Four years ago Columbia Pictures released a six movie 4K boxed set called Columbia Classics Collection that included Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Gandhi, A League of Their Own and Jerry Macguire. One year later, Volume 2 was released and included Anatomy of a Murder, Oliver!, Taxi Driver, Stripes, Sense and Sensibility and The Social Network.
Volume 3 was released in 2022 with such classic movies as It Happened One Night, The Last Picture Show, To Sir, With Love, From Here to Eternity, Annie, and As Good As it Gets. Just before Valentine's Day this year, Volume 4 hit stores and included His Girl Friday, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Kramer vs. Kramer, Starman, Sleepless in Seattle and Punch-Drunk Love.
Two weeks ago Volume 5 was released and here is a look at the titles included, technical aspects, extras and my opinion of each movie:
ALL THE KING'S MEN
In a bravura performance, Broderick Crawford won the 1949 Academy Award® for Best Actor with his stunning portrayal of bull-headed, backwoods lawyer Willie Stark, in this powerful drama about political and personal corruption. A somber but realistic chronicle of raw, brutal power in force, All The King's Men is based on Robert Penn Warren's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name and won Best Picture of 1949. Celebrating its 75th anniversary.
ALL THE KING'S MEN Disc Breakdown
- 4K Ultra HD Includes:
- Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision
- Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Blu-ray Includes:
- Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
- Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Special Features:
- NEW: Audio Commentary Featuring Film Historians Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff
- NEW: Force of Will: The Making of All The King's Men Featurette
- Theatrical Trailer
A phenomenal film with an equally phenomenal cast that it as timely today as it was in 1949. The 4K resolution and Dolby Vision video quality breathes new life into this black and white classic with sharp images and nuanced shading. The Mono DTS-HD audio is decent but you can only get so much depth out of a 75 year old audio track.
ON THE WATERFRONT
Marlon Brando gives one of the screen's most electrifying performances in his Oscar®-winning role as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront (Best Picture, 1954). Ex-fighter Malloy (Brando) could have been a contender but now toils for boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) on the gang-ridden waterfront. Terry is guilt-stricken, however, when he lures a rebellious worker to his death. But it takes the love of Edie Doyle (Eva Marie Saint), the dead man's sister, to show Terry how low he has fallen. When his crooked brother Charley the Gent (Rod Steiger) is brutally murdered for refusing to kill him, Terry battles to crush Friendly's underworld empire. Directed by Elia Kazan (A Streetcar Named Desire) and written by Budd Schulberg (What Makes Sammy Run?), this unforgettable drama about Terry's redemption is among the most acclaimed of all films. Celebrating its 70th anniversary.
ON THE WATERFRONT Disc Breakdown
- 4K Ultra HD Includes:
- Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, restored from the original camera negative
- 3 separate 4K presentations of the film, with 1.66, 1.37 and 1.85 aspect ratios, plus noted audio options
- Dolby Atmos English audio
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Blu-ray Includes:
- Feature presented in high definition at 1.66 aspect ratio, sourced from the 4K master
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Special Features:
- NEW: Budd Schulberg: A Righteous Indignation Featurette
- NEW: Boris Kaufman: A Vision Beyond Borders Featurette
- Audio Commentary Featuring Critic Richard Schickel and Film Historian Jeff Young
- Contender: Mastering the Method Featurette
- Interview with Director Elia Kazan
- Martin Scorsese and Kent Jones Featurette
- Eva Marie Saint Interview
- Thomas Hanley Interview
- On the Aspect Ratio
- Stills Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
This is perhaps Brando at his finest and Kazan showcased him beautifully, surrounded by a great cast. The poignant story resonates with anyone who watches the film. The Dolby Vision video works so well because it has been restored from the original camera negative thereby allowing the team behind the restoration to keep so much of the original detail while adding level of depth. The audio is presented in Atmos, 5.1 DTS-HD and Mono DTS-HD. While the 5.1 and Mono versions each offer solid interpretations, the Atmos version is by far the best quality with more ambient noises present and clean dialogue.
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
Winner of six 1966 Academy Awards® including Best Actor, Best Director and Best Picture! Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield), England's Roman Catholic Chancellor, is forced into a difficult position when corrupt King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) demands his approval to divorce his wife and marry his mistress. Torn between his conscience and duty to the crown, Sir Thomas chooses to say nothing, sparking the rage of the king. What unfolds is a battle of wills packed with palace intrigue, political brinksmanship and the fate of man, church and country. In the end, his silence spoke loudest of all.
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS Disc Breakdown
- 4K Ultra HD Includes:
- Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, restored from the original camera negative
- Dolby Atmos English audio
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Blu-ray Includes:
- Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Special Features:
- Audio Commentary Featuring Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman
- NEW: Moral Clarity with Bishop Robert Barron Featurette
- The Life of St. Thomas More Featurette
- Theatrical Trailer(s)
Of all the films in this set, A Man For All Seasons is the slow burn that requires the viewer's patience in order to get to a satisfactory ending. All the pomp and circumstance becomes a bit much but it is still a strong movie overall. Again, the 4K video is restored from the original camera negative, so the Dolby Vision presentation is strong with excellent shading and clear details. The Dolby Atmos audio is very good and clear. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Mono tracks are decent but stick with the Atmos here.
TOOTSIE
Michael Dorsey is a talented actor, but his demanding nature and stubborn temperament have antagonized every producer in New York. Now his agent insists no one will hire him. But Michael needs money - eight thousand dollars to be exact - and to earn it, he's willing to play the role of a lifetime. Dustin Hoffman stars with Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning, Bill Murray and Geena Davis in director Sydney Pollack's heart-filled classic that heralded a new era of Hollywood wig-flipping and set a new standard for unpredictable laugh-out-loud comedy.
TOOTSIE Disc Breakdown
- 4K Ultra HD Includes:
- Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, restored from the original camera negative
- Dolby Atmos English audio
- 5.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Blu-ray Includes:
- Feature presented in high definition, from the 4K master
- 5.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
- Special Features:
- NEW: Audio Commentary with Film Critic Cerise Howard & Filmmaker Rohan Spong
- A Better Man: The Making of Tootsie 3-Part Documentary
- Dustin Hoffman Interview
- 9 Deleted Scenes
- Screen Test Footage
- Theatrical Trailer
Long before Mrs. Doubtfire and Big Momma's House, Tootsie takes a page out of the Some Like It Hot book as an out-of-work actor crossdresses to land a gig. This comedy has heart and a terrific cast beginning with Hoffman. Joining him are a wonderful group of comedic actors, notably Lange and Garr, making for a fun time all around. The 4K restoration here is beautiful as evidenced by the light bouncing off the sequins of Hoffman's now iconic red dress. The Dolby Atmos Audio is a nice complement to the video with a balance between the ambient noise of New York City, dialogue, and the film's soundtrack.
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE
Martin Scorsese, one of the great directors of our time, directs Oscar®-winner Daniel Day-Lewis (Best Actor - 1989, My Left Foot; 2007, There Will Be Blood; 2012, Lincoln), Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder in a brilliant adaptation of Edith Wharton's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. A ravishing romance about three affluent New Yorkers caught in a tragic love triangle, the ironically-titled story chronicles the grandeur and hypocrisy of high society in the 1870s. At the center of the film is Newland Archer (Day-Lewis), an upstanding attorney who secretly longs for a more passionate life. Engaged to the lovely but ordinary socialite May Welland (Ryder), Newland resigns himself to a life of quiet complacency. But when May's unconventional cousin returns to New York amid social and sexual scandal, Newland risks everything for a chance at true love. The Age of Innocence is a spellbinding portrait of hidden romance and regret.
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE Disc Breakdown
- 4K Ultra HD Includes:
- Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, restored from the original camera negative
- Dolby Atmos English audio
- High Dynamic Range and Dolby Atmos audio approved by editor Thelma Schoonmaker
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- 2-Channel Surround DTS-HD Master Audio
- Blu-ray Includes:
- Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- 2-Channel Surround DTS-HD Master Audio
- Special Features:
- Martin Scorsese Interview
- Jay Cocks Interview
- Original 1993 Making-Of
- Moments from Set: B-Roll
- Theatrical Trailer
Thirty-one years ago Martin Scorsese's adaptation of Edith Wharton's 1920 novel won critical and audience acclaim and deservedly so. With actors Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Wynona Ryder caught in a scandalous love triangle, the film is a magnificent portrayal of the struggle between duty and desire. Released for the first time in 4K, this film has never looked better. The Dolby Vision video quality highlights the award-winning costumes down to the most minute details. The HDR Dolby Atmos audio, approved by Thelma Schoonmaker, is a beautiful balance of dialogue and soundtrack, transporting the viewer back to the Gilded Age of America.
LITTLE WOMEN
Writer-director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) has crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott, and unfolds as the author's alter ego, Jo March, reflects back and forth on her fictional life. In Gerwig's take, the beloved story of the March sisters - four young women each determined to live life on their own terms - is both timeless and timely. Portraying Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth March, the film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, with Timothée Chalamet as their neighbor Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.
LITTLE WOMEN Disc Breakdown
- 4K Ultra HD Includes:
- Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision
- Dolby Atmos English audio
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Special Features:
- NEW: Audio Commentary Featuring Writer / Director Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan
- NEW: Revisiting Little Women: A Conversation with Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan
- Theatrical Trailer
- Blu-ray Includes:
- Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Special Features:
- A New Generation of Little Women Featurette
- Making a Modern Classic Featurette
- Greta Gerwig: Women Making Art Featurette
- Hair & Make-Up Test Sequence
- Little Women Behind the Scenes
- Orchard House, Home of Louisa May Alcott
Little Women has been adapted to film several times before but this version with an all-star cast and director Greta Gerwig at the helm is certainly one of the best. As the newest film in this collection, it already has superior technical specs but the Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos pairing are fabulous. The colors are vibrant, running the gambit of the rainbow, and the audio is incredible. From the dialogue to the ambient sounds and the robust soundtrack this 4K looks and sounds amazing.
EXCLUSIVE BONUS DISC INCLUDES:
- Four rare 1920s feature films from the Columbia Pictures library:
- The Belle of Broadway (1926) - presented in HD resolution
- Ladies of Leisure (1926) - presented in 4K resolution (SDR)
- The Desert Bride (1928) - presented in 4K resolution (SDR)
- The Scarlet Lady (1928) - presented in 4K resolution (SDR)
Academy Award® and Oscar® are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
This collection offers everything from the earlier days of film up to practically present day and the overall appeal is the eclectic nature of the selections. The Set comes housed in a beautiful box with an 80-page book to view as well. As this is the fifth offering from the Columbia Classics Collection, I recommend the first four as well, but if you already own them, you know what to expect and should grab number 5 before it is gone from stores.
Tags: columbia classics collection, 4k ultra hd, classic movies, columbia pictures, movie box set
