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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    The Way We Were 4K Ultra HD

    Featured In Issue 269, September/October 2023

    Picture5
    Sound4.5
    WSR Score5
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    57967
    (MPAA Rating):
    PG / Unrated
    (Rating Reason):
    (Retail Price):
    $40.99
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-100)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    118 / 123
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    ABC
    (Theatrical Year):
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    10/17/2023
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    (Director):
    Sydney Pollack
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    DTS HD Lossless 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (Subtitles):

    In 'The Way We Were," Hubbell Gardiner and Katie Morosky (Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand) are captivating star-crossed lovers. Theirs is a classic love story sparked by the attraction of opposites, played out against the backdrop of American life during times of foreign war, domestic prosperity and McCarthy-era paranoia in Hollywood. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include commentary by Director Sydney Pollack, “Looking Back” a making-of documentary (SD 01:01:34), theatrical trailer and a Movies Anywhere digital copy.

    The 2.35:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 4K Ultra HD HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed on 35 mm film stock in anamorphic Panavision® using Panavision Panaflex cameras an sourced from a 4K Digital Intermediate. The grain field is rather strong but non-obtrusive. The picture exhibits a wonderful cinematic warmth. Beautifully produced, he color palette is nicely saturated with rich hues that express beautiful color depth. Primaries appear bright and natural as do all the colors in the spectrum. Nuanced hue shading are evident throughout. Flesh tones are perfectly natural throughout, HDR contrast is excellent. Blacks are deep and solid. Shadow delineation is revealing. White levels are perfectly natural. Resolution is superb and exhibits fine detail, especially during closeups of facial features and hair, Clothing fabrics are crisp and revealing. This is the 50th anniversary of a classic love story that looks beautiful with a vivid color palette that lights up the screen. Fans will love this picture. (Gary Reber)

    The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1-channel soundtrack delivers nice fidelity throughout and spaciousness. Nothing sounds exaggerated or artificially "produced". The "Way We Were" theme song is heard in lover level sequences throughout but never pronounced except when Streisand sings the lyrics, which sounds beautiful. Atmospherics sound realistic as well as sound effects. Marvin Hamlisch's score is terrific though the soundstage is rather narrow in dimension with nuanced surround envelopment. The film's soundtrack originally was produced in monaural. Dialogue is clear and intelligible with good spatial integration. This is a very enjoyable soundtrack that nicely complements the romantic storytelling. (Gary Reber)

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