8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Set in a 1940s-era Midwestern town and told from the viewpoints of a seven-year-old boy, who only wants one thing for Christmas — a Red Ryder BB gun — the episodic tale chronicles not only his schemes to convince his mother and father to buy him one, but also offers a warmly nostalgic look into 1940s middle-class American life. From the stories of, and narrated by, Jean Shepherd.
Starring: Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley, Ian Petrella, Scott SchwartzFamily | 100% |
Comedy | 92% |
Holiday | 55% |
Period | 5% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital Mono
French: Dolby Digital Mono
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 2.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Christmas was on its way! Lovely, beautiful, glorious Christmas around which the entire kid
year revolves.
If one were to bet a Red Rider BB gun to a jar of Ovaltine that more Americans have probably
seen A Christmas Story more than any other
movie,
including The Wizard of Oz and Star Wars, the chances of winning said bet are
probably pretty high. The movie plays for 24 straight hours on one
of
the Turner networks every Christmas season and has established itself as one of the most
beloved films of all time, and
not just simply among its Christmas movie brethren. Does the movie hold up in spite of the
deluge of television airings and home video releases?
The answer is a resounding "yes." It's as close to a perfect movie as one is likely to find, every
facet a tribute to the magic of cinema, childhood exuberance, and of course, Christmas. To this
day,
the film elicits emotions of joy, laughter, and awe, a true sign of its staying power; most other
films receiving this much airtime or this many video releases would do nothing but numb the
senses. A
Christmas Story is a perfect harmony of Christmas joy, the realization of
dreams framed in both wit and humor, and conveying the joy of sharing Christmas with the ones
you love. No other Christmas
movie reaches quite the level as this one, and it's legendary status is well deserved.
Yeah...a statue!
Warner Brothers' 1080p, 1.78:1 Blu-ray version of A Christmas Story does not offer top-flight Blu-ray imagery. Make no mistake; this is not necessarily a bad looking disc. A lot of it looks fairly nice, but it simply doesn't greatly exceed the 2003 2-disc DVD version, and this late 2008 Blu-ray release is identical to the previous Blu-ray. It's an improvement over the DVD, but a minor one at best. The print exhibits nicks, scratches, and pops here and there. Many indoor scenes suffer from a spotty appearance where most of the print's flaws are found. Outdoor scenes fare far better, featuring solid clarity and definition. Flesh tones are accurate and black levels are rendered adequately but not immaculately. Fine detail is generally strong; woven clothing, the trinkets and warm interior of Ralphie's house, the wooden desks and chalkboard in the classroom, and more look just fine. A Christmas Story probably looks about as good as it ever will, and the image quality should in no way be a deterrence in adding this disc to a Blu-ray library.
All that is available on this Blu-ray edition of A Christmas Story is a 1.0 Dolby Digital mono soundtrack, the same offering as found on the previous 2006 Blu-ray release. There isn't much going on here, obviously. It suffices, and quite frankly, the movie would probably not work as well with an aggressive pseudo multi-channel track. A few scenes, such as the fantasy sequences, may have offered up the opportunity for a little atmosphere, but on the whole, this mono track is just fine. Dialogue is clear and always discernible. Music and various effects also come across as well as one would expect of a classic dialogue-driven, charming cinema classic. This is an underwhelming track to be sure when compared to the latest in action movie sound design, but is one that doesn't detract from the overall movie experience. Most viewers will be so enthralled by the movie's magical appeal that they will pay little attention to what is a comparatively-speaking bland sound quality, instead immersed in Ralphie's quest to obtain that oh-so-beautiful rifle.
This Blu-ray release of A Christmas Story features the identical set of disc-based
supplements as found on the other Blu-ray releases. The main attraction is a commentary track
with actor Peter
Billingsley and
director Bob Clark. It's a solid,
interesting track that discusses casting (Billingsley was the first choice for Ralphie, Jack Nicholson
was considered for the Darren McGavin role as Ralphie's father, and Melinda Dillon was cast
based on her work in Close
Encounters of the Third Kind). There are some instances of dead air, but Clark, in
particular,
makes up for the lags with some very good insights and stories from both before, during, and
after production. He is also very forthright with his affection for the work of writer Jean
Shepherd.
Daisy Red Ryder: A History (480p, 5:18) is a nifty little feature about the history of the
famous BB gun. Another Christmas Story (480p, 18:18) is a series of chats with some
of the cast and crew discussing the impact the movie has had on their lives. Script Pages
is a text-based deleted scene. Read all about it! Get a Leg Up (480p, 4:35) is a comedic
and patriotic look at the making of the famous "Leg Lamp." Finally, the film's theatrical trailer
(480p, 2:10) and a Leg Lamp Spot (480p, 0:49) finish off the supplements.
A Christmas Story is not only one of the best films of the last several decades, it's also one of the best films of all time, period. It captures the spirit of Christmas from a child's eyes as no other film has. Many have tried, but only this one has completely and unequivocally succeeded. Its simple, honest story is framed around a boy and his quest to obtain his ultimate gift. The film ends with the family sharing dinner together, representative of part of the true meaning of Christmas. Despite all the ups and downs of Christmas day and the entire holiday season, the film concludes with the symbolism that, no matter the odds, the joys, the sorrows of Christmas or any other day, it is family that matters most. This Blu-ray edition offers nothing new in the way of the actual presentation, compared against either the 2006 release or the recent tin. The image and sound qualities are identical to the previous offering, as are the disc-based supplements. The movie itself receives my highest recommendation, but the Blu-ray disc is only recommended if collectors do not have the most recent DVD or any of the Blu-ray releases.
1983
25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition
1983
30th Anniversary Edition
1983
Exclusive Lenticular + Postcards
1983
Includes Ralphie In Bunny Ears Funko Pocket Pop! Keychain
1983
Ugly Sweater packaging
1983
Iconic Moments
1983
1983
1983
1983
2003
1989
Grinchmas Edition
2000
30th Anniversary Edition
1990
2007
1992
10th Anniversary
2002
2007
It Runs in My Family
1994
2012
1998
1996
2004
Anniversary Edition
1994
2006
1988
2009
2011
2006
70th Anniversary Edition
1947