The Other Side of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.5

The Other Side of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie Review

An old-fashioned romantic-drama starring Marilyn Hassett and Beau Bridges.

The Other Side of the Mountain is a romantic-drama produced by Edward S. Feldman (Near Dark, The Hitcher). The film is based on the novel A Long Way Up by E.G. Valens. Featuring performances by Marilyn Hassett and Beau Bridges, The Other Side of the Mountain is worth a look.

Jill Kinmont (Marilyn Hassett) is a skilled ski athlete with hopes for becoming an Olympian one day. The dream becomes a nightmare when she finds herself paralyzed following a tragic skiing accident. With the attention of her close friends and family, Jill attempts to continue to live her life to its fullest. As Kinmont becomes close with Dick Buek (Beau Bridges) can Jill find happiness past the mountain?

The performances are at the heart of the dramatic tale. Marilyn Hassett impresses as Jill while Beau Bridges offers a surprising performance as Dick Buek. The performers seem to work well together during the film. The efforts are commendable (if never Oscar worthy).

The cinematography by David M. Walsh (Sleeper, Murder by Death) is somewhat lackluster and never manages to make a huge impression. Nor does the score composed by Charles Fox (9 to 5, National Lampoon's European Vacation). The efforts seem a bit sappy and over-done. Underwhelming but acceptable at-best.

A journey taken.

The costumes by Grady Hunt (The Quest) are impressive, though. The costumes seem appropriate for the characters and manage to make a decent impression. Both lead performers are fully-realized as characters through their costumes.

The screenplay by David Seltzer (The Omen) is reasonably engaging but never manages to find a perfect note. The storytelling is average at best – but it also never outright fails. The script is OK: highlighting the performances is key. The storytelling could have been better but it also could have been worse.

Larry Peerce (The Incident) brings The Other Side of the Mountain to life. While the film is just average entertainment, the filmmaking is entertaining-enough to make it worth watching once. The results are pleasant if never extraordinary.

The Other Side of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Other Side of the Mountain is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The release is generally good and appears naturally filmic. The print is in decent shape and has little to no major print damage or wear. The scan is certainly proficient and watchable.

Even so, colors are lackluster and never appear as robust as desired. The image also lacks the kind of exceptional depth one would expect to find from the best transfers. The image looks a little faded. Despite these issues, film grain is preserved and the print looks naturalistic. The high-definition upgrade is worthwhile even if it isn't perfect. An OK presentation.

The Other Side of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The audio track is clear sounding and has no significant faults in regards to hiss, crackle, warps, clicks, and other-such audio-related anomalies. Throughout the presentation, The Other Side of the Mountain is never overly harsh sounding or fatiguing. The track might lack the fidelity and depth of modern productions but the dialogue is undeniably clear and easy to understand.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

The Other Side of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Interview with Director Larry Peerce (HD, 19:37)

The Other Side of the Mountain Trailer (SD, 1:10)

The Other Side of the Mountain 2 Trailer (SD, 2:19)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Hard to Hold (SD, 2:45) and The Landlord (HD, 2:33).

The Other Side of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Other Side of the Mountain is a decent watch – but it is far from becoming a classic. The performances by Marilyn Hassett and Beau Bridges are the highlight of the film. The filmmaking is somewhat dated and lacks finesse in the storytelling department. The Blu-ray features a decent if unspectacular video-audio presentation.