Although
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY ($27) earned the Academy Award for Best
Picture of 1953, along with seven other Oscars, much of the film plays
like a rather "soapy" melodrama. Of course, it is the caliber of
the film’s performances that raises the film above typical melodrama,
especially when one considerers that the cast of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
is comprised of silvers screen legends at the peaks of their prowess. In
fact, the performances were so good that the film received numerous Oscar
nominations in the acting categories, with Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed
taking home Academy Award statuettes for their supporting work in the
film.
Set
in Hawaii, in the days prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, FROM
HERE TO ETERNITY tells of the trials and tribulations of a group of
military men and the women they love. Burt Lancaster portrays 1st Sgt.
Milton Warden, the CO’s right hand man, who begins a torrid love affair
with his Commanding Officer’s neglected wife Karen (Deborah Kerr).
Montgomery Clift is Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt, a former middleweight
boxer who endures a severe hazing because he refuses to put on the gloves
again for his company. Despite his predicament, Prewitt manages to find
love with a party girl named Lorene (Donna Reed). Frank Sinatra earned his
Oscar as Pvt. Angelo Maggio, a fairly reckless soldier, who winds up on
the wrong side of sadistic Sgt. James "Fatso" Judson (Ernest
Borgnine). The cast of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY also includes Philip
Ober, Mickey Shaughnessy, Harry Bellaver, Jack Warden and Claude Akins.
Columbia
TriStar Home Entertainment has made their Superbit edition of FROM HERE
TO ETERNITY available on DVD in a nice looking full screen transfer
that frames the movie in its proper 1.37:1 aspect ratio. I’m sure there
are those expecting outright perfection from any DVD bearing the Superbit
moniker. However the Superbit presentation of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
is still directly tied to the condition of the existing black and white
film elements, which have age related flaws. There are blemishes here and
there throughout the course of the presentation, as well as other
inconsistencies in the image that are directly related to the condition of
the film elements from which this transfer came.
For
the most, Burnett Guffey’s Academy Award winning cinematography looks
quite good, although some of the day for night processed photography looks
a bit off. Blacks appear pretty accurate and the whites are clean.
Contrast is usually smooth and the nicely varied grayscale provides good
depth. However, there are a few shots where the contrast is a bit harsh
looking, with the whites beginning to show signs of becoming blown out. Of
course, where this Superbit title really shines is in the virtual absence
of digital compression artifacts, due to the fact that it has been
authored in such a way to utilize a DVD’s full storage capacity to
maintain a high data transfer rate for both the audio and video throughout
the entire presentation.
For
this release, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY comes with a Dolby Digital
monaural and DTS 5.1 channel soundtracks. Let me state up front, that the
DTS track does an amazingly good job of creating multi-channel sound from
a monaural source, which is especially effective during the Pearl Harbor
attack sequence. However, I also have to state that the Dolby Digital
track is one of the best sounding half-century-old monaural tracks that I’ve
ever heard. Even though it is monaural, track has surprising fidelity and
really holds its own for music, sound effects and for vocal reproduction.
On either track, one will find the dialogue completely understandable,
with the actors' voices always maintaining a distinct sense of character.
Both soundtracks definitely get the nod, and I am sure the purists will
gravitate towards monaural, while those who want a bit more zip will be
enjoying the multi-channel DTS. Subtitles are provided on the DVD in
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean and Thai. The basic
interactive menus allow one access to the standard scene selection and set
up features and nothing else.
While
the plot can be a bit melodramatic, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY is great
old style Hollywood entertainment. While the film elements aren't perfect,
the movie definitely benefits from the Superbit treatment, especially
where the soundtracks are concerned. The DVD is highly recommended to
movie buffs and anyone discovering classic films for the first time.
Although
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY ($27) earned the Academy Award for Best
Picture of 1953, along with seven other Oscars, much of the film plays
like a rather "soapy" melodrama. Of course, it is the caliber of
the film’s performances that raises the film above typical melodrama,
especially when one considerers that the cast of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
is comprised of silvers screen legends at the peaks of their prowess. In
fact, the performances were so good that the film received numerous Oscar
nominations in the acting categories, with Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed
taking home Academy Award statuettes for their supporting work in the
film.
Set
in Hawaii, in the days prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, FROM
HERE TO ETERNITY tells of the trials and tribulations of a group of
military men and the women they love. Burt Lancaster portrays 1st Sgt.
Milton Warden, the CO’s right hand man, who begins a torrid love affair
with his Commanding Officer’s neglected wife Karen (Deborah Kerr).
Montgomery Clift is Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt, a former middleweight
boxer who endures a severe hazing because he refuses to put on the gloves
again for his company. Despite his predicament, Prewitt manages to find
love with a party girl named Lorene (Donna Reed). Frank Sinatra earned his
Oscar as Pvt. Angelo Maggio, a fairly reckless soldier, who winds up on
the wrong side of sadistic Sgt. James "Fatso" Judson (Ernest
Borgnine). The cast of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY also includes Philip
Ober, Mickey Shaughnessy, Harry Bellaver, Jack Warden and Claude Akins.
Columbia
TriStar Home Entertainment has made their Superbit edition of FROM HERE
TO ETERNITY available on DVD in a nice looking full screen transfer
that frames the movie in its proper 1.37:1 aspect ratio. I’m sure there
are those expecting outright perfection from any DVD bearing the Superbit
moniker. However the Superbit presentation of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
is still directly tied to the condition of the existing black and white
film elements, which have age related flaws. There are blemishes here and
there throughout the course of the presentation, as well as other
inconsistencies in the image that are directly related to the condition of
the film elements from which this transfer came.
For
the most, Burnett Guffey’s Academy Award winning cinematography looks
quite good, although some of the day for night processed photography looks
a bit off. Blacks appear pretty accurate and the whites are clean.
Contrast is usually smooth and the nicely varied grayscale provides good
depth. However, there are a few shots where the contrast is a bit harsh
looking, with the whites beginning to show signs of becoming blown out. Of
course, where this Superbit title really shines is in the virtual absence
of digital compression artifacts, due to the fact that it has been
authored in such a way to utilize a DVD’s full storage capacity to
maintain a high data transfer rate for both the audio and video throughout
the entire presentation.
For
this release, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY comes with a Dolby Digital
monaural and DTS 5.1 channel soundtracks. Let me state up front, that the
DTS track does an amazingly good job of creating multi-channel sound from
a monaural source, which is especially effective during the Pearl Harbor
attack sequence. However, I also have to state that the Dolby Digital
track is one of the best sounding half-century-old monaural tracks that I’ve
ever heard. Even though it is monaural, track has surprising fidelity and
really holds its own for music, sound effects and for vocal reproduction.
On either track, one will find the dialogue completely understandable,
with the actors' voices always maintaining a distinct sense of character.
Both soundtracks definitely get the nod, and I am sure the purists will
gravitate towards monaural, while those who want a bit more zip will be
enjoying the multi-channel DTS. Subtitles are provided on the DVD in
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean and Thai. The basic
interactive menus allow one access to the standard scene selection and set
up features and nothing else.
While
the plot can be a bit melodramatic, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY is great
old style Hollywood entertainment. While the film elements aren't perfect,
the movie definitely benefits from the Superbit treatment, especially
where the soundtracks are concerned. The DVD is highly recommended to
movie buffs and anyone discovering classic films for the first time.