It is DVDs like the new release of "Gone With the Wind" that should convince any movie lover that they must own a DVD player.

Filmed in the 1.33:1 Academy ratio, a widescreen version was produced in the 60s for cinema release that reduced considerably the impact of the movie, not least because the colour composition was altered. Thankfully a restored full-screen print has been used for this DVD transfer, and what a joy it is to witness. The Technicolor tones must surely look as vivid as the original release and the freshness of some scenes is quite astonishing.

A new 5.1 sound mix accompanies the film and it concentrates mainly on diffusing the music score through the front three speakers. There are some great effects, as you'll soon find out when the explosive Civil War charges up your subwoofer.

It's not often that we'd recommend a DVD without a single extra feature, but for the quality of the transfer, this disc is well worth owning. It is certainly the format of choice to introduce new generations to a film that does not look as if it was made over 60 years ago. Our only complaint is that the menu screens look horribly cheap, but undoubtedly there will be a special extras laden edition along one day to correct that.

Region: 2
Chapters: 56
Ratio: 1.33:1 (original fullscreen Academy ratio)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Technical Features: Scene selection, muliple languages and subtitles, and English for the hearing impaired.