Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 20, 2021

Note: This version of this film is included as part of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, which also includes The Living Idol.

Albert Lewin isn’t an especially well remembered name in the annals of Hollywood history, despite the fact that he was closely associated with the legendary Irving G. Thalberg, and was an associate producer on a number of high profile films, including two iconic Academy Award winners, the 1935 version of Mutiny on the Bounty and 1937’s The Good Earth. Lewin matriculated into both writing and directing, though not without a few bumps in the road, as he was evidently removed as director from another multiple Academy Award nominee, 1943’s Madame Curie, before it was completed. However, bookending that perceived failure were two more notable successes which Lewin both wrote and directed, 1942’s The Moon and Sixpence (Academy Award nominated for Dmitri Tiomkin’s lush score) and 1945’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (three Academy Award nominations, including one for Angela Lansbury as Best Supporting Actress, with cinematographer Harry Stradling actually winning the Oscar statuette). The co-star of several of these aforementioned films, George Sanders, reteamed with Lewin and Lansbury for 1947’s The Private Affairs of Bel Ami, which was not met with much success in either the critical or box office realms, which may explain at least in part the lapse between that film and Lewin’s next at bat, the patently odd 1951 melodrama Pandora and the Flying Dutchman. Pandora and the Flying Dutchman did at least relatively well, due in part to the then sensational appeal of Ava Gardner, but Lewin never really regained much momentum, helming only two more feature films, 1953’s Saadia and 1957’s The Living Idol. Kino Lorber released Pandora and the Flying Dutchman a few years ago in an edition that touted a new restoration, but Cohen has gone back at least somewhat to the drawing board to offer a new version, coupling the film with Lewin’s last directorial effort.

As mentioned above, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman had a previous release on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber many years ago. Those interested in a plot recap are encouraged to read Casey Broadwater's Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Blu-ray review of that version.

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Cohen Film Collection, an imprint of Cohen Media Group, with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.32:1. If you go to the parent review for this release, I've uploaded three screenshots in positions 5 through 7 of text cards detailing some of the restoration process for this film, and I've also included a rather telling screenshot in position 4 showing a side by side account of what the "before and after" appearances are. Additionally, there's quite a bit of information about the restoration contained in the insert booklet included with this release, where the earlier restoration is addressed as well as what was done for this release, including using a vintage dye transfer Technicolor print belonging to Martin Scorsese as a reference. In terms of damage or age related wear and tear, there's virtually nothing to complain about. The color timing here I am almost certain is going to raise some eyebrows, as it is noticeably more yellow than the earlier Kino Lorber release. That can mean that skies which were deep blue in the first release take on a kind of greenish hue here, and flesh tones can often look jaundiced. I have to assume this is closer to what the original release looked like, at least if one accepts the fact that the Scorsese print weathered the vagaries of time (and tide?) relatively well, but I also have to say the appearance of this version will probably come as something of a shock to those who are used to the Kino Lorber version. Detail levels are quite appealing throughout, and grain resolves without any problems.

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Kind of strangely, this release offers only a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which is obviously not the way the film was originally released. The good news is that the surround repurposing is not overly aggressive, and the bulk of the material can still reside pretty regularly front and center. There's also little of the "phasiness" that can sometimes attend these sorts of redone tracks. Dialogue, effects and score are all delivered without any problems. Optional English subtitles are available.

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Alternate Opening Credits (1080p; 2:28)


• Hedda Hopper Trailer (1080i; 3:00)


• Original Trailer (1080p; 2:02) is in black and white.


• Restoration Trailer (1080p; 00:55)


• Restoration Comparison (1080p; 4:51) offers side by side looks at before and after shots, as seen in screenshot 4 of the Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Blu-ray review .


• Death of Manolete (1080p; 17:27) is a brief documentary about the famed bullfighter. In Spanish with English subtitles.

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman is a completely peculiar film, one that kind of meanders between an almost magical realist ambience and more turgid melodrama. This new release from Cohen offers manifestly different color timing than the older Kino Lorber release, and so those interested in this may want to do a contrast and compare between the screenshots accompanying this review and the ones that Casey included with his review of the Kino Lorber version. With caveats noted, Recommended.