Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Mountains of the Moon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 13, 2024

Bob Rafelson's "Mountains of the Moon" (1990) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include audio commentary by critic Adrian Martin; archival making of featurette; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

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 about the first expeditions to the North Pole at my local library. 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 questioned his story. 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 the two 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 the darama of 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 who 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 Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from the same older master that StudioCanal supplied to Australian label Imprint Films to produce this release ofMountains of the Moon. This master has a few obvious limitations, but I like it quite a lot because it is free of digital corrections and surprisingly healthy. Also, while color reproduction can be even better, color balance is convincing, so a lot of material throughout the film looks as it should. What are some of the areas where a future proper 4K master can introduce meaningful improvements? Some highlights and darker background nuances can be more convincing. While looking good, wider panoramic shots should be sharper and more vibrant. Grain exposure can be better, too. However, at the moment, even on a very large screen all visuals maintain good density level, stability, delineation and clarity. Only in a few spots, usually where bright light is prominent, the age of the master begins to show. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-free player in order to access its content).

Mountains of the Moon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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

The lossless track is very good, possibly even excellent. It is stable, clean, and free of age-related anomalies. Previously, I speculated that there might be a few areas where small balance adjustments can be introduced, but I am still a bit uncertain whether they are needed. It is because these areas are from outdoor footage show in unusual places, and I suspect that the tiny dynamic fluctuations that are noticeable there are reproduced exactly as needed.

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

• 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).

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

• Commentary - this audio commentary was recorded by critic Adrian Martin.

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.