7.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Frazzled drama critic Mortimer Brewster has two aunts who ply lonely geezers with poisoned libations, one sociopathic brother who looks like Boris Karloff, one bonkers brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt, one impatient new bride — and only one night to make it turn out all right.
Starring: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey (I), Jack Carson, Edward Everett HortonDark humor | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Frank Capra's "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1944) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary recorded by author and critic Charles Dennis; vintage radio adaptation of the film; and original trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Almost impossible to recognize.
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Arsenic and Old Lace arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
The release is sourced from an exclusive new 4K master that was prepared after Arsenic and Old Lace was fully restored in 4K. This master is a stunner. I have this very, very old DVD release of Arsenic and Old Lace in my library and I did not feel the need to pull it out and do any direct comparisons because the superiority of the Blu-ray release was so dramatic they would have been meaningless.
The film looks spotless now and the dynamic range of its visuals is enormously impressive. The grayscale is terrific as well. The blacks are solid but not crushed and the wide ranges of grays and whites are perfect. Yes, it does help that virtually the entire film was shot indoors with controlled lighting, but I still thought that the makeover was outstanding. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. Image stability was great. Unfortunately, on my system, I noticed quite a bit of annoying macroblocking sneaking in. Virtually all of it appears in dark areas with prominent black(s). Obvious examples can be seen in screencaptures #26, 27, 29, and 30. Can the macroblocking be missed? Possibly if you have a smaller screen, but on a large screen, I think that you will easily notice its presence. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I did not encounter any issues to report in our review. The dialog was very clear, sharp, and nicely balanced. The upper register was healthy and stable. I thought that the dynamic intensity was excellent, though the film does not have any material that produces serious dynamic contrasts.
Frank Capra's film does not quite match the brilliance of the great play that inspired it. It has its moments, especially early on while Cary Grant slowly begins to realize that there is something seriously wrong with his family, but its humor is very inconsistent. I think that virtually all of the stars overdo their parts and often transform what should have been a delicious black comedy into a tasteless mockery. To be completely honest, I think that this is precisely why some folks love the film, but in my opinion, the end result should have been different. Criterion's upcoming Blu-ray release is sourced from a terrific new 4K master, but the technical presentation of the film could have been better. RECOMMENDED, but if possible, find a way to test the release before you consider a purchase. (If you have a terrific time with Capra's film, also spend a night with George Marshall's Murder, He Says).
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