A Passage to India

Special Features

Regarding special features, there is a commentary track with producer Richard Goodwin as well as a rather underwhelming “picture-in-graphic” trivia/fun facts track. It’s nothing that will last you a very long time, but serious fans of the film will find it to be at least worth a viewing. In addition to these features, there’s also a little over an hour’s worth of featurettes included on the disc as well, most of which are in HD. Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect:

· E.M. Forster: Profile of an Author (7 min.) – a short exploration of the history behind the author of the book on which the film is based.

· An Epic Takes Shape (11 min.) – A talk with the cast about the difficulties in arranging for the production of the film. There is some interesting substance in here, not least of which being some discussions about the particular nature of the set construction thanks surely to Lean’s legendary meticulousness.

· An Indian Affair (14 min.) – Another short featurette about the experience of filming in India, once again centering on the scrupulousness exhibited by Lean in nearly every situation.

· Only Connect: A Vision of India (11 min.) – This mini-documentary details the recreation of the Indian settings in the studios back in Britain, as well as the various awards the film won in the wake of its release.

· Casting a Classic (11 min.) – Interviews with the film’s casting director and several of the actors reveal a number of interesting morsels about the deliberation that went into character accuracy. Perhaps the most interesting of all is Alec Guinness’ purported discontent with having been cast as an Indian scholar, as well as his fragile relationship with David Lean.

· David Lean: Shooting With the Master (13 min.) – A short segment that starts off sounding like a tribute, but proves throughout the course of its thirteen minutes that it certainly isn’t afraid to tell the truth about the rigidity of Lean’s attitude toward the people with whom he worked. Lean, like many world-class directors, was certainly an expert in his field, but he was apparently far less adept at human relations. Nonetheless, you can sense a level of respect from each of the speakers that overshadows any degree of interpersonal struggle between themselves and the late director.

· The David Lean Collection (2 min.) – A very brief promo piece advertising three other Lean films currently available on DVD or Blu-ray disc.

· Reflections on David Lean (8 min.) – This is the only standard-definition content on the disc, and it’s a shame it isn’t longer. It’s taken from a television interview with the director from over 20 years ago, and in it, he discusses his thoughts on everything from the casting to the interpretation of the novel and its adaptation to the big screen.

So while A Passage to India’s small selection of special features doesn’t compare to that of many other modern releases, it’s still got plenty here to keep fans satisfied. The film itself is truly a sight to behold in beautiful high definition, and it’s an investment that comes highly recommended.