8 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
Jack works on his sports car and dreams of flying. His neighbor Mary is in love with him but he seems not to notice, having been smitten by the fair Sylvia, but he can't see that Sylvia has eyes only for David. The distant drums of war beckon, and Jack and David train to be pilots in the American Expeditionary Corp. Their rivalry soon evolves into camaraderie as they do aerial battle with the Germans in the skies over France. Meanwhile Mary has joined the Women's Motor Corp and despairs that Jack doesn't notice her.
Starring: Clara Bow, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Richard Arlen, Jobyna Ralston, El BrendelDrama | 100% |
Romance | 56% |
War | 26% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: Dolby Digital 2.0
French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
C'est la guerre!
Action. Romance. Handome leading men. Luscious leading ladies. And even a few special effects. It's not the latest from Hollywood -- as much as
that sounds like any major movie being released these days -- but it's certainly one of the greatest. 1927's Wings proves that the more things
change, the more they stay the same. Wings is one of those movies of which they speak when they speak of "the mold," the classic style
that's been refined, but not necessarily bettered, now some 75 years after its initial release. It's a movie that has it all, a prototypical throwback
experience that's satisfying and fresh, a movie that covers the basic themes and covers them remarkably well. It's a movie that encapsulates all that's
good in the medium, and shows that it's the raw elemental ingredients and the superficially simplest yet most inwardly complex of human emotions
that speak to audiences even when the movie doesn't, those things that drove the movies then and drive the movies today, the picture in a way,
then, a time capsule of the universality of how things work on and off this screen then, now, and forevermore. Indeed, Wings betters most
modern movies -- or movies from any era, really -- through its unflinching embrace of fundamental components that drive a visual medium and stir
the heart of those who gaze upon it. And now it's been released on a format that allows new audiences to experience it freshly, both as it was then or
as it is now. Either way, it's a win for all those who choose to soar with its story of courage, friendship, love, and war, either for that magical
first flight
or for a return trip to the clouds.
On the attack.
Wings debuts on Blu-ray with a nice looking retro 1080p, 1.34:1-framed transfer that places vertical black bars on either side of the 1.78:1 display to preserve the film's original presentation appearance. The visual experience opens brilliantly, beginning with the current, colorful high definition Paramount logo which gives way to each previous variant of the same, until reaching the film's original take on the famous stars-and-mountains. The movie itself produces an image that's generally presented in a sepia overlay. There's a stretch of black-and-white and a stretch of heavier blue shading, with the only real splashes of color coming in the form of bright oranges that accent firing machine guns and planes on fire. Fine detail is strong; backgrounds can look a little warped and soft, but foregrounds, clothes, and faces appear nicely resolved, with good clarity and texturing evident in most every scene, from the aerial battles to a Parisian night club. Some slight banding is evident, and such instances introduce a false arc of green onto the image. There's certainly a hint of wear and tear here and there, but this is, for the most part, a remarkably clean restoration. A visible grain structure retains, and the cumulative result is a veritable time machine that takes audiences back decades thanks to the horsepower of today's best restorative and projection video technology.
Wings features a pair of soundtracks, one a DTS-HD MA 5.1 presentation with "re-recorded score composed by J.S. Zamecnik (orchestrated and arranged by Dominik Hauser; featured pianist -- Frederick Hodges) with sound effects by Ben Burtt" and the other a Dolby Digital 2.0 track that offers the "pipe organ score composed and performed by Gaylord Carter." The DTS presentation is spectacular. It offers up a listen that's wonderfully clean and very spacious. Music plays with a crispness and clarity that makes it easy to distinguish the range of instruments used to re-score the picture. The crisp notes throughout the range and the strong supporting low cumulatively yield a sonically beautiful presentation. The 5.1 track additionally makes use of the entire soundstage in the implementation of various sound effects. Whirring propellors slice through the listening area, whether churning on the ground or carrying an aircraft in the sky. Machine gun fire is crisp and emanates from various speakers depending on the situation. Screaming sirens blare into the stage, explosions are hefty and accurate, and artillery shells zip around the soundstage during some of the more critical land battle scenes. The effects, however, aren't so unnatural that they pull the audience out of the movie; there's an authenticity to the experience that benefits the movie and each plays seamlessly in the greater context. The Dolby Digital "organ" track sounds fantastic, too. It's clean, spacious, and very distinct, and not lacking too far behind the seamlessness of the lossless effort. However, it lacks the added sound effects. Both tracks provide unique listening experiences; the re-recorded track and effects blend very well with the visuals, and even the purists might be surprised at how well it works. The easy solution: watch the movie in full with both!
Wings contains a trio of extra very good features.
Compare 1927's Wings to 2001's Pearl Harbor; there's a similarity in plot and action that's unmistakable, but more than that, they're excellent titles to view in succession for a pretty eye-opening look into the evolution of the cinematic landscape over the course of generations. The technology has certainly evolved greatly, but in a way, the eye candy visuals of today -- not to mention basics like enhanced sound and color -- don't necessarily make a movie "better" because both films also demonstrate that it largely remains a film's ability to create worthwhile characters and involve its audience in the story to the point that the outcome becomes truly important to all watching that both play a major role in a movie's success. Sights and sounds are fine, but content remains king. Wings goes to show that storytelling principles and fictional plots remain largely unchanged; it's just the surrounding elements that have evolved. Wings is a truly wonderful movie that's been lovingly restored and brought to Blu-ray in a package that only falls short because its supplements are far too few in number for a title of this historical significance. Paramount's Blu-ray does offer fine video and audio. This is truly a must for cinephiles, collectors, and casual viewers alike; if only it offered more supplements. Still, Wings comes very highly recommended.
1967
1977
1957
2009
Warner Archive Collection
1925
Includes Silent cut in SD
1930
1943
80th Anniversary Edition
1942
1953
1949
2014
Jules et Jim
1962
2008
Special Edition
1978
Warner Archive Collection
1942
2011
1930
2006
1962
1939