6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
One minute the New Yorker advertising expert Jim Ferguson is at a business party -- the next he finds himself way back in 1917 in a plane fight during World War I. Mr. Raymond explains to him that he has a time-twin, to whom he's relocated in space and time whenever one of them is in trouble. So he has to help his twin, biplane pilot Biggles, in his attempt to destroy a German super weapon, that could win their war. Of course it's hard for Jim to explain his sudden disappearances to his fiance, Debbie.
Starring: Alex Hyde-White, Peter Cushing, Marcus Gilbert, William Hootkins, Neil DicksonSci-Fi | Insignificant |
Family | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
John Hough's "Biggles: Adventures in Time" (1986) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent British distributors Screenbound Pictures. The only bonus feature on the disc is an original trailer for the film. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Biggles
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, John Hough's arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Odeon Entertainment/Screenbound Pictures.
There are a couple of short segments with small density fluctuations, but the rest of the film looks quite nice in high-definition. Indeed, the release has been sourced from a lovely master and with some specific optimizations and an overall better encoding the film could have looked very impressive. A lot of the daylight close-ups, for instance, boast very nice depth (see screencaptures #1 and 3). Clarity is also very good, though during a few of the action scenes some minor fluctuations can be spotted. Generally speaking, the darker/nighttime footage looks quite good, but it is here that minor adjustments could have been made to ensure better results. Grain, in particular, could have been better defined and exposed (see screencapture #10 where it looks as if it is overwhelmed by light noise). There are no traces of recent problematic sharpening adjustments. Colors appear natural -- the primaries are stable and there is a fairly good range of nuances. I think that some can be healthier, but the basic color values are certainly very good. There are no stability issues. There are no large damage marks, cuts, debris, scratches, or torn frames to report in our review. Transitions are also good. My score is 3.75/50. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc' main menu).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.
Half the charm of this film comes from Stanislas' excellent retro synth soundtrack. Luckily, the lossless track handles it as best as I hoped it would. Indeed, where the synth themes are used to enhance the desired atmosphere they sound lush, clean, and very sharp. During the action sequences dynamic intensity is also very good, though the original limitations of the production are fairly obvious. The dialog is stable, clean, and easy to follow, but optional English SDH subtitles should have been included for folks that may need them.
NOTE: The trailer for the film cannot be viewed on standard North American Blu-ray players, including the PS3 and PS4.
It is true that Biggles: Adventures in Time isn't a flawless films, but if seen at the right time and with the right set of expectations it could be quite entertaining. Its biggest strength is probably the excellent '80s atmosphere which makes the action and even some of the silly twists surprisingly effective. The Blu-ray release is sourced from a lovely master and the overwhelming majority of the film looks very good in high-definition. RECOMMENDED.
(Still not reliable for this title)
1961
1966
Eureka Classics
1959
Remastered
1986
2023
1990
1957
1985
1966
2017
1966-1967
1954
1985
1989
1984
2019
1980
The Director's Edition | Remastered
1979
2014
Arrow Academy
1958