There
is no question in my mind that THE THIEF OF BAGDAD ($15) is one of
the greatest fantasy films of all time- it also ranks as one of the most
gorgeous British Technicolor movies ever made and it did win an Academy
Award for Georges Périnal's exquisite cinematography. Therefore, it
should also come as no surprise when I say that the 1940 production of THE
THIEF OF BAGDAD is one of my favorite movies of all time. Featuring
enchanting visual effects, this sumptuous Alexander Korda production
continues to delight movie buffs some sixty plus years after its release
by creating a genuine storybook sense of wonder.
THE
THIEF OF BAGDAD is adapted from The Arabian Nights and
tells of a King named Ahmad (John Justin), who is tricked by his Grand
Vizier Jaffar (Conrad Veidt) into relinquishing his throne. Once this evil
sorcerer seizes power for himself, Jaffar has Ahmad thrown in prison,
where the dethroned king meets a resourceful young thief named Abu (Sabu).
Forming a fast friendship, Ahmad and Abu are able to escape from prison
and make their way to the Kingdom of Basra where they encounter the toy
loving Sultan (Miles Malleson) and his beautiful daughter. Of course,
Ahmad falls in love with the Princess (June Duprez) and she with him.
Unfortunately for the young lovers, Jaffar has his own plans for the
Princess, and through black magic Jaffar blinds Ahmad to keep them apart.
What follows is a magical encounter with Genie (Rex Ingram) that
ultimately returns both Ahmad and Abu to Bagdad for a final showdown with
the evil Jaffar.
MGM
Home Entertainment has made THE THIEF OF BAGDAD available on DVD in
a marvelous full screen transfer that frames the movie in its proper
1.37:1 aspect ratio. I must commend MGM for producing a nearly pristine
presentation that dazzles the eye with the rich saturations of an IB
Technicolor print. Reds and blues are especially glorious, while the flesh
tones take on the consistent cast that can only be found in a makeup man's
kit. The image itself is nicely crisp and well detailed. Blacks appear
inky, whites are clean and contrast is generally smooth. The film element
used for the transfer displays very few imperfections, although there is a
certainly level of graininess inherent in film stocks being produced
during that era. Digital compression artifacts are never a cause for
concern.
The
Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is perfectly adequate, without
demonstrating any serious flaws. There is a minor bit of background hiss,
and occasional distortions, but nothing out of line for a film of this
vintage. As expected, Miklós Rózsa's fine musical score is rendered very
thinly and with limited fidelity. Still, the dialogue is always completely
understandable, which is probably the most important factor. A Spanish
language track is also encoded onto the DVD, as are English, French and
Spanish subtitles. The basic interactive menus provide access to the
standard scene selection and set up features, as well as a theatrical
trailer.
As
I stated above, I think THE THIEF OF BAGDAD is one of the greatest
fantasy films of all time. MGM Home Entertainment has done a rather
impressive job with the DVD, offering fans a presentation very close to
the splendor of an original IB Technicolor print- at a bargain price
point. If you are a classic cinema buff, THE THIEF OF BAGDAD is an
absolutely must own DVD.
There
is no question in my mind that THE THIEF OF BAGDAD ($15) is one of
the greatest fantasy films of all time- it also ranks as one of the most
gorgeous British Technicolor movies ever made and it did win an Academy
Award for Georges Périnal's exquisite cinematography. Therefore, it
should also come as no surprise when I say that the 1940 production of THE
THIEF OF BAGDAD is one of my favorite movies of all time. Featuring
enchanting visual effects, this sumptuous Alexander Korda production
continues to delight movie buffs some sixty plus years after its release
by creating a genuine storybook sense of wonder.
THE
THIEF OF BAGDAD is adapted from The Arabian Nights and
tells of a King named Ahmad (John Justin), who is tricked by his Grand
Vizier Jaffar (Conrad Veidt) into relinquishing his throne. Once this evil
sorcerer seizes power for himself, Jaffar has Ahmad thrown in prison,
where the dethroned king meets a resourceful young thief named Abu (Sabu).
Forming a fast friendship, Ahmad and Abu are able to escape from prison
and make their way to the Kingdom of Basra where they encounter the toy
loving Sultan (Miles Malleson) and his beautiful daughter. Of course,
Ahmad falls in love with the Princess (June Duprez) and she with him.
Unfortunately for the young lovers, Jaffar has his own plans for the
Princess, and through black magic Jaffar blinds Ahmad to keep them apart.
What follows is a magical encounter with Genie (Rex Ingram) that
ultimately returns both Ahmad and Abu to Bagdad for a final showdown with
the evil Jaffar.
MGM
Home Entertainment has made THE THIEF OF BAGDAD available on DVD in
a marvelous full screen transfer that frames the movie in its proper
1.37:1 aspect ratio. I must commend MGM for producing a nearly pristine
presentation that dazzles the eye with the rich saturations of an IB
Technicolor print. Reds and blues are especially glorious, while the flesh
tones take on the consistent cast that can only be found in a makeup man's
kit. The image itself is nicely crisp and well detailed. Blacks appear
inky, whites are clean and contrast is generally smooth. The film element
used for the transfer displays very few imperfections, although there is a
certainly level of graininess inherent in film stocks being produced
during that era. Digital compression artifacts are never a cause for
concern.
The
Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is perfectly adequate, without
demonstrating any serious flaws. There is a minor bit of background hiss,
and occasional distortions, but nothing out of line for a film of this
vintage. As expected, Miklós Rózsa's fine musical score is rendered very
thinly and with limited fidelity. Still, the dialogue is always completely
understandable, which is probably the most important factor. A Spanish
language track is also encoded onto the DVD, as are English, French and
Spanish subtitles. The basic interactive menus provide access to the
standard scene selection and set up features, as well as a theatrical
trailer.
As
I stated above, I think THE THIEF OF BAGDAD is one of the greatest
fantasy films of all time. MGM Home Entertainment has done a rather
impressive job with the DVD, offering fans a presentation very close to
the splendor of an original IB Technicolor print- at a bargain price
point. If you are a classic cinema buff, THE THIEF OF BAGDAD is an
absolutely must own DVD.