My Mother Mated with a Scorpion...
The Film
I remember the first time I looked upon the Arabian Peninsula while standing on the western edge of the Red Sea in Egypt. It was everything that my tainted brain imagined it would be; yet it wasn't my Yeshiva education, numerous trips to Israel, or degree in Near Eastern Studies that shaped my impression. Rather, it was movie that I had viewed numerous times as a child and young adult that would create the imagery that was now unfolding in front of me.
My inner nerd likes to boast that Star Wars was the film that turned me into a film nut but the truth is that the honor belongs solely to Lawrence of Arabia. David Lean's 4-hour epic depicting the Arab uprising against the Ottoman Empire during WW1 (taken from both historical records and T.E. Lawrence's autobiographical Seven Pillars of Wisdom) was not only topical in 1962 after two Arab-Israeli wars but was cinematic brilliance on par with Gone with the Wind and The Ten Commandments.
The film does take some serious liberties with the historical events of the period, but Lawrence did exist and did participate in the revolt; his contribution was quite important as was his relationship with Emir Faisal who was the son of Sherif Hussein of Mecca. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) gets caught up in the whirlwind that is the revolt and ends up being used by both masters; the English generals in Cairo, and Faisal.
A stellar supporting cast including Omar Sharif, Alec Guiness, and Anthony Quinn turn this historical drama and adventure into one of the most beloved films of all-time.
The Picture
The picture is crisp with the right amount of grain to keep the film firmly planted in 1962. If you watch a film enough times, you notice things in the image that bother/please you at the same time. My wife begs to differ (She falls alseep every time we watch it), but I have watched this film more than sixty times and there is no comparison between the Blu-ray transfer and any previous home video version of the film. It's like comparing a photo of a plate of hummus with tehina in a cafe in Jerusalem, and the real experience.
Black levels are spot on and the level of shadow detail is just fantastic. You can see so much more detail on this release than on the DVD and it was four hours of pure joy to watch this again.
The Sound
Have you ever watched a film and been unable to stop humming its theme song? Not every film score is Oscar-worthy, but Maurice Jarre won this category walking away in 1963. I would venture that I first watched Lawrence of Arabia when I was nine and on a 28" screen, but it was the music that made the strongest impression on me at the time. Among other memorable musical moments such as the "Imperial March" from The Empire Strikes Back, the overture to The Ten Commandments, and the Jaws theme, I can not think of another score that has consumed me as much as the music in this grand film. It is everything that most modern film scores are not; majestic, overwhelming, and as important to the film as the script and cinematography.
To watch Lawrence of Arabia in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 at home probably doesn't come close to watching the film in an enormous theater; I would sell my kids to see (and hear) this film remastered in Dolby Atmos, but it does not disappoint either. The film begs to be enjoyed at above average listening levels for the sole reason that the music demands it. The symphonic power of the score is breathtaking on the surround release and you feel yourself walking with Lawrence across the Arabian Peninsula; swirling sandstorms, gunfire, and crystal clear dialogue.
The Extras
I could compose a thesis on the film thanks to the plethora of bonus material included in this collector's edition and I would suggest that it is mandatory viewing for anyone who loves the film. Not all of the content is new with some repetition of the original documentary films such as Wind, Sand and Star: The Making of a Classic, but the hours of content is worth your viewing time.
One of the best moments has to be an exclusive interview with Peter O'Toole (who recently turned 80), who still has his wits about him and remembers so much about his role almost fifty years to the date after its release.
There is a never-before-released deleted scene on disc 3, along with comprehensive interviews and documentaries which are exclusive to the Blu-ray gift-set release. If you are a student of the much troubled Middle East (B.A., Near Eastern Affairs...guilty as charged), the historical pieces from the period will ignite new debates and have you glued to the photos and movies.
The coffee table book with a forward from Steven Spielberg has so many rare photographs, it may be worth the price of the set alone. The sets come with an authentic 70mm film frame and a new version of the film's soundtrack with never-before-released tracks.
I don't recall. Did my Star Wars set come with any of this great stuff? Don't answer that.
Final Thoughts
Every now and then a film gets released on Blu-ray and everyone rushes to purchase it; even though the overall product is ultimately disappointing. Yes, I'm pointing my finger at the Star Wars box set. Everyone has one film that they would take with them on that deserted island and for me it has always been Lawrence of Arabia. There are few films like it and it's doubtful that Hollywood could ever muster enough courage to make films like this again. Films that are actually about something and certainly larger than life. Between the near perfect 4K transfer and unrivalved collection of bonus materials; including a gorgeous book and bonus CD, this may be one of the best Blu-ray discs ever released. Just how good? It mated with a scorpion. 2012 Blu-ray disc of the year.
Product Details:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
