6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A farm boy turned knight must protect a princess from the schemes of an evil wizard.
Starring: Kerwin Mathews, Judi Meredith, Torin Thatcher, Walter Burke, Don BeddoeMusical | 100% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Family | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
BDInfo
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
1962’s “Jack the Giant Killer” was apparently created to cash-in on a monster movie trend, utilizing the rise of stop-motion animation to help create a storybook vision of a princess in peril, a young man becoming a hero, and the monsters conjured to stop him. Directed by Nathan Juran, “Jack the Giant Killer” doesn’t pretend to be anything besides spirited matinee entertainment, offering family audiences a series of exciting beastly encounters, pronounced performances, and bold acts of courage, summoning the fantasy film vibe with relative ease.
Billed as "Newly mastered in HD," "Jack the Giant Slayer" offers an AVC encoded image (1.67:1 aspect ratio) presentation. The viewing experience tends to respect the original cinematography, bringing out the vibrancy of its Technicolor origins. Hues are bright and deep, with strong blues and reds, which are nicely emphasized during royal engagements. Costumes are especially lively, as are location visits, which deliver appealing greenery. Detail reaches about as far as possible, with inherent softness pushing back some on textures, but facial particulars are enjoyable, identifying the limits of makeup, and outfits retain their fibrous appeal. Monster matters (filmed in "FantaScope") are most memorable, with creature surfaces preserved, securing technical achievements. Delineation is satisfactory, never solidifying. Grain is a tad chunkier but still filmic. Source is good condition, with slight wobble issues during the main titles, while debris and mild scratches are periodically detected.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers a clear, inviting listening experience, doing a fine job emphasizing dialogue exchanges, keeping exaggerated performances defined. Scoring achievements are also appealing, emerging with adequate instrumentation and volume, supporting fantasy events and monster encounters. Sound effects are expectedly aggressive, with dulled roars and clanging weapons to support violent interactions.
"Jack the Giant Killer" knows exactly what type of movie it wants to be, working to generate a comfortable commotion between humans and special effects, while the fantasy quest aspects of the tale bring the titular character to strange places, frequently introduced to impending doom. It's made for children, but that doesn't limit the picture's appeal. For stop-motion animation admirers, it's an interesting chapter in the development of the technique during the 1960s, with numerous examples to study. For everyone else, there's plenty of action, villainy, and old-fashioned derring-do to enjoy, as "Jack the Giant Killer" doesn't go very long without some type of clash or mystical threat, with audience satisfaction driving its creative decisions. Perhaps Harryhausen-style finesse is missing, but the feature starts off big and rarely stops to break the illusion.
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