MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY [1962 / 2011] [Exclusive Limited Premium Collector's Extended Edition] [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Download] [UK Release] The Mightiest Sea-Spectacular That Ever Swept Across The Screen!
It is 1787and the HMS Bounty sets out on a journey through perilous seas to a tropical paradise... and into history as the one of the most ill-fated vessels in naval lore. Lewis Milestone (‘All Quiet on the Western Front’) directs this colour-drenched spectacular nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Picture.
Filmed before in 1935 and again in 1984’s The Bounty, the gripping tale, based on a true story, and centres on two men. Marlon Brando puts his own stamp on the role of 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian, the tormented first mate transformed into a man of action. Trevor Howard is Captain William Bligh, uncompromising in his command and his cruelty. “Fear is [my] best weapon,” Captain William Bligh proclaims. But it’s also the most costly, driving men to desperation....and to mutiny. Richard Harris, Hugh Griffith and Richard Haydn also star in this epic adventure.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1963 Academy Awards®: Nominated: Best Picture for Aaron Rosenberg. Nominated: Best Cinematography in Color for Robert Surtees. Nominated: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration in Color for George W. Davis, Henry Grace, Hugh Hunt and J. McMillan Johnson. Nominated: Best Film Editing for John McSweeney Jr. Nominated: Best Effects and Special Effects for A. Arnold Gillespie (visual) and Milo B. Lory (audible). Nominated: Best Music and Original Song for Bronislau Kaper (music) and Paul Francis Webster (lyrics) for the song "Love Song from Mutiny on the Bounty (Follow Me)." Nominated: Best Music Film Score and Substantially Original for Bronislau Kaper. 1963 Golden Globes: Nominated: Best Motion Picture in a Drama. Nominated: Best Supporting Actress for Tarita Teriipaia. Nominated: Best Original Score for Bronislau Kaper. 1963 Directors Guild of America: Nominated: DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for Lewis Milestone. 1963 Laurel Awards: Win: Golden Laurel Award for Top Song for Bronislau Kaper and Paul Francis Webster for the song "Love Song." Nominated: Golden Laurel Award for Top Drama [4th place]. 1963 Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA: Win: Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing for a Feature Film.
FILM FACT No.2: ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ was filmed in the Ultra Panavision 70 widescreen process, the first motion picture so credited. It was partly shot on location in the South Pacific. Behind the scenes, Marlon Brando effectively took over directing duties himself and caused it to become far behind schedule and over budget, resulting in director Carol Reed pulling out of the project and being replaced by Lewis Milestone who is credited as director of the picture. A replica of the HMS Bounty ship was constructed for the film in Nova Scotia and was to be sailed to Tahiti. Fifty years after the release of the film, the vessel sank in Hurricane Sandy with loss of life. Following the success of 1935's ‘Mutiny on the Bounty,’ director Frank Lloyd announced plans in 1940 to make a sequel which focused on Captain Bligh in later life, to star Spencer Tracy or Charles Laughton. No film resulted. In 1945 Casey Wilson wrote a script for “Christian of the Bounty,” which was to star Clark Gable as Fletcher Christian and focus on Christian's life on Pitcairn Island. This was never filmed.
Cast: Marlon Brando, Trevor Howard, Richard Harris, Hugh Griffith, Richard Haydn, Tarita Teriipia, Percy Herbert, Duncan Lamont, Gordon Jackson, Chips Rafferty, Noel Purcell, Ashley Cowan, Eddie Byrne, Frank Silvera, Tim Seely, Keith McConnell, Rahera Tuia, Ruita Salmon, Nathalie Tehahe, Tematai Tevaearai, Odile Hinano Paofai, Teretiaiti Teyahineheipua Maifano, Virau Tepii, Maeva Maitihe, Louise Tefaafana, Tinorua Vaitahe, Adrien Vaatete Mahitete, Tufariu Tumatana Haamoeura, Lee Anna (uncredited), Antoinette Bower (uncredited), Alan Callow (uncredited), Henry Daniell (uncredited), Michael Dugan (uncredited), Larry Duran (uncredited), Gilchrist Stuart (uncredited), Matahiarii Tama (uncredited), Torin Thatcher (uncredited), Les Tremayne (Trailer Narrator voice) (uncredited), Roger Ward (uncredited), Gordon Thomas Wise (uncredited) and Ben Wright (uncredited)
Directors: Lewis Milestone and Carol Reed (some scenes) (uncredited)
Producer: Aaron Rosenberg (uncredited)
Screenplay: Charles Lederer (screenplay), Charles Nordhoff (novel), James Norman Hall (novel), Billy Wilder (storyline consultant) (uncredited), Ben Hecht (uncredited), Borden Chase (uncredited), Eric Ambler (uncredited), John Gay (uncredited) and William L. Driscoll (uncredited)
Composer: Bronislau Kaper
Cinematography: Robert L. Surtees, A.S.C. (Director of Photography) and Harold E. Wellman, A.S.C. (Additional Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 2.76:1 (Ultra Panavision 70)
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
French: 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio
German: 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, German SDH, Português [Brazilian], Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish [Latin], Norwegian and Swedish
Running Time: 185 minutes
Region: Blu-ray: All Regions + DVD: PAL
Number of discs: 3
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / Warner Home Video
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 1962 epic ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY,’ is better known for Marlon Brando's excesses, than the merits of the film itself, meaning the actor's then-unheard of salary of more than a million dollars, his relentless overeating as it wreaked havoc on his wardrobe, endless cost overruns, and an interminable shooting schedule. ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ also struggled with the spectre of the widely-loved adaptation that had starred Clark Gable just a few decades prior. Regardless of what may have happened behind the scenes when its unwieldy Ultra Panavision 70 cameras stopped rolling, ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ is a reasonably enjoyable film, one that would've been worth discovering on Blu-ray.
This incarnation version of ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ takes a fair number of liberties with the story, but the core of its premise remains intact. Set at the twilight of the 18th century, the H.M.S. Bounty is dispatched to Tahiti in an attempt to cultivate the island's native breadfruit as a food source for Jamaican slaves. Smirking 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian immediately grates on the nerves of Captain William Bligh, a seasoned officer who wildly overcompensates as he takes command of a ship for the first time. Captain William Bligh is so eager to impress his superiors that he obsesses over every inch of forward momentum, and when the ship fails to approach the sort of progress he anticipated, and Captain William Bligh risks the lives of his crew by taking a legendarily treacherous detour. Captain William Bligh's gambit proves to be a miserable failure, and as Captain William Bligh reverts to his previous course, the time lost only adds to his cruelty. An accusation of theft by a crewman deserved or not, is answered with two dozen lashes. Punishments for more serious offenses, however ultimately inconsequential, cost his victims their lives.
The H.M.S. Bounty ship eventually does arrive in Tahiti, though their late arrival comes at a poor time for the breadfruit, and they're forced to stay on the island until the plants are once again able to make the journey to Jamaica. During those idyllic months, 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian falls for a Polynesian princess and the rest of the crew, save the morally indignant Captain William Bligh, eagerly indulge in the natives' passion for free love. Captain William Bligh seems to be the only man among them eager to leave. In an attempt to make up for those many months of delays, Captain William Bligh has twice the necessary number of breadfruit specimen loaded on-board, and even on a ship as sprawling as the H.M.S. Bounty ship, too much of one thing means a lack of another. These thousand plants demand more water than the ship has to offer, and deciding that the needs of the breadfruit outweigh those of his men; Captain William Bligh institutes an absurdly cruel method of rationing fresh water to the crew. Take a second glance at the film's title if you can't guess the turn the plot takes from there.
Much of the success of ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ can be attributed, naturally, to Marlon Brando; his 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian is not exactly the dashing officer that Clark Gable portrayed his character; as Captain William Bligh, played by Charles Laughton, snidely describes him, and 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian is a bit of a fop and Marlon Brando's portrayal of a preening aristocrat runs deeper than his manner may suggest on the surface. There's a persistent sense that 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian's behaviour is merely an affectation; that he dons silk nightcaps and slyly provokes Captain William Bligh simply because he knows he can get away with it. 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian grudgingly supports Captain William Bligh for much of the film, making his discontent known but ultimately obeys orders as an officer in His Majesty's Navy should, and the First Mate snaps at the crew whenever they dare speak ill of Captain William Bligh. It's a rank that demands respect, and a ship without order cannot hope to function. Captain William Bligh's cruelty takes a toll on 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian, but the pensive First Mate internalizes much of his frustration. The inevitable mutiny isn't portrayed as an act of heroism, and 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian seizes command as a man defeated, in stark contrast to the crew's elation at Captain William Bligh's ousting and is undoubtedly the villain of the piece, but ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ takes care to ensure that the H.M.S. Bounty ship isn't manned by a crew of haloed martyrs. The most compelling villains are typically those with the moral certainty that their deplorable actions are wholly justified, and cruel though Captain William Bligh's decisions so often are, he's never portrayed as anything less than human. I was still able to understand why he reacted as he did, and I'm left with the sense that Marlon Brando's 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian felt much the same way.
The film's dialogue is consistently sharp throughout. It deftly blends in just the right amount of humour, such as 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian's feigned ignorance as the stodgy captain implores him to sleep with the Tahitian king's daughter. Most memorable are the incisive exchanges between Captain William Bligh and the mutinous 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian. One standout moment comes during the Captain William Bligh's final moments on the ship as 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian returns to him his preferred means of exacting punishment, a whip. "Take your flag with you." "I don't need a flag, Mr. Fletcher Christian," Captain William Bligh replies. "Unlike you, I still have a country." ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ benefits as much from its epic scope as it does from Charles Lederer's screenplay. The HMS Bounty ship isn't merely ornate set dressing but a character in her own right, and the hand-crafted, elaborate full-scale replica was built so fully seaworthy that it made the long voyage to the South Pacific for filming on her own power. That sense of authenticity carries over to the sequences in Tahiti, boasting an exotic beauty that a more convenient stand-in couldn't hope to replicate. For a three hour film, the pacing is surprisingly nimble, and there wasn't a moment throughout where I felt the least bit bored. Though this adaptation of ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ doesn't possess nearly the same power and resonance of the 1935 film, I greatly enjoyed the film when I first encountered it, and that high opinion hasn't dimmed ever since.
The onslaught of bad press did nothing to help the success of ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ once it finally opened in the fall of 1962 to mostly negative reviews. Marlon Brando's career took a blow as his reputation as a troublemaker was sealed, even if many still considered him the world's greatest living actor. Marlon Brando's personal life also changed because of the film ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY,’ where he fell in love with the beauty of Tahiti and subsequently purchased a series of islands where he made his home for many years. He also fell in love with his stunning co-star Tarita Teriipia who plays his island girlfriend Maimiti. The two embarked on a long-term relationship that produced two children, one a son Tehotu and a daughter Cheyenne. Interestingly, the H.M.S. Bounty ship replica used in the film was purchased in 1986 by Ted Turner when he acquired the M-G-M film library, he later donated it to the Fall River Chamber Foundation, which established the Tall Ship Bounty Foundation. In February of 2001 it was acquired by the Tall Ship Bounty Organization LLC in New England, which continues to use the H.M.S. Bounty ship to teach and preserve the maritime skills once used on the great ships of its day.
BONUS: We get the original cinema opening OVERTURE by the brilliant film composer Bronislau Kaper [4:36]. As well as the music by the brilliant film composer Bronislau Kaper for the OVERTURE / ENTR’ACTE [5:09].
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY TRACK LIST
FOLLOW ME (Words by Paul Francis Webster) (Music by Bronislau Kaper) [Performed by Chorus]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – This presentation of the 1962 ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ film is sourced from a 35mm reduction rather than the original 65mm elements. That alone would be a crushing disappointment, but even by those lowered standards, ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ slightly falls short. Warner Bros. has ravaged everything the least bit filmic that may have otherwise been visible on this Blu-ray disc, and the result is so heavily filtered and processed that ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ looks as if it could've been shot on the video format. Every trace of film grain has been smeared away, and most of the fine detail has been wiped away along with it. Despite the staggering resolution that the original 65mm elements have to offer, ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ pales in comparison to most of the classic films that have been issued on Blu-ray. Honestly, this excessively soft and heavily filtered presentation can't even hold a candle to the black and white adaptation of ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ from 1935. The ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ has colours that are generally robust, particularly the blues of the sky and sea as well as the lush, tropical hues as the HMS Bounty drops anchor at Tahiti. There are a fair number of moments when I felt as if its palette should be more vibrant still, again not quite managing to impress as other large format releases have on Blu-ray, but I can't say you will not be disappointed. This re-master of ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ is also entirely free of any wear or damage whatsoever, and the compression doesn't buckle under the weight of the film's three hour-plus runtime.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – The release of ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ boasts a six-channel, 24-bit 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack experience and by and large, it sounds terrific. Bronislau Kaper's OSCAR® nominated film music score roars from every speaker, sounding impressively rich and full-bodied. I'm sure it goes without saying that the lower frequencies aren't as tight and focused as a more recent production would likely be, but the subwoofer certainly makes its presence known. The surround channels are also filled with the sounds of crashing waves, creaking planks of wood, and chanting islanders. Admittedly, the film's dialogue shows some strain, and a mild hiss rears its head at times, but such concerns are easily dismissed. ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY’ can boast a terrific soundtrack on this Blu-ray.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: After The Cameras Stopped Rolling: The Journey of the Bounty [2006] [1080p] [1.37:1 / 2.76:1] [24:00] This Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. documentary opens with an explanation of why the H.M.S. Bounty ship was so meticulously built by hand crafted men to be fully sea-worthy and how it served as a floating film studio during production. We get in-depth interviews with some of the original seamen who sailed the replica to the Tahiti location used in the epic film, plus the vessel's current captain and crew. The H.M.S. Bounty's current owner and crew go on to explain the once-dismal state of the ship, which was initially slated to be torched until Marlon Brando intervened. Contributors include: Alan Altass [Marine Manager of Scotia Trawler], Paul Garnett [Shipwright], Charlie Hebt [Sailmaker], Robert Hansen [Bounty’s Owner], Robin Walbridge [Bounty’s Captain], Arnold Tinter [Able Bodied Seaman] and Joe Jackimovicz [Manager of Current Restoration].
Special Feature: The Story of H.M.S. Bounty [1962] [480i] [1.37:1] [28:38] This is the actual full length Black-and-White vintage documentary that featured clips that you viewed in the previous special feature entitled " After The Cameras Stopped Rolling: The Journey of the Bounty." It focuses primarily on the craftsmanship of the H.M.S. Bounty ship, although it also devotes a good bit of time to the voyage to Tahiti and the nature of the shoot. The H.M.S. Bounty ship was originally known as Collier Bethia, built in 1784 at the Blaydes shipyard in Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, England. The vessel was purchased by the Royal Navy for £1,950 on 23rd May, 1787, refited, and renamed the H.M.S. Bounty. The ship was relatively small at 215 tons, but had three masts and was full-rigged. After conversion for the breadfruit expedition, she was equipped with four 4-pounder (1.8 kg) cannons and ten swivel guns.
Special Feature: The Bounty’s Voyage to St. Petersburg [1962] [480i] [1.37:1] [24:58] The title tells you most everything you'd likely want to know, as this vintage documentary documents the H.M.S. Bounty's journey as she makes her way down the Eastern seaboard in St. Petersburg, Florida. The H.M.S. Bounty ship was commissioned by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio for the 1962 film ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY.’ The H.M.S. Bounty ship was the first large vessel built from scratch for the film by using historical sources. Previous film vessels were fanciful conversions of existing vessels. The H.M.S. Bounty ship was built to the original ship's drawings from files in the British Admiralty archives, and in the traditional manner by more than 200 workers over an 8-month period at the Smith & Rhuland Ship builder and was a shipyard located in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. To assist film-making and carry production staff, her waterline length was increased from the original 86 feet to 120 feet (26.2 m to 36.6 m) and the beam was also increased. The rigging was scaled up to match. While built for film use, the H.M.S. Bounty ship was fully equipped for sailing because of the requirement to move the ship a great distance to the filming location.
Special Feature: The Bounty: Star Attraction at the New York World's Fair [1964] [1080p] [1.37:1] [6:39] This colourful promotional film takes a look at the H.M.S. Bounty's appearance at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The famous British armed merchant-man, as re-created in meticulous detail for the 1962 film, ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY,’ was displayed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer at the Marina in Flushing Bay. The replica H.M.S. Bounty ship was built in Nova Scotia, to the plans of the actual 18th Century vessel. The replica H.M.S. Bounty ship is shown much as the original looked when first mate Fletcher Christian seized control of the ship from Captain William Bligh in 1789. She has three masts, 14 horizontal yards and more than 10 miles of rigging. The replica H.M.S. Bounty ship’s cannon are in place, her cabins completely furnished, her hold packed with hogsheads. The ship has travelled more than 40,000 miles under sail. Uniformed attendants were there to answer questions for the general public.
Special Feature: H.M.S. Bounty Sails Again! Millions Cheer Famous Ship On Exciting Voyage [1962] [480i] [1.37:1] [8:05] This is the last of the four vintage Black-and-White documentaries and documents the grand voyage the ship undertook to Vancouver, B.C., Victoria, B.C., Seattle, and San Francisco. The crew was met by hundreds of thousands onlookers interested in seeing the whole of famous H.M.S. Bounty ship.
Special Feature: Alternate Prologue Sequence Not Seen Theatrical [1962] [1080p] [2.76:1] [4:11] This Prologue was originally intended to open the film ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY,’ but was deleted from the final release prints before the film’s Roadshow Premiere engagements in 1962. Luckily, it was restored for its initial first ABC television premiere in 1967. This clip is presented in the full 1080p image like the rest of the film. This was a very interesting clip, as it displays a scene that takes place far beyond the ending of the film, where we get to actually see the bookending framing story with botanist William Brown that was excised from the film before its theatrical release, and although it was reinstated for a single airing on ABC Television in America, this footage had for the better part of four decades gone unseen.
Special Feature: Alternate Epilogue Sequence Not Seen Theatrical [1962] [1080p] [2.76:1] [3:23] This Epilogue was originally intended to close the film ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY,’ but was deleted from the final release prints before the film’s Roadshow Premiere engagements in 1962. This clip is presented in the full 1080p image like the rest of the film. In this clip, viewers get to see the continuation of the Prologue again with botanist William Brown not being taken back to the United Kingdom to stand trial, but to stay with his people on the Pitcairn Island. Again, this was excised from the film before its theatrical release, and although it was reinstated for a single airing on ABC Television in America, this footage had for the better part of four decades gone unseen.
Theatrical Trailer [1962] [1080p] [2.76:1] [4:29] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY.’
BONUS: HMV Premium Collector's Edition, presents us with a wonderful 30-page booklet that contains in-depth information about the H.M.S. Bounty ship. There are articles entitled TRAGIC ODYSSEY OF The Bounty. Other articles include MARLON BRANDO [1924 – 2004] in the role of Lieutenant FLETCHER. TREVOR HOWARD [1916 – 1988] in the role of Captain BLIGH. RICHARD HARRIS [1930 – 2002] in the role of John MILLS. LEWIS MILESTONE [1895 – 1980]. THE SCREENWRITER. SHOOTING MISADVENTURES. We also get a plethora of wonderful rare colour and black-and-white publicity photos from the film. Two wonderful black ink drawings of Marlon Brando and the Cast and Crew by the artist Gordon Currie, who is an Australian columnist/artist who migrated to the USA in 1950 and worked as a reporter in television, radio and newspapers until the mid-2000s, notably for the Los Angeles Mirror, the Motion Picture Herald, the Hollywood Reporter, the Melbourne Age, the Sydney Morning Herald, among others.
Finally, Warner Home Video delivers a really respectable presentation of the film ‘MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY and a dramatization that takes some liberties with history but that proves to be a solid piece of entertainment. The special features package is mildly disappointing for its over-emphasis on the HMS Bounty prop replica; details about the actual production would have made for a much more interesting set of special features, and a stronger overall Blu-ray release. For those who owned the 2006 inferior DVD, this Blu-ray should prove to be a totally compelling upgrade. That is why I am so proud to add this classic film to my Blu-ray Collection, as it is an awesome epic film and will give you endless hours of viewing pleasure. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
