The Light at the Edge of the World Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

The Light at the Edge of the World Blu-ray Movie Review

An energetic action-adventure starring Kirk Douglas (Spartacus)

The Light at the Edge of the World is an exciting action-packed adventure based on the novel by Jules Verne. The edge-of-your-seat fun comes from executive producer Alfredo Matas (Placido, Barrios altos). Filmed in the beautiful country of Spain, the big-budget Hollywood production is a great example of a production being enhanced through the use of stunning locations. With a lead performance from the legendary Kirk Douglas (Spartacus), audiences won't want to miss this under-the-radar classic.

Denton (Kirk Douglas) is a man on edge who is looking to escape from his long broken-heart. The loner in Denton is struggling to survive and goes to a secluded island with a magnificent lighthouse shining across the ocean. Denton and his small crew of men seek to live their lives free from the chaos that surrounds ordinary life. Denton meets Captain Moriz (Fernando Rey) and Felipe (Massimo Ranieri) while on his journey.

If only peace and serenity could survive another day. Things become complicated for Denton when he comes face-to-face with the ruthless pirate leader, Kongre (Yul Brynner). The king of the pirates is a vile enemy who brings chaos to the island - including chaos to the beautiful island woman, Arabella (Samantha Eggar). Can Denton defeat the villain while also saving the life of Arabella? The epic confrontation awaits.

Into the Madness

The production of The Light at the Edge of the World is effective and has plenty of unique charm. The cinematography by Henri Decaë (The 400 Blows, The Professional) gives the film an adventurous sensibility that fits the material well. The visuals are often striking and leave a strong impression. Throughout the experience, the lighting sets a tone that is action-packed. The lighthouse itself is mysterious and beautifully framed by the photography. There is a surrealism to the experience.

The costumes designed by Deirdre Clancy (The Girl from Petrovka, Mrs Brown) and Manolo Mampaso are effective and noteworthy. The gowns for actress Samantha Eggar are especially impressive and showcase her immense beauty. Kirk Douglas has an interesting costume design as well (with a compelling aesthetic that fits the adventure narrative). The efforts match the story with ease.

The excitement of the filmmaking is met hand-in-hand with the well-tuned music score composed by Piero Piccioni (Contempt, Camille 2000). There is a compelling style to the score which brings a fantastical element to the world of the islands. The special effects supervision by Antonio Molina (All About My Mother, Live Flesh) and Richard M. Parker (The White Buffalo, Man in the Wilderness) also enrich elements of The Light at the Edge of the World while being further heightened in scope by the music.

Kevin Billington (The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer, Reflections) crafted an interesting adventure as director of the film. Working with the fun and breezy screenplay by Tom Rowe (The Green Slime, Tarzan the Ape Man), Billington gives an energy to the staging that never lapses. The actors (and most notably Kirk Douglas) deliver fine performances that Billington helped to bring forth in good measure. The old-fashioned fun of The Light at the Edge of the World is highly compelling and makes the experience on which shouldn't go overlooked by genre enthusiasts. While perhaps not a perfect film, The Light at the Edge of the World proves to be an enjoyable weekend diversion. Worth a look.

The Light at the Edge of the World Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Light at the Edge of the World has received a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The presentation on the release is generally pleasant. While the scan is far from perfect, it's a reasonably satisfactory encode. The film has not received a brand new scan so the print is not entirely in perfect shape. There are some occasional scratches visible on the print (most notably during some of the opening scenes).

The quality of the print seems to improve modestly as the presentation continues. Colors are less saturated as would be ideal but are reasonably acceptable. There are no egregious issues with print damage besides the minor scratches that appear. It ends up being a modest looking scan of the film. While The Light at the Edge of the World would have seen some benefit if it had a new 4K scan, the print used is in reasonably good condition and fans will be pleased to see the film in high definition.

The Light at the Edge of the World Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray release includes a DTS-HD Master Audio mono audio soundtrack. The sound quality on the release is generally pleasant with good dialogue reproduction throughout. The track is crisp and clear throughout the presentation. The music score has enough vitality to make a positive impression. If there are any criticisms, it's that the sound effects are occasionally a bit thin sounding and the track lacks the kind of bass one would sometimes hope for in an adventure film. Even so, it's mostly an effective audio track that gets the job done well.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

The Light at the Edge of the World Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson (Incorporating Interviews featuring Producer Ilya Salkind and Director Kevin Billington)

Radio Spot (Audio Only, 00:58)

The Light at the Edge of the World Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3:39)

The release also includes a selection of trailers for other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: The Indian Fighter (SD, 2:26), The Vikings (SD, 3:26), The Way West (SD, 3:29), Kings of the Sun (HD, 3:44), The File of the Golden Goose (HD, 2:38), and Adios, Sabata (SD, 2:05).

The Light at the Edge of the World Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A surprisingly entertaining adventure spectacle with enough gusto to keep audiences entertained from start to finish, The Light at the Edge of the World is a worthwhile genre experience highlighted by an impressive lead performance by Kirk Douglas. The film is exactly the kind of exciting diversion that audiences sometimes need to experience. The Blu-ray release from Kino marks the worldwide high-definition debut and there are some supplemental materials to round out the package. Fans will want to add this adventurous film to their collections. Recommended.