Review: Anastasia BD + Screen Caps

Anastasia is a well made movie of one of the more intriguing stories in modern history: the existence of the sole survivor of the Romanov family. The performances all around are well done headlined by both Ingrid Bergman and Yul Brynner and in conjunction with director Anatole Litvak, it’s a film well worth checking out even if it’s fictitious.

 

 

Anastasia
(1956)

REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall

Genre(s): Drama
Twilight Time | NR – 105 min. – $29.95 | March 15, 2016

Date Published: 03/29/2016 | Author: The Movieman

MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Anatole Litvak Writer(s): Marcelle Maurette (play); Arthur Litvak (screenplay) Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner, Helen Hayes, Akim Tamiroff, Martita Hunt, Felix Aylmer DISC INFO: Features: 2 Audio Commentaries, Newsreel, Theatrical Trailer Digital Copy: No Formats Included: Blu-ray Number of Discs: 1 Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 5.1), English (DTS-HD MA 2.0) Video: 1080p/Widescreen 2.35 Subtitles: English SDH Disc Size: 33.7 GB Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Region(s): A, B, C

PLOT SYNOPSIS

The historical drama Anastasia tells the tale of a damaged amnesiac (INGRID BERGMAN) who may or may not be the lost Romanov princess Anastasia. She becomes the accomplice of a charming White Russian general (YUL BRYNNER) in a plot to swindle a boatload of money out of the grieving Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna (HELEN HAYES). At stake: not just money, but the putative Anastasia’s emotional sanity.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES – 2.0/5

Along with the usual 6-page essay booklet, the disc comes with Two Audio Commentaries one with Film Historians Julie Kirgo and David Del Valle, the other featuring Screenwriter Arthur Laurents, Actor James MacArthur, and Film Historians Jim Burlingame and Sylvia Stoddard; also included is Fox Movietone Newsreels (7:18), Song Demo (2:47) and the Original Theatrical Trailer (2:20) with an optioanl isolated score track.

 

VIDEO – 4.5/5

Anastasia comes to Blu-ray shown with a 2.35 widescreen aspect ratio and a respectable 1080p high-definition transfer (MPEG-4 AVC codec). The movie, going on 60 years now, looks utterly fantastic with brilliant looking colors throughout, detail fairly sharp and absolutely clean, free of artifacting, dust marks and debris.

 

AUDIO – 4.0/5

The disc comes with a well done and fairly encompassing DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which excels especially with Alfred Newman’s beautiful score and provides for some crisp and clear dialogue levels. It’s not the most robust lossless track but that’s to be expected for a film of its age. Also included are a 2.0 DTS-HD MA track and Isolated Score tracks which makes you appreciate the music all the more.

 

OVERALL – 4.0/5

Overall, Anastasia is a well made movie of one of the more intriguing stories in modern history: the existence of the sole survivor of the Romanov family. The performances all around are well done headlined by both Ingrid Bergman and Yul Brynner and in conjunction with director Anatole Litvak, it’s a film well worth checking out even if it’s fictitious. The Blu-ray released through Twilight Time offers good video and audio transfers and a OK selection of bonus material.

 

 

 

 

Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.