I am an unabashed fan of this film. The years of desegregation had been over for a while when I was a kid growing up in the South in the 80s. The concept of racism never made sense to me as a child, even as I encountered the residual effects of it from time to time in the South Carolina suburbs where my family lived. The very idea of hating someone simply for being who they are is such a dehumanizing way of life, for both the hater and the target of the hatred. 

As such, To Kill A Mockingbird had a profound impact on me when I first saw it as a kid. Beyond simply being an eloquently powerful and well-told story, it manages to convey its themes primarily through the eyes of Gem and Scout, Atticus Finch’s children. Their innocence and bewilderment at the very existence of racism cuts to the heart of the issue in a way that “rational” arguments sometimes can’t. From a filmmaking standpoint, this is simply a beautifully made movie. The script, the score, the acting…across the board, this is a classic in every sense of the word.

QUALITY:
Thankfully, this release does the film justice. The transfer looks phenomenal. For a movie that’s 50 years old, the picture clarity is outstanding. The sound mix and the music are both top-notch. In short, this is the best looking (and sounding) release of the movie thus far.

BONUS FEATURES:
The extras include two full-length documentaries, one focusing on the making of the film and the other on Gregory Peck and his film career. There are also some historical clips focusing on Peck, both when he won the Best Actor Oscar for his role as Atticus and his Lifetime Achievement award from AFI. Additionally, there is a commentary track featuring director Robert Mulligan and Producer Alan Pakula, and a feature with Mary Badham (Scout Finch) as she reflects on her time working Peck.

Beyond that, this edition comes with the film on both Blu-Ray and DVD, along with a digital copy. Plus the book packaging itself features over 40 pages of behind-the-scenes notes and promotional materials used when the film was first released.

All in all, this is a fantastic treatment of the film, one that preserves the movie for new audiences, while honoring its heritage and legacy. If you haven’t seen it yet, you absolutely need to and if you have, this is a no-brainer to add to your film library.