Mountains of the Moon Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Mountains of the Moon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 16, 2024

Bob Rafelson's "Mountains of the Moon" (1990) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with actor Patrick Bergin; new program with director/actor Henry Jaglom; new program with Peter Rafelson; new audio commentary by critic Peter Tonguette; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

When I was growing up, one of my favorite books to revisit was Jules Verne’s The Adventures of Captain Hatteras. It was my ultimate source for late-night escapist entertainment because the rich descriptions of exotic places and special characters it provided never failed to stimulate my imagination. I also spent countless hours with Emilio Salgari’s book The Black Corsair, but for a different reason. Salgari’s book was a lot simpler and action-oriented, so it very quickly connected with the dormant hero inside me, which back then frequently demanded my attention.

The Adventures of Captain Hatteras forced my mind to consider countless what-if scenarios and, in the process, inspired me to dig up a lot of factual information at my library about the first expeditions to the North Pole. I was astonished by some of the discoveries I made, and the more I learned about real adventurers who resembled Captain Hatteras, the more convinced I became that the bravest among these people must have been slightly mad. Dr. Frederick A. Cook, who is believed to have been the first to reach the North Pole, for instance, was, in my opinion, a legitimately mad person, because only a mad person could have endured what he did. There isn’t a shortage of skeptics who are convinced that Cook lied about his adventures at the North Pole, but I never did. I just thought that he was so incredibly brave, he must have been a legitimately mad person.

Bob Rafelson’s film Mountains of the Moon temporarily transported me back to my childhood years, when I spent a lot of time pondering what would force men like Captain Hatteras and Cook to do what they did. This film retells the true story of Captain Richard Francis Burton (Patrick Bergin) and John Hanning Speke (Iain Glen) who went to Central Africa to discover the origin of the river Nile in 1857 and nearly lost their lives. Both had plenty of support during their journey, but the film makes it obvious that they were extremely lucky to come back alive because they participated in what was essentially a suicide mission. Both were very ambitious, very intelligent men, but, in my opinion, like Cook, they were mad as well.

While the film frequently produces breathtaking panoramic visuals to support its story, its strength is in its depiction of Burton and Speke’s madness. To be clear, this madness is not of the kind that puts people in a medical facility. Rather, it is of the kind that transforms people into fearless dreamers who, if given an opportunity, would embark on expeditions that are suicide missions. In the film, Burton and Speke are presented with multiple such opportunities and while taking advantage of them, both repeatedly explain the logic behind their decisions to enter and reenter very hostile and completely uncharted territories in Central Africa.

In England, while presenting different versions of their historic discoveries, Burton and Speke become enemies, which I think was an unavoidable side effect of the form of madness they shared. (Even though their journeys were different, Hatteras and Cook unquestionably wanted to be immortalized by their discoveries, too). Tragedy is another such unavoidable side effect. Ponder this: these men entered Central Africa multiple times without proper equipment or understanding of the weather conditions they would have to endure to complete their mission. Somehow, they survived. What about the other explorers like them that did not? For obvious reasons, the film does not address any such failures, but this does not change the fact that with these types of missions, death is always the most likely reward for those who participate in them.

Large parts of the film were shot on location in Kenya, with the most exotic footage coming from areas around Nairobi, Lake Turkana, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Victoria.

Mountains of the Moon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Mountains of the Moon arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The release is sourced from an older but quite nice master that was supplied by StudioCanal. The best news about this master is that it is healthy and free of problematic digital corrections. As a result, even though a few spots can be slightly softer than they need to be, delineation, clarity, and depth are usually very pleasing. In fact, I was rather surprised to see how good a lot of the panoramic footage looks, especially the one that was shot in the desert. Color balance is convincing. Yes, there is room for some improvements in terms of saturation, but you will not encounter any anomalies that push the primaries and supporting nuances in odd variations of unnatural digital colors. Image stability is very good. All in all, while a new 4K master will undoubtedly introduce meaningful improvements, the current master offers a very nice organic presentation of the film. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Mountains of the Moon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Clarity and sharpness are very good. Stability is good, too. There might be a few areas where small balance adjustments can be introduced, but it is difficult to be certain because all of these ares feature outdoor footage that was shot in unusual places. Dynamic contrasts are good, but I do not think that they will make an impression on people who appreciate the potency of contemporary soundtracks.

Mountains of the Moon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Be Careful with Obsessions: Bob Rafelson, Henry Jaglom, and Two Paths to Capturing Reality - in this new program, director/actor Henry Jaglom discusses his professional relationship and friendship with Bob Rafelson, and the work they did together. Some of the comments address the production of Mountains of the Moon, which Rafelson was obsessed with. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• A Mountainous Soul: Peter Rafelson Remembers his Legendary Father - in this new program, Peter Rafelson discusses the life and career of his father, as well as the massive shadow his success cast on his life and career. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• An Irishman in Africa: Patrick Bergin Becomes Explorer Richard Burton - in this new program, Patrick Bergin recalls his work with Bob Rafelson during the production of Mountains of the Moon. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• "...And The Revolutions Followed Him" - in this new program, author and journalist Josh Karp discusses Bob Rafelson larger than life old personality and presence in Hollywood and legacy, with some quite interesting comments about his love for Mountains of the Moon. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• The Making of Mountains of the Moon (1990) - this archival program takes a closer look at the production of Mountains of the Moon. It includes clips from interviews with Bob Rafelson, Patrick Bergin, Fiona Shaw, Iain Glen, and producer Daniel Melnick. In was prepared in 1993. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Peter Tonguette.

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Mountains of the Moon. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Mountains of the Moon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bravery, in its most extreme variation, is a form of admirable madness. When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time reading about the first men to reach places like the North Pole and the summit of Mount Everest, and the only way in which I could rationalize their success was to see them as madmen. (For what it's worth, I still think that climbers insisting on reaching the summit of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen are madmen). Bob Rafelson's film Mountains of the Moon is about two such, in my opinion, madmen who went to Central Africa to discover the origin of the river Nile in 1857 and nearly lost their lives. It is a visual stunner, but I think that its description of their madness is its greatest strength. If you enjoy it, I also recommend spending a night with Bernardo Bertolucci's masterpiece The Sheltering Sky. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.