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

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (October 2019): Indicator have transferred Richard Attenborough's epic biography Young Winston to Blu-ray. It includes the overture music, intermission (entr'acte) and exit music. This is on a dual-layered disc with a supportive bitrate. It is in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio and looks fairly thick with some heavy, film-like, textures. There is depth apparent and minor depth in colors (purple dress of Anne Bancroft) with pleasing detail in close-ups (you can see Robert Shaw's make-up to age him). It is not a dynamic looking film and the transfer appears to accurately portray its original appearance. 

On their Blu-ray, Indicator use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It supports the audio war-related effects (canons, guns, horses etc.) and score by Alfred Ralston (his first credited feature film - doing only TV afterward and continuing a career as a music arranger in London theatres). Here he arranged much of the military marching standards utilized in Young Winston. There is also some Johann Strauss. All sounds clean and crisp. Indicator offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

Indicator, justly, load this Blu-ray package with supplements. First we get, from 1971, The John Player Lecture with Richard Attenborough which has the celebrated filmmaker in conversation with film critic Dilys Powell at London’s National Film Theatre for about 1 1/4 hour as the film runs. Reflections of a Director is from 2006 and is a 13-minute archival interview with Attenborough discussing biographies as his main interest. A National Hero Brought to Life is also from 2006 and runs about 1/4 hour. It is an archival interview with actor Simon Ward on his performance as Winston Churchill. I do recall him in Zulu Dawn and The Chosen. It's nice to hear his thoughts on this important role in his career. Indicator have produced some new content; Camel Blues runs 1/2 hour and has assistant director William P Cartlidge remembering working with Attenborough and writer-producer Carl Foreman. Stars and Sand spends less than 10-minutes with second assistant director Brian Cook discussing the star-studded cast. My Kingdom for a Horse has Vic Armstrong for 10-minutes recalling his work as Ward’s stunt double and his role as horse wrangler for the film. Fires in the Sky discusses special effects with John Richardson on the challenges of filming in Wales, Morocco, and Blenheim Palace for a brief 5-minutes. Making It Up is a short interview with make-up artist Robin Grantham. There are five deleted scenes from the ‘roadshow’ version, including the alternative ending with Winston and Randolph Churchill plus some US Premiere Footage from 1972 featuring rare and unseen material featuring Attenborough, Foreman, Ward, Robert Shaw, Edward G Robinson, and others. We get an original theatrical trailer and image gallery of publicity and promotional material. The package has a limited edition (3,000 copies) exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Sergio Angelini, the cast and crew on the making of Young Winston, an extract from Winston Churchill’s My Early Life: A Roving Commission, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits.

Young Winston is an excellent bio-pic from Attenborough. The characterization of a young Winston Churchill is totally engrossing and the flowing narration from the book helps move the film along well and fill in gaps - as does the shifting, non-linear, timelines regarding his parents.  It's a very well-crafted historical film - a massive production - and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. This Blu-ray package is loaded with value and get a very strong recommendation!

Gary Tooze