Chariots of Fire

Placed on hiatus by Warner in 2003, preparatory to the release of this special edition, Chariots of Fire triumphantly returns to home video with a luminous new widescreen transfer and a choice array of extras. Four Oscars, including one for Best Picture, went to this 1981 dramatization of two British track stars--one a devout Scottish minister, the other a class-conscious English Jew--competing at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Ben Cross plays Harold Abrahams, the son of a Lithuanian immigrant, a fiercely proud man keenly aware of social status in Britain during the post-World War I era. Ian Charleson is equally good as Eric Liddell, the son of missionaries stationed in China, a decent man and a disciplined athlete. The rivalry between these two charismatic competitors remains at the forefront of the film up to the point of the fateful Olympic run, but the direction of Hugh Hudson (I Dreamed of Africa) imbues this punctiliously rendered period piece with such sobriety and stateliness that it avoids the usual clichés of sports-themed movies. Ian Holm lends worthy support as Harold's Italian-Arabic coach, and Sir John Gielgud contributes an amusing cameo. Backed by a memorable Vangelis score, Chariots of Fire is a truly inspirational story that unexpectedly captured the hearts of moviegoers, and remains a career highpoint for all involved in its making. DVD extras include audio commentary by Hudson, deleted scenes, a half-hour retrospective "making-of" featurette, a cast/crew reunion featurette, and screen tests. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)[Blu-ray Review—July 3, 2012—Warner, 124 min., PG, $35.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1981's Chariots of Fire looks amazing and features a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary by director Hugh Hudson, featurettes including a “making-of” (27 min.), “Paris, 1924: Birth of the Modern Games” (28 min.), “David Puttnam: A Cinematic Champion” on the producer (26 min.), “A Reunion” retrospective (19 min.), and “Hugh Hudson: Journey to the Gold” (14 min.), deleted scenes (14 min.), screen tests with costars Ben Cross and Ian Charleson and with actress Patricia Hodge (9 min.), a “Sprint Around the Quad” re-enactment (2 min.), a brief retrospective on the “Famous Opening Shot,” trailers, a booklet, and a four-song CD sampler. Bottom line: a welcome Blu-ray debut for this Oscar winner.]