Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 10, 2017

Sam Wanamaker's "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger" (1977) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British label Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; exclusive new video interview with actress Jane Seymour; archival audio recording of an interview Ray Harryhausen; the documentary "The Harryhausen Chronicles"; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Sam Wanamaker's Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger is included in this three-disc box set together with Nathan Juran's The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Gordon Hessler's The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. For a complete analysis of Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, please see my colleague Jeff Kaufman's review of the North American release here.

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Sam Wanamaker's Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release was apparently sourced from a 2K restoration of the film. I don't know when it was prepared, but everything that I see tells me that it must have been a while ago. In fact, the end result is quite uneven and is actually a lot closer to what I typically expect to see from a remaster. For example, there are various close-ups where density isn't optimal and grain actually isn't as well defined as it should be (see screencaptures #10 and 12). So, on a larger screen these areas could appear somewhat flat. Because of the nature of the original cinematography there are also plenty of inherited density fluctuations, but they have very different native qualities. In various parts of the film edge definition also isn't as good as it should be, though overall I found it to be noticeably better than that of the North American release (see screencapture #9). In fact, there are a couple of sequences where it is quite easy to see that clarity and depth are definitively better here (compare screencapture #11 and the corresponding screencapture from the first review of the film). Overall color balance is good, but saturation and nuances should be better. I actually did some comparisons to see how obvious the difference could be with the recent 4K restoration of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad where the color palette is enormously impressive, and I can confirm that there is a pretty substantial gap. Image stability is good. Lastly, there are quite a few dark and white specks, as well as some minor blemishes, larger back marks, and scratches. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to access its content regardless of your geographical location).

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed the film with the Mono track. The basics are solid -- clarity, depth, and balance are all excellent. Also, there is no doubt in my mind that when the master was prepared background his, crackle, and all other standard age-related imperfections were removed as best as possible. Frankly, I am fairly certain that even if eventually Sony Pictures produce a new master there won't be any noticeable improvements in the audio department.

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

NOTE: All of the supplemental features on this Blu-ray release are perfectly playable on North American Blu-ray players, including the PS3.

• Isolated Score - presented as LPCM 1.0.

• Image Gallery - a large collection of original promotional materials for the film.

• The Guardian Interview with Ray Harryhausen - presented here is an archival audio recording of an interview conducted by Philip Strick at the National Film Theatre in London in 1981. The information that I found most interesting was about the evolution of Ray Harryhausen's style (and the important role that King Kong apparently had) and the final visual appearance of his films. There are also some quite interesting observations about the surrealistic qualities of the Sinbad films. (85 min).

• The Princess Diaries - in this new video interview, actress Jane Seymour recalls how she was cast to play Farah and discusses the shooting of Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. There are also some good comments about Ray Harryhausen's special effects. The interview was produced by Elijah Drenner for Indicator/Powerhouse Films. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080p).

• Ray Harryhausen Interview by John Landis - in this archival interview, Ray Harryhausen discusses Jason and the Argonauts and the various special effects that his films are known for. The interview is conducted by John Landis. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080i).

• The Harryhausen Chronicles - this documentary film focuses on the special effects and many of the exotic creatures that Ray Harryhausen's films have promoted during the years, as well as his illustrious career. The documentary is narrated by actor/dierctor/photographer/singer Leonard Nimoy. In English, not subtitled. (58 min, 1080i).

• Booklet - also included with this release is an 80-page illustrated booklet with new essays and film credits.

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I wholeheartedly agree with my colleague Jeff Kauffman's take on Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. There are a few charming bits in it, but for the most part it rehashes what has already been done in earlier Ray Harryhausen projects. My guess is that if you enjoy the rest of the Sinbad films you will likely have a good time with it, but just to be safe do not approach it with huge expectations. Indicator/Powerhouse Films' technical presentation is decent, but I think that the real value of this release comes from the nice selection of bonus features. Recommended, but only to fans of the film.