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By
NICK ZEGARAC
Richard Attenborough's "Gandhi" is a masterfully told, boldly mounted epic motion picture depicting the life and times of India's purveyor of peace. Gandhi is a benevolent crusader against the violent destruction of his country at the hand of the colonials. The film opens with Gandhi's (Ben Kingsley) assassination and then regresses to explore the events that led up to that fateful day. Kingsley rightfully took home the Oscar for his subtle but stunning transformation into the title role. The film features an all-star cast that includes Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud and Trevor Howard.
Columbia Tristar has given us a very beautiful print of this film. Colors are rich, bold and vibrant. Contrast levels are extremely natural. Although black levels are not always at their darkest, this is relatively forgivable, since most of the film takes place during the day. Shimmering, aliasing and edge enhancement are all present but in extremely minute amounts, leaving one with nothing to do but admire the visual presentation in all of its breathtaking cinematic glory. The soundtrack is 2.0 surround, but well represented. Some of the audio has a tendency to appear thin or strident but, again, considering the source material, it is remarkably well represented.
No extras -- disappointing for a big time Oscar winner like this. Perhaps we'll eventually get a special edition. |
