Kelly's Heroes / Where Eagles Dare Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

Kelly's Heroes / Where Eagles Dare Blu-ray Movie Review

A couple of lengthy WWII pictures land on Blu-ray.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 17, 2010

The latest Warner two-fer bundles up a pair of rather unconventional World War II films, the Heist/Action/Comedy flick Kelly's Heroes and the visually frigid but intellectually steamy Where Eagles Dare. Both star Hollywood and Warner Brothers icon Clint Eastwood, with Kelly's Heroes featuring him as the leading man and center of attention and Eagles seeing the star disappear into a role behind screen legend Richard Burton (Becket). Further connecting the two films is a shared director; Brian G. Hutton sat in the big chair for both, cranking out Eagles in 1968 and steering Heroes, his next project, towards a 1970 release.

Kelly and two of his heroes.

Kelly's Heroes
Rating: 2.5/5

For $1.6 million we could become heroes for three days.

Allied forces have successfully broken through the German beachhead on D-Day and are now battling their way through Nazi-occupied France. Amidst the fighting, a recently-demoted U.S. Soldier, Private Kelly (Eastwood), captures a high-ranking German Colonel and manages to learn a juicy piece of intelligence: there are 14,000 bars of gold stored inside a bank in the town of Clermont, situated some 30 miles from the front. To get to that gold, he's going to need more than his weapon and his own two feet. Kelly enlists the help of a number of men on a short respite from combat to help secure the stash of gold bars, including an artillery officer named Mulligan (George Savalas), a profiteering quartermaster known around the war as "Crapgame" (Don Rickles), a tank commander with several Sherman at his disposal nicknamed "Oddball" (Donald Sutherland), Kelly's own Sergeant "Big Joe" (Telly Savalas), and plenty of other men who make up a ragtag fighting force, all hungry for a slice of the German wealth that might just make their time away from home worth the hassle. With three days, plenty of weapons, and a few tanks in support, the men set out to claim their prize; what could possibly go wrong?

Kelly's Heroes is the 1970s version of Three Kings, that film oddly enough about a quartet of American Gulf War combatants attempting to steal some of Saddam Hussein's gold reserves. It's also the vastly superior picture of the two. Kelly's Heroes isn't a bad movie, but it's far from memorable. Despite a roster of well-known stars headlined by the venerable Clint Eastwood, the film falters almost as much as it succeeds, spurred on by what is sometimes an agonizingly long runtime and extended stretches where very little of consequence actually happens. The pacing is as slow as watching water boil in some scenes, while in others it's about as fast as a dashing jackrabbit running through the back yard. There's no consistency, either; the drawn-out opening action scene is the worst offender and sets an almost miserable tone for the picture's pacing, while a later scene featuring G.I.'s maneuvering in the midst of a minefield proves to be the film's most enthralling, and it's constructed of little more than dialogue and static shots of slowly-moving soldiers. The film could stand a nice trimming of 30 or so minutes, because what works works very well and what doesn't hinders the movie so much that it borders on becoming an insurmountable deal breaker, particularly when it comes to the movie's replay value.

One of Kelly's main problems stems from the notion that it apparently wants to be an all-encompassing experience, a War picture that's heavy on action but also packed with comedy both subtle and blatant while also bringing to the table a healthy dosage of mystery and suspense. The picture has "epic" written all over it, but the lack of stylistic cohesion and the overstuffing of the film to get it up to an "epic-like" runtime of around 2.5 hours only hurts it in the long run. Fortunately, the action is well-staged and fast-paced, but not really inventive or memorable; it would be easily interchangeable with any number of World War II pictures, and other than the faces under the helmets, there wouldn't be much of a visual difference. Otherwise, the cast is the film's strength. Eastwood turns in a fine performance but not one that stands out within his greater body of work. He's his usual tough but quiet type here, playing a soldier that's anything but a gun-totting superhero, his character more of a thinker, doer, and enabler. He's surrounding by a strong cast, highlighted by a peculiar part played by the legendary Donald Sutherland. The name "Oddball" fits his character well; he's a hippie about 20 years before his time, but in a movie that offers pretty much everything else but aliens with laser guns and the kitchen sink, why not toss him in there for some laughs? The rest of the cast, save for a few of the bigger names playing a few of the bigger parts, is pretty much interchangeable and forgettable, and the sheer bulk of individuals is another reason why the film doesn't work as well as Three Kings; it's just too hard to relate to them all, even considering the overlong runtime in which they have to establish themselves.

Where Eagles Dare
Rating: 3.5/5

Right now you've got me about as confused as I ever hope to be.

An American General with knowledge of the planned invasion of Normandy has been captured by the German Secret Service. With the fate of the war hanging in the balance, top British and American intelligence operatives believe his retrieval to be vital, lest he be interrogated and unwilfully divulge the plan of attack, information that would most certainly turn the tide of the War in Germany's favor. Time is of the essence, and taking into account every contingency, it is believed that a small-scale infiltration of Schloß Adler (or "The Castle of the Eagles") -- a mountaintop German stronghold located deep in the Bavarian Alps and the heavily-defended location where the American General is being held -- is the only viable option through which to retrieve the wayward officer. Leading the operation is British Major John Smith (Burton), accompanied by American Lieutenant Morris Schaffer (Eastwood). The plan: parachute behind enemy lines, pose as German officers, and secure the General's release by any means necessary. As the operation unfolds, it becomes clear to all involved that there's much more at stake than a simple and clandestine snatch-and-grab of a wartime V.I.P.

Where Eagles Dare isn't a prototypical World War II Action film. Rather than play as a more conventional pseudo-historical reenactment of major events, the picture instead embraces a more clandestine, thought-provoking, and challenging posture that, despite plenty of action later on, often seems the antithesis of the more era-prototypical run-and-gun Action extravaganza. The story, penned by Alistair MacLean -- whose works routinely found their way from page to screen with hits like The Guns of Navarone and Ice Station Zebra -- delivers a rich and complex plot that's as compelling as it is entertaining and accessible. Where Eagles Dare is a thrill ride into the world of wartime intrigue, building its plot through several twists-and-turns that aren't generically transparent but instead well-conceived and finely-tuned to the story, its setting, and its locale. The lack of action does take a toll on what can be something of a slow-to-develop first act that takes its time setting up the plot and the characters, but the payoff is worth the time and the pace picks up wonderfully once things are set in motion and the film captures a spirit that often feels like something out of a James Bond movie while also keeping up appearances as a sturdy and exciting action extravaganza with enough explosions to keep even the most ardent celluloid pyromaniac satisfied.

Director Brian G. Hutton manages to keep the film enthralling once it moves beyond its necessary but sluggish opening act. Conducting both the dialogue-heavy dramatic segments and the action-packed third act with flair and grace, he finds an even keel that keeps the picture moving along nicely, even though it clocks in at over 150 minutes in length. One of his greatest assets isn't technical prowess or cinematic trickery but instead the casting of Richard Burton, who proves to be just as good as an action star as he was a dramatic lead in films like Becket, Cleopatra, and The Robe. While Burton shows off his chops as a man of action -- during the film's hallmark fight scene atop a cable car in particular -- he still has ample opportunity to demonstrate his ability as a pure actor in several scenes, notably during a scene midway through the film as he convincingly gains the information he needs by working an entire room of men into believing that he's someone he's not. It's a powerful scene effortlessly handled by an incredibly talented actor, and Where Eagles Dare is a film that's marvelously suited to introduce viewers to his work in a picture that's more readily accessible and mass-audience friendly than some of his others. Clint Eastwood's part is, by comparison, greatly reserved; he vanishes into the role but doesn't have the opportunity to deliver the more visible and calculated performance fans of his other works might reasonably expect. Where Eagles Dare also greatly benefits from an engaging and robust score courtesy of Composer Ron Goodwin (Battle of Britain).

Kelly's Heroes / Where Eagles Dare Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kelly's Heroes
Rating: 3.5/5

Warner Brothers brings Kelly's Heroes to Blu-ray with a sturdy, but not pristine, 1080p transfer that retains the picture's original scope aspect ratio. The picture begins with an extended nighttime sequence that doesn't show the transfer's true potential. Overwhelming blacks trample out some finer details, but the majority of the picture to follow sports a far brighter and better-defined image. Fine detail impresses a great deal throughout the film, particularly in relation to the military uniforms. Frayed edges, sewn-on patches, and the netting on helmets offer plenty of information to examine, but the transfer also excels at delivering the rough texturing of bombed-out rubble, worn bluing on firearms, and other war-related materials of substantial texture and high visibility. Colors are handsomely reproduced, particularly the many shades of green seen throughout the picture: lush grasses, military uniforms, or even dull green hand grenades all look great. The image remains sharp throughout, though several oddball shots do go noticeably soft. The picture retains a layer of grain, but it's also covered in unsightly pops, speckles, and random lines. Though this doesn't appear to be a full-blown restoration, longtime fans of the film will appreciate the refined colors, greater detail, and overall crispness of Warner's transfer over its DVD counterpart.

Where Eagles Dare
Rating: 3/5

Where Eagles Dare soars onto Blu-ray with a 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer that generally looks good but proves to be awfully rough around the edges. Viewers will note from the opening title sequence forward plenty of dirt and debris, thick halos, some unsightly blocking, wayward contrast levels, and intermittent halos; indeed, parts of the transfer leave much to be desired, but contrasted against the bulk of the movie -- which looks good -- it's reasonable to assume that the transfer fell victim to some poor elements that couldn't be adequately restored for what amounts to something of a bargain-bin release. In the film's better scenes -- which make up the bulk of the runtime -- viewers will note a fair amount of crispness to the image, even if it does lack in strong detailing and a greater sense of dimension. Colors are understandably bland; the picture is comprised, it seems, of almost nothing but grays, whites, and blacks, and there's just never an opportunity for it to deliver a more potent and pleasing palette. A thick layer of grain is visible throughout. Where Eagles Dare won't wow viewers, visually, but most of the issues noted throughout the movie seem problematic at the source and not a fault of an asleep-at-the-switch engineer working on the transfer-to-Blu-ray process.

Kelly's Heroes / Where Eagles Dare Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Kelly's Heroes
Rating: 2.5/5

Warner Brothers delivers Kelly's Heroes to Blu-ray with a paltry but acceptable DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Listeners shouldn't expect this to be the next Saving Private Ryan in terms of offering an all-out sonic assault, but considering the picture is about 40 years old, the limited range and lack of absolute clarity should come as no surprise. The track's strongest asset lies in its music presentation; era-specific pop songs sound great, spreading out nicely across the front half of the soundstage and playing with a surprising amount of clarity considering that lack thereof in other aspects of the track. Sound effects are fairly unremarkable; booming thunder, vehicles crashing through gates, and explosions all lack in power and sometimes barely register as more than a cursory effect. Gunshots, too, are unconvincing, whether single shots form rifles or bursts of automatic machine gun fire. The track features a few scattered surround effects, usually in the form of explosions and artillery shells traversing the soundstage, but again, they're fairly indistinct and absent a more pronounced and lifelike tone. Dialogue is discernible but not exactly crisp or consistently sharp. The track seems to pick up a bit in terms of clarity and intensity as the film progresses, but it never moves beyond the realm of "average." Considering its age, this isn't a bad listen; fans will just have to set their expectations accordingly.

Where Eagles Dare
Rating: 3/5

A DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack accompanies Where Eagles Dare. The track can be surprisingly potent, spacious but not abundantly so, and crisp but not impeccably clear. Sound effects are convincing but never all that engaging, whether gunfire, explosions, or other loud and front-and-center effects. The track is absent a constant rear-channel support structure; in fact, there are plenty of times where the back speakers may as well be disconnected, and there's certainly little in the way of supportive ambience to help immerse the listener into the story. Indeed, most effects linger across the front without so much as a hint of spilling into the rears, and the 5.1 configuration seems more like a formality than a necessity. Fortunately, dialogue is consistently clean and discernible. Much like its video presentation counterpart, Where Eagles Dare's soundtrack isn't the sort of stuff Blu-ray aficionados will use to show off the format's strengths, but there's enough good here to make this a passable soundtrack of a movie that's over 40 years old.

Kelly's Heroes / Where Eagles Dare Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Kelly's Heroes
Rating: 0.5/5

All that's included is the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:49).

Where Eagles Dare
Rating: 1/5

Where Eagles Dare features only the vintage featurette On Location: 'Where Eagles Dare' (1080p, 12:37) and the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:20).

Kelly's Heroes / Where Eagles Dare Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Aimed as much towards World War II genre fans as Clint Eastwood aficionados, Warner's latest two-pack sees each film included on its own Blu-ray disc, presented in their original aspect ratios and accompanied by lossless DTS soundtracks. Unfortunately, both films lack the more thorough extras they deserve, with Kelly's Heroes in particular left out in the cold with nothing but a trailer to its name. No matter, the movies are fine and the technical specifications are of a quality that's in-line with the aggressive price structure. Recommended.