’50s Sci-Fi Collection’ Blu-ray Review (Warner Archive)
The golden age of science fiction movies was the 1950s. Thanks to the fears of atomic war, filmmakers used those fears to bring out-of-this-world stories and monsters to life. This era and genre are, without a doubt, my favourite to watch. Recently, Warner Archive Collection have been bringing collections of Blu-rays to physical media. We have seen such releases as The Great Garbo Collection, The Errol Flynn Collection, The Elizabeth Taylor Collection, and The Gary Cooper Collection. But I was thoroughly excited for the new 50’s Sci-fi Collection.
Let’s see what films are included in this set.
- The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) A ferocious dinosaur awakened by an Arctic atomic test terrorizes the North Atlantic and, ultimately, New York City. *** 3/5
- Them! (1954) The earliest atomic tests in New Mexico cause common ants to mutate into giant man-eating monsters that threaten civilization. *** 3/5
- World Without End (1956) Astronauts returning from a voyage to Mars are caught in a time warp and are propelled into a post-Apocalyptic Earth populated by mutants. *** 3/5
- Attack of the 50-Foot Woman (1958) When a socialite grows to giant size because of an alien encounter and an aborted murder attempt, she goes after her cheating husband with revenge on her mind. ** 2/5
These films have been transferred to Blu-ray in 1080p. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and Them are presented in 1.37:1 aspect ratio, World Without End is presented in 2.35:1 aspect ratio and The Attack of the 50-Foot Woman is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The audio tracks of these films are presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There is also the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
One thing is always for certain with a Warner Archive Collection release is you are going to get the best quality restoration and transfer to Blu-ray. And these four films are just that. The best quality possible. Now, in addition to a great restoration and transfer, most of these discs also have bonus features, including:
Special Features:
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms:
- The Rhedosaurus and the Rollercoaster: The Making of “Beast”
- Harryhausen & Bradbury: An Unfathomable Friendship – Ray Harryhausen and Ray Bradbury gathered with a few friends on the Warner Bros. Lot in Burbank, California.
- Armatures: This excerpt addresses a key technical element of Harryhausen’s designs.
- Theatrical Trailer
Them!:
- Ants: This short collection of outtakes
- Theatrical Trailer
Attack of the 50-Foot Woman:
- Audio Commentary from film historian Tom Weaver
- Theatrical Trailer
As you can see, the bonus features are pretty awesome! If there is one thing that I can say against this release, it’s the lack of bonus features on the World Without End Blu-ray. This disc deserved some bonus features, at the very least a trailer. But there is nothing. That is sad! Though even with the lack of bonus features on the World Without End disc still this set is awesome.
I am so glad to have these four movies on one set – plus, an added bonus for me is that it takes up less space than 4 individual discs. And when you have as many films as I do, space is premium. So, this is a huge deal. If you love 50s sci-fi as much as I do, this collection is simply spectacular and definitely a must-buy.
***** 5/5
The 50s Sci-Fi Collection is out now on Blu-ray from Warner Archive.
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