Blu-ray Review: 1917

Distributor: Universal Studios

Release Date: March 24, 2020

Region: Region A

Length: 01:58:58

Video: 1080P (MPEG-4, AVC)

Main Audio:

English Dolby Atmos

Alternate Audio:

7.1 French Dolby Digital Plus
7.1 Spanish Dolby Digital Plus

Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Ratio: 2.39:1

Notes: A 4K UHD/Blu-ray Combo edition of this title is also available for purchase.

“Once I’d had the idea that it was two hours of real time, it seemed like a natural thing to lock the audience together with the central characters… It operates more like a ticking-clock thriller, in a way, and so to experience every second passing with the men seemed like a great idea.” –Sam Mendes (NPR, December 21, 2019)

It is always annoying to hear this film’s “single shot” approach described as a gimmick. It isn’t a gimmick. It is an aesthetic choice that affects the audience in a certain way. It is no more a gimmick than traditional editing practices. What’s more, it has been around since Alfred Hitchcock made Rope in 1948! It isn’t anything new. This approach is only a gimmick when it is used as such (a good example would be Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman). This particular approach added a sense of urgency and an aura of mystery to the proceedings. The film would have been a very different experience if it had been shot in the traditional manner, and it wouldn’t have been nearly as powerful.

Let’s face it, the story that 1917 tells isn’t far removed from any number of war movies. The premise is actually very simple (which is part of the reason that it works): At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly ambush on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them.

The project was actually inspired by stories that Sam Mendes’s grandfather told him as a child:

“It wasn’t until his mid-70s that he decided he was going to tell the stories of what happened to him when he was in his teenage years… And there was one particular story he told us of being tasked to carry a single message through no man’s land in dusk in the winter of 1916. He was a small man, and they used to send him with messages because he ran 5 1/2 feet, and the mist used to hang at about 6 feet in no man’s land, so he wasn’t visible above the mist. And that stayed with me. And that was the story I found I wanted to tell.” –Sam Mendes (NPR, December 21, 2019)

The result on screen is a suspenseful addition to a very long tradition of “mission” movies. However, the director was able to set 1917 apart by telling it in this particular manner. This reviewer has never been a fan of “war movies,” but this particular film plays more like a suspense film. It is also worth mentioning that he chose actors who actually look like teenagers instead of thirty-somethings who pretend to be young boys. This adds to one’s empathetic devotion to the protagonists and adds more than a little pathos to the proceedings. It is no wonder why the film earned ten Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Make-up and Hairstyling), and it certainly deserved the three awards that it won (Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound Mixing). It is a fantastic movie that will entertain most viewers. Sometimes, this is all that a film really needs to achieve.

The Presentation:

4 of 5 Stars

Universal protects the Blu-ray and DVD discs in a standard 2-disc Blu-ray case with a sleeve featuring artwork that was taken from one of the half-sheet designs used in the marketing for the film’s theatrical release:

It is an attractive enough cover, but one does lament their decision not to use the much more elegant art that was featured on the primary one sheets. The first pressing also includes a protective slip sleeve (or O-ring) that showcases the same artwork.

The static menu carries over the same image featured on the half sheet and is designed like other recent Universal titles. Frankly, we miss the look of their older menus as they were more elegant.

Picture Quality:

5 of 5 Stars

Roger Deakins deserved his Oscar for the cinematography in this film, and it is nice to report that it has been well served by Universal’s 1080P transfer. In fact, it is difficult to imagine that it could look any better on this format. According to Imdb, 1917 was shot in 4.5K resolution on an Arri Alexa Mini LF camera with Arri Signature prime lenses and was eventually mastered in 4K. This results in an impressive amount of fine detail and immaculate clarity. The slightly muted colors admirably represent the intentions of Mendes and Deakins, but flashes of color are all the more impacting when they make themselves known. Blacks are deep without crushing, and there aren’t notable compression issues to report. This is a remarkable high definition image.

Sound Quality:

5 of 5 Stars

The included Dolby Atmos is beyond criticism. Adjectives such as “dynamic” and “immersive” are accurate but seem like understated descriptors. This isn’t so much a soundtrack as it is an experience. It really sucks the viewer into the film’s universe without sacrificing little things such as dialogue clarity. There were actually moments when I worried for my safety. Thank goodness they saw fit to include this track on the Blu-ray instead of simply allowing it to grace their 4K UHD release.

Special Features:

3 of 5 Stars

Feature Length Audio Commentary by Sam Mendes

Sam Mendes offers a nice general commentary that rarely overlaps with the Roger Deakins commentary included on this same disc. He provides plenty of information throughout the track as he discusses the inspiration behind the film, brief historical facts about WWI, Thomas Newman’s score, the characterizations, reasoning behind story and stylistic choices, production anecdotes, set design, and much more. It touches on so many topics that it never really delves too deeply into any of these topics, but it manages to entertain and reward those who wish to listen.

Feature Length Audio Commentary by Roger Deakins

Those looking for an explanation as to how Roger Deakins was able to achieve the film’s Academy Award winning cinematography will find this not-too-technical track more than a little worthwhile. If his track has a shortcoming, it is that there is way too much information to digest in a single viewing. It adds enormous value to the disc.

Allied Forces: The Making of 1917 – (12:01)

Allied Forces: Making 1917 is more substantial than what one expects from recent studio “featurettes” as it goes a bit beyond the typical EPK promo fodder that has become the norm. It touches briefly (too briefly) on the one-shot aesthetic of the film and interviewees discuss the challenges that this approach created in general terms. The trouble is that it could have delved deeper. What’s more, some of the information contained in the other “featurettes” should have been included as part of this program instead. This habit of creating a handful of mini-featurettes that offer very little value rather than one meaty documentary isn’t fooling anyone.

Recreating History – (10:25)

The information included here should have been included as part of the previous supplement (as mentioned above), but it does offer enough information to warrant viewing as it discusses the film’s incredible production design. Again, this could and should have included a more comprehensive examination of this topic.

In the Trenches – (06:59)

In the Trenches isn’t quite as strong as the previous two supplements discussed in this review, but it is still worth viewing for the brief commentary by some of the actor’s involved. This information would have seemed less superficial if it had been included as part of one larger program instead of the six-minute promo that they created.

The Weight of the World: Sam Mendes – (04:29)

The same can be said for this piece on Sam Mendes and the inspiration behind the film. This is a better than average EPK promo, but it isn’t meaty enough to be anything more. Again, this material should have been included as a minor part of a single comprehensive program.

The Score of 1917 – (03:52)

Oddly enough, this short piece on Thomas Newman’s score for 1917 is more interesting than the short duration would suggest. Again, it isn’t terribly comprehensive and feels like it belongs to a larger program

Final Words:

1917 may not tell a unique story, but Mendes gives it a powerful sense of urgency and creates an aura of mystery that is felt throughout the duration. His style isn’t a gimmick here. It is an aesthetic choice that elevates the film. Meanwhile, Universal’s Blu-ray transfer is incredible. Highly Recommended.

Note: While we were provided with a screener for review purposes, this had no bearing on our review process. We do not feel under any obligation to hand out positive reviews. All screenshots and poster images are the property of Universal Studios.