A few words about...™ John Adams -- in Blu-ray

As a huge fan of history, it was my pleasure almost precisely eight years ago to acquire a copy of historian and author David McCullough's John Adams.

I had no idea that seven years later, I'd be watching Paul Giamatti of Sideways fame, perfectly cast as our second president, and playing against Laura Linney.

This is one of those commentaries that doesn't need many words. It is far easier to write about something that is perfect than something that needs explanation and dissection.

Those who have visited mystical restored examples of our past, such as Colonial Williamsburg, where parts of John Adams were filmed, will understand what I mean when I relate that something accurately represents our historical past.

It occurs every decade or so.

Assumedly out of nowhere, a production created for broadcast, will stun its audience with its quality, and be fully deserving of the praise that it receives.

John Adams, directed by Tom Hooper and photographed by Tak Fujimoto (The Silence of the Lambs, Gladiator), is just such a production.

It is as perfect a production as one will find in every technical respect, and HBO -- yes, there's HBO again with high quality releases that out-do some of the best coming from the studios -- has, a full year after its release on standard definition, given us yet another Blu-ray that is perfect in every single detail.

It is obvious that HBO sets their sights high with technical standards that are uncompromising. John Adams is brilliant filmmaking -- 500 plus minutes of absolutely perfect story-telling with intelligence and the highest of quality. Now it is that rara avis made even more special. Because of the abilities of Blu-ray it is now at a far higher technical level than it was at broadcast.

If one were to purchase just half a dozen Blu-rays this year, John Adams should be one of them.

Extremely Highly Recommended!

RAH

Re: A few words about...™ John Adams -- in Blu-ray

With Amazon's trade-in program, final cost is $42.75.

Re: A few words about...™ John Adams -- in Blu-ray

FAR more.

Re: A few words about...™ John Adams -- in Blu-ray

Offering commentaries on line can become a dangerous passion. Attempting to lead the public away from potentially problematic transfers and toward those of quality, is not an easy thing.

Many of the studio people are friends, and I take my words very seriously, as those words can occasionally be damaging. I've made more than a few calls of apology in advance of posting.

I do not take sides, will occasionally take a position of being mute, but at the same time try very hard to lead the consumer where there limited funds are best spent. If one takes these things seriously, and I do, those emails and phone calls telling friends that I've panned their studio's work, do not come easily.

The nice thing is that over the past year, Blu-ray quality has grown immeasurably, and we are all better off for it.

That said, it must be noted that HTF keeps a tight rein on its reviewers, who work tirelessly, and on their own nickel, in a continuous attempt to create a more knowledgeable consumer. I merely do short commentaries. It is they, who need to be acknowledged.

RAH

Re: A few words about...™ John Adams -- in Blu-ray

As a point of reference, there were some at Fox who found my "few words" in regard to Patton so abhorrent that we took them down as part of a mollification process. I haven't bothered to replace them. What I can tell you however, is that they were a far shorter version of what appears here:

Yellow Layer Failure, Vinegar Syndrome and Miscellaneous Musings by Robert A. Harris

This piece was also removed for a time as a part of that same MP, but has since been replaced. Should a friend have a major part in disc release that fails to impress in a huge way, my position is to be silent -- never to recommend.

"And that's for the record!"

RAH