Underwater probably has more interest historically than as a film. It wasn’t very good in 1955, and hasn’t exactly turned Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White over the ensuing decades.
It’s a very minor work for director John Sturges, who had the ability (The Great Escape) to create films that did stand the test of time.
Historically, it was created under the aegis of Howard Hughes (same guy behind The Outlaw), now using a different tack to show off Jane Russell’s breasts, which actually aren’t the stars of the film. And this was done better in The Deep, anyway.
When RKO made their big push into wide screen, they did it in the cheapest way possible – SuperScope. Films shot flat, and optically converted, ie cropped to a 2:1 aspect ratio, and presented in anamorphic format.
Here’s how it fits into the studio release history.
Cattle Queen of Montana – 11/18/54
Underwater! – 2/9/55
Escape to Burma – 4/9/55
Son of Sinbad – 5/31/55
Pearl of the South Pacific – 7/24/55
Bengazi – 9/14/55
Tennessee Partner – 9/21/55
Treasure of Pancho Villa – 10/19/55
Texas Lady – 11/23/55RKO continued with a handful of titles into 1956.
In my teens, I used to confuse this with the Fox scope production Beneath the 12-Mile Reef, which isn’t a much better film.
So what’s good about this new Warner Archive release?
The quality – which gives us the full beauty of early 5248 Eastman Color, albeit cropped and anamorphosized, yet very accurate to what was on screen in early 1955, as produced in dye transfer prints. Skin tonalities are gorgeous. Grain structure, perfect. It’s a glossy, beautiful presentation.
For those seeking an example for their libraries of SuperScope, this is a gorgeous release, although there are better SS productions, such as Vera Cruz.
Image – 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from DVD – Was this ever released on DVD?
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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