Bengal Brigade Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Bengal Brigade Blu-ray Movie Review

A worthwhile performance by Rock Hudson.

An entertaining action-adventure epic, Bengal Brigade is a worthwhile showcase for the talents of Rock Hudson. Based on the acclaimed novel by Hall Hunter, Bengal Brigade is worth a look for audiences interested in some old-fashioned cinematic fun. Produced by Ted Richmond (South of Panama, Papillon), Bengal Brigade might not be an outright classic – but it has plenty of great moments to win audiences over.

Capt. Jeffrey Claybourne (Rock Hudson) decides to resign from his duties after disciplinary action following disobeyed orders. The resignation even affects his relationship with the love-of-his-life, Vivian Morrow (Arlene Dahl). Despite some problems in his professional field and love life, the determined Capt. Claybourne decides to continue on in the great fight against anti-colonialism. Desiring to help his comrades out in the thick of battle, the journey of Capt. Jeffrey Claybourne has only just begun. Can Claybourne still rise to the occasion and become a hero?

Carrying Bengal Brigade, Rock Hudson delivers a stoic performance that showcases the dramatic side of the actor nicely. Hudson was a charming leading man and the performance in the film is one full of his stylistic flourishes as a performer. The role was practically made for Hudson: the actor delved in to his role with a clear determination that is essential for any leading role to be successful. Fans of the star actor should consider the film worthwhile for his performance.

The production is well mounted. The art direction by Alexander Golitzen (Foreign Correspondent, Touch of Evil) and Eric Orbom (All That Heaven Allows, Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki) is nicely realized. The film oozes style and that is one of the best strengths of the film. There is a sense of authenticity to the production and the manner in which it provides ample life to the filmmaking.

Another compelling element is found in the costume designs by Jay A. Morley Jr. (The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Mole People). Hudson has a decidedly appropriate attire that is fitting for his character. The outfits for Arlene Dahl are also well-realized and manage to make a strong impression. Kudos to Morley Jr. for a job well done.

"Come on, Academy Awards!"

The music score composed by Hans J. Salter (Return of the Gunfighter, Incident at Phantom Hill), Herman Stein (Let's Kill Uncle, No Name on the Bullet), and Stanley Wilson (Iron Mountain Trail, Zombies of the Stratosphere) is effective at providing Bengal Brigade with a sense of dramatic tension that elevates the material. The mood is established and the tone is set. The score fits the material nicely and never seems out of place.

The cinematography by Maury Gertsman (So This Is Paris, Meet Me at the Fair) is one of the best elements of the film. The visuals are compelling. Bengal Brigade has an authentic style which is compelling to watch unfold. The style of the photography aims for realism and added depth. The filmmaking excels as a result.

Edited by Frank Gross (South of Tahiti, Against All Flags), Bengal Brigade mostly finds a balance between the drama and adventure. Yet the film could have perhaps been a little shorter. The editing wasn't one of the best components of Bengal Brigade and sometimes it seemed a little less tightly edited than desired. Even so, Bengal Brigade still flows well for the most part.

The screenplay by Richard Alan Simmons (Juggernaut, Major Payne) is a bit inconsistent at times. The film certainly has a compelling concept but the execution of the story is not quite as well-done as other elements of the production. While Bengal Brigade is enjoyable and has a decent script, it isn't the true strong point of the film.

Laslo Benedek (The Wild One, Death of a Salesman) capably directs Bengal Brigade and brings forth solid performances from the cast. Bengal Brigade is entertaining and well-made and it has a lot of impressive components at play. Benedek could have perhaps tightened the editing with his editor a bit. Even so, most of Bengal Brigade is compelling enough to be worth a look. Check it out.

Bengal Brigade Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Bengal Brigade is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The film has a strong scan that showcases the cinematography by Maury Gertsman. The print quality is quite good overall. I found the encoding to be proficient throughout. There were no serious print flaws to be found (no telecine wobble, no burn marks, and no scratches). The scan is in great shape overall and looks nice and clean. A quality effort.

Bengal Brigade Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a DTS-HD Master Audio mono soundtrack. The lossless audio track was just as compelling as the video-presentation. Dialogue was crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The track is proficient and never overtly harsh sounding. There are no issues of excessive crackle, hiss, warps, or clicks throughout. A good sound mix.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Bengal Brigade Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Bengal Brigade Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:18)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Taza, Son of Cochise (SD, 2:07), A Farewell to Arms (SD, 2:38), and The Tarnished Angels (SD, 2:41).

Bengal Brigade Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bengal Brigade is worth a look for the strong performance by Rock Hudson. The film might not be the best of the bunch in the Rock Hudson collection but there are a lot of impressive elements at play nonetheless. The Kino Lorber release features a strong video-audio presentation and comes recommended.