8.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
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 TraversFamily | 100% |
Holiday | 77% |
Drama | 50% |
Melodrama | 46% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
German: Dolby Digital Mono
Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono
French: Dolby Digital Mono
Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
Japanese: Dolby Digital Mono
Spanish Latinoamérica
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Paramount has once again re-released the timeless 1946 film 'It's a Wonderful Life,' starring Jimmy Stewart and directed by Frank Capra, to Blu-ray. This two-disc set is identical to the two-disc set the studio released on October 29, 2019, featuring new extras and a remastered 1080p transfer (there was also a companion 4K release of the film, which is also available in SteelBook packaging). This set is distinguished by its DigiBook style packaging and the inclusion of ten recipe cards from the Bailey Family cookbook. See the 'Special Features and Extras' section of the review below for more on the packaging and the recipe cards.
For a full video review, please click here.
For a full audio review, please click here.
For this release of It's a Wonderful Life, Paramount ships the two-disc set in DigiBook-style packaging which slides into an outer slip box which
features identical artwork to the DigiBook proper. On both sides a gray border wraps around a dominantly blue center area; on the front is the classic
image depicting George and Mary embracing, looking lovingly into one another's eyes, with the moon prominent top center and the film's title within.
The rear side includes Clarence's note to George. Clarence sits bottom left on a snowy step looking up at the moon top right. The two discs are
staggered-stacked on the right hand side interior above a classic black-and-white still from the film's end. On the left is a reinforced pocket to hold the
ten Bailey Family Holiday Recipe cards.
The cards are very attractive. They're printed on glossy stock; there are two cards in each of five categories: Appetizers ("He's Bats" Minestrone and
Pastry Snails), Cocktails and Drinks (Homemade Eggnog and Mama and Papa Dollar, the latter of which is an alcoholic drink), Dessert (Clarence's Angel
Food Cake and Vanilla Moonbeam Pies), Entrees (Classic Holiday Roast Turkey and Glazed Holiday Ham), and Sides (Corn Muffins and Home Blessing
Salad). The front of the card gives the name of the dish at the top and the category at the bottom. Delicious-looking color photos of the food fill the rest
of the front space. On the rear are very detailed descriptions of the food, ingredients lists, preparation instructions, and a couple of additional small
color photos.
Everything looks delicious!
For full coverage of the on-disc supplemental content, please click here. A digital copy code is included with purchase.
For those who have a passion for cooking and don't yet own the film on Blu-ray, this is the way to go. For all others, it's probably a pass with no new on disc content.
1946
1946
2-Disc Collector's Edition Gift Set
1946
1946
Platinum Anniversary Edition
1946
1946
(Still not reliable for this title)
1951
1994
Warner Archive Collection
2016
2008
2018
1993
2000
1984
1989
2017
25th Anniversary Edition
1985
2009
2020
Warner Archive Collection
1963
2002
2014
2005
Warner Archive Collection
2015
1938
1985