Forrest Gump 4K: a stunning steelbook

Forrest Gump 4K

There can be no video library worthy of the name without Forrest Gump. Robert Zemeckis' film, released in cinemas in 1994, is one of those masterpieces that have marked the history of cinema, not only because of the amazing interpretation of Tom Hanks, but also because of the way we lived half a century of American life following the extraordinary experiences of this simple man. Reliving the emotion of Forrest Gump comfortably seated on our sofa is even more exciting today, thanks to Forrest Gump 4K, the new edition in UHD that Koch Media has dedicated to the masterpiece by Zemeckis.

A new edition that marries the philosophy of steelbooks, solid collectible packs often accompanied by graphic projects that emphasize evocative details of the films. In the case of Forrest Gump 4k, the steelbook that contains the three discs of this new edition proposes the image of the movie poster, with Forrest waiting on the famous belly, I intend to observe the delicate feather that welcomed us in the poetry of this little gem of the history of cinema. The background of an intense blue, instead of the white of the aforementioned poster, gives a further poetic touch to this image, which makes the snowy color of the feather even more intense. And certainly could not miss the poetic box of chocolates so dear to Mom Gump, which makes a fine show on the back of the steelbook.

Forrest Gump 4K: an unmissable edition

The admiration for the graphic design of this steelbook increases when we open the box to enjoy the three discs contained inside. The two versions of Forrest Gump, UHD and traditional bluray, and the bluray disc dedicated to the rich extras of this edition are presented in a transparent plastic housing that allows us to glimpse a frame of the film: the moment when a Forrest Gump in uniform from marine speaks at the famous anti-Vietnam War demonstration held in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Despite this appreciation of the steelbook graphic concept, it is the content of Forrest Gump 4K that deserves the purchase. When it comes to 4k reissues, the comparison is always with the bluray versions, born in recent years as a recovery of films of a certain thickness, to enhance aspects that are technically not appreciable with previous technologies. In the case of Forrest Gump, this intent goes to highlight a sector of special effects and techniques that were advanced at the time that allowed Forrest to meet real characters, such as Nixon or Kennedy. What seemed like an exceptional achievement in 1994, to a modern viewer may seem amateurish compared to current technologies, making these 4K recovery operations risky.

In the case of Forrest Gump, the good job done on the occasion of the transition to Bluray does not seem to have found equal success in the migration to the 4K format. This porting could be defined as uneven, considering that some sequences have palpably benefited from the advantages of HDR, such as the parenthesis of the Vietnam War or Forrest's race for the States. In these cases, the depth of field and the definition of the image, especially the definition of the faces, is perfect, sharp and convincing, testimony of the potential of the current video technology, especially in terms of chromatic identity, vivid and warm.

On the other hand, where situations arise in which the aforementioned special effects of the time are involved, the difficulties and technical limitations of these operations are denoted. The more complex special effects show the limits of the years, aggravated by an unhappy handling of blacks, which despite a convincing coloring in the open spaces, seems to lose consistency in darker scenarios, such as night scenes in which the grain of the image shows its limits.

An edition full of exciting extras

Where we can't complain is the audio sector, for which the audio track created for the celebratory edition of the 25 was used years of the film. The sound is clean and crisp, the soundtrack signed by Alan Silvestri does not lose its beauty, as well as the more complex scenes in terms of sound, such as the Vietnamese parenthesis, show impeccable clarity. For the Italian audio, Dolby Digital 5.1 does its job very well, even if in some scenes it does not stand up to the comparison with the original Atmos, capable of amplifying complex and enveloping sounds for the most intense moments.

Where the steelbook edition of Forrest Gump 4K proves particularly interesting is the rich sector of extras. This edition contains all the special contents present in previous versions, including the original audio with the commentary by Zemeckis and the fascinating interactive content Musical Signage - Along the Story. Curated by Zemeckis himself and music consultant Joe Hill, this option automatically activates a small presentation content of the songs as they appear in the film. Interesting function, but if left in automatic mode, this function stops the film, which leads to recommend manual modes, which allows the viewer to select, when a musical key symbol appears, to activate the extra content. br>
The third bluray disc of extras, in addition to the more traditional contents for these editions, offers interesting insights, which extend our experience with this cult, with almost four hours of comments, interviews and small documentaries. From Greenbow's Diary, dedicated to the history of Forrest Gump's production, to Beyond the Impossible: Forrest Gump and the Visual Effects Revolution, a spectacular behind-the-scenes story that tells of the incredible work done at the time in the creation of special effects for the film. Of great interest, especially for understanding the dynamics between the different actors, is An Evening with Forrest Gump, an almost hour-long meeting in which Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise and Robert Zemeckis, guests of the University of Southern California, talk about their personal experience with Forrrest Gump.

The Forrest Gump 4K steelbook, despite the successful conversion of the original master to 4K, remains the best edition of the Zemeckis cult currently available, with the advantage of showing extra content of high value that increase the myth.