International Press Release Arrow Video Press Release: The Great Escape (1963) Limited Edition (4k UHD) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Coming to 4K UHD 12/2 from Arrow Video

THE GREAT ESCAPE LIMITED EDITION 4K ULTRA HD

Director John Sturges reunites with The Magnificent Seven stars Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Charles Bronson in this timeless adaptation of Paul Brickhill’s World War II memoir of an audacious prisoner breakout. Stalag Luft III: an impenetrable camp built to hold the most persistent escapees. Under the ruthless vigilance of the Nazi guards, a multinational group of prisoners must work together to enact their daring plan: to break out of the camp, forcing the Germans to divert precious military resources towards apprehending them. But getting beyond the camp’s barbed wire fences and gun-towers is only the beginning. Once out, the escapees must make the perilous journey to the border, all the while evading the relentless pursuit of their former captors. Beautifully shot by Oscar®-winning cinematographer Daniel L. Fapp (West Side Story) and featuring a rousing, infectiously hummable score by Elmer Bernstein (The Ten Commandments), The Great Escape remains one of the most beloved Hollywood historical action movies – a testament to human ingenuity, camaraderie under pressure and indomitability of the spirit.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm in with the Dolby Vision addition which the Kino 4K/UHD doesn't have on it..

3-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley
• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Barry Forshaw, Neil Mitchell, Wickham Clayton and Mark Cunliffe
• Fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley

DISC 1 (4K UHD) – THE GREAT ESCAPE

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Newly restored original lossless mono soundtrack
• Optional lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary by filmmaker/historian Steve Mitchell and Steven Jay Rubin, author of Combat Films: American Realism
• Audio commentary featuring director John Sturges and members of the cast and crew, moderated by Steven Jay Rubin
• Theatrical trailer

DISC 2 (Blu-ray) – BONUS FEATURES

• The Real Great Escape – author and historian Guy Walters separates fact from fiction in this brand new interview
• The Great Escapism – brand new appreciation of the film by Jose Arroyo, Associate Professor in Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick
• The Great Composer – brand new interview with composer/author Neil Brand, discussing Elmer Bernstein and his iconic score
• Freedom Forged – critic and educator Rich Johnson explores the film’s place within the war movie canon in this brand new visual essay
• Michael Sragow on The Great Escape – 2020 interview exploring the career of John Sturges and the making of the film
• Heroes Underground – 2001 four-part documentary exploring the making of the film and the events which inspired it, featuring interviews with former POWs
• The Real Virgil Hilts – 2001 featurette interviewing former POW David M. Jones, widely seen as the inspiration for Steve McQueen’s character
• The Untold Story – 2001 documentary exploring the planning and execution of the real-life escape
• The Untold Story: Additional Interviews
• Return to The Great Escape – 1993 featurette exploring the making of the film
• Image gallery

DISC 3 (4K UHD) – THE GREAT ESCAPE II: THE UNTOLD STORY [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE]

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in SDR
• Original lossless 2.0 stereo soundtrack
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Original Trailer

 

[Robert Crawford]

It's one of my favorite films of all-time since first watching it on the big screen as youngster.

 

[Sam Favate]

Wow - with all those extras, I'm assuming all the Criterion extras carry over? This is certainly a milestone movie that deserves the best treatment on physical media.

EDIT: Nevermind. Answering my own question, the Criterion material appears to be here (minus the essay), and then some! The only other thing missing is a commentary with Donald Pleasance, James Coburn and James Garner.

 

[Konstantinos]

Another UHD/blu-ray that I must sell? (meaning the Kino)
So be it!

 

[SwatDB]

Another UHD/blu-ray that I must sell? (meaning the Kino)
So be it!

"We'll see."
- Count Dooku

 

[titch]

There isn't an obvious incentive to be gained from this Arrow Video release, for people who project movies - if one already has the Criterion blu-ray and the Kino 4K UHD. Dolby Vision doesn't work for me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

There isn't an obvious incentive to be gained from this Arrow Video release, for people who project movies - if one already has the Criterion blu-ray and the Kino 4K UHD. Dolby Vision doesn't work for me.

Understood! Not questioning your predicament, but I thought there are some newer projection systems that do Dolby Vision?

 

[David Weicker]

Understood! Not questioning your predicament, but I thought there are some newer projection systems that do Dolby Vision?

I recently purchased the AWOL 2500. (my first projector - 100 inch in an apartment)

All the AWOL projectors can do Dolby Vision.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Looks like this has all the extras from the Criterion and MGM Blu-rays, as well as Kino Lorber UHD except for the laserdisc commentary on the Criterion. Owning that Blu-ray and buying the 4K UHD would effectively give you a complete dual format package.

 

[Alan Tully]

It's one of my favorite films of all-time since first watching it on the big screen as youngster.

Yup, same here. I saw it at the cinema when I was 12, it was probably the longest film I’d seen up to then. The film has seeped into my DNA, I have the Kino 4K & The German 4K, I don’t need this as well…but you never know

…& it's great that we have Elmer Bernstein’s classic score in its entirety & in great sounding stereo (on two CDs) on Intrada Records (well three CDs, as the set also contains the original rerecorded album release).

 

[titch]

Understood! Not questioning your predicament, but I thought there are some newer projection systems that do Dolby Vision?

I'll obviously have to upgrade! But with so many films being released on home video, I'm giving priority to filling up the shelves first!

 

[Douglas R]

I don't have any of the previous Blu-ray releases because I'd seen the film so many times over the years that it had become boringly familiar. This, however, looks like a worthwhile purchase with the film in 4K plus so many extras and especially as I've never seen The Great Escape II.

 

[tenia]

Glad to see arriving what is very likely to be a better alternative to both the Criterion and the Kino discs.

 

[YANG]

i wonder will there be any collaboration between Australia’s Imprint that they would share the Remasters of MGM/UA Classics such that we may expect Arrow US/UK to release A Bridge Too Far while Imprint Aus to release The Great Escape. then probably sometimes later, both publishers will work together on Battle of Britain?

 

[Robert Harris]

I'm in with the Dolby Vision addition which the Kino 4K/UHD doesn't have on it..

3-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley
• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Barry Forshaw, Neil Mitchell, Wickham Clayton and Mark Cunliffe
• Fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley

DISC 1 (4K UHD) – THE GREAT ESCAPE

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Newly restored original lossless mono soundtrack
• Optional lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary by filmmaker/historian Steve Mitchell and Steven Jay Rubin, author of Combat Films: American Realism
• Audio commentary featuring director John Sturges and members of the cast and crew, moderated by Steven Jay Rubin
• Theatrical trailer

DISC 2 (Blu-ray) – BONUS FEATURES

• The Real Great Escape – author and historian Guy Walters separates fact from fiction in this brand new interview
• The Great Escapism – brand new appreciation of the film by Jose Arroyo, Associate Professor in Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick
• The Great Composer – brand new interview with composer/author Neil Brand, discussing Elmer Bernstein and his iconic score
• Freedom Forged – critic and educator Rich Johnson explores the film’s place within the war movie canon in this brand new visual essay
• Michael Sragow on The Great Escape – 2020 interview exploring the career of John Sturges and the making of the film
• Heroes Underground – 2001 four-part documentary exploring the making of the film and the events which inspired it, featuring interviews with former POWs
• The Real Virgil Hilts – 2001 featurette interviewing former POW David M. Jones, widely seen as the inspiration for Steve McQueen’s character
• The Untold Story – 2001 documentary exploring the planning and execution of the real-life escape
• The Untold Story: Additional Interviews
• Return to The Great Escape – 1993 featurette exploring the making of the film
• Image gallery

DISC 3 (4K UHD) – THE GREAT ESCAPE II: THE UNTOLD STORY [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE]

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in SDR
• Original lossless 2.0 stereo soundtrack
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Original Trailer

Are there that many people still out there who run 4k, but don't have 5.1?

How many will select the newly restored monaural mix over the original stereo?

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

How many will select the newly restored monaural mix over the original stereo?

Was it originally shown in stereo? It didn't have a 70mm blow-up. The IMDB says there were 4-track mag stereo prints, but I don't know how reliable that is.

 

[Robert Harris]

Was it originally shown in stereo? It didn't have a 70mm blow-up. The IMDB says there were 4-track mag stereo prints, but I don't know how reliable that is.

I saw it in Stereo.

 

[Douglas R]

I saw the film at the Granada, Harrow during its 14 day run commencing September 8, 1963. I don't know if the UK had any stereo prints. The Granada was equipped for stereo but I don't recall whether The Great Escape was. The ad below doesn't give any indication.

 

[DanH1972]

There isn't an obvious incentive to be gained from this Arrow Video release, for people who project movies - if one already has the Criterion blu-ray and the Kino 4K UHD. Dolby Vision doesn't work for me.

There are ways of forcing Dolby Vision with HDR10 only capable projectors. Use an HDFury, for one. It then tricks the DV compliant device (disc player or streamer or local media decoder like the newest KScape model with Dolby Vision or Zidoo or Dune) with EDID into sending HDR12 (not HDR10) via a backwards compatible signal technique called RGB tunneling... a standard that many non Dolby Vision capable HDR displays will still accept. The device handles the dynamic Dolby HDR metadata processing, rather than the display.

I did that with my JVC 4k projector and it really worked wonders and it is true Dolby Vision via a backdoor method. The HDFury Vertex, which I went with, allows custom Dolby Vision calibration scripts to be uploaded for fine tuning, as well as manually entering Dolby Vision display values that help the DV playback device send the right HDR values to the particular display you are using.