Alaska Seas Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Alaska Seas Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 9, 2024

Jerry Hopper's "Alaska Seas" (1954) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only supplemental feature on the release is an exclusive new audio commentary by critic David Del Valle and film archivist Stan Shaffer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Remakes very rarely turn out better films. There are different reasons for this, especially when it comes to contemporary remakes. But old Hollywood did produce many great remakes because some of the earliest such films genuinely tried to do a better job at retelling the story that inspired them. Some of them did it by introducing more nuanced characters, some did it by producing superior visuals, and quite a few did it by combining both.

Jerry Hopper’s film Alaska Seas is one of these great early remakes. It retells the story that is told in Henry Hathaway’s Spawn of the North, which was produced nearly two decades before it. Both films look dated now, but the former looks and behaves like a film that must have been conceived and shot at least another decade later. In other words, if one compares Alaska Seas and Spawn of the North, one would instantly see why the former was greenlighted. It does not just retell the story; it improves it in a very convincing manner that makes it a superior film.

After the government imposes quotas on salmon fishing in the Great Northwest, to ensure their survival the fishermen in a small town in Alaska organize each other into two camps. The bigger camp, which becomes known as The Cooperative, attracts more than two-thirds of the fishermen and, while following the new government regulations, they begin working together and sharing their profits. The smaller camp attracts the few fishermen who reject the quotas and poachers determined to continue riding their luck. After the inevitable clash between The Cooperative and the rebel camp, the leaders of the former warn that anyone caught stealing from the designated fishing sites will be shot.

It is around this time that Matt Kelley (Robert Ryan), a veteran fisherman who has been serving a short sentence in a different town, returns to the area determined to get back to work as quickly as possible to earn the money he needs to keep his boat. Unaware of recent developments, Kelley reunites with his best friend, Jim Kimmerly (Brian Keith), also a veteran fisherman with a record who has gone straight to survive, and learns from him that the only way to legally earn the money he is after is through The Cooperative, which is a problem because its members see him as a huge liability. When Kelley assures Kimmerly that he can follow the rules of The Cooperative, the latter uses his reputation to help the former begin working again.

But while planning a future with the girl he loves, Nicky Jackson (Jan Sterling), who is also courted by Kimmerly, Kelley changes his mind and switches teams. The move instantly compromises the relationship between the two friends, and after a few violent confrontations involving angry members of The Cooperative and several poachers, they become enemies. Meanwhile, as the drama in the small town rapidly escalates, various fishermen and poachers become killers.

Ryan and Keith, two great character actors, single-handedly transform Alaska Seas into a vastly superior film. Indeed, almost immediately after the two appear in front of the camera the drama becomes very authentic and attractive, much like the type of drama that would flourish in a big and very authentic film noir.

What makes Ryan and Keith’s work even more impressive is the fact that Alaska Seas is not a big film and utilizes quite a bit of stock footage, so the opportunities for the two to establish themselves with authority are limited. Alaska Seas quickly heads down a familiar path, too.

The trick that makes Ryan and Keith look great and Alaska Seas a vastly superior film, however, is not a special one. It is a forgotten one, or perhaps it is better to write that it is intentionally discarded.

Alaska Seas oozes unfiltered, pure machismo, which is freely channeled through Ryan and Keith’s performances, and because of it all of the drama in it instantly becomes very authentic. A proper film about fishermen cannot be made without it, and this is the key difference between Alaska Seas and Spawn of the North.

A predictably solid Gene Barry plays the leader of the poachers who clash with the fishermen from The Cooperative. Unfortunately, he does not have enough time to impress as Ryan and Keith do.

Hopper’s director of photography was William C. Mellor, whose credits include such terrific films as Make Way for Tomorrow, The Great McGinty, Bad Day at Black Rock, and Giant.

Alaska Seas Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Alaska Seas arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

Even though some minor surfaces imperfections, such as blemishes, scratches, and a few nicks, can be spotted, the entire film has a nice organic appearance. Unsurprisingly, delineation, clarity, and depth range from good to very good. The grayscale is convincing as well. Density levels are good and stable, though for obvious reasons they fluctuate rather dramatically whenever stock footage is used. I did not see any traces of problematic digital work. Image stability is very good. All in all, while there is some rook for minor cosmetic improvements, the film looks very nice in high-definition. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Alaska Seas Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Because of the few nicks and blemishes that pop up here and there, I would not have been surprised if the audio had a few spots with mild hiss and/or pops. But I did not encounter any. In fact, I was quite surprised how solid it is. Clarity, sharpness, and stability are excellent. Even some of the footage with the crashing ice sounds pretty good. I do not think there is any room for meaningful improvements.

Alaska Seas Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic David Del Valle and film archivist Stan Shaffer.

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art for Alaska Seas.

Alaska Seas Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The popular TV show Deadliest Catch works with a lot of the same material and channels the same machismo that you will discover in Alaska Seas. Of course, it does not have stars like Robert Ryan and Brian Keith, or any film noir genes to give it a similar cinematic appearance. While a small film, Alaska Seas is a great remake of Spawn of the North, and an unmissable treat for fans of its two terrific leads. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a slightly rough but solid organic master that was supplied by Paramount Pictures. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.