In the interview with star Ben Kinglsey on the DVD for "Gandhi", he quite rightly describes it as one of the last great cinematic epics. Aside from seeing it in a cinema, the new DVD release is a welcome option for viewing this extraordinary film in the home.
The print used for this transfer is in excellent condition and the glorious great long shots that lend such tremendous scale to this movie are beautiful, rich in colour and detail.
A 5.1 sound mix expands the musical score around the speakers and adds surround effects to the many crowd scenes.
Perhaps the surprising thing about this DVD release is that there's only one interview. It is with Ben Kingsley though and he recalls with vivid detail the incredible reactions from the thousands of extras, and from members of the Gandhi family that helped propel his performance.
A 'making of' photo montage offers up some interesting behind the scenes shots but otherwise there's little else to shed light on the immense effort that went into the film.
An excellent addition is four original newsreels featuring the real Gandhi. In particular his 'Visit to England' is truly embarrassing to experience, as a pompous voice-over reveals the type of ill informed attitudes that Gandhi had to contend with.
Region: 2
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5:1
Extra Features:
