A NIGHT TO REMEMBER [1958 / 2012] [The Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray] [USA Release]
RMS TITANIC . . . The Greatest Sea Drama in Living Memory!
On the 14th April, 1912, just before midnight, the “unsinkable” Titanic struck an iceberg. In less than three hours, it had plunged to the bottom of the sea, taking with it more than 1,500 of its 2,200 passengers. In his unforgettable rendering of Walter Lord’s book of the same name, the acclaimed British director Roy Ward Baker depicts with sensitivity, awe, and a fine sense of tragedy the ship’s last hours. Featuring remarkably restrained performances, ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ is cinema’s subtlest and best dramatization of this monumental twentieth-century catastrophe.
The Criterion Collection is dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions of the highest technical quality. With supplemental features that enhance the appreciation of the art of film.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1958 National Board of Review [USA]: Win: Top Foreign Films. 1959 Golden Globes®: Win: Best English Language for an Foreign Film [UK]. 1959 Laurel Awards: Nominated: Top Cinematography in Black-and-White for Geoffrey Gilyard Unsworth. 1959 Mar del Plata Film Festival: Nominated: International Competition for Roy Ward Baker.
FILM FACT No.2: The World Premiere for the 1958 film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER was held on Thursday 3rd July, 1958 at the Odeon Leicester Square. Titanic survivor Elizabeth Dowdell attended the American premiere in New York on Tuesday 16th December, 1958. The film received critical acclaim upon release and is still widely regarded as "the definitive cinematic telling of the story. "Among the many films about the Titanic, ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ has long been regarded as the high point by Titanic historians and survivors alike for its accuracy, despite its modest production values, compared with the Oscar-winning version of ‘Titanic’ by director James Cameron. The film is based on Walter Lord's book “A Night to Remember” [1955], but in Ray Johnson's documentary The Making of ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ [1993], and Walter Lord says that when he wrote his book, there was no mass interest in the Titanic, and he was the first writer in four decades to attempt a grand-scale history of the disaster, synthesizing written sources and survivors first-hand accounts.
Cast: Kenneth More, Ronald Allen, Robert Ayres, Honor Blackman, Anthony Bushell, John Cairney, Jill Dixon, Jane Downs, James Dyrenforth, Michael Goodliffe, Kenneth Griffith, Harriette Johns, Frank Lawton, Richard Leech, David McCallum, Alec McCowen, Tucker McGuire, John Merivale, Ralph Michael, Laurence Naismith, Russell Napier, Redmond Phillips, George Rose, Joseph Tomelty, Patrick Waddington, Jack Watling, Geoffrey Bayldon, Michael Bryant, Cyril Chamberlain, Richard Clarke, Bee Duffell, Harold Goldblatt, Gerald Harper, Richard Hayward, Thomas Heathcote, Danuta Karell, Andrew Keir, Christina Lubicz, Barry MacGregor, Edward Malin, Patrick McAlinney, Helen Misener, Mary Monahan, Howard Pays, Philip Ray, Harold Siddons, Julian Somers, Tim Turner, Meier Tzelniker, John Adams (uncredited), Chris Adcock (uncredited), John Adderley (uncredited), Bart Allison (uncredited), Gerald Andersen [Carpathia] (uncredited), Jean Anderson (uncredited), Keith Anderson (uncredited), Frank Andrews (uncredited), Maidie Andrews (uncredited), Laurence Archer (uncredited), Jack Armstrong (uncredited), Roger Avon (uncredited), Denise Aylmer (uncredited), John Bailey (uncredited), Micky Baker (uncredited), William Baskiville (uncredited), Richard Beale (uncredited), Alan Beaton (uncredited), Hyma Beckley (uncredited), Charles Belchier (uncredited), Joan Benham (uncredited), Barbara Bennett (uncredited), Pauline Bentley (uncredited), Paul Beradi (uncredited), Charlie Bird (uncredited), David Birks (uncredited), Diana Blackwood (uncredited), The Blake Twins (uncredited), Ernest Blyth (uncredited), Wallace Bosco (uncredited), Roger Bourne (uncredited), Eddie Boyce (uncredited), Peter Brace (uncredited), Janet Bradbury (uncredited), Douglas Bradley-Smith (uncredited), Paddy Brannigan (uncredited), Olwen Brookes (uncredited), Victor Brooks [Californian] (uncredited), Ken Buckle (uncredited), Margaret Bull (uncredited), Jeremy Bulloch (uncredited), Janet Burnell (uncredited), Joy Burnett (uncredited), Robin Burns (uncredited), Peter Burton (uncredited), Maurice Bush (uncredited), Jimmy Cains (uncredited), Ursula Camm (uncredited), Henry Campbell (uncredited), Dennis Carnell (uncredited), Jack Carter (uncredited), Alf Casha (uncredited), Tony Castleton (uncredited), Pauline Challoner (uncredited), Pamela Chamberlain (uncredited), Pauline Chamberlain (uncredited), Alexis Chesnakov (uncredited), Donald Churchill (uncredited), Ronald Clarke (uncredited), Mike Conner (uncredited), Austin Cooper (uncredited), George A. Cooper (uncredited), George Lane Cooper (uncredited), Michael Corcoran [Californian] (uncredited), Eric Corrie (uncredited), Emerton Court (uncredited), June Cowell (uncredited), Harold Coyne (uncredited), Susan Crawford (uncredited), Dan Cressey (uncredited), Bill Cummings (uncredited), Renee Cunliffe (uncredited), George Curtis (uncredited), Dan Darnelli (uncredited), David Davenport [Carpathia] (uncredited), Reggie de Beer (uncredited), Barry De Boulay (uncredited), Brenda Dean (uncredited), Jack Dearlove (uncredited), Grace Denbeigh-Russell (uncredited), Arthur Dibbs (uncredited), Eddie Dillon (uncredited), Steve Donahue (uncredited), Harry Drew (uncredited), Richard Duke (uncredited), John Dunbar (uncredited), Brenda Dunrich (uncredited), Marusa Elias (uncredited), Gay Emma (uncredited), Gilda Emmanuelli (uncredited), Mabel Etherington (uncredited), Joyce Everson (uncredited), Roy Everson (uncredited), Grenville Eves (uncredited), Anthony Faramus (uncredited), Frederick Farley (uncredited), Keith Faulkner (uncredited), Max Faulkner (uncredited), Manfred Felix (uncredited), Ernest Fennemore (uncredited), Lee Fenton (uncredited), Norman Fisher (uncredited), Helen Ford (uncredited), Bernard Foreman (uncredited), Chick Fowles (uncredited), Bernard Fox (uncredited), William Fox (uncredited), Aldwyn Francis (uncredited), Irene French (uncredited), Otto Friese (uncredited), Tex Fuller (uncredited), Rex Garner (uncredited), Alex Graham (uncredited), Peter Grant (uncredited), Muriel Greenslade (uncredited), Rosamund Greenwood (uncredited), Joyce Gregg (uncredited), Arthur Gross (uncredited), Lucia Guillon (uncredited), Victor Hagan (uncredited), Fred Haggerty uncredited), Patrick Halpin (uncredited), Jonathan Hanson (uncredited), Paul Hardwick (uncredited), Ronnie Harries (uncredited), Aidan Harrington (uncredited), (uncredited), Gordon Harris (uncredited), Eileen Harvey (uncredited), John Hayward (uncredited), Jack Hedley (uncredited), Eric Henderson (uncredited), Robert Henderson (uncredited), Gladys Henson (uncredited), Laurence Hepworth uncredited), Jack Hetherington (uncredited), Carmen Hill (uncredited), Hubert Hill (uncredited), Ian Hobbs (uncredited), George Holdcroft (uncredited), Derek Holmes (uncredited), Ned Hood (uncredited), Lindsay Hooper (uncredited), Arthur Hosking (uncredited), Glyn Houston (uncredited), Frank Howard (uncredited), Arthur Howell (uncredited), Gordon Humphries (uncredited), Alastair Hunter (uncredited), Prudence Hyman (uncredited), Miki Iveria (uncredited), Robert James (uncredited), Ann Jay (uncredited), Billy John (uncredited), Barry Johns (uncredited), Stratford Johns (uncredited), Yvonne Joseph (uncredited), Gerry Judge (uncredited), Jeremy Judge (uncredited), Gertrude Kaye (uncredited), Frederick Kelsey (uncredited), Cyril Kent (uncredited), Humphrey Kent (uncredited), Doreen Keogh (uncredited), John Ketteringham (uncredited), Diana King (uncredited), Ann Lancaster (uncredited), James Land (uncredited), Anthony Lang (uncredited), Howard Lang (uncredited), Gerald Lawson (uncredited), Michael Lees (uncredited), Charles Leno (uncredited), Aileen Lewis (uncredited), Fletcher Lightfoot (uncredited), Frank Littlewood (uncredited), Leonard Llewellyn (uncredited), Desmond Llewelyn (uncredited), (uncredited), Arthur Lovegrove (uncredited), Stephen Lowe (uncredited), Dickey Luck (uncredited), Molly Lumley (uncredited), Martin Lyder (uncredited), Ned Lynch (uncredited), Fred Machon (uncredited), Jack Mandeville (uncredited), Alf Mangan (uncredited), Clive Marshall (uncredited), Rosalie Marshall (uncredited), Vicky Marshall (uncredited), Louis Matto (uncredited), Mary Maxfield (uncredited), Jack May (uncredited), Arthur Mayne (uncredited), Allan McClelland (uncredited), Donald McCollum (uncredited), Colin McKenzie (uncredited), Lane Meddick (uncredited), Ronnie Meede (uncredited), Pat Meehan (uncredited), Tony Mendleson (uncredited), Manny Michael (uncredited), Jimmy Millar (uncredited), John More (uncredited), Lola Morice (uncredited), Norman Morris [SS Carpathia] (uncredited), John Moulder-Brown (uncredited), Peter Munt (uncredited), Tom Naylor (uncredited), Pat Neal (uncredited), Richard Neller (uncredited), Derren Nesbitt (uncredited), Fred Nicholas (uncredited), Louise Nolan (uncredited), Jim O'Brady (uncredited), Etain O'Dell (uncredited), Maureen O'Reilly (uncredited), George Oliver (uncredited), Hal Osmond (uncredited), Edward Palmer (uncredited), Anthony Pendrell (uncredited), Peter Perkins (uncredited), Toby Perkins (uncredited), Joe Phelps (uncredited), Paul Phillips (uncredited), Steve Plytas (uncredited), Christine Pollon (uncredited), Derek Prentice (uncredited), Ernie Priest (uncredited), Mara Purcell (uncredited), Robert Raglan (uncredited), Gillian Raine (uncredited), Mavis Ranson (uncredited), Edith Raye (uncredited), Charles Rayford (uncredited), Bob Raymond (uncredited), Fred Real (uncredited), Ernie Rice (uncredited), John Richardson (uncredited), Joyce Riley (uncredited), Alan Robinson (uncredited), George Roderick (uncredited), Beth Rogan (uncredited), Alan Rolfe (uncredited), Bill Rooney (uncredited), Peter Rosser (uncredited), Johnny Rossi (uncredited), Norman Rossington (uncredited), Harold Sanderson (uncredited), Arthur Sandifer (uncredited), Terry Sartain (uncredited), Frank Schock (uncredited), Arnold Schulkes (uncredited), Lesley Scoble (uncredited), Hennie Scott (uncredited), Robert Scroggins (uncredited), Bunny Seaman (uncredited), Jack Sharp (uncredited), Richard Shaw (uncredited), Barry Shawzin (uncredited), Jack Silk (uncredited), Jeff Silk (uncredited), Bob Simmons (uncredited), Tony Spears (uncredited), George Spence (uncredited), Alecia St Leger (uncredited), Guy Standeven (uncredited), Charles Stapley (uncredited), Barry Steele (uncredited), Emile Stemmler (uncredited), Charles Stevenson (uncredited), Jack Stewart (uncredited), Philip Stewart (uncredited), Marianne Stone (uncredited), Fred Stroud (uncredited), John Sullivan (uncredited), James Sutherland (uncredited), Dudley Sutton (uncredited), Pat Symons (uncredited), Gareth Tandy (uncredited), John Tatham (uncredited), Alma Taylor (uncredited), Jack Taylor (uncredited), Larry Taylor (uncredited), Siobhan Taylor (uncredited), Reg Thomason (uncredited), Teresa Thorne (uncredited), Laura Thurlow (uncredited), Connie Tilton (uncredited), John Timberlake (uncredited), Rita Tobin-Weske (uncredited), Graham Tonbridge (uncredited), Andrea Troubridge (uncredited), James Ure (uncredited), Harry Van Engel (uncredited), Martin Voss (uncredited), Joe Wadham [SS Californian Quartermaster] (uncredited), Stuart Wagstaff (uncredited), Pearl Walters (uncredited), Dervis Ward (uncredited), John Warren (uncredited), Russell Waters (uncredited), Del Watson (uncredited), June West (uncredited), Angela White (uncredited), Joey White (uncredited), Gordon Whiting (uncredited), John Wilder (uncredited), Kathleen Williams (uncredited), Lynn Williams (uncredited), Billy Wilmot (uncredited), Charles Wood (uncredited), Fred Wood (uncredited), Victor Wood (uncredited), Alfred Wright (uncredited), Bob Wright (uncredited), Paula Wright (uncredited), Johnny Wyne (uncredited), Terry Yorke (uncredited) and Stanley Zevic (uncredited)
Director: Roy Ward Baker
Producers: Earl St. John and William MacQuitty
Screenplay: Eric Ambler (screenplay) and Walter Lord (novel)
Composer: William Alwyn
Costume Design: Yvonne Caffin
Cinematography: Geoffrey Unsworth, O.B.E, B.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Black-and-White)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Audio: English: 1.0 LPCM Mono Audio
English: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English
Running Time: 123 minutes
Region: Region A/1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: JANUS FILMS / ITV Studios Global Entertainment / The Rank Organisation / The Criterion Collection
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ [1958] film is still the most precisely constructed cinematic take on the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC (Olympic-class Ocean Liner) tragedy. Whereas with the James Cameron film, this of course had modern digital effects at his disposal, but is still got the be the worst and most disastrous film to come out of Hollywood in decades and to me it is a total insult to this 1958 Rank Organisation film and every time I hear that Celine Dione song, I nearly want to throw up, but with this ultimate Rank Organisation classic ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ film you do not even have to put up with that pathetic and ghastly Celine Dion warbling over the end credits.
But with director Roy Ward Baker's film it is the one film to turn to for the real lowdown on exactly what happened to the doomed White Star Liner RMS TITANIC and the doomed passengers on that fateful terrible night. Director Roy Ward Baker avoids fictional characters altogether, choosing instead to follow the trajectories of a broad range of the real-life passengers on board this doomed liner. Roy Ward Baker juggles an enormous amount of information, but presents us with absolute clarity and of course it is the ultimate remarkable piece of big-screen storytelling ever seen and it can definitely be classed as the classic genre film of its time.
‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ is based upon historian Walter Lord's 1955 book about the historical tragic sinking. The 1958 film was based upon a historical book instead of a novel, and director Roy Ward Baker, producer William MacQuitty and screenwriter Eric Ambler approached the film's plot in a sort of semi-documentary style. Even the film's leading character turned out to be the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC's Second Officer, Charles Lightoller, who was portrayed by the brilliant British actor Kenneth More. The film also featured other historical figures such as J. Bruce Ismay, Thomas Andrews, Captain Edward J. Smith and Margaret "Molly" Brown. Due to this semi-documentary approach, ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ is regarded as the best film ever about the doomed White Star Liner RMS TITANIC the Olympic-class Ocean Liner.
The story unfolds, for the most part, through the eyes of Second Officer Lightoller [Kenneth More]. But with the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC and the brilliant Rank Organisation film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER,’ we get to see how the social hierarchy structure was catered for everyone on the ship, where every man, woman, and child on earth knows their place in society and the general layout of the ship and of course the social standing of all its various passengers; the rich folks housed above, the poor folks down below. But with the brilliant director Roy Ward Baker makes it clear, though, that the number of messages being sent to and from America by the wealthier passengers was partially responsible for the tragedy, since the wireless operator was too overwhelmed to keep relaying weather reports to the Captain on the bridge. Several performers have memorable moments as the films unfolds, although the sheer number of characters means that you never get particularly caught up in any one person's ordeal. Take note, however, of the sailor in the crow's nest who shouts out that an iceberg is approaching, who is the character actor Bernard Fox, probably best-known as Dr. Bombay on the TV series, ‘Bewitched.’
Producer William MacQuitty had always been interested in the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC tragedy, and with very good reason; as William MacQuitty saw the ship being launched on its one and only voyage, when he was six years old and William MacQuitty was, as you might expect, greatly impressed by the sight of the massive vessel, and was horrified to learn of its fate. By 1956, William MacQuitty had become a successful film producer. When Walter Lord's meticulously-researched novella about the disaster, the novel “A Night to Remember” hit the bestseller charts, and William MacQuitty decided to option it, and then started the process of putting such an awesome tragic story was transferred to the silver screen began.
William MacQuitty, Roy Ward Baker, and screenwriter Eric Ambler certainly had their work cut out for them, and of course without doubt passed with flying colours. The final script contained over 200 speaking parts, a number that would make even Robert Altman flinch. The budget was also remarkably small for such an epic narrative and especially at a mere $1,680,000, which probably wouldn't have covered the insulting James Cameron's film. Nevertheless, ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ and the production design are totally outstanding. But some critics muttered under their breath and quibbled that with some of the shots noted of course that obviously miniature ships were used, but that is a trivial minor concern given the cohesiveness of the rest of the stunning film.
For the film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ was of course shot in Black-and-White during the late 1950s, and I must admit that it looks very handsome and natural looking. Legendary cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth's photography was totally sharp and very elegant. Also the costume designs for the 1958 film’s setting were completely accurate, but they certainly did add to the film's late Edwardian atmosphere and especially the costumes for the first-class passengers. I do have to give great praise to the special effects team led by Bill Warrington and of course did a superb and stunning job in re-creating the ocean liner's fateful historic sinking. I am even more impressed that their work still manages to hold up after all these years since the film was originally released in 1958.
Although ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ did not receive any Academy Award® Oscar nominations, which I find very insulting, but at least it was unanimously praised by the critics. Pauline Kael wrote that it had “an undeniable power” and noted that it was “far more exciting than the usual screenwriter's contrivances. There are no big-star roles, but the Black-and-White film is full of small dramatic dramas.” Still at least the film also won the 1959 Golden Globes® Award for Best English-Language Foreign Film" and was nominated for a Golden Laurel Award for Best Cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth and deservedly so.
Just before the start of the film we get a very important message and also at the end of the film we get an even more important announcement and it reads as follows . . . The Producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Captain Grattidge, O.B.E. (1890 – 1979) Ex-Commodore of the Cunard Liner, Commander Joseph Groves Boxhall RD, RNR was the fourth officer on the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC, and of many survivors of White Star Liner RMS TITANIC, and of the many survivors of the disaster, who recalled their personal experiences in 1912. But this is not the end of the story ~ for their sacrifice was not in vain. Today there are lifeboats for all. Unceasing radio vigil and , in the North Atlantic, the International Ice Patrol guards the sea lanes, making them safe for people of the world.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER MUSIC TRACK LIST
OFF TO PHILADELPHIA (uncredited) (Traditional) [Played on the violin and sung by Titanic passengers]
BARBARY BELL (Traditional) (uncredited)
AN DER SCHÖEN BLAUEN DONAU WALTZ (The Blue Danube Waltz) Op. 314 (1867) (uncredited) (Composed by Johann Strauss) [Played on the Titanic as dance music]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – The Criterion Collection presents us with the most outstanding classic film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ with a very professional looking Blu-ray disc, with a superb and stunning black-and-white 1080p image, that is a vast improvement over the inferior DVD release, to now gives you something that is now enormously impressive, especially with the massive upgrade in quality visual splendour with this Blu-ray release and especially with the 1.66:1 aspect ratio. There are huge improvements in every single, especially with a lot of detail, clarity, contrast stability, black-and-white gradation. Furthermore, where the old inferior DVD release made the film look fuzzy, blocky and jittery, but with this Blu-ray release it adds greatly to the fluidity and depth that literally opens up the entire sequences and expose details that could have never been seen before. This new high-definition digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on an ARRI Laser Scanner from the original 35mm camera negative, which was restored by the Private Archive for ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter, and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS and Pixel Farm's PFClean, while Image System's DVNR was used for small dirt, grain, and noise reduction.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – The Criterion Collection has once again given us a very professional audio experience and generally speaking, but of course when the 1958 film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ and the technology we get today was not available at that time, so that is why we only get a 1.0 LPCM Mono Audio experience. But with the improvement in technology the dialogue is so much crisper, clearer, and better all rounded than it sounded on the audio track than it was on the inferior DVD release. It is totally free of any strong background hiss like you previously heard on the inferior DVD release, and obviously they have stabilised the strong background hiss and there are no high-frequencies distortions, and is very well stabilised, especially when hearing the wonderful and haunting William Alwyn's composed music film score, that is an added bonus for this film. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the 35mm optical soundtrack. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using the AudioCube's integrated workstation.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Audio Commentary features Don Lynch and Ken Marschall [1994] [1080p] [1.66:1] [123:25] This audio commentary, was recorded by The Criterion Collection in 1994, and features Don Lynch and Ken Marschall, who are author and illustrator, respectively of the “TITANIC: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY,” and I will only be doing certain highlights with this audio commentary that I feel is only relevant towards this 1958 film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.’ First to speak is Don Lynch who informs us that he is the co-authored of the 1992 book “TITANIC: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY,” and is also the Vice President of the TITANIC Historical Society and next to speak is Ken Marschall who was the other collaborator of their 1992 book and inform us that they are going to describe information about the film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ and describe what they are viewing of the film and at the start of the film and it is 31st May, 1911 in Belfast where the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC was built and the launch of the ocean liner, and they also inform us that the rare old historical footage we view of the launch is in fact the MS Queen Elizabeth Cruise ship that was constructed in 2009, and with another rare old historical footage we actually view the actual launch of the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC, in fact they did not have an official launch ceremony, but people who actually built the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC would just watch it glide into the water and you see them cheering as it went down the slip way. Again Don Lynch and Ken Marschall again mention another 1938 rare old historical footage we are viewing is actually of the MS Queen Elizabeth Cruise ship being launched at the John Brown and Company of Clydebank that was a Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm and Don Lynch and Ken Marschall again inform us that they had use the rare historical footage of the MS Queen Elizabeth Cruise ship being launched to give the film a good impression of what a proper official launch of the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC would of looked like and a good prologue to the film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.’ Both Don Lynch and Ken Marschall comment on the period costumes and are totally enamoured, and point out the accurate of the fashion in that period in 1912 and also on the other hand does not look like that period and looks like wonderful period photographs. When we see the scene down in the boiler room with all the workers, Don Lynch and Ken Marschall say that it was filmed in England at the Cricklewood Pumping Station that was built in 1905 to supply water to London's North West suburbs and was the last functioning set of reciprocating engines, also often known as a piston engine, in England. With Don Lynch and Ken Marschall give a sort of illustrated history lesson on the ill-fated White Star Liner RMS TITANIC. The audio commentary from Don Lynch and Rick Marschall offers some facts, figures, and anecdotes concerning the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC and its passengers and crew. Don Lynch and Rick Marschall zero in on issues of historical accuracy, gauging the pros and cons of the film’s set design and props. Don Lynch and Rick Marschall audio commentary give us the historical facts on the real ship the ill-fated White Star Liner RMS TITANIC. They testify that the film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ and its authenticity and research, marvelling at the accurate details and pointing out the infrequent inaccuracies and instances of creative license. But what I have already said, but overall I was very disappointed and annoyed with this audio commentary, because what made me very angry is I wish Don Lynch and Rick Marschall would not keep stating the obvious in what we are viewing with the film and at times I felt they should just shut up now and again, as they had verbal Diarrhoea and gives us a bit of peace in hearing their boring droning voices. Finally, all in all, I thought it was not a very professional audio commentary and of course it entirely up to those of thinking of buying this Blu-ray disc and whether you want to endure this matter of fact boring 123:25 audio commentary, because I felt it was a complete waste of time and in future they should never ever allow Don Lynch and Rick Marschall to never ever be allow them to do any future audio commentaries and the people at The Criterion Collection who asked these two stupid Americans to do this audio commentary must have been out of their tiny mind in allowing these two idiots Don Lynch and Rick Marschall to spout their ridiculous boring vacuous comments, because it was a total insult towards the BEST ever and THE ultimate TITANIC film ever.
Special Feature: The Making of ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ [1993] [480i] [1.37:1] [57:53] With this featurette, we get to view just under an hour-long 1993 documentary by Ray Johnson and features interviews with ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ producer William MacQuitty and Walter Lord, who is the author of the book “A Night To Remember” on which the film is based on, and we also get to view some rare archival film footage of the actual White Star Liner RMS TITANIC. We also get to view some rare behind-the-scenes film footage on the set of ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.’ Also a nice bonus is we get to glimpse of the original ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ sketches giving some suggestions of possible camera set-ups. It also consists, mostly allowing people associated with the film to talk about the process by which the film was made. The author of the book “A Night to Remember” talked at length, explaining the process he went through to write the book, talking with survivors in doing much of his research, giving background material as well as the process by which the film was made. There also is some footage of the original film being made. It's particularly interesting because so much attention was given to getting the details correct and both by the author and the filmmakers. It is all totally fascinating throughout. Near the end of this documentary, we get to view the original film trailer for ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.’ Contributors include: Roy Ward Baker (archive footage), Ray Johnson, Walter Lord, William MacQuitty, Kenneth More (archive footage), Laurence Naismith (archive footage), Edith Russell (archive footage), Geoffrey Unsworth (archive footage) and Alex Vetchinsky (archive footage).
Special Feature: Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E.: Survivor [1990] [1080i] [1.37:1] [23:15] With this featurette, we get to hear about Eva Miriam Hart MBE who was 7 years of age when she boarded the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC with her parents and Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E. survived with her mother. Here we get to hear some of her memories of that fateful trip. Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E. was born on January 31, 1905 in Ilford, London, England to Benjamin Hart and Esther Bloomfield. In early 1912, Benjamin Hart decided to take his family and immigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where Benjamin planned to open a drug store. Throughout the voyage Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E.'s mother Esther Bloomfield was troubled by a fear that some kind of catastrophe would hit the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC. To call a ship unsinkable was, in her mind, flying in the face of God. Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E. was sleeping when the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC struck the iceberg. Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E.’s father rushed into her cabin to alert his wife and daughter, and after wrapping Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E. in a blanket, carried her to the boat's deck. Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E.’s father placed his wife and daughter in Lifeboat No. 14 and told Eva to “hold mummy's hand and be a good girl.” It was the last time she would ever see her father. Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E.’s father Benjamin Hart perished and his body, if recovered, was never identified. Eva Miriam Hart MBE was one of the most outspoken survivors concerning the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC's lack of sufficient lifeboats and of any salvage attempts of the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC after its discovery in 1985. She commonly criticised the owners of the ship for failing to provide enough lifeboats for all aboard White Star Liner RMS TITANIC. "If a ship is torpedoed, that's war," she once said. "If it strikes a rock in a storm, that's nature. But just to die because there weren't enough lifeboats, that is ridiculous." When salvaging efforts began in 1987, Eva Miriam Hart MBE was quick to note that the Titanic was a grave site and should be treated as such. Eva Miriam Hart MBE often decried the "insensitivity and greed" and labelled the salvers "fortune hunters, vultures, pirates, and grave robbers." Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E. maintained very active interest in White Star Liner RMS TITANIC related activities well into her 80’s. In 1982, Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E. returned to the United States and joined several other survivors at a Titanic Historical Society convention commemorating the 70th anniversary of White Star Liner RMS TITANIC's sinking. Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E. died on February 14, 1996 at her home in Chadwell Heath in England at the age of 91. A Wetherspoon's Pub in Chadwell Heath is fittingly named “The Eva Hart.” This is a totally unique interview with the survivor Eva Miriam Hart, M.B.E. who is totally amazing and well worth viewing.
Special Feature: En Natt att Minnas [‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’] [1962] [480i] [1.37:1] [32:25] With this featurette, we get to view a Swedish documentary featuring interviews with the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC survivors and commemorates the 50th anniversary of the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC sinking and we get to view clips drawn from the British film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ and passages dramatically read from its basis. It also supplies interviews with three Swedish survivors of the tragedy, who have varying degrees of memories of the experience, before concluding with a song about the sinking. We get to view scenes from ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ and old newsreels of the original White Star Liner RMS TITANIC and both are totally atrocious quality. It is presented in Swedish with white English subtitles, while the film clips remain in English with very hard to read white Swedish subtitles.
Special Feature: The Iceberg That Sank The “RMS TITANIC” [2006] [1080p] [1.78:1] [48:41] With this featurette, we get to view the BBC Television “Natural World” amazing documentary that explores the origins of the infamous iceberg that sank the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC and the mysterious iceberg that caused the catastrophe. Where did this force of nature come from, and what was it doing in the shipping lanes that fateful night? Conceived 15,000 years before the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC, and its life story is every bit as fascinating. With the help of ice scientists, the origins of the infamous iceberg are revealed amid the stunning landscapes of the north and its creation in the heart of the Greenland ice sheet and 4,000-mile journey through Arctic seas towards a terrible date with destiny. This has got to be one of the best dramatic documentaries I have ever viewed of the most catastrophic and devastating ocean accident of the sinking of the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC. Narrated by Sean Barrett.
Theatrical Trailer [1958] [1080i] [1.66:1] [3:48] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.’ Where they inform us that this is “The fantastic story of the TITANIC based on the book by WALTER LORD.” “An Inspiring Story of MAGNIFICENT COURAGE.”
BONUS: Here included is an absolutely fantastic new illustrated Blu-ray cover design by Gregory Manchess. Gregory Manchess is an American illustrator from Kentucky, whose illustrations have appeared in magazines, digital murals, illustrated movie posters, advertising campaigns and book covers including sixty covers for Louis L’Amour.
PLUS: Here we have a beautiful printed designed 24-page printed booklet entitled A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: THE MIGHTY STORY OF THE TITANIC DISASTER and featuring a new essay by film critic Michael Sragow entitled NEARER, MY TITANIC TO THEE. We also get to see lots of rare black-and-white archival photographs and other items relating to the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC. Michael Sragow is a film critic and columnist who have written for The Orange County Register, The Baltimore Sun, The San Francisco Examiner, The New Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic and Salon.
Finally, with the 1958 film ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER,’ please totally forget the very insulting and squalid James Cameron's 1997 ghastly melodrama film, and even more so the equally ghastly looking 3D effects, which didn’t help to make a silk purse out of a sows ear for that particular James Cameron film, as well as hearing that ghastly Celine Dion song droning on and on, especially throughout the film and with the end credits, as well as seeing the ghastly actors being put through their ordeal by director James Cameron. Resist if you can, and I urge you to sing out loud instead with the title song of the singing group Shalamar's 1982 disco hit. For this ultimate classic 1958 Rank Organisation film account of the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC's encounter the iceberg is worthy of your serious consideration. A restrained, and nearly austere ensemble drama that manages to intertwine a dozen different stories without tripping up on any of them, and of course it relies on real-life survivor testimony for almost every line written down of the incident, to be immensely moving and totally dignified honour to this total disaster of humanity. Both heroism and cowardice were very much in evidence in the White Star Liner RMS TITANIC disaster; and such a crisis brought out both the best and the worst in human nature. James Cameron’s insulting film, alas, highlights the cowardice and downplays the heroism. It is to ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ credit that it gives us a classy professional depiction of how human beings reacted in 1912, especially faced life and death in this fabled tragedy. This ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ 1958 film is a dignified and very worthwhile take on the RMS TITANIC disaster, and should be really appreciated particularly by those who feel the other White Star Liner RMS TITANIC films cannot be compared to this ultimate and brilliant 1958 film, that stands head and shoulders above the other ghastly White Star Liner RMS TITANIC films, because if you want to witness the BEST film ever, then the ‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’ 1958 film via The Criterion Collection is definitely the one to add to your Blu-ray Collection. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
