Academy Award®-winners Gregory Peck (1962, Best Actor, To Kill A Mockingbird), David Niven (1958, Best Actor, Separate Tables), and Anthony Quinn (1952, Best Supporting Actor, Viva Zapata!; 1956, Lust For Life) star as a team of Allied military specialists recruited for a dangerous but imperative mission: to infiltrate a Nazi-occupied fortress and disable two long-range field guns so that 2,000 trapped British soldiers may be rescued. Faced with an unforgiving sea voyage, hazardous terrain, and the possibility of a traitor among them, the team must overcome the impossible without losing their own lives. Adapted by screenwriter Carl Foreman from Alistair MacLean’s best-selling novel, THE GUNS OF NAVARONE was nominated for seven Oscars®, including Best Picture, and won for Best Special Effects (1961).
For thoughts on The Guns of Navarone, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
The Guns of Navarone has been given a 2160p 4K UHD upgrade with Dolby Vision that serves as a welcome step up from the included Blu-Ray that was first released back in 2011. Not only this but the film was originally released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in 2021 with HDR10 but not Dolby Vision. Sony has continued its trend of revisiting earlier 4K UHD Blu-Ray releases to rectify the situation with a new 4K UHD disc featuring Dolby Vision. This new release is not a substantially different experience from the older, top-tier release, but the addition of Dolby Vision does allow for some subtle improvements which make this the definitive release for the film.
The first point to explore is the immense amount of work put forth by Sony to restore this film to its most pleasing state. The film had its first major restoration work completed in the ‘90s from a set of YCM separation masters since the Original Camera Negative was in such poor shape with damage, missing sections, and color fading. Thankfully, when the film got its 4K restoration for the 50th anniversary of the film in 2011, the technology had advanced enough so the company could go back to the Original Camera Negative and restore it with a meticulous workflow that resulted in the Blu-Ray release. When the film was set to be released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in 2021 for the 60th anniversary, the 2011 restoration was utilized but was given an additional restoration pass along with an HDR grade. The results are about as wonderful as you could possibly want from the particular feature.
Some grace has to be given to this transfer with the understanding that there are many opticals that keep this from being razor sharp at all times. The quality dips ever so slightly during these points, but this is not an unfamiliar sight for anyone who loves classic films, and the consistency between the sources is outstanding. Outside of these moments, overall clarity is fantastic, especially when you look at the production design or textures on costumes. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail including facial hair and scrapes incurred throughout the journey. There is no sign of any print damage or other such blemishes that would ruin the aesthetic of this title. The encode appears to be perfectly optimized which cleans up a few compression issues and other digital anomalies.
The UHD disc contains very robust, deep colors throughout with the locations dazzling thanks to the cinematography. The small differences this new release showcases are primarily in the tone mapping which allows the disc to more easily handle the balance between the light and the dark. The HDR10 layer is a vivid example of luminance that serves the material well, but the new implementation of Dolby Vision finesses it to even more precise levels. Casual audiences will likely be hard-pressed to pick up on any significant differences from the previous 4K UHD release.
Highlights remain appropriately bright, but the stability and integration are improved which allows this to not veer into blooming. Black levels are deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments, including the rock climbing sequence. The film grain resolves very well with nothing appearing inorganic or clumpy at any point. The image presents a stellar amount of depth that makes these distinct environments feel more three-dimensional than ever. This transfer is a joy to watch for fans of this classic title. Sony continues to treat this film really well.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc utilizes the previous audio tracks including a Dolby Atmos track and both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 4.0 Master Audio track for the sonic purists. The multitude of audio and subtitle options Sony provides on this disc is unlikely to upset anyone. The Atmos track is a reasonable and thrilling expansion of the 5.1 presentation, as it gives the overall soundscape extra nuance and strength, providing a more deeply immersive and all-encompassing quality. The height channels do not carry the main load of activity up above, but they fill out the world in a palpable manner. You get quite a thrill anytime the planes zoom by overheard or you experience explosions. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered precisely within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. The low end is engaged in a mighty way as the subwoofer delivers some texture to key moments in the story.
There is the expected 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 score and numerous environmental elements to make this story feel more immediate and overwhelming. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting overshadowed by competing elements. The memorable score from Dimitri Tiomkin is an all-timer that permeates through the room in an enveloping way. While the film is a force to be reckoned with in the Atmos track, the inclusion of the previous tracks preserves the original artistic intent in a way that cannot be overlooked. There is the smallest amount of age-related wear-and-tear at times, but this film holds up remarkably well in the audio department. Sony has shown off with this track.
Special Features
Sony has provided The Guns of Navarone with a sleek, gorgeous new SteelBook featuring artwork that is truly lovely in person. The front artwork is a nighttime animated depiction of the ocean by the cliffs that house the long-range guns with two airplanes going by the moon, and the rear features the boat on the ocean in front of the moon. The interior sports a solid turquoise appearance that is not creative in any particular way. Video of the Steelbook can be found at the top of this review.
4K UHD Blu-Ray
- Original Roadshow Intermission Card (2:40:53) and No Original Roadshow Intermission Card (2:36:21)
- Main Title Progression Reel: A three-minute piece shows the comparison between an early sketch drawing of the main title background and the finished drawings in the film.
- Theatrical Trailer: A nearly four-minute trailer is provided here.
Blu-Ray
- Audio Commentaries: This disc offers two commentary tracks, one from a film historian plus a more personal perspective from the director. Throughout these tracks you come to learn the cinematic landscape of the time, where this fits into the careers of the creative figures, how this film came together, the performances in the film, the shooting locations, the response to the film, and more.
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- Audio Commentary #1: Film Historian Stephen J. Rubin
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- Audio Commentary #2: Director J. Lee Thompson
- The Resistance Dossier of Navarone: An interactive featurette that uses a mixture of video and text to expand on various aspects of the film and the history of the events.
- Documentaries
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- Forging The Guns of Navarone – Notes From The Set: A 14-minute piece that takes a look at the initial development of the feature including the search for the right director for the project, J. Lee Thompson’s relationship with the writer and performers, the complexities of the performances, interesting moments on set, the shooting locations, the film’s reception, and more.
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- An Ironic Epic of Heroism: A rich 25-minute documentary that explores the thematic weight of the film, the place of the Greek people within this production, the scope of the narrative, the dynamic between the cast members, the style of J. Lee Thompson, and much more.
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- Memories of Navarone: A 30-minute look back at the film with the cast and creative team including Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, James Darren, and J. Lee Thompson, who all provide fantastic anecdotes about the making of the film that you will not want to miss.
- Featurettes
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- Epic Restoration: A 10-minute featurette that gives you a great overview of the complexities of the restoration process for a film that had not been well preserved over the years.
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- A Heroic Score: A nearly ten-minute piece that explores the creation of the terrific score from Dimitri Tiomkin.
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- Great Guns: A nearly five-minute vintage piece that shows what it looked like when Hollywood invaded Greece for the filming of the picture.
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- No Visitors: A nearly five-minute look at the hoards of locals who came to spy on the production of the film.
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- Honeymoon On Rhodes: A five-minute featurette narrated by James Darren that hypes up the finer aspects of this location as a destination.
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- Two Girls On The Town: A five-minute video narrated by Irene Papas who discusses what it was like to be one of two women on set in this production.
- Narration-Free Prologue: A nearly six-minute piece that starts with an introduction before providing a clean track that showcases the score more prominently.
- Message From Carl Foreman: A two-minute message from the producer intended to be delivered to a premiere audience in Australia.
- Previews
Final Thoughts
The Guns of Navarone is a terrific war film that does an admirable job of delivering big-screen spectacle with effective character moments that enhance the dramatic impact of the thrills. Gregory Peck is in top form in this lead role alongside a bevy of performers who match him beat for beat. Anthony Quinn is especially impactful in a role that requires both humor and steely resolve. Despite a nearly three-hour runtime, the pacing of the film keeps things gripping from beginning to end. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a grand A/V presentation and a fantastic assortment of special features all in a sleek SteelBook package. This should be considered a must-own for any serious film fan. Highly Recommended
The Guns of Navarone 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.