Starring:	Kenneth More	118min
	David Mc Cullum
	Honor Blackman	1958
Screenplay:	Walter Lord	Historical
Director:	Robert Bolt	B/W

Region	2	Studio:	Carlton / Rank
Format	Double Sided, Single Layer	Subtitles
Aspect ratio	16:9
Anamorphic	Yes
Soundtracks	Dolby Digital 1.0	Extra Features	Documentary - The Making
			of A Night To Remember
Case type	Amaray		(colour, 61min)
			US & UK Theatrical Trailers
			Biographies

The DVD * * * *

The Movie * * * *

The DVD Just as it seemed strange when "old music" came out on CD, so black and white titles from the archives initially seem strange applications for technology on DVD. Okay, there are no 5 channel surround soundtracks with which to distract you, but DVD is simply now the best way to watch ANY film. And Carlton have done this Titanic classic proud with this, one of their first releases. The transfer is 16:9 anamorphic widescreen. This is a slightly odd decision, since the film appears to have been shot open matte - i.e. the top and bottom have been cropped compared to the VHS version. With a film this old, it's hard to ascertain how the film was originally viewed in the cinema, but the framing here does look rather cramped a few times. However, I'm extremely loathed to complain when something is in 16:9... TVI, the authoring house, have taken great care with the transfer, spending a good deal of time cleaning the print up. It is not a complete remaster mind, and there are some visual cracks and pops at the start and reel changes. But those moments aside, it looks just beautiful - one problem with the quality of DVD here is that some of the models now look more model-like! MPEG compression is not kind to old or grainy material (and especially to "gate weave", the gentle side to side rocking motion of the picture), and a close up inspection of the image reveals the struggles the coder put up with. That said, as usual, at anything approaching a respectable viewing distance, these artifacts simply disappear. The sound too is very 1958, as you'd expect, and the whole thing is held together with (a rather miserly) eleven chapters - although bizarrely, only nine are printed on the sleeve. But what makes this a great disc is the extras. Top of the list comes a one hour documentary, made in 1993. Largely comprised of interviews and almost unedited footage from the making of the film, with explanatory voice overs, it provides some fascinating glimpses into the world of pre-Cameron ship building. Unfortunately, the whole programme is rather crudely put together (it smacks of a local corporate video), but it won't matter to lovers of the film. Other goodies include original UK and US theatrical trailers - quite an eye opener - and biographies of Kenneth More and Honor Blackman. Although no one element excels, this is an overall excellent package that will delight the Brit-flick's many admirers, and satisfy Titanicmaniacs - at least until that other one sails along.