Lindsay Anderson’s The Whales of August, is a simple story of two sisters at their home on the Maine coast.
It’s also one of the most magnificent cinema experiences set to celluloid.
And another film for which I’ve been waiting aeons to arrive in a respectable form for home video consumption.
Thanks to Kino Lorber, it’s here.
The sheer overabundance of acting experience in this film is astounding, but that’s not the half of it.
There’s something spellbinding watching this film, and those in it.
Those in it…
Bette Davis, Lillian Gish, Vincent Price, Ann Sothern. Add in the experience of Harry Carey, Jr., and you’ve got over 300 years of acting between them.
It’s enough cinema history all rolled up into a single film, to make you sit up straight, as the hair on the back of your neck stands on end.
I probably won’t get this correct. I’ll let you check sources on the inter-web…
But I recall a comment at the time of release which went something like this.
Director Anderson, commented to Lillian Gish that she was doing a terrific job with her close-ups.
Bette Davis, overheard the comment, glared at Anderson, giving him one of those “you’ve can’t be serious” looks, and told him something like…
“Miss Gish, doing a terrific job on her close-ups! She invented them!”
This is another of those very rare films that must be experienced.
Kino’s Blu-ray is of high quality, with superb color, nice grain structure, and stable enough for government work.
Buy a copy, and enjoy. And don’t forget to sample the extras. There are many, and they’re worth their weight in gold.
Lest readers don’t get the message, I love this film!
Image – 4.5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from DVD – 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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