Two gripping and suspenseful WWII dramas directed by Lewis Gilbert (ALFIE, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME)! In THE SEA SHALL NOT HAVE THEM, Lewis Gilbert’s memorable and gripping WWII saga, four Allied men struggle to survive in a lifeboat on the North Sea after their plane is shot down. One of the men carries secret documents that can save London from Nazi destruction. In a daring race against time, will their rescuers save them before Nazi U-boats, stormy seas, exposure, and enemy-mined waters kill them?
In this World War II drama based on true events, a group of British POWs suspects that there is a German spy in its midst after several escape attempts are foiled. Deftly directed by Lewis Gilbert and supported by Jack Asher’s moody cinematography, ALBERT R.N. stands beside paragons of the genre such as STALAG 17 and THE GREAT ESCAPE.
For thoughts on The Sea Shall Not Have Them/Albert R.N., please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/yU3bl8Lufgs?si=nYAVvoU8VntuP_eA&t=1598]
Video Quality
The Sea Shall Not Have Them and Albert R.N. make their Blu-Ray debut thanks to the Cohen Media Group with brand new 1080p masters that are derived from unknown origins. The two films have similar levels of video quality with any differences to be pointed out. The more stable of the two transfers is Albert R.N., which at least has a trailer provided touting a new remaster. Apart from a few of the briefest instances of lesser quality, likely due to the source elements, it is heartening to see this transfer look so nice. The gorgeous black-and-white photography shines in high definition with natural grain intact. There is a notable amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and in the background of the barracks. The new transfer shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail within the production design. Black levels are mostly deep with no sizable instance of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is defined well, and there are only occasional nicks and scratches present in a couple of scenes. Cohen Media Group has done a fine job with this one.
The Sea Shall Not Have Them is a bit less consistent with a bit more obvious age attached to it. There is a pleasing amount of detail present with nice textures on the uniforms and within the production design. The transfer shows off some amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. The black-and-white photography looks decent in high definition with thick natural grain throughout. Black levels are somewhat weak with little in the way of fine detail in shadows. The contrast is not keenly defined, and the track experiences a consistent amount of flicker and specks of damage throughout. Some stray, faint vertical lines make appearances without ruining the overall aesthetic of the film. The effort is far from unwatchable for a film that has not been the most widely available but it is not a flawless effort.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with decent DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio dual mono tracks that serve these movies well in relation to their sonic ambitions. Dialogue and background noises are represented favorably with all competing elements. The score never overpowers the dialogue or other important information, but it does sound a little fragile at its highest peaks. The tracks do present with a minor amount of age-related wear and tear including some faint hissing and crackles that likely date back to the source elements. The good folks at Cohen Media Group have done their best to provide the most stable tracks possible for this release. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long new restoration trailer for Albert R.N. is provided here.
Final Thoughts
The Sea Shall Not Have Them and Albert R.N. are two lesser-known British war films that are perfectly serviceable without rising to the level of being exceptional. Albert R.N. is by far the stronger of the two, serving up a POW drama that feels outlandish but is handled with a delicate touch. The Sea Shall Not Have Them feels a bit more formulaic at the end of the day, but it is a fine watch if you are looking for a passable weekend watch within the genre. Cohen Media Group has released a Blu-Ray that features a decent A/V presentation and next to nothing in the way of special features. If you love wartime dramas, this set will serve you well enough. Recommended
The Sea Shall Not Have Them/Albert R.N. will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on January 23, 2024.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Cohen Media Group and Kino Lorber 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
