The Bounty Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Bounty Blu-ray Movie Review

The truth and nothing but the truth?

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 31, 2015

In his really interesting commentary included as a supplement on this new Blu-ray of The Bounty, historical advisor Stephen Walters confesses to having been obsessed by the mutiny on HMS Bounty for most of his life, a feeling which for whatever reason I heartily share. I was probably not more than four or five when my eldest sister dragged me to what must have been a seriously after market showing of the Marlon Brando Mutiny on the Bounty, which was playing at a very small private theater on an Army base where my father was an officer. We were literally the only ones in the theater that night, something that may have helped imprint the film so indelibly on my mind, but I remember being totally freaked out by Fletcher Christian’s bad burns as the sad climax of that particular telling of the tale played out (a climax which Walters and other historians will know didn't actually happen). The impact of that first viewing really stayed with me, so much so that I ultimately finally read the iconic Nordhoff and Hall (somewhat fictionalized) account of the mutiny, and, years later, actually attempted to plan a vacation to Pitcairn Island, the place where Christian and his mutineers ended up after ditching the notorious Captain Bligh in the middle of the ocean. Pitcairn has evidently upped its tourism game, at least as evidenced by some cursory research done in preparation for this review, but back in the Dark Ages of the 1980s it was actually almost ridiculously difficult to get there, at least on the limited budget of a supposed young professional, so I was sadly forced to abandon that particular dream. (It seems that Pitcairn is actually recruiting people now to be full time residents, since the native population is older and is fading away due to attrition. Fellow Bounty obsessives, take note.) As evocative and colorful as that 1962 Mutiny on the Bounty was, it was hardly a model of historical accuracy, as, frankly, was its 1935 forbear Mutiny on the Bounty. (Real obsessives, at least those with a similar hankering for obscure films, will know there’s actually an earlier quasi-documentary 1933 film called In the Wake of the Bounty, which offered a very young Errol Flynn as Fletcher Christian. Absolute Bounty nutcases—and you know who you are—will probably also know of a little remembered silent film about the mutiny. ) The Bounty started out as something of a dream project for the legendary David Lean, who along with his frequent collaborator, screenwriter Robert Bolt, wanted to set the record straight (or at least straighter) with regard to this now infamous seagoing adventure. Unfortunately the fates were not with Lean, and despite an evidently incredibly promising first draft screenplay, things never came completely to fruition, at least in that form and under Lean’s command. The project trundled along in a kind of development hell whirlpool until years later it emerged in this somewhat redacted, revised form, now directed by Roger Donaldson. This version of the tale may indeed be more factual, something that may make it preferable to armchair historians, if not to fantasizers about exotic locales and desperate mutineers.

The two best known cinematic antecedents to The Bounty made it abundantly clear why the mutiny was undertaken. In both of those accounts Captain Bligh is an unrelenting martinet, a man whose insistence on the rules and regulations of His Majesty’s Navy be observed with the utmost alacrity. But in both Charles Laughton’s and Trevor Howard’s formulations of the character, Bligh is slightly unhinged, or at least becomes so, especially after he sees his crew literally seduced by the wiles of the Tahitians. The Bounty, which bases parts of its version on Bligh’s own journal, tends not to make Bligh such a hyperbolic villain, though it’s still relatively obvious that Bligh’s own uncompromising attitudes contributed to his “downfall.” This tendency is contrasted (rather brilliantly so, in fact) with the seaman's extraordinary feat of navigation in getting himself and his followers back to safety after he's set adrift by Christian and the other mutineers.

While some may recall the first broadcast version of the 1962 film which included a bookending sequence which then gave way to a long flashback detailing the history behind the mutiny, The Bounty is structurally more diverse, ping ponging back and forth between the trial Bligh (Anthony Hopkins) is forced to undergo after he manages against all odds to get back to civilization after the mutiny, and various vignettes in flashback form which slowly but surely fill in the history of his initially friendly but ultimately contentious relationship with Fletcher Christian (Mel Gibson). Robert Bolt’s screenplay seems to give a bit more benefit of the doubt to some of Bligh’s behaviors, at least in the first half of the voyage. His increasingly abrupt decisions in the wake of the crew’s long exile in Tahiti are perhaps too extreme in what sometimes seems like an overly redacted version of the events, but they at least provide suitable motivation for Christian and several cohorts to set Bligh adrift.

Ironically, this at least relatively more “fair and balanced” portrayal of Bligh tends to suck some of the dramatic impetus out of the film, making the mutineers seem more like petulant spoiled children rather than resolute “blue collar” types railing against The Man. Tamping down the portrayal of Bligh also leaves less room for a hyperbolic Christian, and while Gibson provides substantial dash to the role (in a much less mannered way than Brando, not to state the obvious), there’s a certain disconnect between these more reserved characterizations and the epochal events that unfolded.

A lot of people have played the “what if” game, relegating director Roger Donaldson’s work to some perceived second tier and wondering how much “better” the film would have been under Lean’s command. Personally I think that’s an unfair analytical bent, and one that ignores the rather remarkable job Donaldson did with The Bounty. The film is impressive in scope, featuring some great set pieces (including a harrowing storm sequence), as well as generally superior performances all around. The more nuanced depiction of Bligh may unintentionally rob the film of some visceral intensity, but this is grand filmmaking that is both epic and intimate, actually in the best Lean tradition.

The Bounty Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Bounty is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.34:1. There are some very minor age related issues with the elements, but generally speaking things are in excellent shape. Donaldson and cinematographer Arthur Ibbetson offer some stunning panaromas, especially once the story migrates to Tahiti, the section of the film where the palette really pops with some immediacy. Some of the shipboard material is fairly drab looking by comparison, with an emphasis on darker, less impressive, tones. All of that said, colors retain their original luster and look nicely accurate throughout the presentation. While the overall look here is rather soft and grainy, fine detail is often excellent, especially when close-ups are utilized (see the native finery in screenshot 14 for a good example). Depth of field is often exceptional, especially in the island sequences. There are no issues with image instability.

The Bounty Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Bounty's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix offers substantial surround activity in set pieces like the aforementioned storm sequence as well as the good multi-channel placement of Vangelis' synth drenched score. Elements like native drumming also reverberate with authenticity. Dialogue is presented very cleanly and is well prioritized, even in sequences filled with sound effects. Fidelity is excellent and dynamic range is extremely wide in this problem free track.

The Bounty Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Original Theatrical Trailer (480i; 2:12)


• MGM 90th Anniversary Trailer (1080p; 2:06)


• Isolated Score Track is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Vangelis was of course a hot property after having won the Academy Award for Chariots of Fire, but as much as this may rankle some fans, I find his synth based score on this film much less involving than Bronislau Kaper's for the 1962 version. For those interested, I highly recommend the fantastic Film Score Monthly multi-CD release of Kaper's score.


• Audio Commentaries:

  With Director Roger Donaldson, Producer Bernard Williams and Production Designer John Graysmark. This is an interesting commentary that focuses on technical aspects like the shoot and recreating the historical milieu of the era.

  
  

  With Historical Consultant Stephen Walters. This is a "must listen" for those with an abiding interest in the actual real life history of HMS Bounty and the fateful mutiny.

The Bounty Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

For reasons elucidated above, the 1962 Mutiny on the Bounty will forever be imprinted on my mind in an inescapable way, but The Bounty offers a fascinatingly different perspective on this ill fated journey to procure breadfruit (of all things). Hopkins and Gibson make for a somewhat more intellectual Bligh and Christian than might be expected (at least given previous portrayals), and that approach may at least slightly undercut some of the visceral intensity that should really inform the relationship between the two and, ultimately, the mutiny. Still, this is an incredibly handsomely mounted production with a riveting story and generally superior performances. Technical merits are very good, the supplemental package is enjoyable, and whether or not you join Mr. Walters and me in our general Bounty obsession, The Bounty comes Recommended.