1915

1915 is a solid 1982 tale shot in Masterpiece Theater-style about two best mates (Scott Burgess and Scott McGregor), who set off to fight in the Great War from their home in rural Australia, after which predictable—and predictably touching—tragedy and wartime horror ensue. The pacing is slow to the point of tediousness, reflecting a nearly 30-year-old approach to the TV miniseries, but the real issue is the audiovisual qualities: the sound is marked by a loud, distracting hissing and frequent dropouts, and the image is marred by numerous blips and spots of dirt. Why this two-disc set—which is also barren of any extras—wasn't cleaned up and remastered for its first DVD release is something of a mystery, but it does remind us of just how spoiled we've become by the truly pristine restorations that appear weekly on DVD. Optional. (M. Johanson)