Real Review - Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 HD DVD

Ahoy mate! I seem to like these seafaring adventure movies, and Mutiny on the Bounty is no exception. Released to general and critical praise in 1962, this roadshow classic features Marlon Brando, Trevor Howard, and Richard Harris in laudable performances. My interest never wavered from the film despite its three-hour length, because the plot was intriguing, the settings were beautiful, and the acting was top-notch.

Through the years, there have been several film versions of the 1932 novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, Mutiny on the Bounty. The 1935 version starring Charles Laughton and Clark Gable won an Oscar for Best Picture, and is typically credited as one of Clark Gable’s finest roles. Hollywood gambled with a remake in 1962 and pulled out the big guns in its production including a new color process called Ultra Panavision 70 widescreen. Finally, 1984 saw the release of The Bounty starring Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson.

The plot of Mutiny on the Bounty is simple: a crew under the command of Captain Bligh set sails for Tahiti to gather indigenous breadfood plants to bring back to Jamaica. But, Captain Bligh turns out to be a sadistic leader and the men rally around Lt. Captain Fletcher Christian, who sympathizes with their plight. Finally, the men revolt and take control of the ship and cast Captain Bligh and his men adrift upon a small boat. The mutineers then have to find refuge in the obscure pacific islands to avoid capture by the Royal Navy.

I’m not sure if this version of Mutiny on the Bounty eclipses the 1935 version, but I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Trevor Howard as Captain Bligh. For me, he set the bar for the role. Marlon Brando does an admirable job as Christian, but there has been some controversy over his “English” accent. I did find it a bit peculiar and somewhat affected, but his dramatic abilities cannot be denied. The cinematography was exquisite, and the soundtrack included seemingly authentic folk music from Tahiti. In a word, I was swept-up into the scenery and it added a great deal of verisimilitude to the film.

I watched Mutiny on the Bounty on HD DVD and was pleased with the PQ. It’s hard to believe that the film could look so good with plenty of rich colors, sharp details, and good contrast. I did see some juttering in a couple of spots but only for a second or two. Otherwise, the PQ was well above average for HD. The audio track was a remixed 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus track and it was decent. Mostly the surrounds came to life during the musical passages. As could be expected from such an old film, the bass range is largely missing. The disc includes many documentaries, specifically about building the Bounty and its tour across the globe to promote the film.

Rating: 8

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