7.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
Just before he dies, a thief reveals to five strangers that he buried $350,000 in a park, kicking off a madcap dash to recover the dough.
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel MermanEpic | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.76:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.75:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (256 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
As unintentionally hilarious as it may sound, evidently producer-director Stanley Kramer rejected It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (that’s five—count ‘em—five “mads”) for the title of his epic 1963 all-star comedy, fearing a quintet of adjectives was overkill. Why four “mads” was deemed acceptable is anyone’s guess, but some wags may argue that whether four or five, the many “mads” may actually refer to the different versions of the film which have at least been purported to exist. It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World has an incredibly loyal legion of fans, many of whom saw the film (or at least they claim to have) on its original release. Part of the confusion is that over the many years since the film’s release, preview showings have gotten conflated with roadshow showings, and even general release showings. The simple fact is that, generally speaking (you anal-retentive types can skip the next part, thanks very much), It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World has only been seen by the public at large (as opposed to preview screening audiences) in two versions, an approximately 192 minute version which played for a short while at the film’s initial roadshow Cinerama engagements, and then, more familiarly, an edited approximately 154 to 163 minute version (depending on how much extra-curricular music, a la Overture and Entr’Acte, was used), which was the general release version and the one that by far the most people have seen and which has become seared on the collective memory. Several home video releases have restored various “lost” elements, and that has only added to the confusion, as for example the laserdisc and Special Edition DVD versions have different footage included, either interpolated into the feature itself or included as supplemental footage, editions which have variously been termed "Special Extended Edition" or "Restored Edition," not always correctly. And so let’s just cut to the chase (no pun intended, considering the plot of this film) and state outright that this Blu-ray is the general release version, sans complete Entr’Acte music, and therefore runs 159 minutes (and 29 seconds, but who's counting?). OK, with that out of the way, can we actually talk about the film now?
If there's rampant confusion about the different versions of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, chances are they'll pale in comparison to what may be coming with regard to the source elements used for this new Blu-ray release. Encoded via AVC in 1080p and in its widest ever home video aspect ratio of 2.76:1, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World looks, in a word, spectacular. The text based prelude to the Something a Little Less Serious featurette claims this release is based on the "35mm version," by which I assume they mean the general release version which was released to theaters in that format. It seems obvious to me this was sourced from a 65mm element for a number of reasons. The wider than ever aspect ratio argues against a 35mm source element from a technical standpoint, but there is also online information indicating a new high-res scan of a 65mm source element was made of this film some time ago, and I personally believe that is what must have been used for this transfer, so solid and at times mind bogglingly detailed is this new Blu-ray. (If I'm proven wrong about this, I will happily post an update to the review). This is quite simply one of the best looking catalog releases in recent memory, all the more remarkable for being a budget priced Walmart exclusive (at least as of the writing of this review). This is easily the best, sharpest and clearest we've ever seen It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World in any of its home video presentations. Colors pop splendidly and are lusciously saturated throughout the film. Dimensionality and depth of field in the many outdoor shots is stupendous. Fine detail is often staggering, offering clearer resolution on everything from the mundane (at last the credits are readable) to somewhat more meaningful (Jimmy Durante's wisps of white hair are now clearly visible against the rocky desert background early in the film). Best of all, typical bugaboos like close cropped costume patterns and foliage never devolve into shimmering aliasing. In fact about the only negatives with regard to this transfer are endemic to the source elements and lie mostly with the opening titles, which reveal a fair amount of fading, especially on the left side of the frame (and to a lesser extent on the right). There are a few (as in a very few) blemishes sprinkled throughout the film, but they are so minor as to almost warrant no comment. Eagle eyed viewers may notice some very minor edge enhancement in a few shots, but it's not troubling.
While things aren't quite as spectacular in the audio department (and, really, how could they be?), It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World sounds fine with its lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. Though this is far from an immersive mix, some discrete channelization has been applied, with individual moments of effects and even dialogue discretely placed in the soundfield. There have been some reports of audio synch problems, but my feeling is this must be player related, as I experienced no synch issues whatsoever on my PS3 with either my Sony or my Onkyo receivers (both obviously connected via HDMI). While this isn't the most robust track ever offered, and is sometimes sadly lacking on the low end, overall it retains a certain spryness, especially considering its age, and Ernest Gold's underrated score sounds especially fine. There is no egregious hiss apparent here, and dialogue is clear if not especially forcefully mixed.
The naysayers are already out in force complaining about the supposed "incompleteness" of this new Blu-ray, but if I may be permitted to quote the ever lovely and demure Ethel Merman in this film, "Shut up!" (And I mean that in only the nicest way possible). There is already a lot of speculation that the film's looming 50th anniversary may well occasion a new Blu-ray release which may (may) get the film as close to its original Roadshow length as we're ever going to see. Be that as it may, why throw out the baby with the bathwater, especially when this budget priced Blu-ray looks so spectacular? I'm all for restoring vintage films to their original lengths (I still hope for a complete restoration of Frank Capra's Lost Horizon, something that will probably never happen in my lifetime), so I'm not immune to the allure of "getting back to the original version." But this general release version is a wonderful treat just the way it is and with a release which looks this solid, I personally can't see any reason to complain about anything. Highly recommended.
1963
VUDU Digital Copy + VUDU Offer
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