8.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.2 |
A Hollywood star of the silent era, production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.
Starring: Gene Kelly (I), Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Millard MitchellRomance | 100% |
Musical | 67% |
Period | 54% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital Mono
Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono
Portuguese: Dolby Digital Mono
German: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
Czech: Dolby Digital Mono
Polish: Dolby Digital Mono
English SDH, French, German SDH, Italian SDH, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Ah, the folly of youth. It wasn't so long ago that the phrase "they just don't make 'em like they used to" elicited the same quip from this shortsighted moviegoer: "there's a reason for that." But then movie-going became a craft, from there a profession, and from there a career. I found more and more of the Golden Age classics I once so callously dismissed sitting on my desk, awaiting a review; a process that finally, at long last, brought me around. They really don't make 'em like they used to. And while that isn't necessarily a tragedy, it is something of a shame. Of course, the more enlightened cinephiles among you are passionately nodding your heads. You've grasped this seemingly simple concept for years. Decades even. So I'm sad to say this portion of my review isn't for you. Chances are you've already ordered your copy of Singin' in the Rain anyway, and have only come here to see how its AV presentation and special features stack up. No, this review is for those of you who wouldn't normally go near a 1952 musical; those of you with little interest in the films of lifetimes long past; those of you who are actively, willingly, stubbornly turning a blind eye to the some of the greatest films of all time just because they came and went before you were born. There are generations of moviegoers who will never experience the joys and delights of a film like Singin' in the Rain, and that, dear readers, is the real shame of not making 'em like they used to...
"Dignity. Always dignity."
Warner Bros. is on a bit of a roll, rejuvenating catalog classics with loving remasters and impressive 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfers. Singin' in the Rain is given a similar treatment; just not one that lives up to the high standards set by Ben-Hur and Casablanca. The presentation has its share of issues: mild to moderate edge halos are present throughout (and quite obvious at times), the film's inherent softness can be prohibitive, and a noticeable waxiness afflicts a number of closeups and midrange shots. But beware. There are more than a few scenes that will have some people crying DNR! when, in fact, it isn't quite that simple. The original source has undergone extensive cleanup, yes, but not of the smear-it-all-to-hell variety. Grain, though light, is pleasant and consistent, numerous textile, fabric and facial textures are commendably resolved, and overall definition is fairly pleasing. As it turns out, noise reduction and other invasive techniques actually aren't the chief culprit. Artificial sharpening, as it's applied to the film's softer shots, creates the impression of somewhat waxy textures and faces when framed by freshly tweaked edges. If these edges were kept as soft as they originally appeared, the resulting image wouldn't be as problematic.
All that said, there's very little to be distracted by, especially since Singin' in the Rain has never looked better. Colors have been granted new life, primaries are gorgeous, skintones are lovely (albeit a touch over-saturated now and again), black levels are rich and savory, and contrast doesn't falter. Moreover, print scratches and blemishes are nowhere to be found, artifacting and banding don't invade the image, and other anomalies aren't a factor. Is Singin' in the Rain's presentation as faithful and filmic as it could be? Not entirely. But it comes close, oh so close; close enough to make its shortcomings, minor as they may be in the grand scheme of things, that much easier to stomach. Some may score the video as low as a 3.5, others may go as high as a 4.5 (or perhaps higher). For my part, I fall somewhere in between; wishing certain aspects of the image were more natural but thankful that Kelly and Freed's sixty-year-old musical looks as good as it does.
The high point of Warner's AV presentation is undoubtedly its carefully mixed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which retains the humble qualities of the film's original monoaural sound design while allowing Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed's music to flourish across the entire soundfield. Dialogue and song lyrics are clean, clear and perfectly prioritized, be it Gene Kelly's dulcet singing voice, Donald O'Connor's chirpy quips and verbal gymnastics, Debbie Reynolds' velvet-smooth tone, or Jean Hagen's nasally whine. But it's the songs -- from "Good Morning" to "Moses Supposes" to "Make 'Em Laugh" to "You Were Meant for Me" -- that are the joy of Warner's lossless track. The orchestra's instrumentation is represented extremely well, pratfalls and mid-song sound effects dance a finely choreographed dance with the lyrics and music, and every last trumpet blast, snare roll, trombone slide, timpani strike and stringed crescendo is showcased just as it should be. LFE output is reasonably restrained when the singers, dancers and musicians take five, but comes alive the moment music erupts. Likewise, the rear speakers offer light, playful but exceedingly subtle support throughout, but rise to the occasion when called upon. There aren't many flashy directional tricks, mind you. Just a full, utterly satisfying sound from beginning to end. It all hinges on a masterful balancing act and an unwavering devotion to the source, and it's exactly the sort of lossless 5.1 surround experience I hope for when watching a decades-old classic. I can't imagine Singin' in the Rain sounding any better than it does here.
The single-disc release of Singin' in the Rain serves up a number of special features, all of which are detailed below. The concurrently released Collector's Edition gift set offers much more -- several collectibles, a 48-page hardcover book, and a second disc packed with hours of additional standard definition special features -- but at a premium price. Choose wisely (or frugally as the case may be).
Arguably the greatest movie musical of all time, Singin' in the Rain holds up well enough to win over a whole new generation of fans. Whether they give it a fair shot to do so is another matter entirely. Thankfully, Warner has granted the film an extensive 4K remaster, an impressive (albeit slightly flawed) video presentation, an absolutely terrific DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and a few solid extras, among them an audio commentary and a newly produced high-definition documentary. The concurrently released Collector's Edition gift set is pricier, but offers a second disc of SD bonus content, a 48-page hardcover book, a full-size movie-themed umbrella, and more. Regardless of which version you choose, just be sure to choose Singin' in the Rain. It doesn't matter what year you were born, Kelly and Freed's timeless classic deserves a shot at earning a spot in your collection.
60th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition
1952
70th Anniversary Edition
1952
1952
1951
1958
1957
Warner Archive Collection
1929
1953
1949
1936
1944
1953
Limited Edition
1943
1947
Warner Archive Collection
1933
2001
1982
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1944
Warner Archive Collection
1957
1964
1941
1955
2011