6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
In this volatile political thriller based on the critically acclaimed best-selling book, a compassionate American ambassador to the strife-torn Southeast Asian nation of Sarkhan tries to keep the Communists in the north from overrunning the weakened democracy in the south by making sure a vital road into the country's inaccessible interior goes through. But, from his very arrival, "The Ugly American" is met with suspicion and hate even by an influential freedom fighter now suspected of being a Communist agent.
Starring: Marlon Brando, Eiji Okada, Sandra Church, Pat Hingle, Arthur Hill (I)Drama | 100% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.84:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
The Ugly American will be interesting to modern moviegoers for two chief reasons: its prescience (which is almost entirely owed to the 1958 pre-Vietnam Conflict novel upon which it was based) and its hot-on-the-heels performance from just-then-anointed A-list sensation, Marlon Brando. Beyond that, there isn't much to the slow, heightened diplomatic chit chat that dominates large swaths of this less than thrilling political thriller. It's preachy and plodding, a damaging trait despite being steps ahead of the unfolding mayhem in 1960s Vietnam, and it suffers the further you pull back from the more compelling performances of Brando, Japanese actor Eiji Okada and their Southeast Asian co-stars. The very Caucasian white members of the cast are swinging for the dramatic fences with broad, almost parody-esque performances that, for those familiar, trace back to a specific style of silver age acting that has long since been left in the past. The Ugly American isn't a bad film by any means, just an antiquated curiosity that was far more thought-provoking in its day than it is in the 21st century.
Mill Creek Entertainment's 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer has been minted from a dated master; one that's quite soft and lacks the crispness and clarity of properly restored and remastered 1960s films. It's difficult to find many remarkably refined shots in The Ugly American (see my screenshots to understand exactly how pervasive the softness is) but other movies have had similar presentations on DVD and early Blu-ray releases, so this by no means should suggest that the film is beyond restorative repair. That's also not to say that the image doesn't have its positive qualities. Color and contrast are quite natural and pleasing, with solid primary pop (communist reds are especially vivid), mostly convincing skintones (barring some instances of hot, flushed faces), and black levels are reasonably deep. Detail even reveals a good bit more than is visible or adequately resolved on DVD, meaning it's safe to ignore any accusations that this Blu-ray "doesn't look any better than a DVD". It does, but I can understand why a casual viewing would lead to that impression, particularly on a sub-65-inch display (a rather random number but you get my drift). I also spotted a handful of instances of macroblocking sneaking into more cluttered or chaotic backgrounds when the film moves to Thailand locales, as well as some inconsistencies in the grain field that leads to some chunkier, more unsightly moments. All told, The Ugly American could look better but it could look a whole lot worse.
The Ugly American features a simple, source-faithful DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono mix. Voices are clean and intelligible, without exception, and prioritization is spot on. Third act scenes in which things grow more frenzied fare well too, with some believable crowd noise and shouts of democratic aspirations. The lack of LFE support isn't missed all that much -- this is a talkative affair, with many a conversation held in stuffy offices or conference rooms -- but I would have liked to hear how immersive the last hour of the film might have been had it been granted a 5.1 surround mix.
The Blu-ray release of The Ugly American doesn't serve up any special features, although the film's theatrical trailer is included. I know these things require a budget to produce, but come on. Sit two literary and film historians down to discuss the original 1958 novel and its 1963 screen adaptation. How expensive could it be to hire two historians for a few hours, an editor to cut in some film footage and graphics, and drop it on a disc?
The Ugly American is an interesting 1960s wartime thriller, though it certainly could use some more thrills. Brando's performance works well, as do those of his Southeast Asian co-stars, but much of the rest of the film is plodding political melodrama. Mill Creek's Blu-ray is at least a bit better than many of the studio's subpar releases, with a decent video presentation and a solid DTS-HD lossless 2.0 mix. I do wish there were more special features to be had, especially considering the book's importance in the era, but this is presumably the best we'll get. And that applies to the AV presentation as well. The Ugly American isn't exactly a film of the pedigree that draws the attention of Criterion or other studios willing to spend money on proper restorative efforts.
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