Deliverance (1972)

[McBain]

Deliverance Blu-ray June 26 2012






Deliverance Blu-ray

Deliverance Blu-ray Review



Press release:

"An absolutely first-rate piece of movie-making.”
-Charles Champlin, Los Angeles Times

DELIVERANCE

35TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION

Newly Remastered with Remarkable Extras

September 18 from Warner Home Video

Burbank, Calif., June 11, 2007 -- Deliverance – one of the screen’s most powerful man vs. nature adventures that was a motion picture shocker of the ‘70s -- debuts September 18 as a 35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition DVD from Warner Home Video (WHV).

The story of four Atlanta “weekend warriors” who set off in canoes down a dangerous Georgia river and discover a wilderness of terror has been remastered and amplified with remarkable new extras including retrospective featurettes and director commentary. The DVD will sell for $19.97 SRP. It will also be debuting simultaneously in both HD DVD and Blu-ray disc and will be available for $28.99 SRP.

Directed by John Boorman (Excalibur, Hope and Glory) and adapted by James Dickey from his novel, Deliverance was nominated for three Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best Director. Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox star as the four friends whose canoeing weekend turns into a horrifying test of survival. Boorman’s taut direction builds the tension and fear to a raging climax, as the men travel way beyond their comfort zone and are forced to face more than they could have ever imagined. Vilmos Zsigmond’s expert cinematography captures the wilderness of forest and river, while Eric Weissberg’s classic musical theme, “Dueling Banjos,” provides a perfect counterpoint to the action.

Special Features

• Commentary by John Boorman [Director Boorman takes a journey down the river and discusses the adventures, the team, the controversy and what it took to make Deliverance a classic film.]
• Deliverance: The Beginning [Take a historical look at the novel and its adaptation to the screen.]
• Deliverance: The Journey [along from the early stages of filming to the creation of classic moments, such as the Dueling Banjos scene.]
• Deliverance: Betraying the River [The making of one of the most controversial and ground-breaking sequences in film history.]
• Deliverance: Delivered [A reflective look back on the completion of the film, its impact and how the idea for the shocking ending came to be.]
• The Dangerous World of Deliverance [The original behind-the-scenes documentary on the difficult conditions and challenges of making this film]
• Theatrical Trailer

DELIVERANCE 35TH-ANNIVERSARY REMASTERED DELUXE EDITION
Street Date: September 18, 2007
SD $19.97 SRP; HD DVD/Blu-ray Disc $28.99 SRP
Run Time: 109 Minutes; Rated R

Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.

With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

[jermwhl]

Old news!

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by jermwhl

Old news!

The dateline says June 11...it's one day old.

[growler]

Typically BDs that get poor PQ ratings seem no worse than the SD DVD. In this case the night scene when Ed has reached the top of the cliff & is waiting for dawn has TERRIBLE "blue bleeding!" I've never seen this before & I don't remember anything like this on the DVD. Ed's face literally is the same color as the blue night sky for quite some time!

Other than that the PQ is OK but certainly not great.

If you do not own the movie it is still worth buying.

Great Book & Great movie.

BTW, although my post is years later, re Gremal's comment (Which is actually a spoiler) -- that plot point is right out of the book! It doesn't "ruin" the movie. It is an integral part of the movie and is SUPPOSED to be very disturbing.

[42041]

Originally Posted by growler

Typically BDs that get poor PQ ratings seem no worse than the SD DVD. In this case the night scene when Ed has reached the top of the cliff & is waiting for dawn has TERRIBLE "blue bleeding!" I've never seen this before & I don't remember anything like this on the DVD. Ed's face literally is the same color as the blue night sky for quite some time!

Other than that the PQ is OK but certainly not great.

If you do not own the movie it is still worth buying.

Great Book & Great movie.

That whole scene is shot day-for-night. It's always looked pretty dreadful.

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by growler

Typically BDs that get poor PQ ratings seem no worse than the SD DVD. In this case the night scene when Ed has reached the top of the cliff & is waiting for dawn has TERRIBLE "blue bleeding!" I've never seen this before & I don't remember anything like this on the DVD. Ed's face literally is the same color as the blue night sky for quite some time!

Other than that the PQ is OK but certainly not great.

If you do not own the movie it is still worth buying.

Great Book & Great movie.

BTW, although my post is years later, re Gremal's comment (Which is actually a spoiler) -- that plot point is right out of the book! It doesn't "ruin" the movie. It is an integral part of the movie and is SUPPOSED to be very disturbing.

Yeah, the comment is ridiculous, he's not a "gay hillbilly". Did he talk sweetly to him or try to kiss him? He's an example of a hillbilly that will screw anything that will hold still long enough for him, he's probably screwed pigs & goats - which is implied when he tells the guy to

[Show spoiler] "squeal like a pig"

. I know that type, I lived in the Appalachians in eastern Ohio, and those are the kind of guys that you wouldn't dare bend over to pick up a dropped bar of soap in the locker room showers if they're around. But if you called them 'gay' you'd have fight on your hands.

I rented this and wouldn't pay $5 for it, the PQ is dreadful throughout, barely an improvement over upconverted DVD; another Warner "it's good enough" release. . And I had hopes for it as it brings back memories. Giving away my age, but I saw this when released in theaters. It was around Christmas time and with the name "Deliverance" my now ex-wife thought it was a religious film and dragged me in to see it. Let's just say it wasn't quite what she was expecting.

[42041]

I'm not sure what people are expecting from this movie PQ-wise. It's certainly not perfect but it looks pretty good for what it is, a 70s anamorphic movie shot with a minimal crew, with all the lens softness that goes with the territory.

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by 42041

I'm not sure what people are expecting from this movie PQ-wise. It's certainly not perfect but it looks pretty good for what it is, a 70s anamorphic movie shot with a minimal crew, with all the lens softness that goes with the territory.

Well, I'm not expecting it to look like the latest & greatest Hollywood blockbuster, but it was shot on 35mm film, and as it starred Burt Reynolds & Jon Voight at the height of their careers I rather doubt it was shot with a "minimal crew". It was a long time ago but I do remember the mountain scenery looked stunning in the theater. The blu-ray is just flat, with very poor detail, and suffers from black crush in any darkly lit scenes.

[growler]

I upgraded from the DVD which I gave away. So, I’m disappointed in that blue bleeding scene. This was a very important, dramatic moment in the film & having a main character turn into a smurf is distracting.

BTW, I highly recommend the book especially as it really expands on that decision to climb the cliff & there are important additional aspects to that part of the story which are not in the film.

(“religious film”, LOL)

[J-Syxx]

Originally Posted by Gremal

I have no problem with the "man vs nature" parts...but the "man vs gay hillbilly" part is totally disturbing and ruins an otherwise classic movie. I'd rather get Excalibur if they're gonna do a John Boorman flick on blu-ray.

It's one of the most successful scenes in the film. Just seems you have issues with homophobia, which just proves how successful it is since

[Show spoiler]the rape scene

is supposed to make you uncomfortable. This is like complaining that the Exorcist was too scary, and if it was less scar you'd be able to enjoy it.

[Bl@deRu>>er]

Anyone excited enough about the release date to squeal like a pig?



.

[ClaytonMG]

Originally Posted by bl@derunner

Anyone excited enough about the release date to squeal like a pig?



.

You mean the relase date from 2007 when this was released?

[Bl@deRu>>er]

Originally Posted by ClaytonMG

You mean the relase date from 2007 when this was released?

Yea, so did you squeal?

[Strevlac]

Deliverance on bluray looks as it did the day it came out in theaters. Look at other films of that era shot by Vilmos Zsigmond. It's just the way it was shot. No more, no less. I would also suggest some of you look up "day-for-night" photography. It looks like they used that coupled with an optical overlay for the night sky. It's gonna look grainy and weird no matter what.

The only shortcoming for this BD is bitrate, as usual for WB releases and that ever-so-slight high frequency filtering they use that makes the grain look kinda clumpy on close inspection.

You guys are gonna have a conniption fit if they ever release McCabe & Mrs Miller on BD.

[Gremal]

[Elrood]

Oh cool, they're rereleasing Deliverance in September...

No, wait, they're not. Some retard just pointlessly bumped a FOUR YEAR OLD THREAD.

[growler]

I guess I'm the retard then.

I had a specific reason for posting & that was a specific quality issue with a specific scene on the BD that was WORSE than it was on the DVD. I enjoy these forums bc many BD enthusiasts discuss technical aspects of BDs, equipment, etc. It is worth wading through some questionable posts to get good information.

My “BTW” comment fully disclosed that it was YEARS later but I was trying in a NICE way (No name calling or flaming) to point out to Gremal (or anyone who subsequently read the Deliverance thread) that the film makers didn’t ADD in an inappropriate, rape scene, rather it was CENTRAL to the book & the screenplay/movie. It seems I opened a can of worms. Not everyone is on top of every new BD release. Sometimes people research BDs that were released years ago.

Back to my complaint , I visited the person who now has my old DVD & checked the scene. It is bad on the DVD but then I rechecked my BD and the blue bleeding is absolutely much worse.

On the BD from 1:12:15 through 1:12:40 Ed’s face is completely BLUE! At approx 1:14 it is similar to the DVD with flashes of blue shadows on the right cheek on & off. I probably would not have really noticed the 1:14 blue shadows if it were not for the horrid blue face earlier. Can anyone verify with their BD copy that from 1:12:15 through 1:12:40 Ed’s face is completely BLUE?

[Lemmy Lugosi]

Originally Posted by The Duke

Well, I'm not expecting it to look like the latest & greatest Hollywood blockbuster, but it was shot on 35mm film, and as it starred Burt Reynolds & Jon Voight at the height of their careers I rather doubt it was shot with a "minimal crew". It was a long time ago but I do remember the mountain scenery looked stunning in the theater. The blu-ray is just flat, with very poor detail, and suffers from black crush in any darkly lit scenes.

Actually, both of them had career "peaks" that occured several YEARS after Deliverance was made. Reynolds was very popular, as was Voight, at the time Deliverance was filmed; with that I agree.

But, "at the height of their careers"? No. Not even close to it.

[Roy Batty]

Originally Posted by Boris Lugosi

Actually, both of them had career "peaks" that occured several YEARS after Deliverance was made. Reynolds was very popular, as was Voight, at the time Deliverance was filmed; with that I agree.

But, "at the height of their careers"? No. Not even close to it.

In fact, if you watch the making-of documentary included, apparently the decision to cast Reynolds was strongly questioned, for he was popular for his TV presence but not a very respected actor.

[Psycholist]

I have seen the movie for the first time on TV decades ago, the [/spoiler]rape [/ spoiler] scenewas totally deleted but the story was still quite good . Quality was horrible too. Saw Deliverance on DVD totally unedited and the "scene" took my breath away and made the movie so much darker. Quality of movie on DVD still poor. Finally read the book and it was great. A great novel and movie both of which are my favourites. The BR version was much better but I wish it was even better, oh well you can only do so much with "cheap" film.
I think that scene is crucial to the film. Nothing is really shown in details but it does create a very dark and surreal atmosphere to the movie. I saw Bobby in a totally different perspective and felt real pity for what he went through

[Show spoiler]after the rape.