What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2022) 4K UHD Roundup

Label: Sony Pictures Entertainment

It Happened One Night (1934)

• Plot Synopses: The wealthy heiress Ellen Andrews (Claudette Colbert) has just married famous aviator King Westley (Jameson Thomas) against her father’s wishes. Her father attempts to hold her in Miami and have the marriage annulled, but she escapes. Trying to evade his private detectives, she takes a bus to New York City. On that bus, she meets recently-fired reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable), who offers to help get her to New York in exchange for the story. But will they successfully get to New York (and her husband), or will everything change for them along the way?
• Film Length: 1 hour, 45 minutes
• Extras (on the 4K disc): You Can’t Run Away From It (1956)
• Extras (on the included Blu-ray): Frank Capra Jr. Remembers… “It Happened One Night;” Screwball Comedy? A Conversation Between Critics Molly Haskell and Phillip Lopate; Original Live Radio Broadcast; Commentary By Frank Capra Jr.; Vintage Advertising; and Theatrical Trailer
• My Rating: 10/10
• Quick Comments
  • On The Movie Itself: It’s a wonderful screwball comedy (but don’t let that fool you, as it certainly has its dramatic moments, too)! Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert shine in their Oscar-winning roles as a pair thrown together by her desire to get back to her new husband (against her father’s wishes). There are good laughs to be had here, especially with the film’s famous hitchhiking scene. There’s not a sour performance in the whole film. It comes very highly recommended (but be careful, or you might get “The Daring Young Man On The Flying Trapeze” stuck in your head 😉 )! If you need to know more, you can read my original review here.
  • On The Transfer: According to the booklet included as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 3, the film was given a 4K restoration in 2012 (which was the source of the transfer for the nearly ten-year-old Criterion Collection Blu-ray/DVD). The transfer on the 4K UHD builds on that restoration, taking care of additional flicker and dirt (which was better hidden on the Blu-ray), while adding an HDR color grade. The film’s popularity throughout its ninety years has resulted in sections of the original camera negative being damaged and replaced with duplicate footage (even as early as 1939). As a result, there was only just so much that could be done on those dupe sections even with today’s restoration technology. Some of those sections look a bit rougher (but still pretty good). The vast majority of the film, though, is a thing of beauty, that to me makes this UHD easily worth it. It’s now my preferred method of seeing this great film, and is a very highly recommended release (so get it while it’s still in print, either as part of the set or through eBay, as it may not ever get a solo release via retailers)!

From Here To Eternity (1953)

• Plot Synopses: At Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, Captain Dana “Dynamite” Holmes (Philip Ober) is only concerned with his own potential promotion, and he pins his hopes of being promoted on winning the boxing championship with his regimental team (especially now that former Army champion Private Robert E. Lee “Prew” Prewitt, as played by Montgomery Clift, has transferred to his company). However, Prewitt (who had accidentally blinded a former sparring partner) wants nothing to do with the boxing team, even when the other members of the team make his life miserable. The captain’s adjutant, First Sergeant Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster), warns Prewitt not to buck the captain’s plans, but the sergeant risks his own neck by having an affair with the captain’s wife, Karen (Deborah Kerr). Prewitt enjoys the support of his friend, Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra), but Maggio gets into trouble with stockade Sergeant James R. “Fatso” Judson (Ernest Borgnine), resulting in a lot of trouble. Will all these problems resolve themselves, or will something else intervene?
• Film Length: 1 hour, 58 minutes
• Extras (on the 4K disc): Strength And Sacrifice: The Making Of From Here To Eternity; Eternal History Revisited: Filming The Unfilmable; Eternal History Revisited: Final Victory; From Here To Eternity 1980 TV Pilot; and Trailers
• Extras (on the included Blu-ray): Eternal History: Graphics-In-Picture Track; Audio Commentary With Tim Zinnemann And Alvin Sargent; Making Of From Here To Eternity; and Fred Zinnemann – “As I See It” (excerpt)
• My Rating: 10/10
• Quick Comments
  • On The Movie Itself: This film was new to me via this set (although I had certainly heard of it before), and I will readily admit that I liked it enough that the set was worth it for this film (plus some of the others that I liked)! I think Frank Sinatra’s supporting performance in this one was stellar (and very much deserving of his Oscar win), but I think that ALL the cast did a great job. Each and every character had their flaws, but it was not hard to want to follow their stories. Obviously, this film has some obvious ways in which it got around the Production Code of the day (such as the New Congress Club being a social club with “hostesses” instead of a brothel like in the original novel), but they don’t take away from the experience. All in all, this film is a well-known classic for a reason, and comes highly recommended from me!
  • On The Transfer: According to the booklet included as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 3, the new 4K restoration came from scans of the one surviving reel of the original camera negative, plus a 35mm fine grain master made from the original negative back in 1954 (which they were able to use fully this time, with digital technology allowing them to remove scratches that had previously forced them to use a 35mm duplicate negative for those sections). The image is pristine, and the 4K transfer really brings out the detail. I would definitely recommend this 4K UHD, as it really is the best way to see this wonderful classic!

To Sir, With Love (1967)

• Plot Synopses: Unable to find work as an engineer, Mark Thackeray (Sidney Poitier) decides to take a job as a teacher at North Quay Secondary School in London. He finds himself in charge of a very unruly group of students, who pushed their previous (late) teacher over the edge and who also intend to do the same to him. His attempts to teach them don’t go very well at first, until he loses his temper after one of their stunts. Pausing to contemplate the situation, he realizes they are now young adults, and changes his teaching method to reflect that. Will his new idea get through to his students, or will they continue to cause him (and the other teachers) trouble?
• Film Length: 1 hour, 45 minutes
• Extras (on the 4K disc): A Tribute To Sidney Poitier and To Sir, With Love TV Pilot (1974)
• Extras (on the included Blu-ray): To Sir, With Love II (1996); Look And Learn; Those Schoolboy Days; Audio Commentary with Novelist E. R. Braithwaite and Author/Teacher Salome Thomas-El; Audio Commentary with Judy Geeson and Film Historians Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman; E. R. Braithwaite: In His Own Words; Lulu And The B-Side; Miniskirts, Blue Jeans And Pop Music!; To Sidney, With Love; Principal El: He Chose To Stay; To Potter, With Love; Beginnings Of An Acting Career; and Theatrical Trailer
• My Rating: 9/10
• Quick Comments
  • On The Movie Itself: It’s a delightful and timeless story of an inexperienced teacher who is able to get through to a group of unruly kids when more experienced teachers fail. Sidney Poitier’s performance as the teacher makes this movie work, and he is ably supported by all the younger actors and actresses as the “kids.” It’s not a film that I would normally stick on, but I can’t deny that it’s fun to watch from start to finish! I like the title song, although I personally think it might be a little overused in this film (but that’s a VERY minor nitpick with an otherwise wonderful movie). I would highly recommend this film!
  • On The Transfer: According to the booklet included as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 3, the new 4K restoration came from scans of the original camera negative. All I can say is that it looks quite wonderful! The picture still has a healthy level of grain like it is supposed to, and the detail is just superb! The 4K also really brings out the film’s colors quite well, and makes for a very pleasing picture. Quite simply stated, this is another typical (great!) Sony restoration, and this 4K IS the best way to see this wonderful classic!

The Last Picture Show (1971)

• Plot Synopses: It’s 1951, and things are slow in Anarene, Texas. High school senior Sonny Crawford (Timothy Bottoms) has just broken up with his girlfriend, and begins an affair with his coach’s wife, Ruth Popper (Cloris Leachman). Sonny’s friend, Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges) has been going steadily with Jacy Farrow (Cybill Shepherd), although her mother (Ellen Burstyn) is advising her against marrying Duane. Things are already tenuous in the town, and then leading citizen Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson) passes away. Will everybody be able to hold it together without him, or will the town slowly fade away?
• Film Length: 2 hours (Theatrical Version); 2 hours, 6 minutes (Definitive Directors Cut)
• Extras (only on the included Blu-ray of the Definitive Director’s Cut): A Tribute To Peter Bogdanovich; The Last Picture Show: A Look Back; A Discussion With Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich; Commentary With Peter Bogdanovich; Location Footage; Theatrical Re-Release Featurette; Teaser Trailer and Theatrical Trailer
• My Rating: 6/10
• Quick Comments
  • On The Movie Itself: With this film being new to me, I watched both the theatrical and definitive director’s cut (with my preference being for the director’s cut). I admire the film’s set, as the town does indeed look run down and dying, in between the well-worn buildings and the mostly vacant streets. The film’s relationships really show how much the kids are struggling, with most of the adults still acting a bit childish (or missing from the scene entirely), so we have to watch the teens navigate life on their own (except for the advice of Sam the Lion, as played by Ben Johnson in his Oscar-winning role). Personally, I think the movie works better with multiple viewings, so that you can catch more details that you might have missed the first time. When all is said and done, this movie really isn’t my cup of tea (hence my lower rating for it), but I do recognize that, for many others, this is a well-regarded classic. For that reason, I would still recommend it heartily.
  • On The Transfer: According to the booklet included as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 3, the new 4K restoration came from scans of the original camera negative. While I’ve never seen the film before this 4K release, I can say that the transfers for both the theatrical film and the definitive director’s cut look (and sound) absolutely fantastic. The picture looks nice and sharp, readily showing off the detail. There is no damage present, and the audio is as good as you could hope for. Seriously, this is the best way to see this movie.

Annie (1982)

• Plot Synopses: Annie (Aileen Quinn) is living at the Hudson Street Orphanage run by the perpetually drunk and cruel Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett). In order to improve his image, billionaire Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks (Albert Finney) offers the opportunity for an orphan to stay at his home for one week, and Annie convinces his secretary, Grace Farrell (Ann Reinking), to take her. In that time, Annie becomes endeared to his whole staff (and him, too), so Mr. Warbucks offers to adopt her. When she declines because she is waiting for her own parents to return for her, he volunteers to help find them by offering a reward. Miss Hannigan’s con artist brother, Rooster (Tim Curry) and his girlfriend seek the reward, enlisting Miss Hannigan’s help to succeed with their ruse. Will their plan work, or will Annie find where she belongs?
• Film Length: 2 hours, 7 minutes
• Extras (on the 4K disc): Little Orphan Annie (1932)
• Extras (on the included Blu-ray): Revisiting Annie with Aileen Quinn; Behind The Music with Charles Strouse; Looking Back; Audio Commentary with Cast Featuring Carol Burnett, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry and Rosanne Sorrentino; Sing Along With Annie; My Hollywood Adventure with Aileen Quinn; Musical Performance by PLAY: “It’s The Hard-Knock Life;” and Original Trailers and TV Spots
• My Rating: 8/10
• Quick Comments
  • On The Movie Itself: First off, I should say that I’ve never seen the stage show, which may affect how I view this film (compared to those who have seen it). This was a thoroughly enjoyable film for me! The music is fun, especially the show’s two most well-known tunes “Tomorrow” and “It’s A Hard-Knock Life” (although “Let’s Go To The Movies” was certainly fun as well). The dancing is pretty good, and the comedy is well worth it, especially when Carol Burnett is onscreen (and Daddy Warbucks’ radio ad for the Bert Healy radio show is itself worth quite a few laughs)! It may not be the best musical ever made, but it’s certainly a good movie to stick on for a rainy afternoon or when feeling low!
  • On The Transfer: According to the booklet included as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 3, the new 4K restoration came from scans of the original camera negative (as opposed to intermediate film elements used on the film’s previous transfer). Not having seen the film before the new 4K UHD, I can’t say how it has looked previously. What I can say about it is that the new transfer looks splendid, with all the dirt cleaned up, and it really shows off the film’s color. As far as I’m concerned, THIS is the way to watch this perfectly charming film!

As Good As It Gets (1997)

• Plot Synopses: Romance novelist Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) (who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder) really doesn’t get along with most people and thinks mainly of himself. That starts to change when his gay neighbor Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear) is badly injured in a robbery, and his partner forces Melvin to take care of their dog while Simon recovers. Then Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt), who works as a waitress at the restaurant that Melvin frequents (and is the only one who puts up with his behavior), decides to leave her job for one closer to home (so that she can take better care of her asthmatic son). Both situations disrupt Melvin’s lifestyle, but he starts to care for the dog and attempts to help out Carol by offering to pay for better medical care for Carol’s son. Reluctantly, he also helps out Simon by trying to take him to his parents (with Carol as a chaperone for the trip) when Simon struggles financially. Will Melvin become a better human being in the process, or will he still drive them both away?
• Film Length: 2 hours, 19 minutes
• Extras (on the included Blu-ray): Commentary (featuring James L. Brooks, Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear); Behind The Scenes Footage; Deleted Scenes; The Making Of As Good As It Gets; Theatrical EPK Selected Soundbites; and Theatrical Trailer
• My Rating: 7/10
• Quick Comments
  • On The Movie Itself: This was another first-time viewing, and I would say that I did enjoy this comedy. The performances were all spot-on, and felt like real people. The comedy was never uproariously laugh-out-loud, but it still managed to make me laugh and smile. My biggest issue with this movie, though, is Jack Nicholson’s character. Again, his performance was great, but, when all is said and done, his character is so very unlikable and outright nasty to so many people throughout the entire film. Even when he seems to take a step in the right direction and improve as a person, he seems to do or say something that mitigates that improvement (and I don’t blame the character’s OCD). Still, I can understand why this film is well-regarded, and it’s still worth recommending in my opinion.
  • On The Transfer: According to the booklet included as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 3, the new 4K restoration came from scans of the original camera negative (as opposed to a 35mm color interpositive made from the original camera negative in 1997 that had been used on the film’s previous transfers), with all the dust and dirt cleaned up. As a result of going back to the original negative, it really brought out the colors and details in the picture. In this case, the 4K UHD of this film really is “As Good As [This Film] Gets!”

Bonus Disc

Format: Blu-ray

Extras:

• From Here To Eternity 1979 TV Mini-series (3 parts/episodes)

• Plot Synopses: Insurance investigator Jack Williams (Robert Swanger) is murdered. His old friend and war buddy, private investigator Mike Hammer (Biff Elliot) is angry, and is determined to catch his friend’s killer, one way or another. His main suspects are a group of people that were at a party that Jack had recently hosted. Mike tries to question everybody, but soon finds them all dropping off like flies. With an increasing body count, can Mike manage to catch the killer before everybody (including himself) gets killed?
• Film Length: 1 hour, 28 minutes
• Extras (on the 4K disc): Commentary by Max Alan Collins and Archival Commentary with Biff Elliot
• Extras (on the included Blu-ray): Commentary by Max Alan Collins; Archival Commentary with Biff Elliot; Archival Interview with Biff Elliot; Deep In The Shadows – The 3D World Of I, The Jury; Television Episodes: Unaired Mike Hammer TV Show Pilot, O. Henry Playhouse TV Episode Starring Preston Foster, O. Henry Playhouse TV Episode Starring Peggie Castle, and Public Defender TV Episode featuring Biff Elliot; and Trailers for Michael Shayne Mysteries, O Henry Playhouse Clip – “The Reformation Of Calliope,” Raw Deal (1948) and T-Men (1947)
• Label: ClassicFlix
• My Rating: 7/10
• Quick Comments
  • On The Movie Itself: It’s a decent film noir-type of movie. Biff Elliot’s performance isn’t the best, as he mainly tends towards being either angry or horny (at least, as much as he could be for the time that this movie was made), but he carries the movie well enough. The movie certainly leans towards being sexist in its portrayal of all the female characters (many of whom are almost purely out to seduce the film’s leading man), but that’s probably the film’s biggest sin. The mystery is decent (even if it is semi-easy to solve). The film doesn’t make much use of its Yuletide setting, but its use of holiday greeting cards when transitioning from one location to another makes it worth seeing around the Christmas holiday. Its main appeal is going to be for 3-D enthusiasts, but it’s still worth recommending to everyone else.
  • On The Transfer: This film has been “Restored by UCLA Film & Television Archive in conjunction with PKL Pictures Ltd. and Romulus Films Limited,” both in 3-D (on the Blu-ray only) and 2-D. First off, I haven’t got the tech to watch this film in 3-D, so I cannot comment on that version myself. I can only say that most of what I’ve heard is overwhelmingly positive (and therefore the 3-D Blu-ray, available either individually or with the 4K UHD, is probably the best way to watch this movie). As for the 4K UHD, I think it looks pretty good. It’s not the best black-and-white presentation I’ve seen on the format, as it does have a few (very, VERY minor) issues, but I don’t think they take away anything from the overall presentation. As best as I can tell, there is no HDR, so it becomes your own choice as to whether to you want to watch it on the Blu-ray (which has both the 3-D and 2-D versions) or the 4K (which will be my personal choice for future viewings).