Alias Jesse James Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Alias Jesse James Blu-ray Movie Review

A charming comedy-adventure starring screen-legend Bob Hope.

The visual component is central to the filmmaking: the cinematography by Lionel Lindon (Around the World in 80 Days, Going My Way) helps enhance the comedy while establishing the film as a solid entry in the Western genre as well. The outdoor landscapes have visual finesse: feeling perfect for telling the story and making it a rollicking adventure.

The music score composed by Joseph J. Lilley (Blue Hawaii, That Certain Feeling) provides the filmmaking with a sense of fun- spirited adventure while enhancing the comedy at every turn. A marvelous effort by Lilley, the score fits the filmmaking like a glove. Ka-pow!

Then there's the impressive costumes by Edith Head (The Sting, Roman Holiday). Head, one of the greatest of all Hollywood costume designers, delivers quality in spades. The costumes seem well designed for each character. The gowns of Rhonda Fleming are especially impressive to behold.

"Happy to see me?"

Edited by Jack Bachom (Fun and Fancy Free, Big Town) and Marvin Coil (San Quentin, Genius at Work), Alias Jesse James is entertaining from start to finish. The pace and rhythm of the film is exceptional. There are no lulls in the filmmaking. The cut is fluid and precise. Given the large balancing act between comedy and adventure, editor Bachom excelled at crafting out a gem.

The screenplay penned by William Bowers (Support Your Local Sheriff, The Gunfighter) and Daniel B. Beauchamps manages to be entertaining without ever feeling “dumbed-down” at any given moment. The storyline is quick and witty and the fun scenario plays out enormously well. The “wrong-man” scenario is well-written and gives Hope plenty of great comedic moments. A superb effort.

Norman Z. McLeod (The Twilight Zone, Horse Feathers) capably directs. Alias Jesse James is a fun romp and a comedy classic which offers audiences plenty of entertainment from start to finish. The efforts of McLeod are well-appreciated (with a nice balance of comedy and exciting action-packed adventure). McLeod not only crafts a solid motion-picture – he imbues it with the comedic genius of Bob Hope.

Alias Jesse James Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Alias Jesse James is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The presentation is generally impressive and worthwhile. Though the scan does not come from a brand new restoration, the print is noteworthy for being in generally good shape. The scan is reasonably sharp and well defined. There were no significant issues to report is regards to issues such as dirt, debris, and print damage. Color reproduction is decent throughout. While not as perfect a scan as a newer restoration might have been able to provide audiences, the high-definition encode suits the motion-picture fine.

Alias Jesse James Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio mono. The lossless audio on the release is decent overall. Dialogue remains consistently crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The track doesn't suffer egregious issues with hiss, crackle, warps, pops, or clicks. There were no points during the audio presentation where the track seemed overly harsh or fatiguing. A decent-enough audio track given the age of the source elements.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Alias Jesse James Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Alias Jesse James Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:14)

The release includes an assortment of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: The Cat and the Canary (SD, 3:40), Road to Singapore (SD, 2:38), The Ghost Breakers (SD, 2:15), Road to Zanzibar (SD, 2:16), Caught in the Draft (SD, 2:21), Nothing but the Truth (SD, 2:02), My Favorite Blonde (SD, 2:17), Road to Morocco (SD, 2:13), Road to Utopia (SD, 2:15), The Paleface (SD, 1:50), Those Redheads from Seattle (SD, 2:11), Jivaro (HD, 2:17), and The Revolt of the Slaves (SD, 2:10).

Alias Jesse James Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Alias Jesse James is an entertaining Bob Hope romp. The comedy and adventure present throughout the story makes it a gem well worth experiencing. The filmmaking is fantastic and there are a lot of creative elements at play throughout.

The Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber features a decent presentation of Alias Jesse James. Though the film did not receive a brand new 4K restoration, the provided high-definition print looks reasonably impressive and clean. The release is light on supplements (with only trailers provided as extras). Recommended for fans of Bob Hope.