Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Eagle Has Landed Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 25, 2023

John Sturges' "The Eagle Has Landed" (1976) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by Treat Williams, author and screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner, and television writer and producer Phoef Sutton; exclusive new programs with tech crew members; various vintage cast and crew interviews; promotional materials; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

If you rushed to acquire the first Blu-ray release of John Sturges’ The Eagle Has Landed, which British label ITV Studios produced in 2007, you currently have in your library only the Theatrical Cut of the film. If you acquired the second Blu-ray release of The Eagle Has Landed, which Shout Factory produced in 2013, you have the Theatrical Cut in your library as well. These releases are sourced from the same master and excluding their region restrictions are practically identical. The Theatrical Cut is approximately 136 minutes long and is not the film Sturges was proud of directing.

Australian label Via Vision Entertainment’s recent Blu-ray release of The Eagle Has Landed, a lavish two-disc set, has two versions of the film. The first is the Theatrical Cut that is referenced above, and the second is an Extended Cut, which is approximately 152 minutes long. The Extended Cut is not just a longer version of Sturges’ final film with bonus footage. It is a different film that was shot and edited differently.

The Extended Cut can be seen with an exclusive new audio commentary that was recorded by actor Treat Williams, author and screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner, and television writer and producer Phoef Sutton. Very early into this commentary, Williams mentions something crucial that is worth keeping in mind while viewing the Extended Cut (or any other Sturges film). “He (Sturges) never wasted any time because he was an editor at first, and consequently he knew exactly what he wanted or needed and never shot anything more than what he was going to use in the movie. So, you will see how clean his cuts are. He does not overshoot, which meant that we could go home for dinner on time, most of the time.”

The Extended Cut of The Eagle Has Landed produces a much more complex and entertaining story about the fictional kidnapping of Winston Churchill in the latter stages of WWII. To be clear, the main players in the Nazi plan to alter the course of WWII remain the same, but their introductions, interactions, and ultimately personalities are different. For example, in the Theatrical Cut, the conception of the plan is so dramatically shortened that it appears somewhat random, while in the Extended Cut, it is easy to understand why it becomes an obsession for Colonel Radl (Robert Duvall). The Theatrical Cut omits the carefully shot introduction of Colonel Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine) as well, which is again crucial because it reveals a human side of him that instantly makes his loyalty to the Fuhrer appear odd. The Extended Cut substantially expands quite a bit of the grand period visuals that are essential for the film’s desired identity, too.

Some years ago, Caine made his dissatisfaction with The Eagle Has Landed public, and much of his criticisms made perfect sense. They still do. For example, anyone that cares about authenticity would have a very difficult time accepting the events that are portrayed in the second half as even remotely believable. Indeed, Germans with odd accents, utterly clueless American soldiers, an awkward chameleon (Donald Sutherland) operating like a distant relative of James Bond, and Norfolk populated with Irishmen so naïve they could see Nazis as Poles transform The Eagle Has Landed into quite the colorful comedy, which was not the film Caine was hired to do. On top of this, every big-name actor is tasked to legitimize a character arc that is quite simply not right for the type of film Sturges was shooting.

But the abundance of bad material is also what makes The Eagle Has Landed an unusually entertaining film. Indeed, there is something undeniably attractive about viewing several great character actors participating in what is essentially a grand parody and trying to sell it as an authentic historic film.

The Eagle Has Landed Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Eagle Has Landed arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

The release offers two versions of the film: the shorter Theatrical Cut, which is approximately 136 minutes long, and the longer Extended Cut, which is approximately 152 minutes long. Both cuts are sourced from older masters that were supplied by ITV Studios. In case you are wondering, this is the same master that was used to source previous releases of the film in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The existing master has some predictable limitations, so a brand new 4K master will obviously produce better results. However, I think that The Eagle Has Landed still looks quite good in high-definition. It looks a bit dated in some areas, yes, but generally speaking, it looks good. For example, delineation and depth remain pleasing. You need to keep in mind that some parts of the film convey inherited softness too, so the limitations of the master tend to exacerbate them a bit. (You can see examples in screencaptures #21 and 24). Density levels are fine, but grain should be healthier, and if it is a lot of the improvements in the density levels will affect depth and clarity. Color balance is stable. However, this is another area where substantial improvements can be made that will give the film a more attractive appearance. Saturation, in particular, should be a lot more convincing. Some of the primaries -- like blues and greens -- need to be reset so that they appear proper as well. Image stability is very good. I noticed a few blemishes, but there are no large distracting cuts, damage marks, warped or torn frames to report. Lastly, I wish to mention that the Extended Cut could benefit a lot from specific encoding optimizations, too. Right now, in some areas, it looks shakier than the Theatrical Cut. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Eagle Has Landed Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

The lossless track is good. The dialog is clear, sharp, and easy to follow. However, despite the limitations of the original soundtrack, I think that a brand remix could introduce various meaningful improvements. For example, some of the shootouts -- like the one in around the church during the second half -- sound a tad thin on my system. I think that some unevenness accompanies or follows the thinning as well. These fluctuations will not affect negatively your viewing experience, but you are likely going to conclude that a new lossless track could be helpful as well.

The Eagle Has Landed Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

BLU-RAY DISC ONE - EXTENDED CUT

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by Treat Williams, author and screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner, and television writer and producer Phoef Sutton. This is the best bonus feature in the entire set. Williams recalls his work with fellow cast members and John Sturges on The Eagle Has Landed, while Joyner and Sutton have plenty of interesting comments about some of the major discrepancies between the Extended Cut and the Theatrical Cut of the film. If you enjoy The Eagle Has Landed, or find it seriously amusing as I do, you should listen to the commentary in its entirety.

• "The Eagle Has Landed Revisited" - in this archival program, production designer Peter Murton, co-editor/magazine publisher Dave Worrall, David Gilliam, and John Eyston, among others, discuss the period appearance of The Eagle Has Landed and some of the locations where portions of the film were shot. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• "Tom Mankiewicz: Looking Back" - in this archival program, Tom Mankiewicz, who adapted Jack Higgins' novel, recalls his contribution to The Eagle Has Landed. Mankiewicz also discusses some of the differences in the characterizations from the novel and the film. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• "ATV Today on Location" - in this archival program, John Sturges can be seen directing some of the stars for a key sequence from The Eagle Has Landed. Michael Caine also discusses the research work he did to prepare for his character. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Film Night Location Report - in this archival program, John Sturges discusses the story that is told in The Eagle Has Landed. Michael Caine, Jenny Agutter, and Donald Sutherland comment as well. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• On Location on Norfolk - in this archival program, you will see raw footage from the shooting of The Eagle Has Landed in Norfolk. John Sturges discusses the film as well. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• On Location Interviews - presented here is a collection of archival personal and promotional interviews with cast and crew members. The bulk of the information that is shared addresses the production, characters, and story that is told in The Eagle Has Landed. In English, not subtitled. (26 min).

• Photo Galleries - presented with music.
  
  1. Around the World Poster Gallery (2 min).
  2. Archive Action Gallery (4 min).
  3. Capturing the Action Gallery (9 min).
  4. On Location Gallery (1 min).

BLU-RAY DISC TWO - THEATRICAL CUT

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Steve Mitchell and Jay Rubin.

• Kim Newman on "The Eagle Has Landed" - in this exclusive new program, critic Kim Newman discusses The Eagle Has Landed and points out some of his strengths and weaknesses as well as John Sturges' body of work. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• "A Magnificent Cinema" - in this exclusive new program, critics Daniel Kremer, Michael Schlesinger and Nat Segaloff discuss the cinematic style and legacy of John Sturges. In English, not subtitled. (40 min).

• "The Making of The Eagle Has Landed: Actors and Action" - in this exclusive new program, production runner John Dodds, actor John Standing (Father Verecker), second assistant director Michael Stevenson, stuntman Jim Dowdall, electrician Drek Suter, actor David Gilliam (Sgt. Murphy), and stuntman Steve Emerson, among others recall their work on The Eagle Has Landed with John Sturges. In English, not subtitled. (79 min).

• "The Making of The Eagle Has Landed: The Sets and the Props" - in this exclusive new program, standby prop technicians Terry Wells and Barry Wilkinson, dressing props technician John Chisholm, special effects supervisor Martin Cutteridge, sculptor Brian Muir, and props technician Donald Wescott discuss the sets and props that were created and used during the shooting of The Eagle Has Landed. In English, not subtitled. (39 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for The Eagle Has Landed. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

The Eagle Has Landed Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A lot of the visual material in John Sturges' The Eagle Has Landed has that unique vibe that makes many of the films in Hammer's catalog entertaining. It is oddly surreal, at times genuinely hilarious, too. I am sorry, but this is the only sincere compliment that I can pay The Eagle Has Landed, which is absolutely impossible to take seriously. I have always had a spot for it in my library and enjoy it quite a bit, but only because it is something of a grand parody that forces its stars to do many rather incredible things while trying to sell it as an authentic historic film. This recent two-disc set from Via Vision Entertainment has the Extended Cut and Theatrical Cut of The Eagle Has Landed as well as a terrific mix of exclusive new and archival bonus features. I think that it is pretty special. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.