Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews

As a kid I was more of a Robin Hood guy, first Errol Flynn and then Disney, but by the time I was first asked "What's your favorite movie?" I recall answering, "The Three Musketeers," meaning Richard Lester’s wildly entertaining version from 1973. Alexandre Dumas’ source novel has it all: love, war, friendship, honor, treachery, bravery, betrayal. Few movies have for me ever captured the pure spirit of swashbuckling adventure, a tale too big to fit into a single film and therefore cleaved in twain.

The Three Musketeers (The Queen’s Diamonds) introduces goodhearted young D'Artagnan (Michael York, seemingly everywhere in the ‘70s) who dreams of joining the elite fighting force of the French monarchy, the Musketeers. And he arrives in Paris not a moment too soon, as the scheming Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston) is working covertly to centralize political power in France by exposing the queen’s portentous secret. Much like Star Wars, the second film--The Four Musketeers (Milady's Revenge)--goes darker, with explosive battles and the violent deaths of key characters.

Even so, both manage to flit effortlessly from serious drama and intrigue to physical comedy, sight gags, double entendres and the absurdities of aristocratic excess. Everyone gives top-notch performances, with the actors clearly doing most of their own risky stuntwork and inventive swordfighting, but a special tip of the hat to the gravitas brought by the late Oliver Reed as the deadly, heavy-hearted Musketeer, Athos.

The twin movies were essentially a single large production, at one point intended to be one epic film, made with near-identical crews, and so our ratings are the same between the pair. Criterion’s director-approved edition is a four-disc set combining Three and Four, from a 4K restoration of the original camera negatives, with Dolby Vision HDR. While colors are often subdued, with a faint golden tint at times that imparts an old-timey feel, the 1.85:1 image also takes on a vigor long-absent from the small screen.

The elaborate production design and costumes, the European locations with their beautifully decrepit castles and natural splendor all demand proper representation. The royal purples are quite lovely and the more frequent use of red in Four is especially vibrant. Minute details are revealed, such as ever-so-faint rainfall during an early scene in Three. Modest black crush appears in some of the darker interior scenes, but the highlights during a nighttime duel illuminated by lanterns are outstanding.

The mono soundtrack is remarkably good for its era, served up here in a true single-channel LPCM 1.0. Composer Michel Legrand, who reportedly wrote the entire Three score in ten days, was replaced by Lalo Schifrin on Four, their different styles enhancing the story, both reproduced with minimal distortion. Part of Lester inimitable style comes from the background characters muttering funny little quips, which can sometimes be hard to make out, but that’s a rare issue in this enjoyable mix.

The 4K platters carry no extras whatsoever, and even the menus are static and silent. The HD Blu-rays don’t contain a vast array of bonus content but what there is tells a fascinating story of seat-of-your-pants filmmaking that resulted in not one but two blockbusters. The new four-part documentary is comprised largely of audio interview clips from key crew members, including the reclusive Lester, alongside the excellent, star-filled Saga of the Musketeers doc that first appeared on Anchor Bay’s 2003 “Complete Musketeers” DVD. The insert isn’t a booklet per se but a foldout with many moments from the movies depicted in a charming Où est Waldo? art style.

One of the most adapted books in all of cinema, The Three Musketeers might well have peaked right here. Whether you’re a 50-year fan like me or new to these dual dueling films, make it a point to check them out.

Chris Chiarella