The Movie
A friend in The Biz once theorized that The American Film Institute's much-hyped "Top 100 Films" list was little more than a studio ploy to re-promote catalog titles in the heyday of DVD. How then to explain the conspicuous absence, year after year, of The African Queen? Part adventure, part travelogue, but mostly one of the sweetest big-screen love stories ever, the film has generations of loyal fans, but had fallen into relative obscurity in recent years, likely owing to deteriorating audio and video health. Paramount has seen fit to restore the movie for its 59th anniversary, on the occasion of its long overdue DVD premiere and--why not?--Blu-ray as well.
It's 1914 and the blue-collar captain (Humphrey Bogart, in the role which finally won him an Oscar) of the riverboat The African Queen offers to transport the spinster sister of a recently deceased missionary after their village has been burned to the ground. News of the beginnings of World War I is reaching this Germany-controlled part of the jungle, and the unlikely pair decides to undertake their own strike against the enemy forces. It's a long, difficult journey together, and neither will be the same by its end.
The Picture
While no details about the restoration are included in the extras, a great many talented folks are named in the extended end credits of the movie. The fruit of their labors is simply marvelous, a 4:3 gem, pillarboxed between black columns. The presentation is top-notch, with a high bitrate that sometimes tops 40 Mbps! The naturalistic on-location cinematography looks beautiful, and timeless, while the ubiquitous greens are sumptuous. Blacks could show more detail, and out-of-focus backgrounds can look a bit flat, while the image is a trifle soft, albeit deliberately so on Ms. Hepburn's close-ups. Film grain is also evident at times, but in a pleasing way, and every so often the clarity of a particular shot can be downright striking.
The Sound
The audio too has been restored for this edition, although it has not been remixed or reinvented in any way. The Dolby Digital dual-mono track is clear enough, with frequent musical score balanced again the dialogue and some fairly basic sound effects. This being the jungle, there are plenty of opportunities for interesting audio, but again the track is faithful to its humble 1951 origins. Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio would have been welcome, though.
The Extras
Directed by Eric Young and produced by Nicholas Meyer, "Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen" is a new one-hour documentary that brings together anecdotes, gossip, opinions and some cold, hard facts about the production and success of the film, and the people who made it. It combines archival footage and modern interviews with the surviving cast and crew, plus fellow filmmakers and experts. It is a loving tribute and a must-watch for any fan. (In HD.)
Final Thoughts
The simplicity of The African Queen is surprising if you haven't seen it in a while: two people on a boat, talking for most of the 105 minutes. But when those two people are Hepburn and Bogart, and the movie looks as good as it does on this restored Blu-ray, the trip just flies by.
Product Details
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