A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 24, 2015

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols presents viewers with a high definition selection of beautiful stained glass windows. Though they're not identified in the film, the credits reveal that most of them were photographed in and around the Chicago, Illinois area, and more specifics are included there. The film is set to music, with two options available: a collection of two dozen favorite Christmas carols and hymns and selections from Handel's Messiah. The film infrequently ventures beyond the churches to show various images of snowy exteriors and warm Christmas-themed interiors.

For unto us a child is born...

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols is a simple release that combines Christmas-themed imagery and music. The film is at its best when the camera sits on a particular window and allows the viewer to absorb every detail, at least in the time allotted before it shifts to the next. It occasionally pans, sometimes too quickly, in a vertical or horizontal motion that reveals more of the window but disallows a more intimate study. They're truly beautiful, all of them telling a story and most, of course, centered on the Biblical Christmas narrative. A few scriptures are presented throughout that fill in some of the details of the stories told on the panes. The same program runs with the two musical selections, yielding more than 2.5 hours worth of on-disc music and imagery.

The track list for the "Christmas Carols" section of the release contains the following, selectable via the main menu:

• Joy to the World
• Silent Night
• The First Noel
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
• O Come, All Ye Faithful
• Away in a Manger
• Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
• Sans Day Carol
• Mary Had a Baby
• Bring a Torch Jenette (sic) & Isabella
• O Holy Night
• I Saw Three Ships
• Unto Us Is Born a Star
• Good King Wencelas
• Nativity Carol
• Ave Maria
• In Dulci Jublio (Christ Was Born For This)
• O Come, O Come Emmanuel
• Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
• It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
• Here We Come a Caroling
• Greensleeves (What Child Is This?)
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
• Angels We Have Heard on High

Selections from Handel's Messiah are as follows:

• Hallelujah!
• Overture
• Comfort Ye
• Every Valley
• And the Glory of the Lord
• Thus Saith The Lord of Hosts
• But Who May Abide
• Behold! A Virgin Shall Conceive
• O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion
• He Shall Feed His Flock
• I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
• For Unto Us a Child Is Born
• And Suddenly There Was With the Angel of Multitude
• Glory to God
• Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion
• His Yoke Is Easy
• Behold! The Lamb of God
• All We, Like Sheep
• Hallelujah!
• The Trumpet Shall Sound
• Amen

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Despite a 1080i presentation and a fairly flat and occasionally mildly glossy appearance, A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols looks rather good, particularly when it's showcasing static images of stained glass windows. The 1.78:1-framed Blu-ray reveals a fine level of intimate window detailing, certainly not quite so tactile as real life but there's plenty of little ridges and image details that reveal the various complexities with commendable ease. Likewise, coloring is very strong. There's literally a rainbow of colors to explore; each window springs to life with a myriad of colors that are vibrantly presented and, together, reveal a beautifully harmonious picture in each frame. Primaries pop and duller support hues are balanced. The film shows some different elements here and there, including some outdoor snowy scenes and interiors filled with Christmas-themed accents. The outdoors are lush and usually dense with snow; tree branches and other natural details peek through with fine definition. Interiors are warm and colors push towards shades or reds, oranges, and golds, and fine detail on ribbons, presents, and other assorted objects are sufficiently complex though nowhere near as sharp and exacting as the windows.

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols features four total soundtracks, one each of the Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 varieties for the two basic options: carols and hymns and selections from Handel's Messiah. First, the carols. The 5.1 track is surprisingly good. Music is aggressive -- particularly once the chapters reach The First Noel and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing -- and presented with rich instrumental and vocal detailing that only occasionally blends together and muddles one in the process. It's usually the vocals that suffer, but never to a truly detracting or song-destorying level. Various songs offer more room-filling detail than others; some linger lightly across the front while others are much more pronounced to the sides and across the rear channels. The Handel selections are never quite so aggressively dominant. At the same volume level the track never reaches the same level of loudness, but not by much. Basic choral and instrumental details satisfy. The carols are definitely the highlight here, but for a bargain release and no lossless soundtrack both are at worst acceptable and at best surprisingly rich and satisfying.

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols contains no bonus content.

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols is a simple affair, better enjoyed as background ambience in the living room around the Christmas season rather than a straight-through watch. It's certainly a nice change of pace from some of the other imagery/music Christmas-themed releases, such as The Yule Log: Christmas By the Fireplace and Holiday Lights. Though it presents in both 1080i video and lossy 5.1 audio, the technical presentation is surprisingly stout, revealing good, detailed sound and attractively simple imagery. For its beautiful imagery and fine musical selections, good technical merits, and, at time of publication, rock-bottom sales prices, this release comes recommended.