From Here to Eternity (Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Vol 3) UHD Review

1953’s Academy Award winner for Best Picture, From Here to Eternity, makes its 4K UHD Blu-ray debut as part of Sony’s 6-film Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3.

The Production: 4.5/5

Set during the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, director Fred Zinneman’s From Here to Eternity may seem tame by today’s standards, but at the time of its release pushed the boundaries of the motion picture code. Based on the even more racier book by James Jones (Life magazine referred to the book as From Here to Obscenity), the film still tackles subjects such as adultery, hazing, and hints at prostitution. The film is an interesting look at barracks life just prior to World War II and the many love triangles between the characters.

For a more thorough review of the film, please see Richard Gallagher’s review of the 2013 Blu-ray release.

Video: 5/5

3D Rating: NA

Per the restoration notes by Grover Crisp in the collectible book included in the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3 set, restoration on From Here to Eternity began back in 1999 after a broadcaster rejected the studio’s existing standard definition D2 transfer that was created in 1995, using photo-chemical techniques with at-the-time crude digital scratch removal and relying on a fine grain master and duplicate negative, as the original negative had gone missing, with the exception of one reel that contained the infamous beach scene. This final product was used to create printing negatives for theatrical distribution for the film’s 50^th anniversary.

Fast forward to 2009, with Sony realizing a need for a higher quality source for both a Blu-ray release and theatrical DCP’s. The 1954 fine grain was digitally scanned with further grading, clean-up and scratch removal using more modern digital tools to create a new 2K DCP. In 2022, that same 1954 fine grain was wet-gate scanned in 4K along with the one reel of original negative, using even more modern tools to grade, clean, and remove scratches to create a new 4K DCP, the source for this 4K UHD release.

The result is a very clean and stable image, free of any dirt, nicks, and scratches. Detail is exceptional, with dress uniforms having a natural shimmer to them, but also wrinkles and creases. Close-ups reveal facial hair and skin imperfections. A healthy and organic level of film grain is present. The film has both HDR10 and Dolby Vision high dynamic range, further enhancing the fine detail in the image but also improving the contrast, offering deep blacks with strong shadow detail and bright highlights that offer more distinct cloud formations during daytime sequences.

Audio: 4.5/5

From Here to Eternity is the oldest title in the Columbia Pictures library that Sony has created a Dolby Atmos mix for. The film was originally released in mono, and remained so until a 5.1 mix was created in 2009 using original mono dialog, music and effects stems by Deluxe Audio Systems, which was the starting point for this Dolby Atmos mix. Sony Group Corporation’s Artificial Intelligence technology was used to separate that mix into 5.1 dialog, music, effects, and ambiance tracks, remixed with complimentary background and enhanced effects to create an immersive experience. The result remains true to its mono roots, but widens the overall sound field without being gimmicky, and instead is more subtle than a modern theatrical release. Sony has included the same 5.1 remix and original 2.0 mono mix in DTS-HD MA. I found with the 5.1 mix that dialogue often had a slight reverb that was annoying, so I would recommend either the Dolby Atmos mix (even for those without Atmos capability, as it will play just fine in Dolby TrueHD 7.1 or fold down to 5.1 without that annoying reverb) or the original mono.

Special Features: 4.5/5

The UHD disc includes three new featurettes that does recycle much of the material found in the 2013 Blu-ray’s picture-in-picture track.

UHD Disc
Strength and Sacrifice: The Making of “From Here to Eternity” (1080p; 20:14): Narrator Steven C. Smith tells the story of the making of this classic film, utilizing film clips and production stills.

Eternal History Revisited: Filming the Unfilmable (1080p; 29:58): Film historian and author Alan K. Rode, film historian and journalist Virginia Campbell, and film historian and screenwriter Kim Morgan discuss the challenges of bringing this novel thought to be unfilmable due to its mature content to the big screen, along with interviews with Tim Zinneman (son of the film’s director), film historian Robert Osborne, Burt Lancaster biographer Kate Buford, and many others. All of the interview footage appears to be archival, as it is in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio and has been upscaled.

Eternal History Revisited: Final Victory (1080p; 22:46): The above participants (again through archival interviews) discuss how the film changed the careers of its main actors.

From Here to Eternity 1980 TV Pilot (upscaled 1080p; 97:25): The pilot for the short-lived 1980 TV series that was spun off from a 1979 mini-series. The pilot stars William Devane, Barbara Hershey, Don Johnson and Kim Bassinger. The pilot appears sourced from an analog standard definition master derived from a 16mm print.

Theatrical Teaser (1080p; 1:03)

Theatrical Re-release Trailer (1080p; 2:15)

Blu-ray Disc – This is the same disc as the 2013 Blu-ray release.

Eternal History: Graphics-in-Picture Track: The same interviews and footage from the two edited Eternal History featurettes on the UHD disc, but viewable as picture-in-picture while viewing the film. Requires activating the secondary audio track in your player’s settings.

Audio Commentary with Tim Zinneman and Alvin Sargent

Making of “From Here to Eternity” (480i; 2:23): Archival featurette.

Fred Zinneman – “As I See It” (480i; 9:33)

Digital Copy: An insert contains codes for all six movies included in the Limited Edition set.

Overall: 4.5/5

The 4K restoration of From Here to Eternity is absolutely stunning, and it is nice to have the older picture-in-picture track from the Blu-ray now edited into two featurettes. Unfortunately, at this time, it is only available as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3 boxed set.

Now retrieving an image set.

Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 3 (It Happened One Night / From Here to Eternity / To Sir, With Love / The Last Picture Show / Annie (1982) /  As Good As It Gets) [4K UHD] [Blu-ray]

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