The 7th Voyage of Sinbad Blu-ray offers solid video and audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
This colorful adventure is the screen version of one of the classic tales from “1001 Arabian
Nights.” It tells the story of Sinbad (Kerwin Mathews) and Princess Parisa (Kathryn Grant).
When they unexpectedly stop on the island of Colossa on their way to Baghdad, they find
themselves battling all types of dangers, such as evil magicians, man-eating Cyclopes, fire-
breathing dragons, and sword-wielding skeletons.
They sure don't make 'em like they used to. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad is a high adventure
film full of spirit, vigor, and then-groundbreaking special effects. What makes this film, and so many
like it, superior to many of the adventure films of today is its straightforward, easygoing nature. Its
plot is simple, its story direct and genuinely awe-inspiring, the action and dialogue are presented
with tongue firmly planter in-cheek, the acting is never pretentious, the directing never heavy
handed. The film is pure escapism, with no pretenses of anything more and therefore a lessened
expectation from its audience. It certainly delivers what it promises, though, and does so in a neat,
tidy, and compact package. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad is not as glossy and robust as many
of the films today, but its heart and easygoing spirit more than make up for any other shortcomings
it may have, particularly viewing it some 50 years after its initial release.
Honey, Ray Harryhausen shrunk the princess!
Sinbad (Kerwin Mathews) is a respected ship's captain, adventurer, and leader, engaged to marry
the beautiful Princess Parisa (Kathryn Grant), daughter of a great Sultan. When
Sinbad and his crew venture to the seemingly uninhabited island of Colossa, they meet a terrified
magician by the name of Sokurah (Torin Thatcher) who is being chased by a giant cyclops.
Sokurah calls on a genie (Richard Eyer) from his magic lamp to protect himself and Sinbad's crew
from the dangerous beast, and they manage to escape, but not before the cyclops retrieves
Sokurah's lamp. Returning to Bagdad, Sokurah is denied the men and material needed to return
to the island to retrieve his lost treasure. He secretly shrinks Princess Parisa to miniature scale
and informs Sinbad that the only way to return her to normal size is to retrieve an eggshell
found only on the island of Colossa. Sinbad must form a ragtag crew of anyone willing to return
to the deadly island, and they can only hope to retrieve the eggshell before running into the
cyclops again -- or any other wondrous and deadly creatures.
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad is one of Ray Harryhausen's finest efforts, and the special
effects
have never looked better than they do on this Blu-ray disc. There is a charm to the simplicity of
the
effects, and while they are certainly out of date and not nearly as fluid and seamless as those
found
in something like Transformers, they
are
easy to embrace, fit the tone of the movie, and most importantly, never pull audiences, even
audiences used to 21st century effects, out of the film. Various shots actually look great,
particularly the first time the miniature Princess Parisa is seen standing atop her pillow. Such
scenes are covered in scratches and debris, but never to the drastic impairment of the movie.
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad offers audiences a fun thrill ride, making for an extremely
watchable old-fashioned adventure but with a plethora of cheesiness to go along with it. The
acting is certainly over-the-top, particularly between the Sinbad and Parisa characters as they
seem to be reciting Hallmark cards to one another rather than heartfelt affections. The
remainder of the cast and the delivery of the action dialogue is certainly second-rate in many
cases, but because of the film's unabashed way that it revels in exaggerated yet simple
storytelling, it all fits right in with the tempo of the film.
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad debuts on Blu-ray in a fine looking 1080p, 1.66:1-framed
transfer. The colors over the opening title sequence are impressive, rich and bold and lifelike. Grain
is extremely heavy in some scenes, and is present in some quantity over the entirety of the film.
Some shots are also slightly soft in appearance, but for the most part, this transfer is solid, all things
considered. Detail is generally above average as well. The sand on the beaches, as seen early in
the
film, and various large rock faces look good, and there is a decent depth to the transfer. Likewise,
the interior of Sinbad's ship and the various interior shots of Bagdad offer viewers plenty of eye
candy in the way of the magnitude of colors, texture, and detail. Black levels are moderately good,
appearing a bit bright in a few scenes. Flesh tones appear very natural. The 7th Voyage of
Sinbad looks better than ever, a treat for longtime fans, a rich, fulfilling experience for
newcomers, and the disc serves as another fine example of the wonderful clarity and film-like
transfers Blu-ray is capable of offering, particularly in regards to older films, in this case a
50-year-old adventure classic.
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad sails onto Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack,
and also included is the film's original monaural sound mix. The multi-channel mix, from the
film's open, offers listeners a rousing soundtrack with a full, rich presence spread across the
entirety of the soundstage. The opening credits sound so rich and fulfilling that it's hard to
believe that the orchestra isn't playing live in the living room. It's a great sonic experience, a
major step-up in all regards over the original mono track. An early scene featuring the cyclops
pounding on an invisible barrier offers decent power with each thud, but don't expect anything
like
what is heard in The Incredible Hulk.
Some sound effects are minimal in impact, evidenced by a driving rainstorm on the high seas as
heard in chapter eight. Front-heavy and with little in the way of discrete effects, the scene is fine
visually but lacks an excellent audio accompaniment that has been heard prior, particularly during
the
aforementioned orchestral theme heard over the film's open. Dialogue reproduction is solid and
precise, each voice distinct and flowing gracefully from the center channel. In the scenes
featuring a shrunken Princess Parisa, her voice is appropriately tiny and reserved. The 7th
Voyage of Sinbad offers listeners a fine multi-channel audio restoration, and longtime fans
should be pleased with this new soundtrack, as well as the inclusion of the original monaural
offering.
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad offers viewers a treasure as great as that of the Cyclops' in the
form of this jam-packed supplemental section. Beginning the proceedings is a feature-length
commentary track with Ray Harryhausen, visual effects experts Phil Tippet and Randall William
Cook, author Steven Smith, and Arnold Kunert. The track begins by placing the film's influential
and rousing score in the context of cinematic history. As the track moves along, the participants
discuss the efforts that went into making the film, including the studios' rejection of the idea (due
to the belief that costume pictures were "dead"), the evolution of the script, and the originality of
the film at the time of its release. There is, of course, plenty of talk about the special effects.
The
track is a lively one, fascinating, entertaining, and educational all at once, and is a must-listen for
fans of special effects or cinema history.
Remembering the 7th Voyage of Sinbad (480p, 23:31) features Ray Harryhausen
reminiscing about the experience of creating the film, recounting some of the same information
as
heard in the commentary track. Nevertheless, he offers tales pertaining to the film's
pre-production
stage, shooting locations, creature design, and more. The Harryhausen Legacy (480p,
25:32) features interviews with an impressive list of Hollywood bigwigs as they discuss
Harryhausen's influence as a special effects pioneer. Bob Burns, John Landis, Phil Tippet, Hoyt
Yeatman, Ken Ralston, Joe Dante,
John Dykstra, the Chiodo Brothers, Dennis Muren, Doug Beswick, John Berg, Rick Baker, Kevin
Kutchaver, Frank Darabont, Forrest J. Ackerman, and Stan Winston are interviewed, showing just
how far and wide Harryhausen's influence has spread. The Music of Bernard Herrmann
(480p, 26:52) examines Herrmann's work, his love for Fantasy, his early work on radio, and, of
course, his score for The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and other films. Passionately recounted
by music historian and Herrmann biographer Steve Smith, the piece will appeal to fans of the
composer and music in general.
Next up is a photo gallery, set to music, and presented in 480p. The feature runs for 9:34, with
each photograph remaining on-screen for several seconds. A music video, set to promotional
material for the film, entitled Sinbad May Have Been Bad, But He's Been Good To Me
(480p, 3:07), is next. This piece was created as a promotion for the film, and its history is briefly
described prior to the start of the song. A Look Behind the Voyage (480p, 11:47) is a
vintage piece that further recounts the history of Ray Harryahusen's career, with Harryhausen
participating in the feature along with producer Charles S. Schneer and star Kewrin Mathews.
This is Dynamation (Special Effects) (480p, 3:25) is another vintage piece that informs
audiences of how the then-groundbreaking effects were created. Ray Harryhausen -
Interviewed by John Landis (480p, 11:52) is an entertaining interview featuring two
Hollywood legends. 1080p trailers for Casino Royale, Men in Black, CJ7, and The Water Horse: Legend of
the Deep are also included. Finally, this disc is BD-Live (Blu-ray profile 2.0) enabled.
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad is a classic example of pure entertainment. With its
compact runtime, nearly nonstop action, family-friendly drama, language, and visuals, the film
delivers, even five decades after its initial release. "Likable" is perhaps
the word that best befits The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. It's never offensive, always fun, and
full of characters that offer exaggerated personalities and actions that fit the tone of the film
perfectly. Sony's Blu-ray release is befitting the material. Featuring a nicely restored 5.1 lossless
soundtrack, a wonderfully detailed and colorful image, and a rather large helping of extras, fans and
newcomers alike should be pleased with this release. Recommended.
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