Leonardo DiCaprio leads a phenomenal cast, including Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gérard Depardieu, and Gabriel Byrne in the thrilling tale of majesty and Musketeers, The Man In The Iron Mask.
It is a time of great splendor … and even greater despair. When the selfish excesses of France’s arrogant King Louis XIV begin to threaten his subjects’ very lives, the legendary Musketeers — Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D’Artagnan — must reunite to save their country once more. The key to their plan? A mysterious masked prisoner, who may be France’s only true hope.
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Video Quality
Shout! Studios presents The Man In The Iron Mask with a terrific 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. The film was previously released by the label on Blu-Ray five years ago in 2018 from presumably the same master. That release was highly praised at the time as an improvement over the 2010 Blu-Ray release from MGM, but this new presentation easily bests both of them. Even if you are not yet 4K UHD capable, this new release comes with a Blu-Ray sourced from the same 4K master.
The implementation of Dolby Vision/HDR for sumptuous color output elevates things to truly wonderful levels with its depth and nuance. Highlights are firm with no evidence of blooming in the period luminance. Lighting is very deliberate from scene to scene, and this disc handles every slight environmental change with ease. Black levels are formidable with nothing in the way of crush or banding present even in the dark corners of the frame. Audiences can now gain more from the shadow detail with outlines properly represented instead of blending into the background.
Detail and clarity are fetching thanks to the natural film grain that thankfully remains intact. The grain resolves consistently with nothing ever feeling noisy even within more unforgiving shots. The image is not impacted by even the slightest speck of damage that pops up thanks to the remastering of the image. The texture on display in the outfits and within the production design is one of the best elements of this image. This presentation is true to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more textured. There are no egregious digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a special effort from the team at Shout! Studios.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track which serves the movie more than capably. The adventurous score has never sounded more robust as it is used perfectly to establish the mood of the story. There is never any fear that it will drown out competing sounds, and it maintains a strong balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. There do not seem to be any unexpected instances of age-related wear and tear. The bustling soundscape executes the complex sound design with ease. These tracks provide a soundscape that deftly captures the artistic intent with a fidelity that is well-maintained. Environmental sounds such as the galloping horses hold up well. Shout! Studios has delivered exactly what is needed for this one. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Randall Wallace provides a decent enough commentary track in which he discusses the evolving nature of the screenplay, bringing this time period to life on screen, the production design, working with the performers, and much more that works well.
- Interview with Producer Paul Hitchcock: A 19-minute interview with the producer in which he discusses taking over the production from the French producer, the awkward nature of the departure, the support he received from the cast and crew, the working conditions during the production, the look of the film, working with writer/director Randall Wallace, and much more.
- Interview with Production Designer Anthony Pratt: An eight-minute interview with the production designer in which he discusses being brought on to the production, creating the look of the film, his approach to historical accuracy, the creation of certain sets, memories of the cast and crew, and more that is a good listen.
- Myth and the Musketeers Featurette: A nearly eight-minute archival featurette in which various figures discuss the Alexandre Dumas source material, how the myths have evolved over the decades, and much more.
- Director’s Take Featurette: A 29-minute archival featurette in which Randall Wallace guides you through the creation of this feature from the initial development to the casting, production, and more.
- Original Behind-The-Scenes Featurette: A five-minute extended promotional trailer is provided with interviews and footage from the production.
- Alternate Mask Prototypes: A two-minute look at some of the other designs that were considered for the film.
- Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
The Man In The Iron Mask is a rousing bit of swashbuckling fun that puts a Hollywood sheen on a real-life legend while extending the mythos of the Musketeers. The court intrigue and action are reasonably entertaining, but the performances make this one worth seeking out. Leonardo DiCaprio is the obvious draw, but acting stalwarts such as Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gérard Depardieu, and Gabriel Byrne show off their immense talents just as well. The humor can be a bit too juvenile and the story is not executed with a particular degree of complexity, but it works well as popcorn entertainment. Shout! Studios has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a fantastic A/V presentation and a decent assortment of supplemental features. If you have a soft spot for this film, don’t miss the ultimate presentation. Recommended
The Man In The Iron Mask (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Shout! Studios 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.