Celebrating its 65th anniversary. When British POWs build a vital railway bridge in enemy-occupied Burma, Allied commandos are assigned to destroy it in David Lean’s epic World War II adventure THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI. Spectacularly produced, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI captured the imagination of the public and won seven 1957 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Alec Guinness), and Best Director. Even its theme song, an old WWII whistling tune, the Colonel Bogey March, became a massive hit. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI continues today as one of the most memorable cinematic experiences of all time.

For thoughts on The Bridge On The River Kwai, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/gbos_C5B5A8?t=756]

Video Quality

The Bridge On The River Kwai has been given a 2160p 4K UHD upgrade with Dolby Vision that serves as a substantial step up from the included Blu-Ray that was first released a while back. Not only this, but the film was originally released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in 2017 with HDR but not Dolby Vision. Sony has taken the occasion of this latest anniversary to rectify the situation with a new 4K UHD disc featuring Dolby Vision. This new release is not a night and day difference from the older, terrific release, but the addition of Dolby Vision does allow for some notable improvements which make this the definitive word on the film.

The biggest difference this new release showcases is in the tone mapping which allows the disc to more effortlessly handle the balance between the light and the dark. The HDR10 layer is an extremely hot showcase of luminance that admittedly works well with the material, but the Dolby Vision calibrates it to a more aesthetically perfect level. White levels remain properly bright, but the stability and integration are improved which allow this to not veer into blooming. This also impacts how we observe the natural film grain on display. The improvements from the Blu-Ray to the original 4K UHD were a revelation in this respect, and the Dolby Vision makes things just a touch more organic and refined. This allows the movies to shine and gives an abundance of pleasing texture and detail to the transfer. The image presents a miraculous amount of depth that makes these distinct environments feel more three dimensional than ever.

Black levels are deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. The day-for-night footage allows for a bit more detail in the darkness due to how the footage was captured and processed. Overall clarity is outstanding, especially when you look at the dense vegetation or textures on costumes. The UHD disc contains very vibrant, deep colors throughout with the environments dazzling thanks to the cinematography. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail including some of the sweat from the palpable heat. There is absolutely no sign of any print damage or other such blemishes that would ruin the look of this title. The final bit of improvement with this latest release comes from the superior encode which cleans up a few compression issues and other digital anomalies. This transfer is a treat for fans of this classic title. Sony has delivered one of their best releases of the year with this transfer.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc utilizes the previous Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio tracks found on the original 4K release along with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track that was previously quietly added on a 2019 re-release for the purists. The amount of audio and subtitle options Sony provides on this disc is unlikely to displease anyone. The Atmos track is not a radically different experience from the 5.1 presentation, but it does give the overall soundscape extra nuance and vitality that provides a more deeply immersive quality. There is a natural emphasis on the front channels when it comes to the dialogue, but activity extends to the surrounds, rears and overhead speakers when it comes to the music and certain environmental sounds to make this journey feel more robust and all-encompassing. The sounds up above are not constant, but they are present enough to keep the auditory experience quite involving. These channels really come in handy during scenes of creeping tension and explosions

Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting lost amongst the other elements. The low end effects from the subwoofer provide some extra power to key moments in the story. The film is a transcendent experience when it comes to the music as the memorable score permeates through the room in a really satisfying, enveloping way. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered appropriately within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. While the film adapts well to an Atmos track, the included mono track preserves the original artistic intent in a way that cannot be overlooked. There is some minor distortion and age-related wear-and-tear at times, but it is a worthwhile way to watch the film. Sony should be commended for their achievement here.

Special Features

Sony has provided The Bridge On The River Kwai with a sleek, colorful new SteelBook featuring artwork that is truly lovely in person. The front artwork is an animated depiction of the titular bridge, and the rear features the detonator device with a cord running from it. The interior sports a solid burnt orange appearance that is not creative in any particular way. Video of the SteelBook can be found at the top of this review.

Crossing The Bridge – Picture-In-Graphics Track: An option to watch the film with what is essentially a trivia track with videos of the production of the film, interviews with real-life soldiers who worked on the railway, an assessment of how the film compared to the book and more.

Making Of The Bridge On The River Kwai: This 53-minute documentary is by far the most substantial piece on this disc which covers the entirety of the picture from the hiring of David Lean and his impact on the script to the music of the film, the adaptation process, characters that were added to the narrative, the shooting locations, the production design and more.

The Steve Allen Show with William Holden & Alec Guinness: A nearly seven-minute interview from 1957 with the stars of the film in which they discuss the making of the film including why the story was too big for your typical Hollywood soundstage.

The Bridge On The River Kwai Premiere Narrated by William Holden: A nearly two-minute piece in which Holden discusses the details of the film’s star-studded premiere.

Rise And Fall Of A Jungle Giant: A six-minute vintage piece which looks at the construction of the titular bridge for the film.

USC Short Film Introduced by William Holden: A 16-minute vintage short film in which Holden educates the audience on how to analyze film and literature along with showing some of the challenges of making a motion picture.

An Appreciation By Filmmaker John Milius: An eight-minute appreciation piece in which Milius highlights some of the notable reasons why he believes this film is a classic.

Photo Gallery: A nearly eight-minute gallery of promotional material.

Trailers: This disc provides the Theatrical Trailer (3:23) and the Re-Release Academy Awards Trailer (3:08)

Previews

Final Thoughts

The Bridge On The River Kwai is one of the greatest wartime films to ever be delivered into the world. The key to its success may be due to its focus on character-based drama rather than sprawling conflict filled with massive casualties that can often leave you feeling a bit dulled. The performances are phenomenal and rank among the best work these actors have ever delivered. The direction of David Lean is unquestionably the work of a master as nearly every craft on display is functioning at its highest potential. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a flawless A/V presentation and an invaluable assortment of special features all in a sleek SteelBook package. This should be considered a must-own for any serious film fan. Essential

The Bridge On The River Kwai is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.