The Guns of Navarone [4K UHD] [Blu-ray]

I’ve owned this movie in every format imaginable. The 4k version offers a noticeable improvement over the 1080p BluRay, with more-realistic blacks (important in a movie with so many night shots) and superb overall picture quality.It’s a bonus to have included both the standard BluRay and the 4k digital code with this version.Highly recommended.

I first saw this movie in the early ‘60’s, shortly after its release. It was still a time during which the Second World War was depicted as the “good war,” one that we had won, outright, in a just cause. There was still the “warm afterglow,” if you will. I decided to watch it again, as part of my overall retrospective of the films of my youth. How had my outlook as well as society changed over half a century?The movie is based on a 1957 novel by Alistair MacLean. He had served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. After discharge in 1946, he would hold some menial jobs. Eventually he became a writer of “thriller-type” novels, often about war. “The Guns of Navarone,” with sales of 400,000 copies, launched him into the big leagues. He would write more than thirty books, with overall sales of 150 million copies. Thus, he had a true knack for writing an entertaining book which would present a worldview that his many readers were comfortable with.“The Guns of Navarone” concerns an island that does not exist and a battle that did not occur. It was (VERY) loosely based on the 1943 Battle for Leros, which the British lost. MacLean turned defeat into victory. In MacLean’s version, a small group of fighters manage to kill hundreds of Germans, and blow up two long-range German guns that were capable of sinking British destroyers which were sent out on a mission to evacuate 2000 British soldiers from the island of Keros.I’ll always associate Gregory Peck with his outstanding role as the good lawyer in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In the “Guns of Navarone” he plays the role of “Superman,” of sorts. He is the most famous mountaineer in the world, speaks German “like a German,” speaks Greek “like a Greek,” climbs sheer cliffs in a rainstorm, and of course kills as required. He is also an American who plays the role of a British officer. In addition, the movie stars David Niven, who, as a corporal, talks back quite a bit, Anthony Quinn, a native of Crete with a grudge, and Irene Papas, of the Greek resistance, who would go on to play a memorable role in Costa-Gavras’ movie “Z,” a decade later. Since all these actors are too old for the roles that they played, a segment of the British press dubbed the movie: “Elderly Gang goes off to War.”Multiple times, in a real war, this elderly gang would have been completely wiped out, commencing with the encounter with a German patrol boat, whose entire crew they manage to kill, while also blowing up their boat that is two feet away from their own decrepit fishing boat. Suspending a lot of disbelief, at multiple turns, there is a fast-paced “thriller” aspect to the movie. A few serious ideas surface in the interludes, for example the subject line. Why can’t we channel the same energy and dedication used to blowing up two guns to the perennial problems of peacetime? The issue of being an officer and accepting responsibility vis-à-vis a corporal is also a worthwhile topic. And who is the traitor amongst us, and why?There is a rich “trivia” section on the filming of this movie, which won a number of awards, especially for special effects, impressive for the era. Overall, suspending a LOT of disbelief, I’ll give the movie 3-stars.

Great older movie. Very fast moving with a handful of special operations soldiers and two local women required to complete an absolutely impossible mission in a ridiculously short time. Corporal Miller, played by David Niven, puts forward a rather silly philosophy of life that is hard to take seriously as a challenge to Captain Malloy's leadership, but he is deeply sorry and becomes a model solder in the end. Basically, the viewer has very little time to think about the unlikely plot twists since the movie is so action packed. And its really fun!Also, here’s a picture of an 8 inch field artillery piece that went into service with the United States Army in 1944. The size of the Navarone guns was not mentioned in the movie, but in the book an allied intelligence officer estimated they were probably an 8 or 9 inch system. Later, Captain Mallory discovers they are even larger than that, perhaps even 12 inch guns. This designation refers to the diameter of the shell that they fired. The US system pictured here has a maximum range of over 10 miles.

This is such a great movie -- there is another with a similar name, this is the better of the two films. An all star cast with amazing actors!! Even the foreign actors that were in the village scenes did a wonderful job!!A war classic about them climbing a cliff and taking out some big guns covering a harbor -- a lot of walking cross country -- have no idea why they had to walk so far!! But the enemy is on their heels the entire way to the target!! Someone is sabotaging them -- who is it? which person on the team?? (I'm not spoiling the surprise!!)Beautiful scenery and well done music score -- of course you'll see the guns blown up!!I love David Niven and Anthony Quinn -- good solo by young singer in this too -- handsome actor in supporting role. Quite a good cast.Quality will be a classic film. Epic Story.

If you're reading this, I'm sure you don't need a movie review. With that said:The 4K transfer is truly outstanding, it possibly looks better than it did when it played in the cinema. Impeccable color correction and great sharpening of textures while still keeping the filmic feel. There's even a YouTube Blu Ray to 4k comparison if you need proof before you buy.What I didn't expect was the Dolby Atmos mix this movie received. I now use this movie to showcase Dolby Atmos audio, simply exquisite.I hope when you purchase this movie, you did it soon enough for it to come with the lovely slipcase that harkens back to its possible original movie poster. Even if not, the treatment this movie received on an audio and visual level is greatly appreciated.

The film is still being bought and reviewed for the last 60 years by an audience that increases every year, and is available in numerous formats and editions such is its appeal. This review is based on the 2 disc Special Edition which has the remastered film on disc 1, superb picture that was technically so difficult to update but has been completed beautifully with a very good sound track.I'm minded to say that Columbia have, with foresight, preserved the master of the film for future issue in whatever new system that will be invented that will replace the present DVD / BluRay that we buy and play.For pure action the film ranks alongside 'Where Eagles Dare' and 'The Wild Geese' which are the perfect examples of war films that are unashamedly 'war films' --- nothing PC here, the Germans are the bad guys even resorting to torture and there isn't a 'good German' in sight to balance racial profiles (did I really say that?). And the most offensive word used in the film is 'bloody', though that was dubbed by Richard Harris to 'ruddy' for showing in some areas of the country ---- PC has always been with us !The plot is simple : a group of the 'good guys & gals' (Brits, Yanks, Greeks) assemble to knock out some impregnable heavy guns that threaten British troops being evacuated by ship which are within range of the formidable guns. The Germans begin tracking the commando group, because there is a traitor leaking information, and the action is pacey and hot all the way.Iconic performances from Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, with equally memorable but lesser roles from the great Stanley Baker, Irene Papas, Gia Scala and James Darren. The whole ensemble always stick in my mind along with the unforgettable plot and chain of events with each actor specific to every scene --- it's one of those films that leaps out of your memory once you start watching.The beauty of the film is complimented by one of the greatest and moving scores to a film, that composed by Dimitri Tiomkin. Stirring and soothing in turn and as unforgettable as the music from 'The Magnificent Seven'. 'The Big Country', '633 Squadron' to name a few that come to mind.This Special Edition is available in almost every country in the world in the native language of that country with exactly the same contents. Except this version has English subtitles and language, 2 hours & 30 minutes duration.There are more extras on disc 2 than extras that come with a Datsun. Enjoy the film for what it is, unashamedly entertaining.

I was surprised by 263 "reviews" but soon realised Amazon have put all releases, video/DVD/BluRay together, not helping choices. I was also surprised at how few reviews made any mention of the quality. Not everyone needs to of course, but I do find "great/wonderful/bought for my granny" less than helpful. So...This review is for the 2-Disc Special DVD. 2.35 ratio (black bars top and bottom) good, if not quite perfect, transfer, good colour and sound.,plus optional English Subtitles. That's Disc One. Disc 2 has a lot of extras, the music/behind the scenes,/ commentaries etc. But I am not an "extras" person and full details are here on the Amazon website. The film is a roistering "Boy's Own Paper" adventure with, for the time, excellent SFX (tho perhaps viewed today, not so good, but I thought they were splendid), a good script/plot and a strong cast. It is perhaps a bit too long (2 1/2 hours), but it moves along at a fair old pace directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is, I think, still a classic and a must for the star's fans and lovers of good adventure stories.

2000 allied troops on the fictional island of Kheros in the Aegean Sea will die unless the guns on nearby Navarone can be silenced when six cruisers enter the channel to attempt a rescue in one week's time. But these long-range radar-controlled behemoths (capable of sinking any ship) are atop a 400-foot-high rock precipice that cannot be climbed by man nor beast (so the Germans don't defend the cliff side). After aerial bombing proves unsuccessful/impossible (Richard Harris in his famous 'bloody' or 'ruddy' speech - depending on which version you watch) - as a last ditch attempt a small attack team is organized by British Intelligence head-honcho Jensen (the wonderful James Robertson Justice). Sent in against hopeless odds to do the impossible - Jensen hopes the Gods will favour their mission - they'll strike lucky and sabotage the invincible canons (dialogue above).This band of pirates and cutthroats consists of Keith Mallory (Gregory Peck), an American Officer with climbing experience known as The Human Fly, Colonel Andrea - a veteran and cunning leader of the Greek resistance (Anthony Quinn) with a bad-blood history between him and Mallory, an English munitions genius Captain Miller (David Niven), Mallory's pal British Officer Franklin (Anthony Quail) and cold-blooded knife and gun-killers Pappadimos and Brown (James Darren and Stanley Baker).Soon they're all on a battered tug dressed as humble fishermen heading towards the island in daylight to climb the cliffs under cover of darkness. But a German patrol boat pulls up alongside and the motley crew make mincemeat of them. Once on the island of Navarone - they meet up with two resistance fighters - the older Maria and the mute Anna (tortured so badly by the Nazis she can't speak and bears the lashes on her back to prove it). But right from the get-go - things start to go ominously wrong. Officer Franklin breaks his leg on the wet slopes of the climb and will need medical attention (but may tell the Germans what they want to know even if he can't help himself). And someone appears to be giving away their position no matter where they hide or evade trucks of troops looking for them...The BLU RAY picture Aspect Ratio is defaulted to 1.85:1 so the frame fills the entire screen. But right from the opening - the picture quality is a very mixed bag indeed. Although this is the 'restored' version - the quality fluctuates wildly - so while the film is five stars - the picture quality is somewhere between 3 and 5. The spoken Prologue on Greece looks rubbish - but when the actual credits roll - the frames are immaculate. But then as Peck steps out of a jeep in the darkness to meet Jensen to be debriefed - the grain kicks in. On the boat there - it looks fabulous. During the wedding sequence on the island the picture is gorgeous. But in between those moments is the opposite - awful swarms of fuzzy grain - when they first arrive at the Greek island - during the storm sequence when the boat breaks up. And a lot of the post-production special effects explosions look decidedly hammy and amateur - exposed by the extra definition. In short - don't expect miracles from the print on this one - just enjoy the daring do - and a group of actors who somehow embodied the very spirit of greatness that brought us through the war and into freedom.The Extras (exclusive to BLU RAY) are comprehensive and pleasing - featuring interviews with Director Carl Foreman and all the principal actors describing their time on the islands - 3 Documentaries and 8 Featurettes. And the card wrap slipcase on the outside of these 'Collectors Series' issues gives them a very classy feel and look.Audio is English 5.1 (Original Language) DTS-HD Ma, German 5.1, Italian 5.1, Japanese 5.1 and Spanish 5.1. Subtitles are Danish, English, English For The Hard Of Hearing, Finnish, German, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish"The Guns Of Navarone" has endured for more than fifty years and like "The Great Escape", "The Battle Of Britain" and "The Bridge On The River Kwai" holds a special place in our hearts still.In the prologue Jensen says, "Its heroes are not demigods...but ordinary men..."Perhaps that's why we adore it so...PS: Although it doesn't say so on anywhere on the outer artwork - this `UK' BLU RAY release is part of the "Sony Collectors Series". Here are the other titles - all of which are numbered on the spine - and come in generic `slipcases' with a blue band on top and a gold stripe set against a white card sleeve:1. Taxi Driver (35th Anniversary Edition) (1976)2. The Bridge On The River Kwai (Collectors Edition) (1957)3. Stand By Me (25th Anniversary Edition) (1986)4. Gandhi (2 Disc Special Edition) (1982)5. Easy Rider (Special Edition) (1969)6. Midnight Express (Special Edition) (1978)7. Boyz N The Hood (20th Anniversary Edition) (1991)8. Das Boot (2 Disc Director's Cut) (1981)9. The Guns Of Navarone (50th Anniversary Edition) (1961)10. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (2 Disc Special Edition) (1977)11. Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (Special Edition) (1964)12. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Special Edition) (2000)13. The Caine Mutiny (Special Edition) (1954)14. Lawrence Of Arabia (50th Anniversary Edition) (1962)15. Bram Stoker's Dracula (Special Edition) (1993)16. Groundhog Day (Special Edition) (1993) [See REVIEW]17. Glory (Special Edition) (1990) [see REVIEW for "Mastered In 4K" release]18. From Here To Eternity (Anniversary Edition) (1953)19. The Remains Of The Day (Anniversary Edition) (1993) [see REVIEW]

THE GUNS OF NAVARONE [1961] [50th Anniversary Edition] [Blu-ray] The Greatest Adventure Ever Filmed!Academy Award® winners Gregory Peck [1962, Best Actor: ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’], David Niven [1958, Best Actor: ‘Separate Tables’], and Anthony Quinn [1952, Best Supporting Actor: ‘Viva Zapata!’ and 1956, ‘Lust For Life’] star as a team of Allied military specialists recruited for a dangerous but imperative mission: to infiltrate a Nazi-occupied fortress and disable two long-range field guns so that 2,000 trapped British soldiers may be rescued. Faced with an unforgiving sea voyage, hazardous terrain, and the possibility of a traitor among them, the team must overcome the impossible without losing their own lives. Adapted by screenwriter Carl Foreman from Alistair MacLean’s best-selling novel “The Guns of Navarone.” James Robertson Justice Prologue Narrator.FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: Academy Award®: Won: Best Effects, Special Effects for Bill Warrington and Chris Greenham. Golden Globe® Award: Won: Best Motion Picture for Drama. Won: Best Original Score for Dimitri Tiomkin. Academy Award®: Nominated: Best Picture. Nominated: Best Director for J. Lee Thompson. Nominated: Best Film Editing for Alan Osbiston. Nominated: Best Original Score for Dimitri Tiomkin. Nominated: Best Sound for John Cox. Nominated: Best Writing for Adapted Screenplay for Carl Foreman. Directors Guild of America: Nominated: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for J. Lee Thompson. Grammy Award: Nominated: Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture for Dimitri Tiomkin. ‘The Guns of Navarone’ had its Royal World Premiere in aid of the Edwina Mountbatten Trust and in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on April 27th 1961 at the Odeon Leicester Square in London's West End.Cast: Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, James Robertson Justice, Richard Harris, Bryan Forbes, Allan Cuthbertson, Michael Trubshawe, Percy Herbert, George Mikell, Walter Gotell, Tutte Lemkow, Albert Lieven, Norman Wooland, Cleo Scouloudi, Nicholas Papakonstantinou, Christopher Rhodes, Victor Beaumont (uncredited), Victor Buono (uncredited), Jack Cooper (uncredited), Carl Duering (uncredited), Wolf Frees (uncredited), Peter Grant (uncredited), William Hoehne Jr. (uncredited), Rosemary Nicols (uncredited), Robert Rietty (uncredited), Michael Sarne (uncredited) and Bob Simmons (uncredited)Director: J. Lee ThompsonProducers: Carl Foremanm Cecil F. Ford and Leon BeckerScreenplay: Carl Foreman (screenplay) and Alistair MacLean (novel)Composer: Dimitri TiomkinCinematographer: Oswald Morris, BSCVideo Resolution: 1080p [Technicolor]Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 [CinemaScope]Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, German 5.1 DTS-HD, Italian 5.1 DTS-HD, Japanese 5.1 DTS-HD and Spanish 5.1 DTS-HDSubtitles: English, English SDH, Danish, English, Finnish, Greek, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and TurkishRunning Time: 158 minutesRegion: All RegionsNumber of discs: 1Studio: Columbia Pictures / SONY Pictures Home EntertainmentAndrew’s Blu-ray Review: "Men-on-a-mission" films are almost always great fun. Watching a disparate group of no-nonsense soldier’s band together for the greater good against a common enemy can be popcorn entertainment at its best. While it may be a pretty tried-and-true formula, it's also one that happens to work more often than not, and sometimes manages to serve as a perfect basis for action-packed cinematic bliss. A classic and highly influential entry into that irresistible genre, 'The Guns of Navarone' sparks with exciting action, memorable performances, and a surprising amount of depth. Far from a brainless exercise in tough guy bravado, the film manages to form a thought provoking and well-rounded examination of wartime ethics and morality. Also, it kicks ass and it's the best of both worlds.Based on the novel of Alistair MacLean with the same name, the script details a fictional mission set during WWII to blow up two incredibly large, long-range field guns on the Greek Island of Navarone, which doesn't actually exist. In classic genre fashion, the team is made up of a group of specialists, each with their own specific skill, personality quirk, fatal character flaw, and irresistible charm. Headlining the gang are Capt. Keith Mallory [Gregory Peck], a steadfast leader and skilled mountain climber, Corporal Miller [David Niven], an explosions expert, and Col. Andrea Stavros [Anthony Quinn], a Greek solider with a personal vendetta against Capt. Keith Mallory. Together they must embark on the dangerous and potentially suicidal mission, outsmarting and outgunning German soldiers through equally perilous seas and terrain. Filled with exciting set pieces, powerful emotional conflicts, and ambiguous moral dilemmas, the story runs the full gamut of suspense and drama.With an ensemble piece like this, the success of the film really lives or dies on the strength of its performers and the chemistry between them. Thankfully, the entire actors do a wonderful job, and the dynamics that develop within the group are fun to watch grow and evolve. Gregory Peck is fantastic as the stalwart leader, exuding confidence and compassion all at once. From the moment he appears on screen, he instantly embodies exactly the type of man one would follow into battle. David Niven is also great as the British explosives expert. The conflict that develops between his character and Gregory Peck's Capt. Keith Mallory helps to form the central moral question of the film and serves to elevate the material. As Col. Andrea Stavrou [Anthony Quinn] oozes cool and becomes a genuine on-screen badass. Tension hangs high between the Greek and Mallory, and one gets a sense that their conflict could turn deadly at any moment. The rest of the team is rounded out by several more extremely capable actors, including Anthony Quayle, Stanley Baker, and James Darren. Though their characters are given less focus, particularly James Darren and Stanley Baker, but each member gets their moment to shine and little details are organically revealed throughout the picture, helping to flesh out back-stories and inform present-day decisions. Two female stars also join the team, and Irene Papas and Gia Scala do an admirable job of holding their own against the men, creating strong female characters that are much more than mere love interests.Director J. Lee Thompson utilises the majestic of CinemaScope presentation to its fullest, injecting the widescreen frame with big budget action and exotic locales. Shot in part on studio sets and real locations, primarily the Greek Island of Rhodes, the film features some strong production value and occasionally lush cinematography. Thompson does a great job of creating tension, and as pointed out in the included commentary with film historian Stephen J. Rubin, the climax plays out more like a Hitchcock thriller than a generic war picture. Most notable of all, however, is a brilliant dialogue free section where the team gets shipwrecked by a massive storm and then has to scale a mountain in the unrelenting downpour and dead of night. With only score and effects, J. Lee Thompson creates a truly visceral experience that manages to remain gripping through visuals alone. Though the director expresses regrets about the sequence's length and the film's pacing as a whole in his own commentary, I actually found the slower, methodical rhythm to be a refreshing contrast to the more quick cutting style of today. With that said, the movie definitely is on the slow side, and at two and a half hours in length, it might test some viewers' patience.In between all of the blazing guns and explosions, J. Lee Thompson and writer/producer Carl Foreman layer the film with several interesting ethical quandaries that all work together to form a pretty strong anti-war message. Questions about manipulating and risking the lives of fellow soldiers for the greater good, and the potential penalties for betrayal, are all brought up and examined with intelligence, and even after the credits roll, there are no easy answers presented. While some of the philosophical musings might get lost in all the heroics and excitement, to the filmmakers' credit, the script really does pack in some thought provoking material that actually makes the film's quieter moments among its most powerful.'The Guns of Navarone' is a true classic of "men-on-a-mission" film that offers much more than simple thrills and action. Beneath the exciting and tense battles are some heavy questions about brotherhood, loyalty, and justice in the midst of war. Though the pacing is certainly on the slow side, some characters are a bit marginalised, and there are clichéd elements to the storytelling, the stellar cast, strong script, and confident direction overcome any small flaws. This is an entertaining and intelligent war epic, that's influence can be seen in countless similar efforts since.Blu-ray Video Quality – The film is provided with an awesome 1080p encoded image transfer in the equally thrilling CinemaScope 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Though mistreated quite badly over the years, restoration attempts have resulted in a strong but still occasionally inconsistent video presentation. The restored print is in good shape and while some scenes look rougher than others, there are no major signs of damage. A light to moderate layer of grain is present throughout that often gives the picture some nice texture. Detail is quite strong, especially in brightly lit scenes which exhibit some pleasing dimension and pop (the scene where the gang first arrives at their doomed vessel is among the most impressive). Colours can be vivid with rich vibrancy, again, especially in brightly lit outdoor scenes which show off the beautiful shooting locations in Greece. Unfortunately, dimly lit and night-time scenes are fairly underwhelming, and like many movies which utilise a day-for-night shooting method, these sequences exhibit a washed out and unnatural quality. With the exception of these instances, black levels and contrast are consistent and offer a solid experience without blooming. Numerous effects shots featuring rear projection, matte paintings, and various optical techniques do stick out, but that is to be expected and is certainly forgivable. The most irksome feature of the transfer involves some pretty thick halos that are periodically visible around characters and objects, but thankfully this doesn't detract too much from the presentation.Blu-ray Audio Quality – The audio is presented in the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix and utilising the film's original four channel design, the track is solid but not as immersive as one might expect. Dialogue is clear with no major signs of crackle or hissing. Directionality and separation across the front sound stage is good, especially during various battle and action sequences. Surround use is disappointingly rare, however, and while there are many opportunities for rear speakers to add immersion to the experience, there are only three real instances where they are active (the end of the shipwreck, an aerial attack, and the film's climax). Bass activity is decent with some instances of nice punch, but some of the gun fights lack the kind of thump that most war films have. Dynamic range is good, with no signs of distortion, and balance between the various elements is handled well. Though surround use is infrequent, the track respects the film's original sound design, and it's hard to fault a mix for remaining authentic. Even if the audio lacks a bit of immersion, I actually have to commend Sony for staying faithful to the movie's roots and resisting the urge to produce a new spruced up and overdone remix. It may not come close to matching contemporary war films, but the audio does a solid job of bolstering the action.Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:Audio Commentary: Commentary with Director J. Lee Thompson: Director J. Lee Thompson provides a decent but not particularly stimulating track. The director speaks slowly and there are some large gaps in the conversation throughout. Still, some interesting bits of trivia are discussed, including insights into the casting process, locations, effects work, Thompson's desire for lots of rehearsal time, and one actor's serious brush with death that almost resulted in the film's cancellation. While the director spends too much time simply describing where certain shots were filmed, there are sporadic pieces of worthy information, and it's always nice to hear the actual filmmaker discuss his work first hand.Audio Commentary: Commentary with Film Historian Stephen J. Rubin: Film Historian Stephen J. Rubin comes across as very knowledgeable and provides an extremely informative track that covers the film's entire production as well as details on the cast and crew. Among the multitude of trivia shared, the historian discusses writer/producer Carl Foreman's blacklisting, the movie's anti-war message, and plans for a sequel with the original cast and one was made, but with different actors. Though some information is repeated from the director's track, this is the more consistent and engaging of the two commentaries and is definitely worth a listen.Special Feature: Forging the Guns of Navarone [2007] [14:00] Led by Carl Foreman's widow Eve Williams-Jones and director Peter Yates, who was AD on the film. This is a short documentary about the film and features some insights into the production, along with stories about working with the cast and crew and dealing with the sometimes tough and dangerous shooting conditions. Directed by Michael Arick. Producer/Screenplay by Michael Arick. Cinematography by Rick Walker.Special Feature: An Ironic Epic of Heroism [2007] [25:00] Here Sir Christopher Frayling leads an in depth look at the film. He provides details on the production, and places an emphasis on the film's themes and moral dilemmas. Directed and Produced by Michael Arick.Special Feature: Memories of Navarone [2000] [30:00] In this documentary we are treated to first-hand accounts of the making of the film from cast and crew, including James Darren, J. Lee Thompson, Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn. Details are shared on frequent chess games between the cast, and the strategic decision made by Anthony Quinn to give his character a red undershirt. It's great to hear from the actual performers and filmmakers, and this is a very worthy documentary that fans of the film should check out.Special Feature: Epic Restoration [10:00] Here the focus is on the film's elaborate restoration. Seeing what was done to make the movie presentable again, really makes the video transfer seem that much more impressive.Special Feature: A Heroic Score [2007] [9:00] This documentary deals with the film's composer, Dimitri Tiomkin, and offers some details on his style and all of the film's major themes with Jon Burlingame. Directed and Screenplay by Michael Arick.Special Feature: Great Guns [1080p] [5:00] This short, black and white vintage documentary that follows the stars as they arrive to shoot in Greece. Some behind-the-scenes footage is also included. Though pure, promotional fluff, there is something about these old, vintage pieces that I find appealing.Special Feature: No Visitors [5:00] Similar to the previous documentary, here we get some more footage of the production in Greece, with an emphasis on interactions with the natives of Rhodes and a look at a party held for the Greek Royal Family.Special Feature: Honeymoon on Rhodes [5:00] Another vintage documentary, this is a brief look at actor James Darren and his wife enjoying time off in Rhodes. The shoot also served as their honeymoon and seems to serve as a kind of promo piece for the beautiful Greek Island of Rhodes.Special Feature: Two Girls on the Town [5:00] Here Irene Papas and Gia Scala enjoy a break from shooting to shop around the island. Again, like the previous documentary this doesn’t really have anything to do with the film, but still carries a certain retro charm.Special Feature: Narration-Free Prologue [6:00] This prologue and main title sequence for the film is included without [sans] narration, presenting Dimitri Tiomkin's powerful score unhindered.Special Feature: Message from Carl Foreman [1962] [2:00] Carl Foreman, producer of ‘The Guns of Navarone’ [1961], sends his greetings and regrets to those attending its Australian National Premiere at the new Barclay Theatre in Sydney. He is unable to attend because he is filming his new picture ‘The Victors’ [1963] at Shepperton Studios in England, where most of ‘The Guns of Navarone’ was also made.Special Feature: The Resistance Dossier of Navarone [1080p] This is an interactive feature that offers six text and video featurettes titled "Military Fact of Fiction," "Greek Resistance," "The Navarone Effect," "The Old School Wizardry of the Guns of Navarone," "The Real World Guns of Navarone," and "WWII in the Greek Islands" [4:00 each]. The text and video all offer insights into the film's historical accuracy (or lack thereof), effects work, release, and influence.Finally, 'The Guns of Navarone' is a brilliant fun and thematically rich war film that manages to raise important ethical questions while still providing classic popcorn entertainment. Though the film has been poorly treated over the years, the print has gone through some painstaking restoration, resulting in an uneven but mostly strong presentation. Audio is pretty front heavy but authentically represents the original sound design. Supplements are plentiful and informative, rounding out a strong disc for a strong film. Ever since I originally saw this epic film in the cinema, I have loved its total brilliance at keeping you guessing right to the final scene on whether they will succeed in thwarting the German advance in blowing up the massive guns and makes you feel so good when the final end Titles appear on the screen and now I am so proud to add this brilliant classic war film to my Blu-ray Collection, as the makers of this film have made a truly magic presentation that will last forever and is also a good historic film for future viewing. Very Highly Recommended!Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film AficionadoLe Cinema ParadisoUnited Kingdom

I am 50 and i grew up on a diet of war films, they were always on, now they are like comfort food :). I havnt seen this for 20 years at least, but with an enormous amount of rubbish coming out from filmakers, superhero drek(except for Logan :) ) and reboots/remakes galore, i got the 2 disc version. Extras, commentaries, its an excellent little package and the start of my old films collection. Yeah, old films, get over it :p.I havnt watched normal tv for 11 years, so i spend my yearly tv license budget on old dvd boxsets and films. Money better spent. Stuff the tv license.