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Legends of the Fall: Superbit
Studio: Columbia
Year: 1994
Rated: R
Film Length: 133 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 16X9 Enhanced Widescreen (1.85:1)
Subtitles: English, Chinese, French, Korean, Portugese,Spanish, Thai
After the Fall from Innocence the Legend begins
For quite some time, I had ceased doing reviews for
Columbia's Superbit line, mainly for the fact
that I was having a difficult time determining if
the DVDs really offered superior image quality over
their original counterparts. For every Superbits
title I reviewed, arguments sparked over my unfavorable
opinions. I finally decided it best to stop reviewing
these titles.
So what am I doing here reviewing a Superbit
title? I chose to review Legends of the Fall
for the mere fact that it was a film I have never
seen, and thus, don't already own it on DVD. For that
reason, I am finally enjoying a Superbit title
without any predetermined notion. I can sit back,
enjoy a DVD for what it offers, without having to
compare it to an original release.
Right off the bat, I have to confess how much I
loved Legends of the Fall, a brilliantly
beautiful movie filled with fiercely passionate
performances. It certainly wasn't the sort of thing
I expected from a Brad Pitt film, and perhaps that
element of surprise helped me appreciate this film
even more.
Through opening and closing narration by One Stab,
an ancient Cree (Gordon Tootoosis), we learn that
Col. Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins) was thoroughly disgusted
by the Army's "Indian policy" and thus resigned
from service vowing to keep himself and his family
insulated from the world on his Montana ranch. It
is there that he resides with his three sons, Alfred
(Aidan Quinn), Tristan (Brad Pitt) and Samuel (Henry
Thomas).
Arriving back from college, Samuel introduces his
new bride-to-be, Susannah (Julia Ormand), a young
beautiful woman who soon finds herself thrown in a
triangle with disastrous results. All four men stumble
over themselves trying to woo the girl, but her heart
is with Samuel, until the outbreak of WWI pulls him
in a different direction.
For those that have never seen Legends of the Fall,
I won't discuss anything more about the plot other to
say that this was the one of the most remarkable films
I have seen. It's a story of love, lust, dreams and
desires. It's a story about sibling rivalries and a
family divided. The film is filled with breathtaking
cinematography from its with sweeping vistas of the
surrounding countryside to its arousing images of
of war. The film went on to win the 1995 Oscar
for Best Cinematography[/b].
How is the transfer?
If any film deserves the Superbit treatment,
it is Legends of the Fall. The transfer here
gives us absolutely stunning crisp detailed images
of the mountain vistas with their wooded areas and
streams. Colors are rich and natural, looking well
saturated and bold. Black levels are nice and deep
giving the film beautiful texture. There are times
you look at the images before you and you can almost
sense that you are looking out of a picture window.
I was extremely impressed with the detail in the
images I was watching. The only complaint is that
there are noticeable blemishes scattered throughout
the film that suddenly pop up and make you wonder
what the hell they are doing there. Otherwise, this
is an outstanding transfer.
As I had expected, the 5.1 DTS mix sounds wide open
here not sounding the least compressed. This is a
very aggressive mix with excellent sound direction
that is best represented in the WWI sequences that
deliver outstanding bass level and directional effects.
During the quiter moments of the film, the rears seem
to always remind us of the ongoing farm life. Of
course, the most rewarding element of this mix is
James Horner's typical lush string score that envelopes
the entire listening area.
Once again, I am really impressed with the video
and audio presentation of this Superbit title.
It certainly ranks up there with the very best DVD
presentations I have seen over the years.
Final Thoughts
Legends of the Fall took me totally by
surprise. It was not a film I was expecting to like,
but after watching it, I now regard it as a classic.
The scope of this film is enormous, and though it
tries to cover a vast amount of ground, it seems to
pull itself together very well. The acting is
top-notch -- especially from Anthony Hopkins in yet
another memorable role.
If you don't yet own this DVD you have no excuse
not to buy it now. This Superbit presentation
will sweetly tantalize your senses. Don't hesitate
to go out and pick this one up for your collection.
Release Date: March 4, 2003
All screen captures have been further compressed.
They are for illustrative purposes only and do not
represent actual picture quality
