To Sir, with Love Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

To Sir, with Love Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 1, 2022

Sony has released the classic 1967 film 'To Sir, With Love,' starring Sidney Poitier, directed by James Clavell, to Blu-ray. At time of writing, this Blu-ray disc is exclusive to the third volume of the prestigious 'Columbia Classics Collection' boxed set, where a UHD copy of the film, and five other films, are included. The film was previously released to Blu-ray by Twilight Time in 2015, a disc which is now out of print. Much of the content is either newly produced or new to Blu-ray. Some of the Twilight Time extras carry over. Also included is new 1080p video sourced from the 4K master and mono lossless audio.

Official synopsis: A novice teacher faces a class of rowdy, undisciplined working-class punks in this classic film that reflected some of the problems and fears of teens in the 60s. Sidney Poitier gives one of his finest performances as Mark Thackeray, an out-of-work engineer who turns to teaching in London's tough East End. The graduating class, led by Denham (Christian Roberts), Pamela (Judy Geeson) and Barbara (Lulu, who also sings the hit title song), sets out to destroy Thackeray as they did his predecessor by breaking his spirit. But Thackeray, no stranger to hostility, meets the challenge by treating the students as young adults who will soon enter a work force where they must stand or fall on their own.

For a full film review, please see Jeffrey Kauffman's excellent analysis accompanying the 2015 Twilight Time release by clicking here.

To Sir, with Love Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

There is little to say beyond "exceptional." Sony's 1080p Blu-ray release of To Sir, With Love, which is sourced from the 4K master, looks fantastic. The picture is, unsurprisingly, perfectly filmic, boasting a handsome and healthy grain structure that preserves the natural filmic integrity and provides a pleasing cinematic texturing for home viewing. Details are razor sharp. Viewers will note, of course, every skin and hair detail, fine textures on clothes, and perhaps most impressively the fine wear and structural details around the classroom, where much of the movie takes place. No wooden desk, wall poster, or other element escapes the Blu-ray's notice. Colors are healthy and firm with good density, pop, and stability. White levels are crisp (Thackeray's dress shirt) and black levels and shadow details are great. Skin tones look natural, too. There are no source or encode problems. This is a wonderful effort from Sony.

To Sir, with Love Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sony brings To Sir, With Love to Blu-ray with a rather straightforward DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The sound design offers little in terms of massive stage engagement; the presentation folds in occasionally brief and supportive surround ambience but most of the content holds steady across the front. As with a movie of this nature, it is not surprising that dialogue dominates, that it is nicely clear, and that it is center positioned. A few effects -- a desk crashing early in the film -- present with capable, though hardly full bodied and transparently realist, detail, which is about par for the course for a film of this style and what is its rather meager original sound design. Music finds some nice body, though clarity is somewhat lacking, limited more by the original recording parameters and less the audio encode itself (listen to the 10:20 mark for an example). Overall, this is a front heavy experience but one that certainly does well to present the content for all that it's worth within the original parameters.

To Sir, with Love Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of To Sir, With Love includes most of the extras from the Twilight Time release and some that are new to Blu-ray. Coverage of the carryover content can be found by clicking here. New content (which is both newly produced and new to Blu-ray) is marked as such and briefly reviewed below. As it ships in the above-linked "Columbia Classics" boxed set, a slipcover and a digital copy code are included.

• NEW! To Sir, With Love II (1080p, 4x3, Dolby Digital 2.0, 1:32:30): The made-for-TV feature film sequel to To Sir, With Love, also starring Sidney Poitier, in its entirety. Picture and sound qualities are quite good.
• NEW! Look and Learn (1080p, 11:01): Art Director Tony Woolard remembers his work on the film which also tells a much larger story of the film's production history.
• NEW! Those Schoolboy Days (1080p, 23:38): Actor Christian Roberts recounts his experiences in making this film. This piece is structured much like the previous supplement.
• Audio Commentary: Novelist E.R. Braithwaite and Author/Teacher Salome Thomas El.
• Audio Commentary: Judy Geeson and Film Historians Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman.
• E.R. Braithwaite: In His Own Words
• Lulu and the B-Side
• Miniskirts, Blue Jeans and Pop Music!
• To Sidney, With Love
• Principal El: He Chose to Stay
• NEW! To Potter, With Love (1080p 9:38): Actor Christopher Chittell recalls his work and experiences on the shoot.
• NEW! Beginnings of an Acting Career (1080p, 23:03): Actor Stewart Bevan discusses his career and his work on the film.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 3:17).

To Sir, with Love Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

To Sir, With Love is one of the great classroom films of all time, and it has certainly received a proper treatment here. The Blu-ray looks spectacular, and the audio is very good. An incredible assortment of bonus features is also included. As it ships in the above-linked third volume of the Columbia Classics Collection, To Sir, With Love comes very highly recommended.