The Dam Busters - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

The Dam Busters is one of those historical pictures with a plot that sounds too ludicrous to be based on a true story. The only reason I knew it wasn’t fiction is that years ago, I’d seen a documentary about the mission that the film centers on. In 1942, during the Second World War, a specialized bomb was developed by the British military specifically to destroy a series of Nazi dams to disrupt their steel manufacturing and to flood other areas. It was to be a strategic blow to the Axis forces, but the problem was how to deliver the explosives? Bombing from above wasn’t possible—the dams were fortified in such a way that any structural damage from above would simply be cosmetic and could be repaired easily. Bombing from the side was equally improbable, particularly because explosives at that time were designed to be dropped from above, not fired ahead like a missile.

So, a delivery system was developed, and that’s the story we follow, as engineer Barnes Wallis (Michael Redgrave) envisions a circular bomb that skips across the surface of the water like a stone. As he imagines it, it would strike the surface of the dam, sink, and then, after reaching a depth of 30 feet, explode, using the force of the water in its favor to blow the dam apart. It sounds ingenious, and it sounds simple, but nothing about it is.

The film is divided into sections. First, as we follow Wallis and his development of the bomb, first through miniatures, then on a larger scale, and then in full-size. He pitches the idea to anyone who will listen, but is shot down again and again by bureaucratic loopholes and red tape. He finally reaches someone who will listen, who takes a chance on the idea, and when it reaches production, the real trouble starts. Wing Commander Guy Gibson (Richard Todd) leads the mission, but nothing goes right during the training. The bombs break apart by impact. The planes come in too high. The bombs are released too early. It takes dozens and dozens and dozens of tries, re-tries, tweaks, and fixes to get it right, and even then, it’s still flimsy and unclear if it’ll work on the way.

Movies like The Dam Busters are a living, vivid history lesson. Yes, the finale is action-packed and thrilling, and even inspired some great action sequences, like the Death Star finale in Star Wars and the mission used as the basis of Top Gun: Maverick. But it’s not all explosions and bullets flying. It’s also the thrill and joy of scientific discovery. It’s about overcoming obstacles of all sizes. And when all hell breaks loose, it’s incredible to see the pilots adapt and come up with a new plan, riffing and improvising in the air as they’re taking heavy fire from the ground.

Film Movement Classics has presented The Dam Busters in its full, unedited version, complete with a dog with a most unfortunate name. It’s important to note that when The Dam Busters was filmed, and when the story was set, it was a much, much different time—but, frankly, that’s a discussion for another time, that I don’t want to get bogged down with. Yes, it’s an excellent film. But also, yes, there’s some embarrassing racism in it, a relic from another era.

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
The Dam Busters flies into action on 4K UHD Blu-ray, in a three-disc release, with the film available in both 2160p and 1080p resolution, with most of the supplements found on the third Blu-ray disc. All three discs are housed in a standard case, with a small booklet containing an essay by Kenji Fujishima found inside.

According to one of the featurettes included in disc three, regarding the restoration of the film, The Dam Busters’ 4K presentation was sourced from its original 35mm camera negative. The picture is extremely clear and sharp, with a healthy amount of organic film grain throughout. The HDR10 grading allows the blacks in its monochromatic black & white cinematography to reach deep, inky depths, while the whites of clouds in the sky gleam brightly. Close-ups, such as in dialogue sequences, look pristine, with fine details visible in the costuming and set design.

The Dam Busters comes equipped with a 2.0 mono track, encoded in DTS-HD MA, and it is awesome. Most of the film is talky—two-thirds of it are discussions amongst military and scientific specialists, fueling the plot in all its discovery and clever problem-solving. The final third, however (and training missions before that), is an incredible mix of low bass from the rumbling of the planes and hellfire from both above and below. The final mission isn’t just a feast for the eyes, but the ears, too.

Film Movement has not skimped on special features, including a number of documentaries, featurettes, real footage of bomb tests and an audio commentary. There are hours of supplements to make your way through.

Disc One (4K)

• Audio Commentary – Film historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell

Disc Two (Blu-ray)

• Audio Commentary – Film historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell
• Restoration Trailer

Disc Three (Blu-ray)

• The Making of The Dam Busters (HD 41:14)
• Sir Barnes Wallace Documentary (1972) (HD 30:01)
• 617 Squadron Remembers (HD 56:29)
• Footage of the Bomb Tests (HD 6:54)
• The Dam Busters Royal Premiere (HD 3:28)
• Restoring of a Classic (HD 5:13)

The Dam Busters is an exciting, challenging film that’s exciting long before the bullets and bombs start flying. The thrill of the story is in scientific exploration, even when things don’t go exactly as planned, and to see how everyone involved adapts to their new orders. The film is as innovative as the story it tells, going on to inspire a whole wave of classics. Through Film Movement’s restoration, it’s never looked or sounded better, loaded with hours and hours of supplements. The Dam Busters is Highly Recommended.