BLU-RAY REVIEW

Singin' In The Rain 4K Ultra HD

Featured In Issue 260, March/April 2022

Picture5
Sound4
WSR Score5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
3000088505
(MPAA Rating):
G
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$33.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-66)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
103
(Color Type):
Color With B/W Sequences
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
ABC
(Theatrical Year):
1951
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
4/26/2022
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1, DTS HD Lossless 1.0
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Portuguese Language):

"Singin' In The Rain," set in the days of Hollywood's transition from silent films to "talkies," continues to this day to provide pure cinematic entertainment. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards®. (Tricia Spears)

Special features include commentary by Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Cyd Charisse, Kathleen Freeman, Co-Director Stanley Donen, Screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, and Author/Historian Rudy Behlmer; the documentary Singin' In The Rain: Raining On A New Generation (HD 50:48); theatrical trailer and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 1.37:1 1080p AVC 4K Ultra HD Dolby Vision/HDR10 picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, upconverted to 2160p with greater resolution and luminance, was photographed on 35 mm film stock using the Technicolor Three-Strip Camera system and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate format. picture exhibits a wonderful remastered and impressive visual quality. This 70th Anniversary edition is the 4K version of the 60th Anniversary edition in which t he original source elements were extensively cleaned up, yet the inherent light grain is virtually non-existent, and thus, the filmic quality is preserved without distracting worn scratches and blemishes. Picture quality is absolutely gorgeous! What an improvement over the previous 60th Anniversary edition. The Technicolor hues are rich and warm, and vivid! Nuanced hue shadings are superb. Colors pop throughout. Flesh tones are perfectly natural. HDR contrast is wonderful with deep black levels and revealing shadows and perfectly illuminated white levels. Resolution is terrific with fine detail exhibited throughout, especially the wonderful costumes. Facial feature are well detailed, including tears on Debbie Reynolds. The set designs are beautifully detailed and creatively lit. This is a spectacular motion picture! This is a wonderful trip back 70 years to the golden age of Hollywood, and Singin' In The Rain has never looked better. This is a real cinematic trip! (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack has been mastered from the original Western Electric Sound System monaural elements. The result is a refreshing fullness and pristine dynamic quality that really enhances the experience. Still frontal focused but now supported with a wide frontal soundstage and an effective surround presence to balance out the soundfield dimension. Dialogue and singing quality is impressive. The orchestral accompaniment is freshly presented with a sense of dated recording quality but nonetheless is wonderfully engaging. The LFE energy is restrained but does provide a supportive bass foundation, which enhances the dynamics and sense of sonic fullness. This is just a sonic trip that is absolutely satisfying and amazingly engaging, and celebrates the beginning of the talkies and musicals. (Gary Reber)