Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Blu-ray Movie Review

Excitement at every turn of the story... a action-packed thrill ride!

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is an exciting action-adventure which adapts material from the story in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. The adaptation was produced by Paul Malvern (The Ridin' Fool, The Mystery Man). The Universal spectacle is another fun genre outing which fans of exciting b-movies should make sure to see.

Departing heavily from the original tale of the same name, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves centers the cinematic adaptation around Ali Baba (Jon Hall) and his own journey. Focusing on Ali's earliest days as a brave youth to his experiences as a young man fighting the tides of the ruthless Hugalu Khan soldiers (who orchestrated the murder of his father, Kalif), the story delves into exciting territory. Audiences have much to look forward to as the story unfolds.

Having learned how to be a warrior by growing up alongside the forty thieves (who helped train and raise him following Ali Baba's discovery of their secret cave), Ali takes on a leader role and fights against the tyrannical opposition to the end. Along the way, Ali Baba once more meets Amara (Maria Montez), a girl he was friends with as a child. Will Ali Baba be able to defeat his foes and win the heart of the beautiful Amara?

The production is impeccably mounted with a number of impression components that make it all the more worthwhile. The art direction by John B. Goodman (Hang 'Em High, Shadow of a Doubt) and Richard H. Riedel (Pillow Talk, Portrait in Black) works nicely alongside set decoration by Russell A. Gausman (Touch of Evil, Spartacus) and Ira Webb (Behind the Eight Ball, Rhythm of the Islands). The strong contributions of these artists give the film an aura of creativity which blends in to the scenery in style: the designs and aesthetics fit the filmmaking quite well.

Adventure awaits you.

The editing by Russell F. Schoengarth (The Tarnished Angels, My Man Godfrey) is another one of the strengths of the picture. The film has so many sequences which are simply a thrill to watch and this is undoubtedly due (in part) to the excellent editing. Schoengarth has a clear understanding of how to be creative with each cut of the film and the end result is a work that is compelling from start to finish. It truly grabs hold of one and doesn't let go.

The production also has impressive costumes designed by Vera West (The Man Who Laughs, Invisible Agent). Each actor and role seems well suited by West and her artistic choices as a costume designer. The costumes were well designed and fit the style of the filmmaking well. The music score composed by Edward Ward (Cobra Woman, Flying with Music) also adds some extra ambiance and excitement to the mix (and when the visuals showcase the beautiful attire of West, the music is always there to liven the experience up even more).

The cinematography by George Robinson (Treat 'Em Rough, Drums of the Congo) makes a solid impression as well. The film has a strong visual cue from the get-go with one of the coolest opening title credit scenes I have ever seen, with water flung across the side of a boat with the text/ink fading into the water. The effect is extremely cool and is well photographed by Robinson. As the filmmaking unfolds further, the visual aesthetics of the production are enthralling. The film holds up well with its creative style.

Arthur Lubin (The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Phantom of the Opera) directed the film with a clear sense of enthusiasm for the material. The film remembers to hold on to audiences by keeping the experience a fun one above all else. The screenplay by Edmund L. Hartmann (The Paleface, The Lemon Drop Kid) might not be too faithful to the original story but the script takes viewers on an entertaining thrill ride which is commendable. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is well worth a watch for any fan of classic adventures and b-movie fare.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from distributor Kino Lorber, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves has received a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The presentation is a joyous one to experience and I was amazed by how beautiful the film is with regards to this new release. The color reproduction is excellent (even if it is a tad subdued in appearance). The scan is extremely naturalistic and retains a nice layer of film grain. This is a clean print with little at all in the way of print damage and other visual detriments that one can sometimes find with classics. There is much for fans to appreciate about the scan and little to be distracted by. Overall, a generally impressive scan (well encoded) and with only minor specks of dirt on the print.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release features a DTS HD Master Audio mono track. The lossless sound mix on the release is quite strong and far exceeded my modest expectations. The track sounds crisp, clear, and easy to understand from beginning to end. The track never sounds muffled or tight. There were only a few fleeting moments in which a thin layer of background hiss caused any form of dissatisfaction with the audio presentation. Overall, the lossless sound mix for Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is a success with excellent dialogue reproduction. The audio track is well preserved on this release.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio commentary by film historian Phillipa Berry

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:16)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Arabian Nights (SD, 2:07), Cobra Woman (SD, 2:08), and Son of Ali Baba (SD, 2:03).

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Audiences looking for a good adventure film can look no further than the exciting Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. The film has plenty of spectacle and the visual effects hold up well to this day. The Blu-ray release features an exceptional video-audio presentation and is well worth owning. Fans are strongly encouraged to pick it up. Highly recommended.