The Duellists

This near-pristine widescreen presentation does honor to Ridley Scott's first feature film, long one of DVD's most wanted. Based on Joseph Conrad's short story "The Duel," this impeccably mounted period drama charts the series of duels fought over a 15-year-period by two Napoleonic soldiers. Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine (who cannot shake his California vibe) are odd casting choices, but this film's reputation rightly rests on its stunning visuals and painterly compositions, not to mention the duels themselves, which gratefully pick up the film's otherwise languid pace. The extras-laden DVD includes a commentary track by Scott, as well as a conversation with director Kevin Reynolds entitled "Duelling Directors" (a segment that--had it lived up to its title--should have had Scott running Reynolds through for the latter's 1994 bomb Rapa Nui). Recommended. (K. Lee Benson)[Blu-ray Review—Jan. 29, 2013—Shout! Factory, 100 min., PG, $19.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1977's The Duellists sports a nice transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras include two audio commentaries (the first by director Ridley Scott; the second with commentary and an isolated score by composer Howard Blake), a “Dueling Directors” discussion between Scott and filmmaker Kevin Reynolds (29 min.), and an interview with costar Keith Carradine (25 min.). Bottom line: Ridley Scott's beautiful-looking debut shines on Blu-ray.]