Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 20, 2024

Sam Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by critic Michael Sragow, editor Paul Seydor, and filmmaker and editor Roger Spottiswoode; new documentary on the making of the film with archival cast and crew interviews; archival program with James Coburn; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The hunter

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is an amusing film. It is a big passion project that unites several terrific character actors and produces plenty of spectacular visuals. It has the attitude of a bully determined to leave its mark, which is always a great quality in a western that aspires to be authentic. It retells a classic story with a timeless appeal. But even diehard fans of its creator, Sam Peckinpah, concede that it is an oddly structured and occasionally even perplexing film.

The original material for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid comes from Charles Neider's popular novel The Authentic Death of Hendry Jones, which also inspired Marlon Brando to shoot One-Eyed Jacks. Interestingly, neither Pat Garret and Billy the Kid nor One-Eyed Jacks can be described as a faithful cinematic adaptation of Neider’s novel. There are different creative reasons for this, but a crucial detail overshadows their significance -- both films survive in different versions that are not the ones Peckinpah and Brando envisioned.

This upcoming combo pack release presents three versions of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. The first is the original Theatrical Release Version, which is approximately 106 minutes long. The second is a brand new 50th Anniversary Release Version, assembled by editors Paul Seydor and Roger Spottiswoode. This new reconstruction is approximately 117 minutes long. The third is Peckinpah's Final Preview Cut, which is approximately 122 minutes long. The first two are newly restored in 4K, while the third is newly restored in 2K.

The justification for the three versions' existence is what makes Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid an amusing film. Interestingly, while they certainly differ, these versions do not resurrect different takes on what might have been Peckinpah’s ideal version of the film. All of them, including the Final Preview Cut, only imagine what might have been Peckinpah’s ideal version of the film. This is a very important point to remember for two reasons. First, Peckinpah’s ideal version of the film kept evolving while he was shooting it. Second, Peckinpah’s struggle with alcoholism during the production process impaired his ability to maintain the quality output that was needed to complete his ideal version of the film. In other words, right from the get-go, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid was doomed to be an amusing film.

The main events in the story told in the three versions remain unchanged. After riding together for years, Pat Garrett (James Coburn) and Billy the Kid (Kris Kristofferson) find each other on opposite sides of the law because the former has recently been appointed Sheriff. After meeting several influential landowners who have grown tired of Billy the Kid and his gang, Garrett then begins hunting down his former friend, but along the way visibly struggles with his transformation into a lawman.

Even though Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and One-Eyed Jacks are very different films, they are both intimate films that choose to observe their characters during a transitional period, which is why they could not be faithful cinematic adaptations of Neider’s novel. This is why in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid the ongoing hunt is not the catalyst of the drama either. In it, the drama is fueled by the forced transformation of two men whose chosen way of life is no longer possible. So, they can either adapt to the new environment demanding the transformation, which is what Garrett reluctantly does, or perish like the dinosaurs did, which is the fate Billy the Kid chooses.

The three versions of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid reveal Peckinpah’s fascination with the cruelty and inevitability of the transitional period. They are effecitve in different ways, but each is representative of this fascination at a particular moment in time, which is not how Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid was meant to be experienced.

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Criterion's release of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-rays are Region-Free. However, the Blu-rays are Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual color values of this content.

Screencaptures #1-29 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #31-34 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

This upcoming combo pack release presents three versions of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. The first is the original Theatrical Release Version, which is approximately 106 minutes long. The second is a brand new 50th Anniversary Release Version, assembled by editors Paul Seydor and Roger Spottiswoode. This new reconstruction is approximately 117 minutes long. The third is Sam Peckinpah's Final Preview Cut, which is approximately 122 minutes long. The first two are newly restored in 4K, while the third is newly restored in 2K.

I viewed the 50th Anniversary Release Version and spent time with the Theatrical Release Version in native 4K and 1080p. In native 4K, I viewed both with Dolby Vision.

On my system, both versions looked quite incredible, and I liked everything that I saw. For example, even though the original cinematography introduces some visuals with fluctuating sharpness and delineation, the entire film boasts an outstanding organic appearance. Some of the wider panoramic footage, in particular, looked stunning, but there are many close-ups that are equally impressive. Darker material is handled beautifully as well, so indoor and nighttime visuals boasts wonderful nuances and shadow definition. I tend to prefer how these visuals look in 1080p, not native 4K, but the discrepancy is very, very small. Color balance is fantastic. All primaries are lush, wonderfully balanced, and very healthy. All supporting nuances reveal identical strength as well. Unsurprisingly, the entire film has a stunning, very impressive period appearance, so revisiting it in native 4K or 1080p is quite the treat. For what it's worth, I did not think that the native 4K presentation was significantly better. Some of the daylight panoramic footage looked marginally richer, but color reproduction is equally satisfying in native 4K and 1080p. Image stability is excellent. The entire film looks spotless as well.

Peckinpah's Final Preview Cut has a stable, attractive organic appearance too. However, it is a somewhat dated, slightly rough appearance. The other two versions look noticeably better.

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Each of the three versions of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is presented with an English LPCM 1.0 track. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for each version.

All three audio tracks are very good. The classic tracks sound great and during shootouts dynamic intensity is very good. On the new reconstruction, I did not notice any traces of age-related imperfections. All dialog is clear and stable. However, I suggest turning up the volume a bit because in some exchanges the accents can make it a bit difficult to get everything that is said.

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC ONE - 50TH ANNIVERSARY RELEASE

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Michael Sragow, editor Paul Seydor, and filmmaker and editor Roger Spottiswoode. It is a very interesting commentary that provides plenty of information about the production and different reincarnations of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, the work that was done to assemble the new reconstruction of the film and some particular choices that were made, Sam Peckinpah's vision of the film and his work on it, etc. The commentary was recorded in January 2024.

4K BLU-RAY DISC TWO - THEATRICAL RELEASE

• Bonus Features - there are no bonus features.

BLU-RAY DISC ONE - 50TH ANNIVERSARY RELEASE AND THEATRICAL RELEASE VERSION

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Michael Sragow, editor Paul Seydor, and filmmaker and editor Roger Spottiswoode. It is a very interesting commentary that provides plenty of information about the production and different reincarnations of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, the work that was done to assemble the new reconstruction of the film and some particular choices that were made, Sam Peckinpah's vision of the film and his work on it, etc. The commentary was recorded in January 2024.

BLU-RAY DISC TWO - FINAL PREVIEW CUT

• Passion & Poetry: Peckinpah's Last Western - this new program about the making of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid was produced by filmmaker Mike Siegel for Criterion in 2024. Included in it are clips from archival interviews with James Coburn, R.G. Armstrong, Sam Peckinpah, Kris Kristofferson, Chill Wills, and Slim Pickens, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (49 min).

• Dylan in Durango - in this new program, author and Bob Dylan biographer Clinton Heylin discusses the musician's contribution to Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and the creation of its classic soundtrack. The program was produced in 2023. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Champlin on Film: "James Coburn" - in this archival program, film critic and writer Charles Champlin talks to James Coburn about his involvement with Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Sam Peckinpah. The program was produced for the Z Channel in 1988. It is sourced from a VHS. In English, not subtitled. (28 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• TV Spots - presented here are several vintage TV Spots for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by author Steve Erickson and technical credits.

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is an amusing film. It is very easy to tell that it was shot by a master director, but it is just as easy to tell that it is a passion project that never stopped evolving in his head. This combo pack release introduces three different versions of it, one of which is a new reconstruction assembled by editors Paul Seydor and Roger Spottiswoode for its 50th anniversary. Two versions are newly restored in 4K and look incredible in native 4K and 1080p. The third version is Sam Peckinpah's Final Preview Cut, which has been restored in 2K. I think that folks who have been waiting for a quality release of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid to emerge will be thrilled with the combo pack. A two-disc Blu-ray set streets on the same date as well. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.