The Sound of Music first graced theatrical screens in 1965. Sixty years later, this film looks and sounds more beautiful than ever. This is thanks to the Walt Disney Film Restoration team and the tender loving care it gave to this film. Because of this, fans can now experience this movie as if it were brand new. In fact, it might even be more pristine and beautiful than when it originally arrived on the silver screen. The Sound of Music is about Maria (Julie Andrews), a young postulant at an Austrian abbey who is sent to be a governess for the children of a widowed naval captain (Christopher Plummer) with seven children. Once there, Maria brings love and music to this household that had been so devoid of them. The Sound of Music is available in 4K Ultra HD Digital & Blu-ray and also through digital retailers.
Quality
Watching The Sound of Music with this new 4K restoration and release really is something special. Having grown up watching this movie, I have never seen it look or sound so incredible. The colors are vibrant. The light and shadow come to life. Throughout the film, details can be seen that were never crisp enough to notice before. All of the visual elements are accompanied by remastered audio that is a joy to listen to as well. The culmination of the restoration and remastering is a viewing experience that is beautifully immersive. I was very thankful to have a large 4K television and for quality audio! After my initial review of this film, I found myself going back to rewatch several scenes to catch more details or listen to the musical elements once again. They are just that good!
Bonus Features
There are a LOT of bonus features included with this release of The Sound of Music. This is a gift in itself. I also didn’t know what I was getting into when I sat down to watch them. This ended up being an enjoyable evening that stretched late into the night. There is a wide range of extras that cover the gamut of topics surrounding this movie. The good thing with this collection of extras was that all of them were worth watching. There were definitely some features that stood out, however. Having visited Austria years ago, I really enjoyed A City of Song. This went into filming locations around Salzburg, Australia. Musical Stages took a look at the songs, show, and family surrounding this story. This section of bonus features also went into the restoration, which was fascinating as well. There was also a tour of Salzburg with Julie Andrews, which was fun, called The Sound of a City Documentary. For this release, there are also two commentaries included. These are worth checking out.
Bonus Features*
Disc 1: 4K UHD The Sound of Music + Bonus Features – Sing-Along Version • Commentary by Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian Carr, Dee Dee Wood & Johannes von Trapp • Commentary by Robert Wise
Disc 2: Blu-ray The Sound of Music + Bonus Features – Sing-Along Version • Commentary by Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian Carr, Dee Dee Wood & Johannes von Trapp • Commentary by Robert Wise
Disc 3: Blu-ray Bonus Features Bonus Disc –
- The Sound of a City Documentary – Julie Andrews returns to Salzburg, Austria
- A City of Song – Filming locations in Salzburg, Austria
- Musical Stages – The songs, the show & the family
- Vintage Programs – The Sound of Music, Rodgers and Hammerstein, location interviews, and audio interviews
- Rare Treasures – Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall: The Pratt Family Singers, The Julie Andrews Hour: Julie Andrews and Maria Von Trapp, Screen Tests, 40th Anniversary DVD Introduction by Julie Andrews, and galleries
- Publicity – Fox Movietone News – Academy Awards,®, trailers and teasers, TV spots, and radio spots
*Bonus features vary by product and retailer
When I originally sat down to review the bonus features, I intended to do it over the course of several nights. However, I soon found myself really enjoying them and just watching one after another. Other than I would split off the commentaries, perhaps, I liked just sitting through the bonus features in one sitting. If you are a fan of The Sound of Music, I would suggest setting aside time to watch these. You won’t regret it.
One other note on the bonus features. Frequently, in newer movies, we get just a couple of bonus features included with a film. The Sound of Music and its collection of extras is what I wish for. This is the right level of extras that really add value to a release. It also adds depth to the movie. The viewer learns about the bigger picture surrounding it. I think this adds to the movie and generally also adds to the viewer’s appreciation and understanding of the film.
Final Thoughts
I grew up in a family where The Sound of Music was something that was around a lot. I have seen it numerous times, and I remember listening to the vinyl record regularly as a child at my grandparents’ house. It has always brought back positive memories when I think of this film. After visiting Austria in college, the film came to life even more as we passed places that were seen in the movie. Fast forward to seeing The Sound of Music with this new 4K release. It is now a wonderful mix between what I remembered seeing on the screen/hearing on the record, combined with the clarity of actually visiting Austria and seeing places from the film with my own eyes. This is the kind of release that brings a movie to life in a whole new way. As I watched it, I couldn’t help but wish that this would happen to some of the other great classic films from this era. I went into reviewing this film thinking, “This will be enjoyable enough, but I’ve seen this a lot.” I came out of it enthralled by the quality of the release and how it wowed me. This is a release I enthusiastically take my hat off for. Definitely add it to the collection. It is a treasure that I hope is just one of many that get this kind of restoration and remastering love!
Daps Magic received a sample product or experience for this review in exchange for an honest review. The views of the reviewer are wholly their own. Read full disclosure policy at dapsmagic.com/disclosurepolicy.
Mr. DAPs Hat Rating Scale
- No Hat – Didn’t meet expectations
- Hat Nod – It was ok
- Hat Tip – It was good
- Hat’s Off – Loved it!
