Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Warner Movie •••• Picture ••••• Sound ••••• Extras •••½

The Tempest goes futuristic in this 1956 sci-fi classic, which finally gets the stellar video treatment it deserves. The outstanding visuals demolish the memory of the old DVD's faded, washed-out transfer and its gray and orange tones. These dazzling, razor-sharp images abound with vibrant greens and blues and natural flesh tones. (A friend asked if this was a Blu-ray Disc ... yeah, it's that good!) The sound perfectly complements the picture, with an eerie, surreal, and dynamic 5.1-channel surround mix that is simply, well, out of this world. Praiseworthy extras on this two-disc set include icon Robby the Robot's appearances in a Thin Man TV episode and the 1957 film The Invisible Boy (both presented in their entirety). You also get lost and deleted footage, a science-fiction movie trailer gallery, the TCM featurette Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s, and Us, and a new documentary containing recent interviews with cast members Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Earl Holliman, Richard Anderson, and Warren Stevens. [G] English, Dolby Digital 5.1; French, Dolby Digital mono; letterboxed (2.35:1) and anamorphic widescreen; two dual-layer discs.

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