Brief Encounter Studio:
Carlton / Rank
Starring:
Celia Johnson
Trevor Howard
Stanley Holloway		 Director:
David Lean		 Regional code:
2		 Disc Format:
Single Sided, Single Layer
Screenplay:
Noel Coward		 Aspect Ratio:
4:3		 Anamorphic:
No
Year:
1945		 Sound:
Dolby Digital 1.0 (L,C,R)		 Subtitles:
None
Genre:
Romance
Extra disc featues:
Biographies		 Length:
83mins
   

Review of the DVD - rating: * *

Review of the film - rating: * * * *
This is a bit of a wasted opportunity. The aspect ratio is fine (the film was shot in roughly 4:3), but the print isn't in too good shape - loads of lines, scratches and wavering dark frames. The sound too is scratchy, with the mono mix is here spread across all three front speakers. The whole thing could do with a full restoration job.

The promised "in depth" biographies are a bit of an oversell, featuring the two leads, Coward and Lean. However, they are well written and informative, and are certainly welcome additions. The design for the menu screens is stylishly minimalist, and they help give the disc a bit of atmosphere. There are are only 7 chapter stops though - a bit skimpy.

Both of Carlton's other two releases from their first wave of titles have significant extras - at £19.99 it's a shame they couldn't do the same for this. Nice film though.

 It's strange thinking of Brief Encounter as a David Lean movie - the old chap is more commonly associated with huge sprawling epics like Dr Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia. This by contrast is a - ha - brief, intimate tale of 40's love set largely in the tea room of an English suburban train station.

As Johnson and Howard mournfully sip their Typhoo, a loud gossipy acquaintance bursts in talking nine to the dozen - Howard introduces himself as a casual GP friend, off next week to Africa. His train arrives, and the two say a quick goodbye - he squeezes her shoulder as he goes.

And from that, we travel back in time four weeks to find out how they got there. Both ostensibly happily married, they met by chance while waiting for their respective trains - Johnson makes this her weekly day out to shop and go to the pictures. Over only two or three meetings, the couple fall deeply in love, knowing all the while there is no possible future for them.

This one is on best film ever lists everywhere across the world - a rare four out of four even from grumpy old Halliwell. Yet to a modern eye its flaws are all too readily apparent, especially in the sometimes almost comically melodramatic performances from the leads. Coward's Oscar nominated script is also none to subtle on more than one occasion.

All that said, the story remains touching and innocent, deeply evocative of an era and characters long gone - it's a fascinating insight in how middle England used to live. It's hard to imagine how such a tale could be retold at the end of the 20th century - the relationship never gets more physical than passionate stolen kisses. Yet the torture and deception that the two go through tell more of human nature than a dozen This Year's Loves.

The storytelling is pacy, which undoubtedly helps too. Although it's hard to justify this as a flawless classic against modern day standards, it has something unique and special to offer a new audience. And despite all the ham, don't be surprised id you don't get a lump in the throat before the end...