Absolutely recommended! 

Gary Tooze

November 18th, 2016

Flicker Alley Blu-rays Reviewed at DVDBeaver: