Search - The Big Red One on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language, War Violence Movie Release: 1980 DVD Release: 04/27/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 53 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Members Wishing: 0 Genres: War, War Drama, Combat Films

Samuel Fuller's valedictory war picture, The Big Red One follows the First Infantry Division from Africa to Europe during the years 1942 through 1945. Lee Marvin portrays the division sergeant; he's tough and experienced, to be sure, but he takes on his job with cool professionalism rather than Hollywood bravado. Based on Fuller's own experiences, the film is a loosely constructed series of anecdotes. Among them are an insane asylum under bombardment while the inmates applaud and a climactic vignette in which a very young concentration camp internee dies while a friendly soldier plays piggy-back with the boy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lee Marvin - Sergeant Possum
Mark Hamill - Griff
Robert Carradine - Zab
Bobby Di Cicco - Vinci
Stéphane Audran - Walloon

Unfortunately, Warner Brothers has given this DVD release the absolute bare-bones treatment. There is not so much as one page of production notes to be found on this disc, much less a theatrical trailer or director's commentary, both of which would have been welcome additions. In fact, the lack of features is so complete that there is only one language selection (English, in a dubious Dolby Surround mix; a 5.1 track would also have done this film a lot of justice), and two subtitle selections (English and French), as well as a scene selection feature. On the positive side, the image transfer is reasonably competent; there are very few marks and scratches, the blacks are as rich as can be expected from a 20-year-old film, and the flesh tones are accurately reproduced. One side of the disc contains the widescreen version of the film, and the full-screen is on the other; both are anamorphically enhanced, which is one of the disc's few redeeming qualities. When a film distinguishes itself as a defining element of its genre as this one has, supplemental information is always welcome. This disc is strictly for diehard fans of the film or those completists looking to supplement their war film collection; others are better off waiting for the inevitable special edition. ~ Andrew Hercock, All Movie Guide