7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A westerner with a questionable past leads a wagon train into the Oregon territory.
Starring: James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Julie Adams, Rock Hudson, Jay C. FlippenWestern | 100% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
German: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
German, English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Anthony Mann's "Bend of the River" (1952) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Swiss label Explosive Media. The supplemental features on the disc include an original U.S. theatrical trailer for the film and vintage promotional materials. In English, with optional English or German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
The man from Missouri
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Anthony Mann's The Bend of the River arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Explosive Media.
The technical presentation is a lot better than that of Ulzana's Raid, though this release is also sourced from a pre-existing master. What makes a serious difference here is the absence of strong sharpening which allow the entire film to have a much more balanced and for the most part pleasing organic appearance. So, there are various daylight (see screencapture #1) and nighttime sequences (see screencapture #3) where decent definition and depth can be observed. There is even pretty good clarity as well. The limitations of the existing master become obvious during panoramic footage (see screencapture #5 and 9) where color alignment issues emerge. Since this was a Technicolor project, depth is affected and with it also fluidity. Obviously, a newly restored master would address these issues and also introduce notably better grain structure. The good news is that even on a large screen the current master does have some decent qualities, and a direct comparison with the old North American DVD release does reveal some very meaningful improvements. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: German: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English and German subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The lossless track is very, very good. I was actually quite surprised because the terrific stability and clarity suggest that it was fully remastered at some point, likely before the old DVD release was produced. The great score also breathes very easily and is free of distortions. It is possible that some balance improvements can be made, but the overall quality of the lossless track is as good as I hoped it would be.
Anthony Mann and Jimmy Stewart's first western in Technicolor, Bend of the River, is really a minor masterpiece. It has that pure classic vibe, but it manages to remain grounded in reality while at the same time it allows its stars to shine bright. I think that this was a pretty unusual accomplishment for a western from the early 1950s. It is not yet available on Blu-ray in the United States, but this Swiss/German release offers a rather good technical presentation and is Region-Free. At the moment it is also very attractively priced, so if you like the film consider picking up a copy for your library. RECOMMENDED.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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