The story behind the making of the 1984 version of "The Bounty" is every bit as turbulent as the film itself, as you'll find out in this definitive DVD release.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Picture Blessed with some stunning cinematography, a lot of work has clearly gone into presenting what would appear to be a good quality print. Odd moments of grain are just that, in a transfer that shaves years off the film's age.

Sound Even on the 1985 Thorn EMI rental release, this film came with a highly impressive surround track. The new 5.1 mix for this disc does all the right things, adding subwoofer support to both the haunting Vangelis track and weight to the storm scenes.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Audio Commentary One Director Roger Donaldson, producer Bernie Williams, and production designer John Graysmark are re-united for this look back in time, and it's a fascinating chat. Five years in the planning, but with only eight weeks to shoot in three locations: London, Tahiti, and New Zealand, this was a tough shoot. Graysmark recalls having to supervise set building simultaneously in the three locations, but seems to have got a real kick out of it. A swag-bag of anecdotes litter the commentary, including remembering Vangelis only composing the score during the night, with the help of a load of friends. Then, when it came to mixing the film, he kept trying to get the music ramped-up, until he was asked about what should happen to the dialogue track. "What dialogue?" he replied.

Audio Commentary Two This solo commentary is with maritime historian, Stephen Walters, who acted as the historical adviser on the film. Even if you know nothing about his speciality, he's the type of speaker who will infuse you with the necessary interest. This was the most exciting project he's worked on and he dissects where various props were made, the historical background to both the film and the story, and the chronological order of shooting.

The Bounty on Film Stephen Walters takes us through both film footage and stills of all the various films that have been made about the Bounty, right from the first attempt in 1916. Also included are extracts from an interview with Errol Flynn, who recounts playing with the real sword of Fletcher Christian as a child, which set him up with a life-long interest in the story.

Making of Documentary This is an original documentary, made at the time of shooting, and is well worth watching, if only to guffaw at the magnificent bouffant that James Fox sports. He's our guide through this somewhat dusty production, that does include interviews with the cast and crew, and a fair bit of behind-the-scenes footage, including the building of the ship and sets.

Booklet Accompanying this DVD is a 28-page booklet, which charts the involvement of David Lean in the project, and how it was always envisaged that "The Bounty" was part one of two films. It's a nice touch to a UK DVD release that trumps the miserly US disc, which has only a trailer. In case you're wondering, this disc has the trailer too.

Region: 0
Chapters: 20
Ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Technical Features: Scene selection, animated menus, multiple language subtitles, and English captions for the hearing impaired.

This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.