BLU-RAY REVIEW

Grand Prix

Featured In Issue 114, November 2006

Picture4
Sound4
WSR Score2
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Warner Home Video
(Catalog Number):
79281
(MPAA Rating):
Not Rated
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$28.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (HD-30)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
176
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
(Theatrical Year):
1966
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
09/26/06
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
John Frankenheimer
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
Dolby Digital+ 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

Five, four, three, two, one...Go! Everyone wants to be the winner of the "Grand Prix" and the international race car drivers do what must be done to be the first to cross the finish line. Whether it's behind the wheel or with their women, these men live reckless and dangerous lives doing whatever they need to do to win the game. (Tricia Spears)

Like the DVD, special features include the theatrical trailer and the following featurettes: Pushing The Limit: The Making Of Grand Prix (29 minutes), Flat Out: Formula One In The Sixties (17 minutes), The Style And Sound Of Speed (12 minutes), Brands Hatch: Behind The Checkered Flag (11 minutes), and Grand Prix: Challenge Of The Champions (13 minutes).

While the color scheme may not be the most natural, the VC-1-encoded 2.20:1 HD DVD picture looks superb for such an old title. Details are crisp and clear, with fine textures remarkably rendered. Shadow delineation can be slightly lacking, which can make the imagery look slightly flat. But, it's the cinematography of this revolutionary feature film that really shines in high-definition. (Danny Richelieu)

The Dolby® Digital Plus 5.1-channel soundtrack is definitely limited by the age of the original recording, but the mix is adequately engaging and fidelity is not as bad as you might expect from a 40-year-old movie. (Danny Richelieu)