03-30-2012, 09:00 PM
Jesus of Nazareth (Mexican Import) is a pleasant surprise after the bitter disappointment that was the German release(Jesus von Nazareth). As far as the movie itself, if you've never seen this mini-series, you are in for a treat. A wonderful depiction of the life of Christ with an excellent cast and a PHENOMENAL performance by Robert Powell in the title role, Jesus of Nazareth is quite simply a triumph.
Now for the video. I should mention it is NOT widescreen, but a FULL SCREEN, so called "pillar box"presentation. Split onto two discs containing two episodes each, Jesus of Nazareth is a full 1080p transfer. While it is unclear if this full restoration is from the original negative/master, what IS clear is this is a MARKED improvement over both the German blu-ray release by Koch Media and the DREADFUL Artisan DVD release. While this film will never be mistaken for HUGO as far as image quality, it is quite simply the BEST this masterpiece has EVER looked. Image is consistently SHARP, as opposed to the Koch release, in fact, pleasantly so. Skin tones are natural, and colors, while not overwhelming, are natural and eye-pleasing. Keep in mind that much of this movie was filmed in sandy, desert-type areas, and thus has to be judged accordingly. Blacks are nice and sometimes even inky. The scene where John the Baptist is in Herod's dungeon is particularly good, especially when compared to the same scene in the Koch release. Overall, this is a fine upgrade video-wise.
Audio wise, the film is presented in 2.0 Dolby, which, while underwhelming in comparison to modern DTS and HD audio, is just fine for this release. The excellent score sounds MUCH better than the sometimes brittle Koch release and speaking parts are clear and sharp.
Extras are where this disc, sadly, falls short. No documentaries or commentaries. the only thing the disc contains is a musical slideshow of scenes from the film.
Overall, Jesus of Nazareth is a winner, and a VAST improvement over the German Koch Media release. Fans of this wonderful film need not be hesistant to make a purchase. It can be ordered at a Mexican website, <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mixup.com">www.mixup.com</a><!-- w -->. Be advised, the site is in Spanish and cost is displayed in pesos, which for this set is 500 Pesos, or about $40 U.S. SHIPPED.
Now for the video. I should mention it is NOT widescreen, but a FULL SCREEN, so called "pillar box"presentation. Split onto two discs containing two episodes each, Jesus of Nazareth is a full 1080p transfer. While it is unclear if this full restoration is from the original negative/master, what IS clear is this is a MARKED improvement over both the German blu-ray release by Koch Media and the DREADFUL Artisan DVD release. While this film will never be mistaken for HUGO as far as image quality, it is quite simply the BEST this masterpiece has EVER looked. Image is consistently SHARP, as opposed to the Koch release, in fact, pleasantly so. Skin tones are natural, and colors, while not overwhelming, are natural and eye-pleasing. Keep in mind that much of this movie was filmed in sandy, desert-type areas, and thus has to be judged accordingly. Blacks are nice and sometimes even inky. The scene where John the Baptist is in Herod's dungeon is particularly good, especially when compared to the same scene in the Koch release. Overall, this is a fine upgrade video-wise.
Audio wise, the film is presented in 2.0 Dolby, which, while underwhelming in comparison to modern DTS and HD audio, is just fine for this release. The excellent score sounds MUCH better than the sometimes brittle Koch release and speaking parts are clear and sharp.
Extras are where this disc, sadly, falls short. No documentaries or commentaries. the only thing the disc contains is a musical slideshow of scenes from the film.
Overall, Jesus of Nazareth is a winner, and a VAST improvement over the German Koch Media release. Fans of this wonderful film need not be hesistant to make a purchase. It can be ordered at a Mexican website, <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mixup.com">www.mixup.com</a><!-- w -->. Be advised, the site is in Spanish and cost is displayed in pesos, which for this set is 500 Pesos, or about $40 U.S. SHIPPED.