Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ The Old Man and the Sea – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

The WB, John Sturges directed The Old Man and the Sea begs an age-old question, for which I probably can offer an answer.

"Should this film have been made after WB put out funds for an option on the lit by a known author?"

The Old Man and the Sea, published six years before the film's release is a superb novella by one Mr. Hemingway, who had written some immensely film-able books in the past. At least one filmed twice.

But those who may have read Old Man will immediately realize that it's written with a great deal of inner dialogue, which doesn't always translate well to film or theater.

In my humble opinion, Peter Viertel tried, and failed. His producer Leland Hayward didn't fare any better in production or production values. The central character, played by Spencer Tracy seems to do his damndest to make this thing work, but it never does.

And that is precisely why it should be seen nearly seven decades hence. There are lessons to be learned for future screenwriters and filmmakers.

The new Warner Archive Blu-ray looks and sounds as good as it possibly might, and yet there will be complaints about quality.

Any faults rest not with Warner Archive, or MPI, but rather with the way the film was shot, and went through post-production.

Dozens of multiple dupes connecting dissolves and other opticals. Numerous composited shots...

and then, strangely mixed amounts them, some absolutely gorgeous cinematography by James Wong Howe.

Some of the problem can be off-loaded to the Eastman stock (5248) and Y problems in dupes, but the majority is the production itself. You'll note a relatively high grade for Image, because the film is reproduced to appear much akin to how it looked in 1958.

Today, not knowing the background, some viewers will find it a bit of a slog, but the interesting (and overriding) facts about it's problems, are what makes it worth your 87 minutes.

Dimitri Tiomkin won the Academy Award for his score. Spencer Tracy was nominated for Best Actor, and James Wong Howe for his cinematography. So to me, it seems obvious that people desperately wanted to like it and celebrate it.

Image – 4

Audio – 5 (2.0 DTS Monaural)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Worth your attention - 5

Upgrade from DVD - Yes

Recommended

RAH


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[Robert Crawford]

This movie always looked horrible on home video. I’m pretty confident that this Blu-ray is a major improvement over prior home video releases.

 

[Gerani53]

In spite of the production problems AND the challenge of an inner monologue, THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA does cast a unique spell that is curiously therapeutic for viewers, and many critics noted the "minor miracle" of the movie's success on television, where the smaller screen (and for most observers in the '60s, the b/w of it all) seemed to cut down on the problems and enhance the movie's virtues. Certainly Tiompkin's transcendent score could still be fully appreciated, while the suddenly-acquired intimacy of the experience pulled viewers in.

Of course, movies featuring lone characters with inner monologues are generally hated by critics (see also: THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS), who dutifully explain that what works on the printed page simply doesn't translate to a filmed presentation. I always found this an interesting but not entirely convincing observation: in real life, people who are alone for extended periods of time DO talk to themselves, mainly as a reflex to keep themselves from going crazy. I suppose it's "funny" to hear a grown man chatting with a fish or a fly to keep himself from going nuts, and I guess children would laugh at this, but as an adult I never had a problem enjoying Spencer Tracy's verbalized thoughts, mainly because these observations were well-written, often wise, and Tracy's delivery was superb, as always.

Very much like JAWS, filming "the monster fish" was problematic; the actual footage of the real marlin can't help but play like separate material, optically rear-screened into the frame. But using a vaseline-smeared lens to a) simulate the old man's fuzzy vision, and b) take the stink off the rubber prop's artificiality (again, JAWS), was a perfectly valid and effective cinematic approach to the problem. Everything's a bit surreal to begin with, with a groggy, "very old" protagonist seeing a combination of what's actually there, and what is registering in his fevered, overtaxed mind.

When all is said and done, THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA is an effective experience for me, techno-imperfections and all. I look forward to this new Blu-ray release, which should indeed look fine on our home screens.

 

[John]

Of course, movies featuring lone characters with inner monologues are generally hated by critics (see also: THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS), who dutifully explain that what works on the printed page simply doesn't translate to a filmed presentation. I always found this an interesting but not entirely convincing observation: in real life, people who are alone for extended periods of time DO talk to themselves, mainly as a reflex to keep themselves from going crazy. I suppose it's "funny" to hear a grown man chatting with a fish or a fly to keep himself from going nuts, and I guess children would laugh at this, but as an adult I never had a problem enjoying Spencer Tracy's verbalized thoughts, mainly because these observations were well-written, often wise, and Tracy's delivery was superb, as always.

This got me really curious about the film, which I have not seen. I immediately had to look up at a clip of it:



Two things popped out quickly:

• This feels like a made-for-English-class movie. If you were going to school in the early '00s, you've seen something like this.
• All of the dialogue had to be good for a certain kind of audience member...

Looking up when radio shows were popular led to this quote: As of 1950, only 9% of American households had a TV set, but by 1960 household penetration grew to 90%. Once again, technology kept radio relevant. TV viewership was confined to the home. Radio was able to garner the audience when they were away from home.

This movie was 1958, right?

No doubt, there was probably a certain segment of the population that couldn't get with this new TV thing or was so used to *listening* to programs, that a 'show' like this would be perfect. You could still work with your hands or clean the house while the children watched, for example, and not be left out of the conversation.

 

[haineshisway]

Even at a very young age, when I pretty much loved everything, I really didn't like this movie and even as a kid I thought it didn't look very good - of course, I didn't understand the "why" of that, but I always compared the way movies looked and why I loved movies printed by Technicolor.

 

[dana martin]

my favorite Hemingway story, probably have read this at least 25 times, and from your scores i wont be disappointed in the disc,

John nailed it English Lit class is where I was introduced to this film, 3 days for the book then the film in 2 days , but that was like 1980, not the 00's.

Yes the film has it's flaws and detractors, but Tracy's performance and (inner monologue) along with talking to himself is straight out of the book, and it gives mental imagery for me at least, when I reread every couple of years. He talks to God, he talks to the fish, he talks to himself, he talks in his head. For those that haven't experience solitude, there is a lot of truth in that, just to hear a human voice.

the film is like cliff notes, my memories of the book fills in the gaps


and for those that don't like inner monologue

well he's is not talking to a damn Volleyball!

 

[Richard Kaufman]

Honestly, I had no idea this film was in color. Even when they projected it at my elementary school it was in black and white.