The Ray Harryhausen Collection (1955.1956.1957.1958) [Blu-ray] Rated:  NR  Starring: Ray Harryhausen, Faith Domergue, Torin Thatcher, Kathryn Grant, Joan Taylor, Hugh Marlowe, William Hopper, Kerwin Mathews, Douglas Curtis, Richard Eyer, Donald Curtis. Director: Nathan Juran, Robert Gordon, Fred F Sears Genre: Family | Fantasy | Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | DVD Release Date: 10/07/2008 Earth vs. the Flying Saucers - (1956) [V3.5-A4.0] Earth vs. the Flying Saucers lands on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. The colorized version, like the one found on 20 Million Miles to Earth, features somewhat peachy flesh tones and offers a slightly unnatural appearance, although several shots look so good as to almost pass for originally being filmed in color. The black and white version offers a more detailed, natural look. The image appears slightly less grainy than the other Harryhausen offerings in the set, although the color version exhibits its fair share, and more so than the black and white version. Both images bring the movie alive on large screens, meaning that viewers may finally watch them at home in magnifications where they look their best. High definition does make some of the various strings holding up the saucers clearly evident, but the film wouldn't be the same with slick, cutting edge effects. This is a fine effort, and longtime fans will revel in the unearthed detail to be found here, as well as the newly colorized version. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad - (1958) [V3.5-A3.5] The 7th Voyage of Sinbad debuts on Blu-ray in a fine looking 1080p, 1.66:1-framed transfer. The colors over the opening title sequence are impressive, rich and bold and lifelike. Grain is extremely heavy in some scenes, and is present in some quantity over the entirety of the film. Some shots are also slightly soft in appearance, but for the most part, this transfer is solid, all things considered. Detail is generally above average as well. The sand on the beaches, as seen early in the film, and various large rock faces look good, and there is a decent depth to the transfer. Likewise, the interior of Sinbad's ship and the various interior shots of Bagdad offer viewers plenty of eye candy in the way of the magnitude of colors, texture, and detail. Black levels are moderately good, appearing a bit bright in a few scenes. Flesh tones appear very natural. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad looks better than ever, a treat for longtime fans, a rich, fulfilling experience for newcomers, and the disc serves as another fine example of the wonderful clarity and film-like transfers Blu-ray is capable of offering, particularly in regards to older films, in this case a 50-year-old adventure classic. It Came From Beneath the Sea - (1955) [V3.5-A2.5] Presented in 1080p high definition and framed at 1.85:1, It Came From Beneath the Sea presents viewers with both the original black and white version as well as Harryhausen's newly colorized edition. First, the colorized version. The interior shots of the submarine seen at the beginning of the film are nicely detailed. The various bulkheads and instruments reveal dents, paint chips, creases, bolts, and more. Various clothing, particularly the more ornate military uniforms worn by various characters throughout the film, are highly detailed and offer excellent texture evidenced both on the fabric and the various adornments. Colors are strong, a good example being the yellow suits worn by a trio of characters in chapter three. The image features some decent depth and is quite sharp, with few moments of softness. There is also a fairly heavy grain field covering the entirety of the image, though it didn't quite seem to be as thick as what viewers will see in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. The black and white version offers a crisp, impressive image all its own, and appears to have slightly more depth and clarity than the colorized version, which was no slouch in this regard. However, the film does seem to work better in color. The original elements are preferred for artistic reasons, but considering Harryhausen approved the colorization process, both are acceptable. The creature shots at the end of the film are the most obviously enhanced by color. Either way, It Came From Beneath the Sea makes for fine high definition material of a decades-old film. 20 Million Miles to Earth - (1957) [V3.5-A3.0] 20 Million Miles to Earth is presented on Blu-ray in 1080p high definition with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The film is quite grainy throughout, but the print is remarkably clean for a film of this age. It's certainly not pristine, but given the age, it looks great. Detail is remarkably high as well. Although not as breathtaking as other classics seen on Blu-ray -- for example, The Searchers, -- the film looks very good. As for the color vs. black and white issue, I felt the film felt more natural in its original colorless version. Oftentimes colors looked slightly off. Many skin tones looked "peachy" and unnatural. Some color reproduction looked great, such as the green of the monster and the tans of the army uniforms, but on the whole I much preferred the black and white version. I'm glad both are on here, and Harryhausen's decision to colorize the film carries a lot of weight. The end product cannot be eschewed out of spite for the colorization process. IMDb Rating (03/28/11): 7.1/10 from 4,047 users - The 7th Voyage of Sinbad IMDb Rating (03/28/11): 6.3/10 from 2,142 users - 20 Million Miles to Earth IMDb Rating (03/28/11): 6.2/10 from 2,612 users - Earth vs. the Flying Saucers IMDb Rating (03/28/11): 5.8/10 from 1,585 users - It Came From Beneath the Sea Additional information Copyright:  Ray Har,  Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Features:  Earth vs. the Flying Saucers With a plethora of bonus materials on this and the other discs in the collection, Ray Harryhausen fans are in for a day's worth of bonus materials. A commentary track featuring Ray Harryhausen, Arnold Kunert, and visual effects experts Jeffery Okun and Ken Ralston is first. The track begins with a discussion on the design of the flying saucers and their early and frequent appearance in the film. Obviously, talk of the effects dominate the track, but these participants also discuss the script, the score, and other trivial matters. The Hollywood Blacklist and Bernard Gordon (480p, 29:27) is a feature that delves into a bit of the history behind Hollywood's blacklist, those accused of Communist ties in Tinseltown. The piece then examines how writers subverted the system by using pen names to continue working, and focuses on the story of Earth vs. the Flying Saucers' writer Bernard Gordon. For as interesting as the material is, the piece is slow paced but remains one worth watching nevertheless. Remembering 'Earth vs. the Flying Saucers' (480p, 21:25) features Ray Harryhausen reminiscing on the project, beginning with tales of the olden days of UFO fanatics and moves to a solid discussion of the film's effects. Unlike the previous feature, the discussion is lively and engaging, moving at a swift pace. Interview With Joan Taylor (480p, 17:29) features the actress recounting her career and specifically her place in Harryhausen film history. The Colorization Process (480p, 11:02) looks at the methods employed to colorize the film. Ray Harryhausen discusses the budget constraints that kept his film from being filmed in color to begin with, and moves on to his acceptance of the colorization process and the work of Legend Films to color them with Harryhausen's approval. Original Screenplay Credits (480p, 3:16) offers viewers the original, "blacklisted" edition of the film's credit sequence. 'Flying Saucers vs. the Earth' Comic Book is a preview of an upcoming comic book. Two still galleries -- Ad Art (480p, 5:31) and Production (480p, 17:49) -- are included. Also available are trailers for the other Ray Harryhausen films included in this set. Finally, this disc is BD-Live (Blu-ray profile 2.0) enabled. At time of writing, no movie-exclusive supplements were available. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad The 7th Voyage of Sinbad offers viewers a treasure as great as that of the Cyclops' in the form of this jam-packed supplemental section. Beginning the proceedings is a feature-length commentary track with Ray Harryhausen, visual effects experts Phil Tippet and Randall William Cook, author Steven Smith, and Arnold Kunert. The track begins by placing the film's influential and rousing score in the context of cinematic history. As the track moves along, the participants discuss the efforts that went into making the film, including the studios' rejection of the idea (due to the belief that costume pictures were "dead"), the evolution of the script, and the originality of the film at the time of its release. There is, of course, plenty of talk about the special effects. The track is a lively one, fascinating, entertaining, and educational all at once, and is a must-listen for fans of special effects or cinema history. Remembering the 7th Voyage of Sinbad (480p, 23:31) features Ray Harryhausen reminiscing about the experience of creating the film, recounting some of the same information as heard in the commentary track. Nevertheless, he offers tales pertaining to the film's pre-production stage, shooting locations, creature design, and more. The Harryhausen Legacy (480p, 25:32) features interviews with an impressive list of Hollywood bigwigs as they discuss Harryhausen's influence as a special effects pioneer. Bob Burns, John Landis, Phil Tippet, Hoyt Yeatman, Ken Ralston, Joe Dante, John Dykstra, the Chiodo Brothers, Dennis Muren, Doug Beswick, John Berg, Rick Baker, Kevin Kutchaver, Frank Darabont, Forrest J. Ackerman, and Stan Winston are interviewed, showing just how far and wide Harryhausen's influence has spread. The Music of Bernard Herrmann (480p, 26:52) examines Herrmann's work, his love for Fantasy, his early work on radio, and, of course, his score for The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and other films. Passionately recounted by music historian and Herrmann biographer Steve Smith, the piece will appeal to fans of the composer and music in general. Next up is a photo gallery, set to music, and presented in 480p. The feature runs for 9:34, with each photograph remaining on-screen for several seconds. A music video, set to promotional material for the film, entitled Sinbad May Have Been Bad, But He's Been Good To Me (480p, 3:07), is next. This piece was created as a promotion for the film, and its history is briefly described prior to the start of the song. A Look Behind the Voyage (480p, 11:47) is a vintage piece that further recounts the history of Ray Harryahusen's career, with Harryhausen participating in the feature along with producer Charles S. Schneer and star Kewrin Mathews. This is Dynamation (Special Effects) (480p, 3:25) is another vintage piece that informs audiences of how the then-groundbreaking effects were created. Ray Harryhausen - Interviewed by John Landis (480p, 11:52) is an entertaining interview featuring two Hollywood legends. 1080p trailers for Casino Royale, Men in Black, CJ7, and The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep are also included. Finally, this disc is BD-Live (Blu-ray profile 2.0) enabled. It Came From Beneath the Sea Another feature-packed disc, It Came From Beneath the Sea provides viewers with plenty of bonus materials. A commentary track featuring Ray Harryhausen, Arnold Kunert, animation expert Randy Cook, and visual effects expert John Bruno is first. This group, clearly enjoying the experience of revisiting the film together and seeing it in color, discuss various aspects of the film, including the music, the semi-documentary feel of the picture, stock footage used throughout, sets, color vs. black and white, and of course, the special effects. The track is breezy and easy to get into. Remembering 'It Came From Beneath the Sea' (480p, 21:45) features Ray Harryhausen recounting the origins of the film, the special effects and creature creation and visualization, the low budget origins of the film, and more. Visual effects supervisor John Bruno also recounts his experiences with It Came From Beneath the Sea and how the film influenced his interest in visual effects. Near the end of the piece, filmmaker, author, and historian John Canemaker further discusses the effects. A Present Day Look at Stop Motion (480p, 11:38) features New York University student Kyle Anderson demonstrating how stop-motion animation is achieved today. Tim Burton Sits Down With Ray Harryhausen (480p, 27:09) proves to be one of the best features on the disc. The pair enjoys the look back at Harryhausen's work on this and other films. David Schenter on Film Music's Unsung Hero (480p, 22:33) is an in-depth look at the music of Mischa Bakaleinikoff. The piece delves into the differences in how Columbia Pictures' A- and B-list movies were scored, and Bakaleinikoff's contributions to the Harryhausen's films and the proliferation of his famous themes. Original Ad Artwork (480p, 17:52) features producer Arnold Kunert sharing various Harryhausen film-releated press materials and memorabilia. 'It Came From Beneath the Sea' Comic Book is a comic book version of the film. Viewers can "flip the page" with the right and left arrow keys on their remotes. Viewers are shown the full page, and may then view the page's top and bottom portions in a magnified presentation. Next up are three series of still galleries -- Ad Art (480p, 4:46), Production (480p, 9:32), and Ray Harryhausen's Artwork (480p, 15:31). Also included are 1080p trailers for the other Harryhausen films in this collection. Finally, this disc is BD-Live (Blu-ray profile 2.0) enabled. The page takes users to Sony's standard page with trailer, a FAQ, and a panel to register the disc and join Sony's new rewards program. At time of writing, no additional film-related content was available. 20 Million Miles to Earth Fans of 1950s science fiction should be happy with the supplements included on this disc. First up is a very informative commentary track featuring Ray Harryhausen and visual effects artists Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett, and Arnold Kunert. Quite a bit of the discussion revolves around shooting in both Italy and the United States, and there are some great anecdotes throughout. Harryhausen is very pleased with the colorization of the film and discusses the reasons why it was originally filmed in black and white. The commentary is brought to us via a satellite hook-up between California and London (where Harryhausen is) and there is no lag or discernible hic-ups. This is a solid track. Each of the following features are presented with optional Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. Remembering '20 Million Miles to Earth' (480p, 27:01) is a basic piece that mostly discusses the technicalities of making the film, notably the special effects and makeup. The Colorization Process (480p, 11:02) is a discussion with Ray Harryhausen and Barry Sandrew of Legend Films about the most recent colorization of the film. Harryhausen always wanted many of his films produced in color, but certain restraints prevented it from the outset. He defends the colorization of certain films, including some of his own, and he also discusses his reaction to the final results. Please note that this feature is also available on the Earth vs. the Flying Saucers disc. Tim Burton Sits Down With Ray Harryhausen (480p, 27:09) is once again included here. The same feature is also available on the It Came From Beneath the Sea disc. Moving on, there is also an Interview With Joan Taylor (480p, 17:29), a chat with the actress that played Marisa Leonardo in the movie. This supplement also appears on the Earth vs. the Flying Saucers disc. David Schecter On Film Music's Unsung Hero (480p, 22:33) is another duplicate supplement, this one also available on the It Came From Beneath the Sea disc. '20 Million Miles More' Comic Book is a preview of a comic book inspired by the film. Finally, still galleries, original ad artwork, and the trailer for Close Encounters of the Third Kind conclude this extensive group of supplements. Subtitles:  English SDH, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Arabic, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Mandarin (Traditional), Thai Video:  Widescreen 1.85:1 Color Widescreen 1.85:1 B&W Widescreen 1.66:1 Color Widescreen 1.66:1 B&W  Screen Resolution: 1080p Audio:  ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Mono ENGLISH: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 SPANISH: Dolby Digital Mono FRENCH: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 THAI: Dolby Digital 5.1 Time:  5:32 DVD:  # Discs: 1 -- # Shows: 1 UPC:  043396258372 Coding:  [V3.5-A3.5] MPEG-4 AVC D-Box:  No Other:  Producers: Charles H Schneer, Kenneth Kolb; Directors: Nathan Juran, Robert Gordon, Fred F Sears; Writers: Bobby Williams, Hal Smith, George Worthing Yates, Christopher Knopf, Raymond T Marcus; running time of 332 minutes; Packaging: Custom Case.