(Another) The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Blu-ray Review

[Omaha Steve]

We got our copy today. It is a very BIG improvement over our old Laser Disk version. Read the review.

OS

The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Blu-ray Review
A storybook ending for this unique fantasy film.
Reviewed by Randy Miller III, March 15, 2022

The enveloping widescreen format known as "Cinerama" enjoyed a sustained burst of popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, largely fueled by globetrotting documentaries like This is Cinerama, Seven Wonders of the World, and Holiday in Spain (AKA Scent of Mystery, or "the one in Smell-O-Vision&quot . That last one is obviously a tongue-in-cheek "classic" and shows the ridiculous concessions made to lure would-be filmgoers from the comfort of their new televisions, but let's be clear about one thing: Cinerama was nothing more than a gimmick, but at least it was a good gimmick that would later be succeeded by the more accessible and enduring IMAX format. Bottom line: it aimed to completely transport viewers using non-traditional means, and from that perspective Cinerama unquestionably served its purpose.




The enveloping widescreen format known as "Cinerama" enjoyed a sustained burst of popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, largely fueled by globetrotting documentaries like This is Cinerama, Seven Wonders of the World, and Holiday in Spain (AKA Scent of Mystery, or "the one in Smell-O-Vision&quot . That last one is obviously a tongue-in-cheek "classic" and shows the ridiculous concessions made to lure would-be filmgoers from the comfort of their new televisions, but let's be clear about one thing: Cinerama was nothing more than a gimmick, but at least it was a good gimmick that would later be succeeded by the more accessible and enduring IMAX format. Bottom line: it aimed to completely transport viewers using non-traditional means, and from that perspective Cinerama unquestionably served its purpose.



Nestled among those documentaries and later films shown in Cinerama (but filmed in Super Technirama 70 and Ultra Panavision 70, rather than the traditional three-strip process) were How the West Was Won and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, the only two story-driven films that took advantage of the format's full capabilities. Debuting less than three months apart in 1962, the two films' only real similarities -- aside from their shared aspect ratios, of course -- are their grand scale and all-star casts. Whereas that first film was a family-oriented odyssey of Westward expansion, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm goes all-in on fantastical elements to deliver an accessible, bright, colorful experience that's fitfully fun but never quite gels in a cohesive, satisfying way.

Not that it doesn't try hard enough, of course: doubling as a loose biopic of titular storytellers Wilhelm (Laurence Harvey) and Jacob (Karl Boehm) and an anthology of three lesser-known Grimm classics ("The Dancing Princess", "The Cobbler and the Elves", and "The Singing Bone&quot , the combination almost works but reach sometimes exceeds grasp. What should have been a breezy, lightweight romp is occasionally bogged down by those loose biographical elements, whereas the individual fairy tale sequences -- largely directed by celebrated fantasy animator George Pal, who also produced the film -- are more impressive with great animation and special effects. Nonetheless, the end result is still a film worth watching for the experience alone, and its all-star cast (which also includes Barbara Eden, Yvette Mimieux, Russ Tamblyn, Beulah Bondi, Terry-Thomas, Buddy Hackett, and more) is clearly up to the challenge. Not surprisingly, Cinerama's unique format provides a suitably grand gateway for this visually memorable production, as does its multi-track surround sound which includes original music and songs by Leigh Harline and Bob Merrill.

Both visuals and sound are at the forefront of Warner Archive's lavish new Blu-ray presentation of The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, as is the legendary spectacle of Cinerama itself. Featuring an absolutely top-tier 1080p transfer sourced from new 4K master files that seamlessly stich together all three panels, this two-disc Special Edition is also highlighted by a dynamic DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track and several new and exclusive bonus features. Those familiar with past Cinerama releases by Warner Bros. and Flicker Alley will also be happy to see the "Smilebox" format, which valiantly replicates the curved Cinerama experience using techniques explained in detail during an included restoration featurette, is included as a separate presentation on Disc 2. All things considered, it's truly a special package that eclipses the main feature itself and is already on the short list as one of 2022's best Blu-ray discs.

FULL review: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Wonderful-World-of-the-Brothers-Grimm-Blu-ray/134981/#Review

[Bristlecone]

1. A thoughtful review wrapped in some disc talk

I honestly cannot remember the last time I read a review for a disc release of any kind. I guess that’s not the point; but then again, maybe it is given the source.

Good post. Thx!