Flying Clipper: Mediterranean Holiday

The first West German film made in the 70mm widescreen format, Hermann Leitner and Rudolf Nussgruber’s epic 1962 travelogue is clearly modeled after 1958’s Cinemiracle-shot Windjammer, as it follows a multinational student crew taking an old ship out on a major voyage—in this case a three-masted schooner, which travels from Göthenburg to various ports of call around the Mediterranean (including Cairo, Beirut, Istanbul, and Barcelona), where the crew members disembark and enjoy the sights. Among the more eye-catching moments are the Grand Prix in Monaco, Easter processions in Seville, a wild ride along mountain roads in Yugoslavia, and a tour of the pyramids. Along the way, there are numerous musical performances by locals, and a rare dramatic episode follows the transport of a crewman to a U.S. ship for an emergency appendectomy. The scant dialogue is dubbed into English, and the original German narration has been replaced with a rather flowery English track delivered by Burl Ives (who also sings a few tunes). The cinematography remains the film’s greatest strength, and like Flicker Alley’s earlier issues of Cinerama titles, this one boasts a superb digital restoration (particularly luminous on the 4k disc), as well as a Dolby Atmos surround sound option. Extras include interviews concerning the making of Flying Clipper, the 70mm process, and the film’s audio and visual restoration, as well as a short restoration comparison, a gallery of lobby cards, and a facsimile of the original souvenir booklet. Although frankly more interesting as a footnote in moviemaking history than for its intrinsic quality, this should be considered a strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)