Gandhi

From his early days as a youthful lawyer forced to endure racial slurs, to his trials and tribulations as the leader of a nation, Mohandas K. Gandhi's (Ben Kingsley) life is recreated with consummate skill and attention to detail at every level in director Richard Attenborough's multi-Oscar winning 1982 epic. In addition to sporting a pristine digital transfer and sparkling Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, the handsomely packaged DVD includes an engaging interview/reminiscence with Ben Kingsley, a "making of" photo montage, and original newsreel footage of the physically diminutive but spiritually gargantuan leader. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—Mar. 6, 2007—Sony, 2 discs, 191 min., PG, $24.98—Making its second appearance on DVD, 1982's Gandhi (25th Anniversary 2-Disc Collector's Edition) boasts a fine transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. DVD extras include an introduction and audio commentary by director Richard Attenborough; a 20-minute interview with star Ben Kingsley; production and retrospective featurettes on “Shooting an Epic in India” (18 min.), “Looking Back” (18 min.), “The Funeral” (14 min.), “Vintage Newsreel Footage” of Gandhi (11 min.), “In Search of Gandhi” (10 min.), “Madeleine Slade: An Englishwoman Abroad” (10 min.), and “From the Director's Chair”; interview segments on casting and music (10 min. total); “Reflections on Ben” (9 min.); “Designing Gandhi” (three mini-featurettes, narrated by production designer Stuart Craig, totaling five minutes); “The Words of Mahatma Gandhi” quote montage (2 min.); a photo gallery (including lobby cards); text “Milestones in the Life of Gandhi”; and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a great film.][Blu-ray Review—Feb. 19, 2009—Sony, 2 discs, 191 min., PG, $28.95—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1982's Gandhi (25th Anniversary) boasts a fine transfer and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound. Blu-ray extras on this two-disc set are almost identical to the previous DVD release, including an introduction and audio commentary by director Richard Attenborough; a 20-minute interview with star Ben Kingsley; production and retrospective featurettes on “Shooting an Epic in India” (18 min.), “Looking Back” (18 min.), “The Funeral” (14 min.), “Vintage Newsreel Footage” of Gandhi (11 min.), “In Search of Gandhi” (10 min.), “Madeleine Slade: An Englishwoman Abroad” on the activist (10 min.), and “From the Director's Chair”; interview segments on casting and music (10 min. total); “Reflections on Ben” on star Kingsley (9 min.); “Designing Gandhi” (three mini-featurettes, narrated by production designer Stuart Craig, totaling five minutes); “The Words of Mahatma Gandhi” quote montage (2 min.); a photo gallery, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a “Gandhi's Legacy” picture-in-picture graphics track with an intro by Attenborough, and the BD Live function. Bottom line: a contemporary classic makes a fine debut on Blu-ray.]