Eye For Film >> Movies >> The Graduate (1967) HD-DVD Review
Video - 4/5
The 1080p high-definition digital transfer is splendid, compressed using Microsoft's VC-1 codec. The film print used for transfer looks clean, if representative of late Sixties filmstocks, the film grain is perpetually present, but part of the film's look. Fine detail is well-resolved throughout. A significant step up from previous video incarnations.
Audio - 3/5
The audio is also a significant step-up from the previous DVD incarnations. My equipment is unable to fully decode the DTS-HD Master Audio lossless audio format, as of writing few players can do so. Therefore, current players merely extract the lossy DTS Coherent Acoustics core stream at 1.5Mbps, decode and play that instead. The audio is fine, the famous music remastered in stereo, with much of the rest of the soundtrack remaining in mono. It's perfectly serviceable stuff - there may be an improvement over the standard DVD, but I would have to be a dog to hear it.
Extras - 1/5
There are no real extras to speak of. They consist of a trailer for upcoming HD discs from Studio Canal in 1080p video, some elementary video and audio calibration menu screens and that's your lot. There is a Region 1 MGM DVD re-release for the 40th anniversary, complete with multiple audio commentaries, 5.1 remastered sound and extras. If you like extras, maybe you should go for that. (If you're holding out for importing a high-def version with extras, MGM is Blu-Ray exclusive, and they region-code all of their titles. Caveat Emptor!)
Reviewed on: 20 Sep 2007