Sometimes, jobs come with perks. Obviously, writing about Blu-ray brings with it free Blu-rays. However, there is more to it than that. After writing a review for the recent release of the Jason and the Argonauts Blu-ray, a small comment, rather insignificant to most, was left on the post. However, I recognized the name: Arnold Kunert.

Being a self-admitted Ray Harryhausen fanboy, I knew who Kunert was immediately. I got that “giddy in a nerdy way” feeling, and Kunert replied to my e-mail confirming it was him with some very cool personal pictures he had taken with Ray back when back when Ray received his honorary Oscar. Surely there are those of you still asking who Kunert is exactly, so let’s let him put it out there in his own words:

“I am a producer, writer, director of documentaries (voice actor Daws Butler, writer-director Budd Boetticher, e.g.) and DVD special features, but my most recent work has been almost exclusively as producer. When Ray Harryhausen was able to visit the United States, between his early 1980s retirement and February 2008, I acted as his agent, setting up panels, book signings, interviews, special appearances, etc. In both 2004 and 2006, I handled his nationwide book tours to promote “Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life” (2004) and “The Art of Ray Harryhausen” (2006). I take pride in the fact that I gave Ray and his co-author both the idea and title for the second book, but I am not acknowledged in the book’s credits. Such is life!

“I can console myself by remembering that I was responsible for a number of other projects for which Ray Harryhausen is most grateful: A Lifetime Achievement Oscar; a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; honorary awards from such diverse organizations as the American Film Institute, The Visual Effects Society, The Art Directors Guild, and others.”

Sadly, as it turns out, Ray does not come to the US anymore, and Kunert is no longer his agent because of this. What is Ray up to these days?

“He tends to stay within driving distance of his London home and only ventures farther to visit his daughter and her husband in Scotland.”

With pleasantries out of the way, I decided to dig a little bit into the Jason and the Argonauts Blu-ray release. Kunert had little to do with it, but had plenty to say on the subject, while providing quite a bit of history:

“In 2007 and 2008, when I was producing the DVD special features and collaborating on the commentary tracks for Ray’s three colorized features (IT Came from Beneath the Sea, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers and 20 Million Miles to Earth) and the 50th anniversary special edition DVD of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, I met with Sony Home Video president David Bishop to discuss a Blu-ray special edition of Jason and the Argonauts. As I had been able to do with the aforementioned DVDs, I wanted the Jason Blu-ray to consist of almost exclusively new special features. The Richard Schickel documentary, The Harryhausen Chronicles, had been originally intended to be sold as a separate unit via Rhino Video, so when it began appearing on Sony’s Harryhausen DVDs in the early 2000s along with other not-so-special features that had already been seen on laserdiscs, Ray was not very happy. Luckily, with the four DVDs from 2007 and 2008, I was able to keep the Richard Schickel documentary, a fine program to be sure, off the special features discs.

“The Jason Blu-ray was another matter entirely. Because of some conflicting projects to which I had been committed for some time, I wasn’t able to become as involved with the Jason Blu-ray as I had originally hoped. I did provide some input, but, sadly, virtually all of the special features other than the Jackson/Cook and Harryhausen/Dalton commentaries are NOT new. In fact, the footage from The Harryhausen Legacy segment was originally shot in 2004 for my 2005 two-disc DVD, Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection.

“If any of Ray’s films should have had entirely new special features, Jason was the one. I am very sorry that this turned out not to be the case.”

Even after all of that, there was still a lingering question, brought up by a member on AVS Forum concerning the Harpy sequence in Jason. On the Criterion Laserdisc, which was supervised by Harryhausen, this sequence appears at night, color corrected from the day for night shoot. Why would the Sony Blu-ray not use the same master? Does Criterion own the rights to that specific master somehow?

“According to Ray, the Criterion print is the only one that has come close to his original intentions with the harpy sequence. Criterion cannot hold the rights to it because it has always been a Columbia Pictures product. Again, according to Ray, the harpy sequence and, I believe, the hydra sequence, were both planned as day for night sequences and were first seen that way in the 1963 release. No one, including Ray, seems to know how both sequences eventually became brighter over the years. I think the first indication that something was wrong occurred with the first VHS release.”

While seemingly knowledgeable, Kunert did want to note that statement is heresay, so it should be taken as such. I debated even putting it in here, but since it’s the only explanation at this time, at least it offers some idea as to what happened. Don’t take that as fact.

Kunert also wanted to talk about another one his accomplishments, this one regarding Earth vs. The Flying Saucers:

“One of the things of which I am most proud is that I was able to get screenwriter Bernard Gordon’s name on the front credits of the 2008 DVD (and Blu-ray) of Harryhausen’s 1956 Earth vs. the Flying Saucers after more than 50 years of neglect. Bernie was blacklisted during the middle 1950s, so his real name could not be put on the credits for anything he wrote and sold during that time. Although Charles Schneer was interested in hiring Bernie, he was not allowed to use the names of any blacklisted writers on his films. So, Bernie used his pseudonym. Ironically, Bernie also wrote the screenplay for Hellcats of the Navy, also produced by Charlie Schneer, and the only film in which both Ronald and Nancy Reagan ever appeared together on screen. Bernie always got a kick out of telling people that he was responsible for the Hellcats screenplay. Bernie didn’t live long enough to see his name on the credits, having died only a few months before the final decision was approved by Sony, but I was able to show the corrected credits to his daughter Ellen prior to the DVD’s release.”

Thanks Arnold!

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Interview: Arnold Kunert Talks Ray Harryhausen on Blu-ray

You can’t argue with Tom Hanks. Standing at the podium, ready to award Ray Harryhausen his much deserved honorary Oscar in 1992 (how did it take that long?), Hanks stated, “”Some people say Casablanca or Citizen Kane. I say Jason and the Argonauts is the greatest film ever made.”

That is a level of respect rarely seen in Hollywood, and it is given with plenty of reasons. Argonauts may be Harryhausen’s most well-known special effects piece, a grandly scaled adventure containing the iconic skeleton assault, quite simply the most breathtaking achievement in stop motion animation you’ll likely ever see.

It takes until the end of the film to get there, Harryhausen saving his fourth-month animation odyssey for the finale. The scene works beautifully, even the build-up. The skeleton’s, brought forth by the teeth of the dead Hydra, pop out of the ground and begin marching slowly but menacingly. Their lurching is accompanied by Bernard Herrmann’s powerful score. What seems like it will be a slow death for Jason and crew takes a turn for the worse, the skeleton’s suddenly screaming and moving into a full sprint past the camera, a great scare that still works today for all three people who are unfamiliar with the sequence.

Jason (Todd Armstrong) is enough to carry the human side of this story, energetic and likeable. You can see the sense of adventure on his face, and sheer terror of seeing the massive metal statue of Talos coming towards him. Not that anyone has much care for Jason in the first place. Everyone watching is there for the imagination and otherworldly beasts Harryhausen crafted, from the Harpies to the Hydra.

Taking the film as a whole, Argonauts is a bit sluggish, the adventure taking a few turns that never seem all that necessary to the story, but this is that rare film that can transcend its storytelling for its visual power. Technically, Phineas serves little purpose. He guides the Argonauts to their goal, but the entire sequence could be condensed or cut entirely. Then again, why would you want to, losing the greatness of the Harpy assault? That’s an ugly thought, showing how strong Harryhausen’s work was, bringing life to otherwise lifeless scenes via animation.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

Sony does a remarkable job of bringing this 1963 classic to Blu-ray, with a generous AVC encode right from the opening frames. The first shot, with the Roman soldier on the right and the ocean on the left reveals every possible ripple in the water despite the distance. Things are not always that crisp and perfect for this 1:66.1 pillarbox presentation, some stock footage from Helen of Troy about four-minutes in certainly worrisome.

Things quickly clear up, with exquisite facial detail and armor texture on Phileas around 5:57. This continues to be a positive throughout, some close-ups of Jason also being spectacularly rendered at 1:10:00. Environments fare well early too, a shot of some heavy brush at 9:27 startlingly natural. The transfer is bright and loaded with depth, black levels superlative and consistent throughout. At times, this looks almost modern. The grain structure is generally sharp and inoffensive, a few optical zooms appearing heavier, while the Talos assault containing an odd, clumpy grain structure around 39:21 (and the puppet’s other close-ups).

The rest of the sequence shines, with individually defined pebbles and rocks around 33-minutes, and all of the rock walls on the Isle of Bronze delivering stunning sights. The source is absolutely pristine, not a single speck or scratch to be found. Various effects shots are notably softer as expected, including any shot inside the god’s chamber. The super-imposed fog effect does not do much for the quality. Transitions and fades also take a hit, but again, it’s normal for the era.

There has been some debate about the Harpy sequence in particular, which was shot day-for-night. The Blu-ray appears as close to night as possible, a little brightened, but much darker and some of the image would be lost. It is a compromise, yet the intent of the scene, as far as this review is concerned, remains intact.

Video ★★★★☆ 

Bernard Herrmann’s score is the initial impact of this DTS-HD effort, and it carries a general clarity, but still suffers from age. Mostly it comes through slightly distorted, things such as cymbals clashing lacking impact, or are even lost to the various horns. Bells around 7:30 are terribly flat and harsh, lacking any reasonable level of fidelity. This lack of definition almost works to the film’s benefit oddly enough, the creaking Talos sounding weirdly natural without modern audio techniques.

The score overwhelms the other action at times, the escape from Talos (and the attack) dominated by the music, any dialogue a little bit lost, although still audible. Any surround use is purely forced, including the waves coming ashore around 40:25, which comes through hollow and more of a generic echo. The effect is almost negative, and would have been better served in the stereo channels. The original mono mix is also on the disc, but compressed.

Audio ★★★☆☆ 

Two commentaries are included, the first from Ray Harryhausen and film historian Tony Dalton. Peter Jackson joins effects artist Randall William Cook on the second. Storyboards of the skeleton fight are individually viewable, followed by a fine featurette titled The Harryhausen Legacy.

John Landis has a sit-down interview with Harryhausen, and one of the skeletons from the film is shown in detail. The oft-included Harryhausen Chronicles, an hour long look at his career, is seemingly on every disc related to the man, but that doesn’t take away from its quality. Trailers and BD-Live support are left.

Extras ★★★☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Jason and the Argonauts (1963) Review

Desmond Davis directed Clash of the Titans. You probably didn’t know that, and in fact, ask 10 people who have seen this movie who directed it and the answer will undoubtedly be Ray Harryhausen nine times out of 10. That is the aura of Hollywood’s greatest special effects master, a genius of his craft who can salvage any film with the sheer beauty of stop motion.

Harryhausen has never been matched, and in this, his final animation appearance in a major production, he does it all. The Medusa fight, in which a young hero Perseus (Harry Hamlin) is stalked by the mythical creature, is captivating. Before it starts, the rythmic style of Harryhausen’s work is in shadow, teasing the appearance of the creature. As she appears, the numerous snakes covering her head move about wildly while Medusa herself slithers about. The facial expressions as she sneers her opponents are stunning, breathing life into a model.

In Harryhausen’s own way though, Medusa cannot simply just die. After being decapitated, her body slithers around in a panic, agonizingly meeting her doom as her rattle snake-like tail vibrates for the last time. The famed animator loved these flourishes to finish off his creations, his own personal sign-off to each of his masterful designs.

At this point in his career, there were few things left to do for Harryhausen, and he seems to relish his final chance. He pays homage to his mentor Willis O’Brien with a giant scorpion fight, the latter who handled the stop motion work in The Black Scorpion (1957). He injects a performance into a creature that could have been done via live action, the ugly Calibos. In close-ups, he is played by Neil McCarthy, and in the distance, a complex model recalling Harryhuasen’s work in 20 Million Miles to Earth. His battles with Perseus is stunningly crafted, the miniature model perfectly in-sync with the live action footage.

Clash of the Titans is pure fantasy, but unfortunately sluggish. At nearly two hours, Titans desperately needed an editor, chugging along with extended exposition. Yes, even the special effects sequences become unnecessary, although these are at least fun to watch. The scorpion battle is rather needless filler, as painful as it may be to say that about Harryhausen’s work. Titans grinds to a halt as Perseus and crew search for three witches, and the payoff is hardly worth the wait.

Everything grand about Clash of the Titans, and certainly the only things it is remembered for, happen in the final 45-minutes, where the effects work can take over on an epic scale. No one forgets the Kraken battle, the two-headed dog, or Medusa. Everything else simply seems to fade away, which is either immense credit to Ray Harryhausen, or a slap in the face to everyone else.

Movie ★★★☆☆ 

Clash of the Titan’s gets off to a rough start. The first half hour or so is abysmal. The VC-1 encode causes havoc immediately. The opening shot of the film, draped in a heavy mist, is rendered almost unidentifiable given the sheer amount of noise displayed. This continues on in almost every scene during these early moments, especially terrible in the God’s chamber, such as 13:54. Zeus’ cloak is littered with chroma noise, as is the fog drifting across the set. Even down on Earth, like the 15:51 marker, the sky becomes overloaded with compression artifacts. It is one thing for a special effects shot, double printed in various ways, to suffer from increased grain, like 26:12, but this is digital noise, not natural film grain.

Various problems continue, including extensive mosquito noise visible against the mountains (35:23), and excessive interlacing on the left side of the mountains as Pegasus lands (35:59). After these sequences, Clash becomes unimpressive but tolerable. A few scenes become marginally impressive, at the very least film like and natural. The wedding (at least in close-ups) at 55:40 shows off some decent color, actual image depth, and simple detail. Long shots show extensive noise on the statue in the background, but these are a visual effects element. Close-ups sporadically provide a minimal level of high fidelity detail, such as Burgess Meredith around 58:49, and Perseus at 1:25:46.

The finale, with the Kraken, is wonderful despite an abundance of artifacts during certain shots. The detail of the model is easy to appreciate the glistening water and other texture clearly defined. An odd thing happens during some of the closing moments as well. Back in the room with the Gods, all of that chroma noise has suddenly disappeared. The grain structure appears film-like, natural, and is perfectly within reason.

Clash lacks depth and pop, the black levels never reaching an inky level of impressiveness. Colors are flat and faded, a shame given the fantastical nature of the proceedings. Flesh tones remain accurate at least, and Harryhausen’s creations fare reasonably well.

Video ★★★☆☆ 

Warner presents an adequate DTS-HD 2.0 stereo mix for this hi-def debut. Use of the front channels is excellent, offering distinct positioning from the opening moments as waves crash into the shores. The fight to gain control of Pegasus is excellent, splitting the stereo channels wide around 37:40.

Sound effects come through slightly harsh, and dialogue carries a faded, dry quality to it. The latter is also mixed low, the memorable Laurence Rosenthal score mixed a few notches higher creating a bit of jolt when the action kicks up quickly. That said, the score sounds fantastic despite being confined to the fronts, like everything else spaced well with distinct instruments placed firmly in the proper channel. This is a serviceable effort, free of any extraneous tinkering or needless surround work.

Audio ★★★☆☆ 

Extras are carried over from the DVD, meager to say the least. A Conversation with Ray Harryhausen runs 12-minutes, a basic discussion of the film and his talents. Myths and Monsters is seven sections on the various creations showcased in the film, but are far too short to be of value, and should have been combined.

Extras ★★☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Clash of the Titans (1981) Review

Not only does Pixar consistently have incredible attention to detail when creating their worlds, including Monsters Inc. (ever notice the hole in the chair for Sulley’s tail in the apartment?), they have enormous respect for the past.

Monsters Inc. contains one of their best references, a nod to the great stop motion animator Ray Harryhausen. Mike’s girlfriend Celia is reminiscent of Medusa, one of the finest of Harryhausen’s creations from Clash of Titans. For her birthday, Mike takes her to Harryhausen’s restaurant, a sushi bar. A six-tentacled octopus works behind the counter, a subtle nod to the 1955 classic It Came Beneath the Sea.

While likely out of the range for kids, it is a perfect tip of the hat for classic sci-fi fans, and if you don’t get the reference, you don’t lose anything either.

Monsters Inc. is not the funniest of the Pixar efforts or even the most well-meaning. It exists for its charm, seeing hulking monsters running away from a three-year old girl because they fully believe she is deadly. Boo (Mary Gibbs) is adorable, brought over from the human world into the land of monsters inadvertently, or so it seems.

Pixar’s imaginative forces craft a world where creatures do pop-out of closets to scare children, using the energy from their screams as a source of energy. The process oddly seems logical, where doors are stored on a conveyor belt system, brought onto a securing device, and then opening it takes the monster into a child’s bedroom.

The true story of Monsters Inc. is that of Sulley learning to accept Boo, and even having an attachment to her. When Sulley and Mike first bring her home, they fend her off with a trashcan lid and kitchen utensils. Later, he faints (three times) when he thinks she has been sent into garbage disposal accidentally.

Of course, the film ends with energetic, colorful action sequences, some of which can become tiresome, but the intricate animation and artistry used to create them is enough to carry them. Monsters Inc. will unlikely have the lasting impact of a Wall E., but it’s not trying to be in that same mold either. This is light entertainment, and apparently, Pixar will never lose their touch for that either.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

There are times when 1080p just is not enough, and Monsters Inc. is the example. Sulley is not meant for this generation, his 2,320,413 strands of hair (seriously) causing significant aliasing issues. His inner fur is fine, but those small, thin strands that protrude slightly are a nightmare. There are other aliasing issues as well, including the ceiling lights at 46:57 as Mike runs forward and the lockers. Also, a difficult, high-speed scene as Sulley races past the Abominable Snowman in a blizzard causes heavy artifacting problems for this AVC encode.

However, to be fair, this is Pixar, and when reviewing their discs, they are under an impossible level of scrutiny given their other efforts. This transfer is otherwise a stunner, with such rich, bold color, everything else in your collection looks flat and lifeless in comparison. Stunning contrast and deep blacks establish immense dimensionality in the image. Mike physically looks round as if he is popping off the screen. The first shot of Sulley, a close-up where he is sleeping in bed, is a remarkable shot that is astonishing in how much information is available in the frame.

Backgrounds are likewise littered with visible small touches. The cave scene has walls with patterns in the ice, and snow is clearly made up of individual pieces. Challenging shots such as the door room, with thousands of doors sweeping by the frame, hold up beautifully despite the complexity.

Video ★★★★★ 

Labeled as a DTS-HD 5.1 affair, this audio mix comes through as a 6.1 track. Regardless of the number of channels, this is a dynamic, active uncompressed effort. The work floor is vivid, with surround activity ranging from electricity surging, doors being moved around, and PA speakers filling each channel. When the government steps in, their helicopters swoop into each speaker, and shattering glass is wonderfully crisp.

Extensive use of the stereo channels, including dialogue and sound effects, are excellent. Whipping winds in the snow are impressive and immersive.

Where this track excels is on the low end, maybe even excessively so. When Boo laughs and Monsters Inc. has a power surge, everything drops into the subwoofer for an overwhelming blast. Likewise, when Sulley is forced to scare in the training room, his mouth produces low-end burst that ranks above even the most aggressive action movies on the market.

Audio ★★★★★ 

Disney packs the case with four discs, including a DVD copy, digital copy, and two for the movie/features. Everything from the DVD has made the trip, along with a few new pieces.

A commentary is provided by director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, screenplay writer Andrew Stanton, and producer John Lasseter. A filmmaker’s roundtable is a fun, light conversation that goes nicely with the commentary, running close to 22 minutes, as they reminisce about the experience of making the film.

Pixar’s fantastic short For the Birds is included, along with Mike’s New Car, which has a commentary from the filmmaker’s kids. A sneak peek at a new ride based on the film in Japan replaces an outdated preview of Finding Nemo from the original DVD. The second disc begins with a new game that will place you within Monsters Inc. after a quiz.

The rest of the features are from the DVD, split into two sections, Humans and Monsters. The Humans side contains 13 selections, most with individual sub-sections. These focus on the film’s creation and marketing, and there is quite a bit to go through. Some of it is short, so condensing would have been nice. The Monster side focuses on the characters, with brief clips from TV and promos. Far less interesting, but relevant.

Extras ★★★★★ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Monsters Inc. Review

Army of Darkness bombed theatrically back in 1992, but it is hard to blame anyone. This second sequel to the original Evil Dead is tailor made for that audience, someone familiar with the humor, style, and insanity of those oddball, no-budget Sam Raimi efforts.

It’s not that you have to see the Evil Dead movies to understand the story. Army of Darkness actually brings audiences up to speed rather quickly. You need to see those films to grasp the mindset of Raimi.

You also have to be familiar with the greatness of Ray Harryhausen, the entire finale dedicated to the stop motion animator, with only half of the skill. Knowing a classic movie line from The Day the Earth Stood Still also aids the viewer, but missing that gag is a marginal misstep.

For those that do interpret the little touches, Army of Darkness is pure joy. The entire concept could have been “Bruce Campbell makes a speech about his shotgun to people in medieval times,” and it would have been successful.

Tasked with fighting stop motion and rod puppet skeleton, Campbell shows that he can interact with anything the special effects crew can throw his way while maintaining a lively visual performance. Campbell proves here he is not just the king of one-liners, but of physical horror comedy, grand scale inspiring speeches, and eating grapes from beautiful women. Who knew?

Movie ★★★★☆ 

Universal gave HD DVD owners Army of Darkness with a rather awful transfer, littered with edge enhancement, noise reduction, processing, and contrast boosting. For this “Screwhead Edition” Blu-ray… nothing has changed.

Edge enhancement is thick from the opening frames. Grain, where it has been left intact, is raised by the artificial sharpening and contrast boosting, the latter leading to some blooming. Other scenes are devoid of grain, and likewise any texture. Faces are completely digital and unnatural.

What has survived, including marginally defined facial textures in close-ups, are unimpressive. Trying to make a comparison of chain mail to something like Narnia is a joke. The headaches of this presentation have little to do with age. In fact, the source is in fine shape, showing minimal wear.

The VC-1 codec seems to be the least of this transfers problems, showing no notable artifacting except when the grain spikes. Black levels are reasonably deep, certainly maintaining a fine depth during the nighttime finale with minimal crush. Colors are warmly tinted, exaggerated by the grain removal in terms of flesh tones.

Video ★★☆☆☆ 

Universal’s uncompressed DTS-HD audio mix does not help either. Dialogue has a faded, scratchy quality. Sound effects are generally crisp, and stereo channels are positioned well. Listen to the water splash as Ash battles inside the pit. That is fine separation.

The surrounds, on the other hand, are rather awful. Half the time, they sound like they are extension of the fronts. Audio cues like the classic spray of blood fills each channel for no apparent reason since the visual is in front. When the unseen demonic force chases Ash through the forest, trees are tumbled over, but no clear directionality exists. It sounds like an outdated Dolby ProLogic affair it is so poorly done.

The low-end can be considered as dead as the Deadites, shotgun blasts lacking any force. Joseph LoDuca’s score struggles to escape the fronts, with minimal, even distracting bleed into the rears.

Audio ★★☆☆☆ 

Considering Army of Darkness set a small record for re-releases on DVD (as did this entire trilogy), no doubt Blu-ray will be susceptible to the same given the lack of extras. Creating the Deadites is an admirable look at the special effects, with extensive discussion of how Ray Harryhausen was their inspiration. An alternate ending that should have stayed in the movie is included, along with the theatrical trailer. U-Control brings up stills during the film, and BD-Live support is generic.

Extras ★★☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Army of Darkness: Screwhead Edition Review

Not surprisingly, that’s the case here. Regardless of what happened during Sinbad’s other six voyages (?), 7th Voyage is packed with Harryhausen creatures. The Cyclops is brilliant, the dragon gorgeous, the skeleton fight a true epic (only topped in Jason and the Argonauts), and the snake woman… well, let’s forget about the snake woman.

The simple tale, that of a magician trying to get his hands back on a magical lamp, is goofy fun. Torin Thatcher gives the best performance of the group as Sokurah the Magician, coming off as a true classic-film bad guy. Kerwin Mathews has the charisma for a lead role, but the dialogue he’s given is painful. The story feels like an excuse to showcase Harryhausen’s talents for the first time in color, and it can carry enough to get you there.

While regarded as a classic (and certainly with a lot of nostalgia behind that), 7th Voyage isn’t on that level. Surely the level of adventure present in Jason and the Argonauts trumps everything seen here. Still, with the dazzling stop-motion on display here, it’s hardly a total bust either.

Movie ★★★☆☆ 

Shot on budget and loaded with effects shots, expectations shouldn’t be too high for this Blu-ray transfer. Rest assured at that point, your expectations will be met.

The only true benefit of this hi-def upgrade over the DVD is richer, bolder color. The transfer is soft, murky, and completely lacking depth. Grain is heavy throughout to the point where it becomes a problem, possibly heightened by a brightness increase. Some small edge enhancement can be seen in some shots. Black levels are nearly non-existent. This is a film that’s not meant for HD.

Video ★★☆☆☆ 

Uncompressed audio doesn’t do much for Sinbad. This is a center-loaded mix, with only occasional soundtrack bleed into the rears. The high-pitched roars of the creatures sound strained, and dialogue is merely adequate.

Audio ★★☆☆☆ 

If the disc does something right, it’s the extras. The five-way commentary, including Harryhausen, is wonderfully informative. Harryhausen is open about his work and how each shot was done. It’s not too technical to where the audience will be confused either.

Remembering the 7th Voyage of Sinbad is a 23-minute piece that has Harryhausen exclusively talking about the film, how it came about, and what happened to the other six adventures we apparently missed. The Harryhausen Legacy is filled with Hollywood names discussing how they were affected by his films. It can be redundant at over 25 minutes, but it’s staggering to seen the number of people who credit the stop-motion master for their careers. The Music of Bernard Herman is an equally long piece about the film’s composer.

Look Beyond the Voyage is an older featurette from some time in the ‘70s about the film. John Landis interviews Harryhausen, mostly about Jason and the Argonauts, with fleeting references to Voyage. A photo gallery, music video, another retro featurette touting Dynamation, and meager BD-Live capabilities round off an excellent disc.

Extras ★★★★★ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad Review

Any decent science fiction fan knows Ray Harryhausen’s work. This was his first film with producer Charles H. Schneer, who would join him on countless other classics for the rest of his career. Harryhausen’s creation here remains spectacular to this day and the rest of the effects work is still believable. The final assault on the shores of San Francisco is a combination of amazing miniatures and detailed animation.

This is a somewhat disjointed film, however, as the two lead characters lead a generic romance that goes nowhere in the second half. Stock footage is used extensively and the narrator used in the first half-hour is grating (and speaks only once in the second half). It’s obvious that the focus is put squarely where it should be for the final chapters and it comes out just fine in the end, but it almost makes the first 40 minutes seem meaningless. Even so, It Came From Beneath the Sea is one of the best of the 50’s creature features and a must-see for any fan of this quirky genre.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

Out of three ‘50s monster movies available on Blu-ray from Harryhausen’s portfolio, Beneath the Sea is undoubtedly the best looking. It’s remarkably sharp, and detail is stunning. The light film grain is natural and doesn’t interfere with the presentation. Black levels create solid contrast.

The film comes in both colorized and black & white variations. The color job is excellent, and aside from some pasty faces, looks spectacular. There is however a significant banding, which affects both versions. It looks digital (which it is), and makes changes in color tones look rigid. The print is in remarkable shape, with the exception of the stock footage.

Video ★★★★☆ 

While Earth vs. the Flying Saucers actually managed some surround work, Beneath the Sea isn’t that lucky. Surround effects are nowhere to be found. Instead, this TrueHD mix does offer some nice use of the front channels. During the attack, the octopus can clearly be heard attacking from off-screen in the appropriate direction. Bass is flat, and the soundtrack is strained at its highest points.

Audio ★★☆☆☆ 

Many of these extras are carried over from the DVD/Blu-ray release of 20 Million Miles to Earth. A commentary with Harryhausen and various visual effects artists (modern and classic) is somewhat dry, but still informative and fun.

A 20-minute retrospective is titled Remembering it Came from Beneath the Sea. Some information is redundant as it also is stated within the commentary track on the feature. Six photo galleries follow. A Modern Look at Stop Motion features a student discussing the process as it stands today. The rest of these extras are pulled from the 20 Million disc.

Tim Burton Sits with Ray Harryhausen is an extended face-to-face meeting between the two men. Their chat is informative and fun, and even includes some showcasing of props from Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. It runs quite long at 27 minutes. Film Music’s Unsung Hero is a retrospective hosted by David Schechter. This is another long one, looking at the stock or only slightly altered stock tracks crafted by Mischa Bakaleinikoff. His familiar themes would be used in countless films.

An 18-minute featurette looks at advertising from the era, from lobby cards to detailed press kits. A digital comic is presented as a sequel to the film and wraps up the extras. It is filled with solid art, though it’s a shame the physical version wasn’t included in the case. Finally, BD-Live connectivity is on the disc, but it’s only a link to download trailers.

Extras ★★★★☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

It Came From Beneath the Sea Review

While a flying saucer seems like the last thing a film would need the stop motion talents of Ray Harryhausen for, it’s amazing to see how his work can make the end result turn out. Without it, you’d have a substandard flying saucer ’50s B-movie. With his skill, you have a near classic.

While hardly the quintessential alien invasion movie of the ‘50s (War of the Worlds almost undoubtedly takes that title), Earth vs. the Flying Saucers delivers when it counts. After the initial appearance of the UFO in the first few minutes, the film quickly dies off. It’s all being saved for the finale, aside from a few brief attacks (at the 20 minute mark) to break the monotony.

Joan Taylor and Hugh Marlow star as the typical ‘50s sci-fi couple, caught in the middle of an invasion. Their performances are above par for the era, giving some life to the human drama. On the other hand, the alien suits are bulky and hard to move in for the actors, which shows up on screen.

When it comes down to it though, you’re not here to see the direction of Fred Sears, the actors, or the aliens. You’re here to see UFOs taking down major landmarks long before the time of Independence Day. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers doesn’t disappoint.

A UFO slamming into the Washington Monument is a Hollywood classic, and iconic for all ‘50s sci-fi. The rest of the alien assault is equally as impressive, and the stop motion is amazingly effective in conveying destruction. Harryhausen’s animation brings an otherwise static object like a flying saucer to life.

While the film as a whole ranks a little lower than many other stop motion classics, the finale is well worth the wait. It’s intense, engaging, and looks incredible. It’s hard to fault a movie for delivering so much on a meager budget.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

While 20 Million Miles to Earth was released separately, Flying Saucers only comes in a box set on Blu-ray along with two other films. This is another colorization attempt, and while the effect may be controversial, it breathes new life into the film. The black and white is also included.

Getting away from a debate on colorization, the transfer is wonderful for the most part. Contrast and black levels are perfectly set regardless of which version you watch. Grain and bother some, but it needs to (and should) be there. The transfer is quite sharp, impressive for the era, and a step up from 20 Million.

Things become tricky when dealing with artifacting. For the color version, there are only so many tones and shades to go through (a limitation of the process). As such, faces sometimes appear blocky where colors shift. Unfortunately, the same thing happens with the black and white version, only here it appears like banding. It’s more of a fault of the process than any mastering, yet still distracting and unfortunate, enough so to knock the score down.

Video ★★★☆☆ 

It’s hard to believe we live in an era where you can hear Harryhausen’s classic with full TrueHD tracks, but yes, we have arrived. Surprisingly, the mix does use the surround channels. The hum of the saucer’s engines nicely fills the sound field, and the attack sequences use the rears on a regular basis. It’s not a clean separation, and it’s obvious this is all from a mono source, but it’s still unique. Fidelity is also an issue, with the highs coming off scratchy. There is no bass to speak of.

Audio ★★★☆☆ 

Most of the extras are carried over from other Harryhausen releases. For instance, an interview with Joan Taylor is copied from 20 Million. The Colorization Process is a great look at how the new version came to be, though it feels like an extended infomercial. A feature on Bernard Gordon, who was mistakenly blacklisted in Hollywood, sets the record straight.

A 21-minute featurette entitled Remembering Earth vs. the Flying Saucers is a fun look back, and a nice complement to the four-person commentary track that includes Harryhausen. A comic, and the original screenplay credits as they should have been years ago are included, too. The disc also uses BD-Live, although it’s all promotional and nothing to do with the movie itself.

Extras ★★★★☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Earth vs. The Flying Saucers Review

What makes a ‘50s giant-monster movie more than a ‘50s giant-monster movie? Ray Harryhausen. Stop-motion expert extraordinaire Harryhausen gave life to numerous film icons, and one of them is the Ymir. 20 Million Miles to Earth carries many of the expected genre plot points, but the stunning stop-motion Ymir is too impressive a sight to ignore.

William Hopper and Joan Taylor plays the usual couple that dominates these genre films, finding a creature which has come to Earth in a space probe returning from Venus. That creature grows quickly, becoming the full-sized Ymir in a matter of days. Prior to that, audiences are treated to above average scientific babble about the monster, mostly thanks to solid performances all around.

Nathan Juran directs, but it’s Harryhausen who steals the show. His keen eye ensures the creature is always in a position to show off its size, and the destruction is simply incredible considering how it was done. The best moments are saved for the finale, although for animation fans, there’s a lot to digest. The birth of the Ymir, wiping his eyes as he adjusts to the light, is the extra touch that Harryhausen is known for.

Shot in Italy, there is some excellent cinematography of the countryside. On top of that, the Colosseum provides a superb backdrop for the end battle between the military and Ymir. Even though it’s a low-budget film, the sights help make it seem more expensive than it was.

20 Million is a sci-fi classic, and easily one of the best of the “giant monster runs amok” genre. While the dialogue is dated in spots, it’s Harryhausen’s spectacular effort that saves the film from mediocrity and makes it what it is today. This is a film that cannot be afford to be looked over for any true stop motion fanatic.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

Controversial as it may be, 20 Million has been colorized along with two other Harryhausen films of the same era (It Came from Beneath the Sea and Earth vs. The Flying Saucers). All were supervised by Harryhausen himself with the belief that the films would have been produced in color if the money was available. The effect has positives and negatives, the most notable of the former being it gave the studio an excuse to put them on Blu-ray.

The downside is that the B&W version suffers from the same issues of the colorized transfer. Notably, banding is a severe problem, especially on solid surfaces and faces. The colorization process, although improved, is still limited in terms of shades. It shows through in this hi-def transfer. Granted, detail and sharpness are better than they’ve ever been, even if the film does appear a bit soft. Both versions offer excellent black levels and contrast, and the color does carry a little “pop” to it, despite flesh tones appearing pastel.

Video ★★★☆☆ 

Pulled from a mono source, Dolby TrueHD is probably overkill, and in all honesty, it is. Still, that’s the lead audio mix here. There is some minor separation in terms of the creature’s roar into the rear channels, but this is a wholly front-loaded mix in the end. That said, it’s been cleaned up to avoid any popping or distortion, and dialogue is incredibly clear given the age of the film.

Audio ★★★☆☆ 

All extras are pulled from the 50th anniversary DVD edition and remain in standard definition. An over-crowded commentary begins the extras with Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Arnold Kunert, and of course Ray Harryhausen. Harryhausen speaks the majority of the time, and the others act as moderators asking him questions. It’s highly informative in terms of how the industry was run at the time and how the effects were completed with each individual shot.

Remembering 20 Million Miles to Earth is the making-of feature, and runs close to a half hour. Harryhausen is featured extensively, with interviews and comments from people around the film industry. The Colorization Process is a look at how the restored edition came about, though it feels like an extended infomercial at times.

Tim Burton Sits with Ray Harryhausen is a face-to-face meeting between the two men. Their chat is fun to watch for die-hard fans, including the showcasing of props from Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. It runs quite long at 27 minutes.

A Joan Taylor interview catches up with the lead actress today, and she discusses her full career. There is little mention until the end of this 17-minute talking head piece about the two Harryhausen films she was in, and can’t even recall the term stop motion animation.

Film Music’s Unsung Hero is a retrospective hosted by David Schechter. This is another long one, looking at the stock or only slightly altered stock tracks crafted by Mischa Bakalenikoff. His familiar themes would be used in countless films.

A digital comic serves as a sequel to the film, and is filled with solid art, though it’s a shame the physical version wasn’t in the case. Instead, they provide the first few pages which don’t do much to make the content interesting, and turn it into an advertisement for the series.

Four photo galleries contain enough pieces of material for any fan. Finally, an 18-minute featurette looks as the advertising from the era, from lobby cards to detailed press kits. This is tons of material for a movie of this age.

Extras ★★★★★ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

20 Million Miles to Earth Review