The Guns of Navarone 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Guns of Navarone 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Sony brings the 1961 World War II Action film 'The Guns of Navarone' to the UHD format with new 2160p/HDR video and Dolby Atmos audio. A couple of new extras have been included on the UHD disc proper and the bundled Blu-ray, which is identical to the 2011 issue, includes all of the legacy content.

The Guns of Navarone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

The UHD ships with a double-sided insert with a note by Sony's Grover Crisp detailing the history of arduous restoration work for this film on both the video and, to a lesser verbiage degree, the audio presentations. In summary, the piece first introduces Sony's preservation committee and its role in the DVD, Blu-ray, and now UHD eras. It moves on to look at the 1992 restoration for The Guns of Navarone and follows to more closely explore the work performed in 2011 for the film's 50th anniversary: beginning with the original 35mm negative and the use of new digital restoration tools to apply fixes the previous 1992 work could not achieve. The piece concludes with a note on the HDR grading and the resultant need for further restoration work. This is a great insert and Sony (and other studios) would be wise to follow suit for all releases but particularly for restored classics.

The end result on-screen image is a delightful 2160p/HDR UHD presentation. The picture is handsomely grainy and authentic, still holding some imperfections inherent to the source (some haloing and the like) but this is beautiful in practically every shot. It's razor sharp and precise and a far cry beyond the 2011 Blu-ray. Tactile definition excellent. Facial close-ups are a treat for density and clarity, as are various clothes, whether more ragged civilian garb or crisp Nazi uniforms. Location details are a delight as they extend to natural outdoor elements to the fortress walls. The image is confidently crisp and sure, stable and handsome. It's a significant upgrade over the Blu-ray.

The HDR color grading is likewise a boon for the image. Though not a redesign, it does, as Crisp says in his note, "reference with authenticity the original look of the film, but with an improved range for densities and color." The result is a very natural, not at all aggressive, HDR presentation, adding depth and vividness without sacrificing any given scene's inherent color tones. Deeper blacks, crisper whites, more solidly defined gray Nazi uniforms and natural greens find a perfect marriage of newfound depth and vitality while also holding to roots and never becoming so expressive as to overwhelm the scene. The HDR colors play in harmony with the improved resolution for one of the most impressive catalogue UHD releases of the year.

The Guns of Navarone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sony brings The Guns of Navarone to the UHD format with a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack, and what a track it is! This one is mighty impressive. There's no timidity, not reservations or hesitations. It's a full throttle sound experience that ignites the home theater in a way that is both aggressive and faithful. Sound elements are loud and intoxicatingly engaging. Explosions hit with some seriously deep and terrifying thump, maintaining the pitch and definition from the original source but making sure to drop the listener into the middle of the action. Gunfire is likewise very impressive for depth and realism as it emanates from all around the listener. The surrounds carry plenty of action, particularly as explosions send debris pelting all over the stage and as gunfire rips through various channels. The overheads are engaged discretely and as necessary as well in what is, surprisingly for a 60-year-old film, some of the best examples of height usage yet. At around the six-minute mark listeners will be treated to some discrete overhead content as planes fly directly above the home theater. Planes are indeed the highlight for top end extension as they maneuver above the listener with tangible placement and sense of height; it's true 3-D audio imaging, and it is very exciting and very well done! Music is crisp and well distributed, dominant along the front of course but never lacking surround engagement and certainly never wanting for more aggression or clarity. Light ambient effects help set various scenes while some more boisterous sounds -- a wedding early in the film -- satisfyingly draw the listener into the experience. Dialogue is clear and center focused. This may be the single best catalogue soundtrack of the year. It's a joy.

The Guns of Navarone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sony brings The Guns of Navarone to the UHD format with a couple of new extras on the 2160p disc while the bundled Blu-ray, which is identical to the 2011 issue, carries over all of the Blu-ray legacy extras. See below for more on the new UHD extras and a list of the included legacy supplements. For full coverage of the extras from the 2001 Blu-ray, please click here. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

UHD:

• Optional Roadshow Intermission Card (2160p/HDR): In a sense, two cuts of the film: one with the Original Roadshow Intermission Card intact (2:40:53) and without (2:36:21).
• Main Title Progression Reel (1080p, 2:43): From the supplement: "The following shows early sketch drawings for the Main Title backgrounds compared to the finished drawings in the final Main Title sequence with credits." The sketch work is shown at the top of the screen and the finished product at the bottom, both sharing an approximately 4x3 window.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 3:42).

• The Resistance Dossier
• Audio Commentary
• Audio Commentary
• Forging The Guns of Navarone: Notes from the Set
• An Ironic Epic of Heroism
• Memories of Navarone
• Epic Restoration
• A Heroic Score
• Great Guns
• No Visitors
• Honeymoon on Rhodes
• Two Girls on the Town
• Narration-Free Prologue
• Message from Carl Foreman
• Previews
• BD-Live.

The Guns of Navarone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sony has performed most impressive work for The Guns of Navarone on the UHD format. The picture quality is exceptional, the audio is even better, and all of the legacy content is carried over while a few new extras make the package, too. Very highly recommended.