All aboard for runaway action and suspense in this riveting masterpiece from legendary writer/director Michael Crichton (Westworld, Coma)! Sean Connery (Goldfinger, The Anderson Tapes, Cuba), Donald Sutherland (Klute, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Crackers) and Lesley-Anne Down (Brannigan, The Pink Panthers Strikes Again, Sphinx) star in this “spine-tingling and suavely performed” adventure (The Hollywood Reporter) based on history’s first train robbery. Stunningly shot by the great cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth (2001: A Space Odyssey, Murder on the Orient Express), this “ingenious” (Variety) crime caper delivers mile-a-minute thrills and breathtaking excitement. Connery is Edward Pierce, a master thief who conceives a brilliant plan to steal a fortune in gold bars from a railroad payroll car. But to pull off the most daring heist in history, Pierce must join forces with a safecracker (Sutherland) and his own beautiful girlfriend (Down) in a series of intricately plotted thefts that will test all of their nerve, camaraderie and larcenous skill.
For thoughts on The Great Train Robbery, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
This new Blu-Ray from Kino Classics gives The Great Train Robbery an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that looks good, but it is a film that could use a complete remaster. The film was released on Blu-Ray nearly a decade ago in 2014 by the label, although it seems to have been out of print for a few years. The new release is derived from the same source with a new BD-50 disc instead of the more compressed BD-25 from before. Reportedly, that release had incorrectly set gamma levels which has now been fixed with this disc. We do not have that old one to compare the two experiences, but this provides a pleasant enough viewing experience.
The feature maintains a filmic presentation, but it veers more into noise rather than well resolved grain which we would prefer. You still will see some rich details in the clothing and production design, but it is not as crisp and textured as it could be. The color palette seems slightly weaker than it should be, almost as if it could use an influx of saturation. Black levels show up with some decent depth to the image. The damage on display within this presentation is another area where improvements could be made as there are frequent stretches of nicks and other blemishes. Kino Classics is commended for bringing this title back, but a fresh presentation would have been a nice direction to go.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with an equally great DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that delivers a fine listening experience. Dialogue and background noises remain in balance with all competing elements so that everything has a chance for prominence. The score does not overwhelm the dialogue or other important information. The surround sound track does not majorly shake up the DNA of this soundscape, but it does sound a bit more full. This track shows a few moments of strain and age related wear and tear, but nothing too worrisome. The track can also sound the slightest bit thin when it comes to some of the peaks, but this is far from a major issue. Kino Classics has done a good job here. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Michael Crichton provides an archival commentary track in which he discusses the origin of the idea, memories of the performers, maintaining a sense of historical accuracy, the production design and costumes, recollections from the production and more. This is a bit dry and slow, so it is recommended for die hard fans only.
- TV Spot: Two TV spots totaling one minute are provided here.
- Trailers: The three-minute trailer for The Great Train Robbery is provided here. There are trailers for Cuba, Ordeal By Innocence, Grand Slam, Breakheart Pass and Murder By Decree.
Final Thoughts
The Great Train Robbery has some very fun moments sprinkled throughout this journey, but the story itself is dragged out to an unnecessary length which leaves room for you to start mentally checking out during the slower moments. The two lead performers are the reason to tune in, as they harness their innate charm to keep you invested in this larger-than-life tale. At the end of the day, this is simply a classic heist tale, but the context in which it is pulled off is unique. It just needed a firmer hand in the editing room. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that shows off a fine presentation and a couple of fleeting special features. If you are a fan of the performers, there is probably enough here to recommend.
The Great Train Robbery (Special Edition) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.