The Graduate HD-DVD
What?
Nominated for seven Oscars, winner in the Best Director category. Winner of numerous BAFTAs including Best Film and Best Screenplay. The Graduate is considered a classic, a masterpiece even – it is also almost single handily responsible for launching the career of Dustin Hoffman. It’s one of those films that every movie fan has seen at some point. We’ve all heard of it, many can remember classic lines, in essence, we’ve all enjoyed it over many years. Actually, this is the first time I have ever seen it. Yes, really.
If it wasn’t for HD-DVD I probably would never have watched The Graduate. I’m sure there are many out there who will be outraged at that statement, and I can understand why, now that I’ve seen the film anyway. Sure I’ve heard all about it, I know of Hoffman’s revered breakout performance, and I am aware of the film’s reputation, but I’m pretty sure this one would have just passed me by like many other of the older classics. As I say, if it wasn’t for HD-DVD, and myself reviewing a disc that I was sent, I would never have had the chance to enjoy this classic piece of 60’s cinema. The script is incredibly well written, it’s witty but manages to convey the darker undertones perfectly. The performances are absolutely on the money and the impressive cast feed off the superb script. The early relationship between Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft) and Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) highlights both the quality of the script and the acting performances, each and every time they are on screen together is cinema gold, managing to be funny, moving, exciting and troubling without breaking sweat. In a world of big budget blockbusters and special effects it would be easy to assume that a film like The Graduate could get forgotten and left behind, especially considering I’m a reviewer in his early 30’s who has been brought up on blockbusters. I guess it just goes to show, quality will always shine through – I’m just glad I had a chance to enjoy it, albeit forty years after it was originally released.
Optics:
The opening sequence had me worried. As Hoffman’s character makes his way through the airport grain is very visible, colours are muted, definition is lacking and detail is poor. Thankfully once the opening credits have rolled the image looks altogether different. Colours are much brighter, detail is vastly improved and grain is pretty much non-existent. The age of the film must be considered when reviewing The Graduate, we are talking about a forty year old film here, but except for the overall look of the film, you wouldn’t necessarily know it. Of course the image is not as sharp as a new release, nor do the colours pop like the best new HD-DVD releases, but this image really impressed me. The print doesn’t show any signs of grain or damage and detail levels are very good, again, considering the age of the film. Black levels are solid while shadow detail in particular impresses, it is the outdoor scenes that really shine however, colour reproduction at times is first rate. Obviously because I have never seen the film before I had nothing to compare this transfer to, regardless I was very impressed and surprised at how good this film looked.
Sonics:
The back of the box lets you know that this is a DTS-HD stereo mix, and although my amp signalled all speakers were being used, this is most certainly a front speaker track. Much like the image, I was impressed with the sound on this HD-DVD. Dialogue was absolutely crystal clear, at know point was I struggling to hear anything on screen which was my worry considering the original sound mix was 4-track stereo! Simon & Garfunkel’s famous soundtrack sounded great, it lacked weight and didn’t exactly fill the room, but it was perfectly serviceable. At times the track sounded a little flat, car doors slamming and engine noise for example lacked punch but that is to be expected, overall I was perfectly happy.
Extras:
As usual with Momentum releases all we get is a trailer.
Well?
I had my doubts about how good the quality of this release would be, I knew the film was going to be good – that was a given – but the disc itself had me worried. I should not have worried however, I wouldn’t mind betting that The Graduate has never looked (or sounded) this good before. For fans of this classic I would have to say this is a no brainer, and there is anyone else out there, whom like me, had never seen this film before, I say go for it.
Tom Day
Nominated for seven Oscars, winner in the Best Director category. Winner of numerous BAFTAs including Best Film and Best Screenplay. The Graduate is considered a classic, a masterpiece even – it is also almost single handily responsible for launching the career of Dustin Hoffman. It’s one of those films that every movie fan has seen at some point. We’ve all heard of it, many can remember classic lines, in essence, we’ve all enjoyed it over many years. Actually, this is the first time I have ever seen it. Yes, really.
If it wasn’t for HD-DVD I probably would never have watched The Graduate. I’m sure there are many out there who will be outraged at that statement, and I can understand why, now that I’ve seen the film anyway. Sure I’ve heard all about it, I know of Hoffman’s revered breakout performance, and I am aware of the film’s reputation, but I’m pretty sure this one would have just passed me by like many other of the older classics. As I say, if it wasn’t for HD-DVD, and myself reviewing a disc that I was sent, I would never have had the chance to enjoy this classic piece of 60’s cinema. The script is incredibly well written, it’s witty but manages to convey the darker undertones perfectly. The performances are absolutely on the money and the impressive cast feed off the superb script. The early relationship between Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft) and Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) highlights both the quality of the script and the acting performances, each and every time they are on screen together is cinema gold, managing to be funny, moving, exciting and troubling without breaking sweat. In a world of big budget blockbusters and special effects it would be easy to assume that a film like The Graduate could get forgotten and left behind, especially considering I’m a reviewer in his early 30’s who has been brought up on blockbusters. I guess it just goes to show, quality will always shine through – I’m just glad I had a chance to enjoy it, albeit forty years after it was originally released.
Optics:
The opening sequence had me worried. As Hoffman’s character makes his way through the airport grain is very visible, colours are muted, definition is lacking and detail is poor. Thankfully once the opening credits have rolled the image looks altogether different. Colours are much brighter, detail is vastly improved and grain is pretty much non-existent. The age of the film must be considered when reviewing The Graduate, we are talking about a forty year old film here, but except for the overall look of the film, you wouldn’t necessarily know it. Of course the image is not as sharp as a new release, nor do the colours pop like the best new HD-DVD releases, but this image really impressed me. The print doesn’t show any signs of grain or damage and detail levels are very good, again, considering the age of the film. Black levels are solid while shadow detail in particular impresses, it is the outdoor scenes that really shine however, colour reproduction at times is first rate. Obviously because I have never seen the film before I had nothing to compare this transfer to, regardless I was very impressed and surprised at how good this film looked.
Sonics:
The back of the box lets you know that this is a DTS-HD stereo mix, and although my amp signalled all speakers were being used, this is most certainly a front speaker track. Much like the image, I was impressed with the sound on this HD-DVD. Dialogue was absolutely crystal clear, at know point was I struggling to hear anything on screen which was my worry considering the original sound mix was 4-track stereo! Simon & Garfunkel’s famous soundtrack sounded great, it lacked weight and didn’t exactly fill the room, but it was perfectly serviceable. At times the track sounded a little flat, car doors slamming and engine noise for example lacked punch but that is to be expected, overall I was perfectly happy.
Extras:
As usual with Momentum releases all we get is a trailer.
Well?
I had my doubts about how good the quality of this release would be, I knew the film was going to be good – that was a given – but the disc itself had me worried. I should not have worried however, I wouldn’t mind betting that The Graduate has never looked (or sounded) this good before. For fans of this classic I would have to say this is a no brainer, and there is anyone else out there, whom like me, had never seen this film before, I say go for it.
Tom Day
Director:
Mike Nichols
Starring:
Anne Bancroft
Dustin Hoffman
Katharine Ross
William Daniels
Murray Hamilton
Best line:
Tagline:
"This is Benjamin. He's a little worried about his future."
Description:
Momentum
UK
VC1
Rated 15
1Hr 41 Mins
2.35:1
(Anamorphic)
DTS-HD 2.0
(High Resolution)
Trailer
Ratings: (Out of 5)
Film 8.0
Optics 8.0
Sonics 7.0
Extras 0.0
Overall 7.0
