The Manchurian Candidate Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Citizen87645]

The Manchurian Candidate
Release Date: Available now
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Blu-ray "ECO-BOX"
Year: 1962
Rating: G
Running Time: 2:06:32
MSRP: $19.99







THE FEATURE

SPECIAL FEATURES



Video

1080p high definition 1.75:1

Standard definition



Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: Spanish 1.0, French 5.1,

Stereo



Subtitles

English SDH, Spanish, French

None






The Feature: 4.5/5



NOTE: THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS



Staff Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) returns from the Korean War a celebrated hero for saving the lives of his fellow soldiers, but the surviving members of the platoon are plagued by nightmares that suggest a different story. Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra), now working for Army Intelligence, takes it upon himself to find out the truth, and gets back in touch with Shaw, whom he finds to be just as he remembers; that is, nothing like the "wonderful human being" he seems programmed to believe. He eventually learns his former second in command has been brainwashed by Communists, turned into a sleeper agent who can kill without hesitation and ultimately without any memory of (or guilt about) what he's done. Though Marco's own memory of what happened has been wiped, vestiges of the experience provide enough information that points to Shaw being the enemy's "chosen one," selected for a still-to-be-determined ultimate mission. Also unbeknownst to Marco is that Shaw's mother Eleanor Iselin (Angela Lansbury) is his handler, and has been pulling the strings behind her senator husband's distracting rampage against alleged Communists in the Department of Defense. With the enemy's plans beginning to take shape around the upcoming presidential election, Marco works feverishly to find a way to de-program Shaw, putting an end to a possible assassination plot and ultimately Shaw's living nightmare.

Adapted from Richard Condon's novel by the same name, "The Manchurian Candidate" strikes the perfect balance between political satire and political conspiracy thriller. Though Senator Iselin's Communist witch hunt - and Senator Iselin himself - supplies much of the film's cynical humor, it's also sobering to remember the insanity that was McCarthyism and the lives that were destroyed because of it. Only now can we sort of laugh at the inanity of it all, though we would be wise to not forget the seductive power of fear mongering.

But the conspiracy story is of course what the movie is best known for. As the film's release preceded the Kennedy assassination by almost a year, it would seem to be a harbinger of things to come for that tumultuous decade. At the very least, it would serve as a defining work for a genre that remains a popular one to this day, enough to see things come full circle with a 2004 remake starring Denzel Washington. The Cold War conflict is the only thing that makes the film feel dated, though in terms of the filmmaking itself - the directing, editing, cinematography, and performances - the film remains a compelling and engaging piece even after 50 years.


Video Quality: 4/5

The film is accurately framed at 1.75:1 and presented in 1080p with the AVC codec. The black-and-white cinematography is nicely presented with deep blacks, fine shadow detail and delineation, and the full range of contrast. Overall sharpness and fine detail are excellent - particularly with hair, skin, fabrics and healthy levels of grain - with no evidence of digital sharpening or noise reduction artifacts.​

Audio Quality: 4/5
Dialogue in the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix is consistently clear and intelligible. Surrounds are more active than expected, offering light support for the score and the occasional atmospheric or directional effect, though the front sound stage still dominates the mix. Low frequency effects are non-existent, but the track exhibits good depth and fullness, particularly with the orchestral score.


Special Features: 3.5/5

The extras carry over most of the items from the 2004 Special Edition, the exceptions being the eight-page booklet and the photo gallery.



Audio commentary with Director Johan Frankenheimer has a number of interesting behind-the-scenes details, even though Frankenheimer doesn't speak constantly throughout the track. Personally I don't mind some gaps of silence in my commentaries as long as what is shared has some substance to it. Take for example the explanation and back story for a noticeably out-of-focus shot in the film's final act.

Interview with Frank Sinatra, George Axelrod and John Frankenheimer (7:59, SD) features the three men reminiscing about their production experiences and working with the cast and crew, taped in 1988.

Queen of Diamonds Featurette (14:51, SD) features Angela Lansbury talking about how she got involved in the project, what drew her to the character she played, her experiences working on the film, and the significance of the film in light of current events and culture. Taped in 2004.

A Little Solitaire Featurette (13:17, SD) features Director William Friedkin commenting on John Frankenheimer's directorial style, the actors' various performances, and major elements of the story. Taped in 2004.

How to Get Shot (1:07, SD) is a feature spoiler, so the less said the better.

Phone Call (:26, SD) is an outtake from Friedkin's interview that has him being interrupted by a ringing phone.

Original Theatrical Trailer (1:50, SD)


Recap

The Feature: 4.5/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 4/5
Special Features: 3.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 4/5



MGM Home Entertainment turns in a fine technical presentation of a political conspiracy thriller that would come to define a genre. The special features package includes most of the items from the previous DVD release but collectors may want to hold on to the DVD for the extras the Blu-ray leaves out.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I bought this BRD from BB back in January when it was a BB exclusive and it does this great film proud by being presented in high quality. Thank you for your fine review.







Crawdaddy

 

[Johnny Angell]

Is this movie still not in general release. Amazon has it going for $45 from a third party.

 

[Bob Cashill]

The Best Buy site has it for $17. Or buy it new (around $14) from MovieMars or GoHastings, in the Amazon listing; both very reliable in my experience.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill

The Best Buy site has it for $17. Or buy it new (around $14) from MovieMars or GoHastings, in the Amazon listing; both very reliable in my experience.

I bought this title from BB in January for 9.99







Crawdaddy

 

[Scott Calvert]

Another winner from MGM. This is how bluray transfers should be done.

 

[Rob_Ray]

Cameron, you should preface your review with a warning about spoilers. And I would argue about The Cold War conflict making the film feel dated. I don't think the Cold War conflict makes the film feel any more dated than WWII makes Casablanca feel dated. It's a period piece, set a few years after the Korean War and perfectly capturing that political era, but the messages still strike the same chord today.

 

[Citizen87645]

I know there are no hard-and-fast rules about what constitutes period pieces (e.g. how far back in the past they must be set), but usually they seem to offer some perspective on the period they are depicting. In that respect, I would say the film is a partial period piece when it comes to the Senator Iselin analogy for McCarthy and the obvious disdain for his tactics. However the Cold War was still going strong in 1962, so in that part of the film I don't see it as a period piece, but a reflection of the existing attitudes and fears about Communism. That paranoia is what I find to be dated, just as I find the hysteric attitudes about homosexuality dated in films like "The Children's Hour." I know some say the film is satirizing anti-communist paranoia, but the fact there is actually a Communist plot invalidates that argument for me.

 

[GMpasqua]

why isn't this available through Amazon? Just 3rd parties

 

[Jack P]

There is nothing "dated" about a film that would at least acknowledge that yes, Communists were engaged in actual plots. That's a fact that's become more clear with the release of documents from the Soviet side that in fact reveal their espionage activities were *more* extensive than were realized at the time, and also might add the actual conduct of the Soviets in the nations they held under their thumb throughout the Cold War. People need to remember that the broader history of the Cold War, whether they like to admit it or not was not some crazy obsession by America over nothing but a genuine struggle between one side that yes, did represent an Evil Empire as even those who lived in that Empire now freely admit.


"Manchurian Candidate" represents the notion that those like McCarthy in fact represented a threat to *genuine* anti-communism hence the line that "he would harm the country just as much as if he were a paid Soviet agent". The usual trend though on the part of modern-Hollywood has been to act as if anti-commuism itself was somehow evil, and that's one perspective that is not borne out by history.


I will say though, that the notion that John McGiver, who was always good for playing a buffoonish type, could somehow represent the essence of political purity is the one thing about the film I find quite laughable.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Originally Posted by GMpasqua
I will say though, that the notion that John McGiver, who was always good for playing a buffoonish type, could somehow represent the essence of political purity is the one thing about the film I find quite laughable.

I know he was often a comedic actor, but I found his performance quite effective.