7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A beautiful temptress re-kindles an old romance while trying to escape her past during a tension-packed train journey.
Starring: Marlene Dietrich, Clive Brook, Anna May Wong, Warner Oland, Eugene PalletteDrama | 100% |
Romance | 44% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: LPCM Mono
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Josef von Sternberg's "Shanghai Express" (1932) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include new audio commentary by David Thompson; new program with critic Jasper Sharp; production stills; and more. The release also arrives with a limited 120-page book featuring a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews and articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, film credits and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Josef von Sternberg's Shanghai Express arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.
The release is sourced from the same 4K restoration that Criterion used to produced the North American release of the film. Obviously, the technical presentation shares the same basic characteristics.
The elements that Universal worked with to deliver the new remaster of Shanghai Express must have been in an overall better condition than those that were available for Morocco as large areas of this film have more consistent density. However, there are still segments where it is easy to tell that ideally depth and shadow definition should be better. The grading is good, but I felt that during some of the darker/indoor footage perhaps some better efforts could have been made to avoid light crushing. Grain retention is pleasing, but some very small traces of digital work are visible. Image stability is very good. Debris, cuts, damage marks, stains, and all other conventional age-related imperfections have been removed as best as possible. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I mentioned in our review of the Criterion release that I was quite happy with the quality of the lossless track. It is because the 'thinness' from the DVD release, which I tested for the previous review, is essentially eliminated. Overall balance also sounds better to me. So, my guess is that when the film was restored a lot attention was given to the audio as well, and many meaningful improvements were made.
Shanghai Express is a glamorous, old-fashioned Hollywood romantic melodrama that was conceived and delivered as an exotic fantasy film. In terms of style, it has everything that made Josef von Sternberg's work special, from imaginative sensual lighting and exceptionally elegant framing to pure atmosphere defined by a rather spectacular awareness of rhythm and space. It is also amongst the most beautiful films that von Sternebrg made with Marlene Dietirch. This release has an excellent exclusive commentary from writer, critic, and documentarian David Thompson, so if you enjoy the film you should consider picking up a copy for your collection. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(Still not reliable for this title)
Indicator Series
1931
Indicator Series
1930
Indicator Series
1932
Indicator Series
1935
Indicator Series
1934
2004
Arrow Academy
1941
1937
1939
Arrow Academy
1990
1945
Masters of Cinema
1930
1985
苏州河 / Sūzhōu hé | Limited Edition
2000
Arrow Academy
1969
Masters of Cinema
1978
2011
1995
2004
2013