Posted on: April 1, 2012 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

 

Warner Brothers has went alol out in their 70th anniversary boxed set release of Casablanca. The film is provided to viewers in stunning Blu-Ray, which benefits considerably from a remastering of the film that restores it to the quality in which viewers in 1942 originally watched. This is just the beginning; the company has provided so many different bells and whistles to this set that viewers will literally take a few days to get through them all, even in a back to back marathon.

For those viewers that wish to get a better appreciation for the context of the film’s creation, an audio commentary by Roger Ebert (and a second one by a historian, Rudy Behlmer) accompanies the feature. For those that wish to understand the allure of Bogart, there is an 80-minute documentary that contextualizes Casablanca in eir larger career, with comments and anecdotes provided by a number of individuals that were touched by the actor. I feel that the inclusion of the nearly five-hour You Must Remember This is essential for understanding the major players in the funding and ultimate success of Casablanca.

There are so many other featurettes present here – looks into the children of the actors, a half-hour of additional footage, and how directors of the current period were influenced by the film. I liked the audio content section of the Giftset – there are radio broadcasts that promoted Casablanca. It is an interesting sight to see how the promotional process has changed in the decades since the film was originally released. This gift set is perfect for anyone that is either a fan of the film or would like to understand why the film is so important to the movie industry today.

Rating: 9.5/10

Casablanca 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Giftset (Blu-Ray Set) / 2012 Warner Bros / 102 Minutes / http://www.warnerbros.com

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