"Amistad" on BLU RAY (2018 Warners/HMV UK 'Premium Collection' BLU RAY, DVD and Digital Download Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Is He The Chief? I Don't Think So..."

No. 51 in the Warners 'Premium Collection' for BLU RAYS is Steven Spielberg's "Amistad" from 1997 – released 15 January 2018 alongside his 2006 film "Munich" which is title No. 52.

In late February 2018 – this UK series will reach title No. 56 (I've compiled the full list below with Barcodes so you can locate the right issue). Please note – there is also a Warners 'Premium Collection' out of Europe (Germany I think) where titles come in 'Digibook' form. Most releases in that film series are different to their UK counterparts ("Excalibur" appears to be the only duplicate). Examples of European 'Premium Collection' releases include Troy, A.I., The Matrix, The Butterfly Effect, 10,000 BC, The Golden Compass, John Rambo, The Hurt Locker, Body Of Lies, Shoot 'Em Up and many more. Back to this latest 'UK' reissue...

First up this new print for "Amistad" is beautiful in almost all places right from the opening sequence of Djimon Hounsou's wild eyes as he claws a nail out of wood aboard the 1839 Spanish slave ship "La Amistad". And it continues like that for most parts right to the end (when you see the Making Of – you will immediately notice the upgrade in image quality). The glossy card slipcase once again lends this 2-disc release a very classy feel and the banded four artcards clipped inside are a very nice touch indeed (principal actors in the movie). It’s a 2-Disc Set (BLU RAY and DVD) and is listed as Region ABC – All regions or Region Free – so no issues with playback anywhere. There is no booklet (mores the pity – only a few titles in this series have one) - but there is a digital download code sheet to watch the movie on the go. But for me that's where the good news ends...

Despite the amazing names in the cast (Nigel Hawthorne, Pete Postlethwaite, David Paymer, Stellan Skarsgard and Morgan Freeman) - re-watching "Amistad" is not a great experience. It's laden with lumpy unbelievable characters - ludicrously over the top acting (McConaughey's happy-wappy lawyer is grating instead of endearing) - and bumbling fun mixed with random horror. It all feels so dreadfully forced and clichéd and weighed down with its own importance unlike the far better "Lincoln" that touches on the same subject of abolishing slavery and uses courtrooms as a drama setting.

Hell even the Menu has music that feels like its some triumphalist Disney cartoon and when Hopkins appears in his bumbling rendition of an ageing President John Quincy Adams - we get the good-guy melodies just so we know we're in the presence of the benevolent white man. The Extras consist of a short "Making Of" and a Trailer (came with the DVD) and once again there's no Spielberg commentary - so in fact there's nothing new other than an upgraded image. Audio is English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround (French, Portuguese and Spanish) with Subtitles in English, English SDH, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

If you're a fan - then the purchase is a worthy one - the best presentation of the movie so far. But if not - I'd advise a watch first before purchasing...

PS: For Info Purposes...

Warner Brothers 'Premium Collection' BLU RAY Reissue Series In Conjunction With HMV UK (releases 2016 to 2018):

Each 2-Disc Set Contains a BLU RAY, a DVD, a Digital Download Code (with Ultraviolet), an Exclusive Outer Glossy Slipcase and 4 Art Cards (usually one is the movie poster and others are stills from the movie). None of the 56 releases to date have booklets except where noted (11, 27, 31, 40 and 53) and “Casablanca” (No. 48) is the only issue in the Series with Three-Discs.

The Entire Series is numbered on the silver spine with the year of the film's release above that number (as per the list below)

Begun in October 2016 - releases are ongoing into 2018 and while some have been available in the USA - many titles are first time on BLU RAY in the UK and Europe...

2016:

1. Them (1955) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202770

2. Forbidden Planet (1956) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202985

3. The Omega Man (1971) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202763

4. Soylent Green (1973) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202756

5. All The President's Men (1976) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202626

6. Logan's Run (1976) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202718

7. The Shining - Extended Cut (1980) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202206

8. Diner (1982) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202664

9. Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202749

10. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) - released 3 October 2016 - Barcode 5051892202848

2017:

11. King Kong (1933) - released 27 February 2017 - Barcode 5051892206600 (with 32-Page Booklet)

12. The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938) – released 27 February 2017 - Barcode 5051892206921

13. Excalibur (1981) – released 13 March 2017 - Barcode 5051892206280

14. The Mission (1986) - released 13 March 2017 - Barcode 5051892206877

15. Jason & The Argonauts (1963) - released 13 March 2017 - Barcode 5050349003724

16. The Hunger (1983) - released 17 Apr 2017 - Barcode 5051892207638

17. Performance (1970) - released 17 Apr 2017 - Barcode 5051892207621

18. The Time Machine (1960) - released 8 May 2017 - Barcode 5051892208291

19. Outland (1981) - released 8 May 2017 - Barcode 5051892208215

20. A Scanner Darkly (2006) - released 8 May 2017 - Barcode 5051892208857

21. Gattaca (1997) - released 8 May 2017 - Barcode 5050349523925

22. Donnie Brasco (1997) - released 29 May 2017 - Barcode 5050349609926

23. Blow (2001) - released 29 May 2017 - Barcode 5051892208277

24. Battle Of The Bulge (1965) - released 5 June 2017 - Barcode 5051892208260

25. The Dirty Dozen (1967) - released 5 June 2017 - Barcode 5051892208284

26. Casualties Of War (1989) - released 5 June 2017 - Barcode 5050349145820

27. Gettysburg: Director's Cut (1993) - released 12 June 2017 - Barcode 5051892208321

28. Jeremiah Johnson (1972) - released 12 June 2017 - Barcode 5051892208307

29. Legends Of The Fall (1994) - released 12 June 2017 - Barcode 5050629158823

30. Sex, Lies And Videotape (1989) - released 17 July 2017 - Barcode 5050349292623

31. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) - released 17 July 2017 - Barcode 5051892209236

32. Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (1958) - released 17 July 2017 - Barcode 5051892209274

33. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966) - released 17 July 2017 - Barcode 5051892209328

34. White Heat (1949) - released 14 August 2017 - Barcode 5051892209687

35. The Public Enemy (1931) - released 14 August 2017 - Barcode 5051892209656

36. Little Caesar (1931) - released 14 August 2017 - Barcode 5051892209618

37. Point Blank (1967) - released 18 September 2017 – Barcode 5051892209632

38. The Yakuza (1974) - released 18 September 2017 - Barcode 5051892209663

39. Body Heat (1981) - released 18 September 2017 - Barcode 5051892209557

40. Chinatown (1974) - released 18 September 2017 - Barcode 5053083131807

41. Shaft (1971) - released 2 October 2017 - Barcode 5051892209649

42. New Jack City (1991) - released 2 October 2017 - Barcode 5051892209625

43. Pet Sematary (1986) - released 16 October 2017 - Barcode 5053083131814

44. House Of Wax 3D (1953) - released 16 October 2017 - Barcode 5051892209984

45. The Haunting (1963) – released 16 October 2017 – Barcode 5051892209915

46. A Clockwork Orange (1971) - released 16 October 2017 - Barcode 5051892210867

47. The Maltese Falcon (1941) - released 6 November 2017 - Barcode 5051892209922

48. Casablanca (1942) - released 5 February 2018 (delayed release) - Barcode 5051892209816 (Three Disc Special Edition with Booklet)

49. The Big Sleep (1946) - released 6 November 2017 - Barcode 50501892209892

50. Lost Horizon (1937) - released 6 November 2017 - Barcode 5050629028638 (80th Anniversary Reissue/4K Restoration with Booklet)

2018:

51. Amistad (1997) - released 15 January 2018 - Barcode 5053083134747

52. Munich (2005) - released 15 January 2018 - Barcode 5053083134754

53. (Frank Capra's) Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1946) – released 5 February 2018 – Barcode 5050629038132

54. The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953) – released 26 February 2018 – Barcode 5051892212618

55. Clash Of The Titans (1981) – released 26 February 2018 – Barcode 5050189221263

56. Valley Of The Gwangi (1969) – released 26 February 2018 – Barcode 5051892212625

57. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) – released 19 March 2018 – Barcode 5051892213189

58. Badlands (1973) – released 19 March 2018 – Barcode 5051892212724