7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A race car driver returns to competition a year after an accident leaves him badly injured. As he prepares to face his chief rival in the famous Le Mans race, he also begins a new romance with the wife of a driver who died in the same accident that nearly killed him.
Starring: Steve McQueen (I), Siegfried Rauch, Elga Andersen, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Alfred BellSport | 100% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
German: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
French: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
English SDH, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
They will drive day and night.
Auto racing isn't exactly a stranger to motion pictures, nor is general automobile mayhem; cars are fast, flashy, and require incredible amounts of skill
to precisely control at high speeds and through dangerous pathways and around various obstacles, making them the perfect tool to showcase
high-speed action and establish the skills of heroes and villains alike as forces to be reckoned with within the confines of the story. Real-life auto racing
might not have the Hollywood sheen about it, but the inches-from-death reality that hangs over it certainly makes it as dangerous, dramatic, and
heart-pumping as even the best of the cinematically-staged events. Le Mans uniquely combines a Hollywood flair with a real-life race; it tones
down the plot and emphasizes the very real emotions and dangers of the race, giving audiences the best of both worlds and resulting in a movie that's
as breathlessly exhilarating as it is dangerously real. Foregoing all but the most necessary dialogue, toning down the out-of-the-car drama to a bare
minimum, and showcasing only the realities of the 24-hour race condensed into a tidy and ever-excited runtime, Director Lee H. Katzin's picture is a
definitive racing movie that zooms on past others of its kind because of its no-nonsense approach.
Game face.
Le Mans pulls onto Blu-ray with an oftentimes striking 1080p high definition transfer. Once the film moves past a stretch of rough and soft imagery that occupies the same space as the opening titles, Paramount's Blu-ray cleans up beautifully. A hint of softness remains in a few places, but as a general rule the image is sharp and detailing is strong. Whether good-looking facial surfaces, the subtle texture of McQueen's suede jacket that he wears at the beginning of the film, or the stitching and general wear-and-tear of the white racing uniforms decorated with sponsor and flag patches, this Blu-ray reveals all of the critical details that enhance the quality of the presentation. A layer of film grain is retained over the image, suggesting the absence of debilitating noise reduction and providing a quality film-like texture. Colors are bold and beautiful in that 1970s-era look, while both blacks and flesh tones are pleasantly natural in appearance. There are a handful of pops and speckles and stray vertical lines, but the image is far more often than not clean and pristine. Blocking, banding, and the like are non-factors. This is an incredibly strong transfer and a borderline reference-quality presentation for a title from its era.
Le Mans zooms onto Blu-ray with a satisfying and energetic DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack. Despite the film's age, Paramount's 7.1 presentation is utilized extensively, with strong, natural surround elements playing a large part in bringing Le Mans to life. Music delivery is quite good, airy and open at first, floating through the soundstage with ease and accompanied by plenty of surround support. Subsequent tracks also feature a robust low end and continue to play with fine spacing and back-channel assistance. The warning alarm plays with a wonderful crispness at the top of the high end, and opposite are explosions and crashes that play with a solid rumbly low. The pre-race loudspeaker announcements are sometimes a little hard to hear and play more as a secondary background element, but more pronounced proclamations throughout the movie are played with a true-to-life room-filling energy and clarity. Of course, the true highlight of the track is the sound of the racing automobiles. This 7.1 track spits out the sound of revving engines and the speedy raw power of cars zipping down the racetrack with an amazing level of control that vibrates and zooms and puts the listener in the middle of the action. Absolute clarity seems slightly lacking, but there's no denying the sheer intensity of every up-close racing sequence. What little dialogue there is is suitably clear. Le Mans might be untraditional insofar as its lack of excessive dialogue, but this 7.1 lossless track is nevertheless a wonderful addition to the Blu-ray presentation.
Le Mans contains only the film's trailer (1080p, 3:45) and the behind-the-scenes feature Filming at Speed: The Making of the Movie 'Le Mans' (480p, 23:46). The making-of piece offers a fascinating account of the rich history behind the film. It features Director Lee H. Katzin and McQueen family and friends recalling the production history, Steve McQueen's vision for the film, shooting real racing footage, filming the remainder of the movie, the picture's documentary-style tone, its anti-Hollywood style and the conflict between the artists and the studios, cobbling together an ending, and much more. This is a strong feature that's a fine compliment to a great picture.
Le Mans is a strong contender to represent cinema's finest racing movie. Uniquely crafted, incredibly focused, and never pandering to a lower common denominator, the film is exceptional for its willingness to break the mold and allow the story to play out through the action and danger on the track and the palpable emotions that surround it, all with minimal dialogue. This is smart and absorbing cinema, and while it would be nice if more pictures followed suit, that might take away from the very things that make Le Mans such a special motion picture. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Le Mans is disappointingly absent a more thorough collection of extras, but the high-quality technical presentation more than makes up for the shortage of bonuses. Highly recommended.
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