It's a Wonderful Life Blu-ray Movie

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It's a Wonderful Life Blu-ray Movie United States

Platinum Anniversary Edition
Paramount Pictures | 1946 | 1 Movie, 2 Cuts | 131 min | Rated PG | Oct 11, 2016

It's a Wonderful Life (Blu-ray Movie)

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Movie rating

8.8
 / 10

Blu-ray rating

Users0.0 of 50.0
Reviewer3.5 of 53.5
Overall3.5 of 53.5

Overview

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

George Bailey is a small-town man whose life seems so desperate he contemplates suicide. He had always wanted to leave Bedford Falls to see the world, but circumstances and his own good heart have led him to stay. He sacrficed his education for his brother's, kept the family-run savings and loan afloat, protected the town from the avarice of the greedy banker Mr. Potter, and married his childhood sweetheart. As he prepares to jump from a bridge, his guardian angel intercedes, showing him what life would have become for the residents of Bedford Falls if he had never lived.

Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell (I), Henry Travers
Director: Frank Capra

Family100%
Holiday75%
Melodrama46%
Drama43%

Specifications

  • Video

    Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
    Video resolution: 1080p
    Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
    Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1

  • Audio

    English: Dolby Digital Mono (224 kbps)
    French: Dolby Digital Mono
    Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono

  • Subtitles

    English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish

  • Discs

    Blu-ray Disc
    Two-disc set (2 BDs)

  • Packaging

    Slipcover in original pressing

  • Playback

    Region free 

Review

Rating summary

Movie5.0 of 55.0
Video4.5 of 54.5
Audio3.5 of 53.5
Extras2.0 of 52.0
Overall3.5 of 53.5

It's a Wonderful Life Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 8, 2021

Paramount has re-released the classic 1946 Frank Capra film 'It's a Wonderful Life' to Blu-ray. This particular edition, hailing from 2016, appears to be identical to the original 2009 issue: it includes both the black-and-white and colorized versions of the film in addition to two extras: a trailer and a making-of. Also of note are these releases through the years: a remastered Blu-ray and a concurrently released UHD (along with a SteelBook packaging variant) from 2019. Paramount is also set to once again release the film to Blu-ray in celebration of its 75th anniversary, bundled with film-themed recipe cards.


Family man George Bailey (James Stewart) is on the verge of suicide. Hearing a chorus of prayers lifted up to the Heavens in his name, the wingless Angel Clarence (Henry Travers) is sent to save George and, if he succeeds, earn his wings. Before Clarence can embark on his mission, he must learn of the events in George's past that led him to the bridge high above the icy waters of Bedford Falls on that fateful Christmas Eve. George is depicted as an upstanding citizen; he once saved his brother's life from the clutches of an icy grave; he saved the life of a citizen from a wrongly mixed prescription on account of a distraught pharmacist mourning the loss of his son; and he reluctantly takes over his father's loan business, granting many of Bedford Falls' citizens the chance to own a home, particularly when George begins construction of affordable housing. Always on his case is rival businessman Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) who tempts George with a cushy high-dollar job if he only goes against his morals and sells out his business. On top of that, George has married the lovely Mary (Reed) and with her begins a family. George seems to live the perfect life, but as events lead him to the brink of disaster, his fate will be in the hands of an Angel that can show him what life would be like in Bedford Falls without his surprisingly positive influence.

For a full film review, please click here.


It's a Wonderful Life Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality  4.5 of 5

For a full Blu-ray video review, please click here.


It's a Wonderful Life Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality  3.5 of 5

For a full Blu-ray audio review, please click here.


It's a Wonderful Life Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras  2.0 of 5

Other than a change in the outward packaging presentation, this appears to be identical to the 2009 issue in all ways, which includes the on-disc supplements. The carryover content is listed below; please click here for full coverage. This release does not ship with DVD or digital copies. Note that the version I received does not include a slipcover or six collectible art cards which may have been exclusive to the original pressing.

  • The Making of It's a Wonderful Life
  • Original Theatrical Trailer


It's a Wonderful Life Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation  3.5 of 5

Paramount sent this version over instead of the above-linked version with the recipe cards so...why not throw together a quick review? In 2021, there's really no need to pick this version up unless completists who bought the remastered Blu-ray want the extras on this disc which are not included in that package. For those who simply own the original 2009 disc, there's certainly no reason to buy unless one just wants all things It's a Wonderful Life in their collectible library.