The Natural, has Robert Redford as famed baseball player Roy Hobbs (1904-1983).
Probably my favorite baseball film, and right up there with Field of Dreams, with its magisterial, heroic, etherial view of history and the sport, partially based upon the novel by Bernard Malamud, with more than a bit of Arthurian legend and the Knights of the Round Table.
The Natural, directed by Barry Levinson, photographed by Caleb Deschanel, and with a score by Randy Newman, is on my short list of perfect films.
Also perfect is the new 4k master, created by Grover Crisp’s group at Columbia. While the film isn’t large format, and doesn’t have a myriad of high frequency information, outside of the original film grain, that grain is magnificent, and forms the basis for a gorgeously velvety image, that veritably drips off the screen.
The Natural is one of the finest 4k releases thus far to hit the format, making use of the HDR technology, and allowing the image to fulfill the wishes of it’s creative team, who back in 1984, probably could only dream of seeing something this ravishing on any home video format.
The track has been upgraded to Dolby Atmos, which widens our field of listening, and adds to power of the film.
For those lucky few who may be able to see this film for the first time in Columbia’s new 4k format, know that you’re in for a treat of the first magnitude.
There are few films I can recommend more.
Image – 5 (HDR10)
Audio – 5 (Dolby Atmos)
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from Blu-ray – Absolutely!
Very Highly Recommended
RAH
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
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