A thousand square miles of blazing, pitiless desert, and a story so unusual, so gripping that it could spring only from life itself. The Mediterranean of 1942; along the barren North African coast where war has turned towns into smoking ruins, and the grim struggle surges to and fro. But that is just the background; the story is about people, not war – and it happens to be true.

For thoughts on Ice Cold in Alex, please check out our previous Blu-Ray review here.

Video Quality

Ice Cold In Alex is presented on Blu-Ray restored courtesy of StudioCanal and released by Film Movement Classics in an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.67:1. This disc was first released in 2020 as part of the Their Finest Hour set, and it is now available again as a Vinegar Syndrome partner label with an optional new slipcover. It may be due to the fact that this is my favorite film from the set, but this also appears to be the best looking quality-wise. The black-and-white photography is gorgeously shot with a nice contrast. Film grain is natural without being intrusive. There is a staggering amount of detail and texture present, especially in the sweaty faces and the filthy clothing after a run-in with quicksand. This release also features the least amount of remaining damage among the five titles. This is a top-notch effort from the company.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray is given an LPCM 2.0 mono track that sounds pretty wonderful. As with the video portion, the audio on this disc probably sounds the best overall when compared to the other four releases. Dialogue is crystal clear and easily distinguishable. This film is more subdued than the others, which leads to more quiet moments with greater environmental effects in the mix. The score is kept to a minimum, but what does pop up sounds nice and balanced. Fans should be beyond pleased with the five-star sound quality featured here.

Special Features

  • Extended Clip From A Very British War Movie Documentary: A thirteen-minute excerpt from A Very British War Movie in which some of the cast, crew and various experts discuss the film. Topics include John Mills taking a different kind of role, dealing with flies on set, the quicksand sequence, getting accidentally hammered on set and more.
  • John Mills Home Movie Footage: Fifteen minutes of actor John Mills’ personal footage from the set of Ice Cold In Alex gathered from the National Film and Television Archives in England. This footage is silent, but shot in color. It’s interesting to see candid footage of the Libyan people and landmarks of the country through the eyes of Mills.
  • Interview With Melanie Williams: A nearly sixteen-minute conversation with Williams, who is Reader in Film and Television Studies at the University of East Anglia. Williams discusses how this film plays against normal tropes of war films, how it fits into film history, how Diana was nearly a perfectly progressive character, cut sex scenes and more. Williams is really a wealth of information.
  • Steve Chibnall on J. Lee Thompson: A nearly thirteen-minute interview with Chibnall, who is Professor of British Cinema at De Montfort University. Chibnall gives a lot of interesting background on director J. Lee Thompson including how he took inspiration from Hitchcock, his fascination with unconventional heroes, changes from the book and more.
  • Interview With Sylvia Syms: A 22-minute interview with actress Sylvia Syms (Diana) in which she is very candid about her experiences on the film. You do not get many first-hand accounts from actors who were under contract with studios, and hearing how they were treated is difficult to hear at times. Syms nonetheless still loves the films and provides some lively anecdotes that are worth hearing.
  • Booklet: There is a 16-page booklet with an essay by writer Andrew Nette.

Final Thoughts

Ice Cold In Alex perpetuates the idea that World War II cannot be summed up by one type of story because ramifications reverberated throughout the world. This character-driven approach works so well that you will not want the journey to end by the time you reach the conclusion. The performances are stellar all around, but star John Mills is particularly noteworthy as someone who is trying to keep his demons at bay as he is faced with overwhelming obstacles. This is a riveting tale that hooks you early and keeps you glued to the screen through a methodically paced journey filled with environmental and human impediments. Film Movement Classics has released a great Blu-Ray which sports a strong A/V presentation and a pleasing assortment of special features. Recommended

Ice Cold in Alex is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Film Movement Classics and Vinegar Syndrome have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.