Lawrence Of Arabia 4K Ultra HD

The new, digitally restored and remastered 4K Ultra HD edition of "Lawrence Of Arabia" starts out with a black screen while the Roadshow Overture portion of the film plays. If it bothers you, just imagine being in the audience when the film first was released. The theatre is filling up with people, they're settling into their seats, adjusting their handbags and jackets, and anticipating an exciting few hours lost in the sand-swept deserts of the Middle East. Better? As the film runs long, it is presented on two discs for optimal bitrate with an intermission. In the theatre there was also an intermission; and on the disc there is a black screen and music there, too...and at the Finale as we gather our belongings and quietly exit for the lobby. The film is a magnificent cinematic masterpiece from Director David Lean. Peter O'Toole stars as T.E. Lawrence, the legendary Englishman who united the Arab tribes against the Turks during World War I, 1917-1918 Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire. The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards® and won seven: Best Picture (beating out "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Mutiny On The Bounty," "The Music Man," and "The Longest Day"—what a year!), Director, Cinematography (Color), Art Direction (Color), Score (Substantially Original), Film Editing, and Sound. (Gary Reber)

In addition to "Lawrence Of Arabia, the Volume 1 collection features "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington," "Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb," "Gandhi," "A League Of Their Own" and "Jerry Maguire." Each film is fully restored in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR). The six films in the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection are only available on 4K Ultra HD disc within this special collector's set with a limited-edition run of fewer than 8,000 units in the U.S. Included with the collection is a gorgeous hardbound 80-page book, featuring in-depth sections about the making of each film within the set via an all-new essay written by acclaimed film historian Julie Kirgo. In addition, the set also includes an exclusive disc featuring excerpts from Columbia Pictures' televised 50th anniversary special, which originally aired in 1975 and has never been officially available. These excerpts feature rare on-camera insights from such luminaries as Frank Capra, Phil Silvers and Orson Wells. This exclusive disc also includes the vintage behind-the-scene documentary "Mr. Attenborough and Mr. Gandhi," which was filmed on the set of "Gandhi" and features interviews with cast and crew. (Gary Reber)