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It’s taken an incredible amount of time for this science fiction classic to finally become available. It’s rare that a 50’s science fiction film transcendents it’s time but ‘The Incredible Shrinking Man” manages to do so in spades; based on Richard Matheson’s novel (The Shrinking Man) and directed by Jack Arnold, the film manages to reach beyond the cliches of the genre because it focuses on the personal and the transcendent in the same film. In many respects, this,is like Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” except instead of awakening as a bag, our main character awakens and is for all intents and purposes himself but mot himself changing before his own eyes.
Grant Williams plays Scott Carey a man, who exposed to a mysterious chemical while boating, suddenly finds his life literally shrinking away—he begins to become smaller. The result destroys his marriage, his self confidence and his masculinity. In the process though he manages to discover who he truly is. As Carey continues to shrink away he discovers a new world around him and a new sense of,purpose behind his diminished existence among humanity.
Matheson reportedly hated the ending initially but, later, grew to appreciate it (another writer crafted the last scene and it’s monologue). Arnold takes the proceeds seriously. Williams truly shines in one of his best performances. A forgotten leading man from the 50’s, Williams was, reportedly, a closeted gay man and I think he uses his confusion as a springboard for his performance.
The Criterion Blu-ray features a 4K presentation on 1080p Blu-ray (why not make this a 4K release? Perhaps licensing issues with Universal). The uptick on image quality for this film from Blu to 4K Blu might not be all that great if it had been issued but it would have been nice as an option. The limitations of the vintage visual effects are more obvious but the cleaner image also allows for a nice uptick in detail and, surprisingly, makes some of the effects work pop in a good way even more. The film will always be a product of its time with the use of traveling matte work (hand drawn outlines that allowed Williams to be integrated into the visual effects footage). Some have complained that the 4K restoration is a bit soft and that is true from time to time but I suspect it has to do with Universal having to use sources for damaged sections of the OCN. It’s most noticeable about 30 minutes in but it then returns to looking quite good. There is no artificial enhancement or noticeable over use grain reduction. This is a handsome looking restoration and transfer. This,is an upgrade IMHO from the Arrow release.
Be aware that the visual effects flaws are even more noticeable here than the DVD; the traveling mattes with Scott walking in the street are particularly sloppy. As noted by Tom Weaver, there’s no excuse because they could have used a little boy with a similar built to Grant Williams and just shot with with his face in darkness. There’s also a scene at the top of the stairs where the matte is extremely flawed as we can see through his legs! The visual effects department could have done a much better job there. The physical effects with the over sized props, use of forced perspective and stationary mattes/ back screen projection largely work but the film is a product of its time.
Just a note-for some reason my 4K player rejected this as unreadable the two times. Not sure what happened but I rebooted the player and it was fine should you have this issue, try it.
The 24 lossless mon sound focuses on dialog and there’s no noticeable distortion. Subtitles in English are provided and this is region A locked.
Special features include an excellent audio commentary track covering everything from trivia about the production to background on the participants of the film by Tom Weaver. Comedian/writer Dana Gould (“Dale and Tucker vs. Evil”) and Joe Dante discuss the film in a featurette. There’s also an excellent featurette that focuses on the challenging visual effects (for the time). Finally there’s a,1983 interview with director Jack Arnold, a 2016 interview with writer Richard Matheson’s son Richard Christian Matheson (also a noted writer) and the original trailer with narration by Orson Welles. Fans will also more that the documentary “Auteur on Campus” a director’s cut of the doc on Jack Arnold and his years at Universal. The enclosed essay by Geoffrey O’Brien provides interesting insight into the film.
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Classic science fiction film receives restoration and great special features.
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2021
It’s taken an incredible amount of time for this science fiction classic to finally become available. It’s rare that a 50’s science fiction film transcendents it’s time but ‘The Incredible Shrinking Man” manages to do so in spades; based on Richard Matheson’s novel (The Shrinking Man) and directed by Jack Arnold, the film manages to reach beyond the cliches of the genre because it focuses on the personal and the transcendent in the same film. In many respects, this,is like Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” except instead of awakening as a bag, our main character awakens and is for all intents and purposes himself but mot himself changing before his own eyes.Grant Williams plays Scott Carey a man, who exposed to a mysterious chemical while boating, suddenly finds his life literally shrinking away—he begins to become smaller. The result destroys his marriage, his self confidence and his masculinity. In the process though he manages to discover who he truly is. As Carey continues to shrink away he discovers a new world around him and a new sense of,purpose behind his diminished existence among humanity.Matheson reportedly hated the ending initially but, later, grew to appreciate it (another writer crafted the last scene and it’s monologue). Arnold takes the proceeds seriously. Williams truly shines in one of his best performances. A forgotten leading man from the 50’s, Williams was, reportedly, a closeted gay man and I think he uses his confusion as a springboard for his performance.The Criterion Blu-ray features a 4K presentation on 1080p Blu-ray (why not make this a 4K release? Perhaps licensing issues with Universal). The uptick on image quality for this film from Blu to 4K Blu might not be all that great if it had been issued but it would have been nice as an option. The limitations of the vintage visual effects are more obvious but the cleaner image also allows for a nice uptick in detail and, surprisingly, makes some of the effects work pop in a good way even more. The film will always be a product of its time with the use of traveling matte work (hand drawn outlines that allowed Williams to be integrated into the visual effects footage). Some have complained that the 4K restoration is a bit soft and that is true from time to time but I suspect it has to do with Universal having to use sources for damaged sections of the OCN. It’s most noticeable about 30 minutes in but it then returns to looking quite good. There is no artificial enhancement or noticeable over use grain reduction. This is a handsome looking restoration and transfer. This,is an upgrade IMHO from the Arrow release.Be aware that the visual effects flaws are even more noticeable here than the DVD; the traveling mattes with Scott walking in the street are particularly sloppy. As noted by Tom Weaver, there’s no excuse because they could have used a little boy with a similar built to Grant Williams and just shot with with his face in darkness. There’s also a scene at the top of the stairs where the matte is extremely flawed as we can see through his legs! The visual effects department could have done a much better job there. The physical effects with the over sized props, use of forced perspective and stationary mattes/ back screen projection largely work but the film is a product of its time.Just a note-for some reason my 4K player rejected this as unreadable the two times. Not sure what happened but I rebooted the player and it was fine should you have this issue, try it.The 24 lossless mon sound focuses on dialog and there’s no noticeable distortion. Subtitles in English are provided and this is region A locked.Special features include an excellent audio commentary track covering everything from trivia about the production to background on the participants of the film by Tom Weaver. Comedian/writer Dana Gould (“Dale and Tucker vs. Evil”) and Joe Dante discuss the film in a featurette. There’s also an excellent featurette that focuses on the challenging visual effects (for the time). Finally there’s a,1983 interview with director Jack Arnold, a 2016 interview with writer Richard Matheson’s son Richard Christian Matheson (also a noted writer) and the original trailer with narration by Orson Welles. Fans will also more that the documentary “Auteur on Campus” a director’s cut of the doc on Jack Arnold and his years at Universal. The enclosed essay by Geoffrey O’Brien provides interesting insight into the film.
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2021
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 20, 2021
Grant Williams plays Scott Carey a man, who exposed to a mysterious chemical while boating, suddenly finds his life literally shrinking away—he begins to become smaller. The result destroys his marriage, his self confidence and his masculinity. In the process though he manages to discover who he truly is. As Carey continues to shrink away he discovers a new world around him and a new sense of,purpose behind his diminished existence among humanity.
Matheson reportedly hated the ending initially but, later, grew to appreciate it (another writer crafted the last scene and it’s monologue). Arnold takes the proceeds seriously. Williams truly shines in one of his best performances. A forgotten leading man from the 50’s, Williams was, reportedly, a closeted gay man and I think he uses his confusion as a springboard for his performance.
The Criterion Blu-ray features a 4K presentation on 1080p Blu-ray (why not make this a 4K release? Perhaps licensing issues with Universal). The uptick on image quality for this film from Blu to 4K Blu might not be all that great if it had been issued but it would have been nice as an option. The limitations of the vintage visual effects are more obvious but the cleaner image also allows for a nice uptick in detail and, surprisingly, makes some of the effects work pop in a good way even more. The film will always be a product of its time with the use of traveling matte work (hand drawn outlines that allowed Williams to be integrated into the visual effects footage). Some have complained that the 4K restoration is a bit soft and that is true from time to time but I suspect it has to do with Universal having to use sources for damaged sections of the OCN. It’s most noticeable about 30 minutes in but it then returns to looking quite good. There is no artificial enhancement or noticeable over use grain reduction. This is a handsome looking restoration and transfer. This,is an upgrade IMHO from the Arrow release.
Be aware that the visual effects flaws are even more noticeable here than the DVD; the traveling mattes with Scott walking in the street are particularly sloppy. As noted by Tom Weaver, there’s no excuse because they could have used a little boy with a similar built to Grant Williams and just shot with with his face in darkness. There’s also a scene at the top of the stairs where the matte is extremely flawed as we can see through his legs! The visual effects department could have done a much better job there. The physical effects with the over sized props, use of forced perspective and stationary mattes/ back screen projection largely work but the film is a product of its time.
Just a note-for some reason my 4K player rejected this as unreadable the two times. Not sure what happened but I rebooted the player and it was fine should you have this issue, try it.
The 24 lossless mon sound focuses on dialog and there’s no noticeable distortion. Subtitles in English are provided and this is region A locked.
Special features include an excellent audio commentary track covering everything from trivia about the production to background on the participants of the film by Tom Weaver. Comedian/writer Dana Gould (“Dale and Tucker vs. Evil”) and Joe Dante discuss the film in a featurette. There’s also an excellent featurette that focuses on the challenging visual effects (for the time). Finally there’s a,1983 interview with director Jack Arnold, a 2016 interview with writer Richard Matheson’s son Richard Christian Matheson (also a noted writer) and the original trailer with narration by Orson Welles. Fans will also more that the documentary “Auteur on Campus” a director’s cut of the doc on Jack Arnold and his years at Universal. The enclosed essay by Geoffrey O’Brien provides interesting insight into the film.
Classic science fiction film receives restoration and great special features.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 20, 2021
It’s taken an incredible amount of time for this science fiction classic to finally become available. It’s rare that a 50’s science fiction film transcendents it’s time but ‘The Incredible Shrinking Man” manages to do so in spades; based on Richard Matheson’s novel (The Shrinking Man) and directed by Jack Arnold, the film manages to reach beyond the cliches of the genre because it focuses on the personal and the transcendent in the same film. In many respects, this,is like Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” except instead of awakening as a bag, our main character awakens and is for all intents and purposes himself but mot himself changing before his own eyes.Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 20, 2021
Grant Williams plays Scott Carey a man, who exposed to a mysterious chemical while boating, suddenly finds his life literally shrinking away—he begins to become smaller. The result destroys his marriage, his self confidence and his masculinity. In the process though he manages to discover who he truly is. As Carey continues to shrink away he discovers a new world around him and a new sense of,purpose behind his diminished existence among humanity.
Matheson reportedly hated the ending initially but, later, grew to appreciate it (another writer crafted the last scene and it’s monologue). Arnold takes the proceeds seriously. Williams truly shines in one of his best performances. A forgotten leading man from the 50’s, Williams was, reportedly, a closeted gay man and I think he uses his confusion as a springboard for his performance.
The Criterion Blu-ray features a 4K presentation on 1080p Blu-ray (why not make this a 4K release? Perhaps licensing issues with Universal). The uptick on image quality for this film from Blu to 4K Blu might not be all that great if it had been issued but it would have been nice as an option. The limitations of the vintage visual effects are more obvious but the cleaner image also allows for a nice uptick in detail and, surprisingly, makes some of the effects work pop in a good way even more. The film will always be a product of its time with the use of traveling matte work (hand drawn outlines that allowed Williams to be integrated into the visual effects footage). Some have complained that the 4K restoration is a bit soft and that is true from time to time but I suspect it has to do with Universal having to use sources for damaged sections of the OCN. It’s most noticeable about 30 minutes in but it then returns to looking quite good. There is no artificial enhancement or noticeable over use grain reduction. This is a handsome looking restoration and transfer. This,is an upgrade IMHO from the Arrow release.
Be aware that the visual effects flaws are even more noticeable here than the DVD; the traveling mattes with Scott walking in the street are particularly sloppy. As noted by Tom Weaver, there’s no excuse because they could have used a little boy with a similar built to Grant Williams and just shot with with his face in darkness. There’s also a scene at the top of the stairs where the matte is extremely flawed as we can see through his legs! The visual effects department could have done a much better job there. The physical effects with the over sized props, use of forced perspective and stationary mattes/ back screen projection largely work but the film is a product of its time.
Just a note-for some reason my 4K player rejected this as unreadable the two times. Not sure what happened but I rebooted the player and it was fine should you have this issue, try it.
The 24 lossless mon sound focuses on dialog and there’s no noticeable distortion. Subtitles in English are provided and this is region A locked.
Special features include an excellent audio commentary track covering everything from trivia about the production to background on the participants of the film by Tom Weaver. Comedian/writer Dana Gould (“Dale and Tucker vs. Evil”) and Joe Dante discuss the film in a featurette. There’s also an excellent featurette that focuses on the challenging visual effects (for the time). Finally there’s a,1983 interview with director Jack Arnold, a 2016 interview with writer Richard Matheson’s son Richard Christian Matheson (also a noted writer) and the original trailer with narration by Orson Welles. Fans will also more that the documentary “Auteur on Campus” a director’s cut of the doc on Jack Arnold and his years at Universal. The enclosed essay by Geoffrey O’Brien provides interesting insight into the film.
Images in this review
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