Reds
(HD-DVD set)
Picture: B Sound: B Extras: B- Film: B
Having
recently reviewed the standard DVD set of Warren Beatty’s Reds (1981) and dealt with the content of the film, we now have the
HD-DVD set. You can read about the film
at the link to that previous review as follows:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4645/Reds+%E2%80%93+25th+Anniversary+Edition++(DVD-Video+Set)
Now for
the HD-DVD set, with set being the operative word. I give Paramount credit for daring to do more
than one title with more than one HD disc and in both formats. The studios (regardless of format(s)
supported) have been trying to do everything in one disc, but that has limited
some titles from being final full fledged versions. It is early in the life of both formats and
there will always be those who only want single discs, but it is nice to see
this title done right the first time.
Now to
the technical aspects of the film and playback, with a recap of some of the
unique aspects of this film. The 1080p 1.85
X 1 digital High Definition image was shot by the great Vittorio Storaro,
A.I.C., looking good for its age. Though it may seem to look dated at
first look, the fact of the matter is that it is stylized to have a certain
look and this was achieved in part by begin the first of many films to use a
silver-retention process for the film stocks from the Technicolor labs dubbed
ENR. There are even a few competing versions, but this one was later used
on films like The Grifters, Saving Private Ryan and Alien Resurrection, which shows you the
diversity of its uses. This HD version
further improves on the visual playback, revealing more of the subtleties
Storaro intended that standard DVD just cannot capture and is the preferred
edition. Nevertheless, the film looks
good and the way Storaro uses the process is to make the time period seem more
like going back in time versus the lush cinematography on Lean’s Dr. Zhivago which this film is always
compared to.
The
original audio was supposedly magnetic (or non-Dolby analog?) stereo at best on
some prints, with no Dolby Stereo, Ultra Stereo or 70mm blow-ups. The
sound here has been remixed for Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 and though it is
centered towards the front and the film itself is dialogue-based, this is a
faithful remix including good sound effects and Stephen Sondheim’s scoring of
the film is very good. Dolby Digital Plus 2.0 Mono tracks are also included
for purists, though the 5.1 is better.
Also, the Dolby Digital Plus is a tad better than the standard Dolby 5.1
on the DVD, though not by too much. Extras
are the same for the standard DVD and Blu-ray sets, so that is no problem. The Reds HD-DVD is deluxe treatment for a
classic and if the HD formats want to catch on more quickly, they need to do
this with more back catalog more often.
- Nicholas Sheffo
