Seminole Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Seminole Blu-ray Movie Review

An entertaining gem featuring a strong performance by Rock Hudson.

Seminole is an action-packed adventure starring Rock Hudson. The classic adventure is produced by Howard Christie (Against All Flags, Lady on a Train). With plenty of heart, adventure, and intrigue, Seminole is a must-see classic with so much to offer classic film aficionados.

Lt. Lance Caldwell (Rock Hudson) has a close working relationship with the Seminole Indians (having been friends with the chief, Osceola (Anthony Quinn), since he was a child). As unnecessary drama behind-the-scenes leads to tension between the Seminole Indians and the military, a feud erupts. Following the unexpected killing of the Seminole chief, Lt. Lance Caldwell is accused of murder.

Determined to defend himself and set the story straight, events unfold in surprising and compelling ways. With Caldwell's beautiful love, Revere (Barbara Hale), by his side – the lieutenant fights for his innocence and against the ruthless determination of Major Harlan Degan (Richard Carlson) to wipe out the Seminole peoples. Can Lt. Caldwell save the day?

"Let's do a staring contest! Whoever blinks first loses and buys dinner."

Rock Hudson delivers a surprisingly strong performance. The role was made for him and Hudson is a perfect choice for the role. The actor has a plethora of charisma and it carries throughout the film in spades. Without a doubt, Hudson delivers an entertaining and memorable performance here.

The production features impressive art direction by Alexander Golitzen (Touch of Evil, Foreign Correspondent) and Emrich Nicholson (City Beneath the Sea, The Veils of Bagdad). Seminole impresses with a quality artistic style that permeates every shot of the production. The visual components certainly help to enhance the tone of the production: with epic cinematography by Russell Metty (Bringing Up Baby, The Omega Man) providing the film with a special grace.

One of the best elements of Seminole is the strong music score composed by Henry Mancini (The Pink Panther, The Great Mouse Detective) and Milton Rosen (Drums of the Congo, Enter Arsene Lupin). A score should always help tell the story and the composers of Seminole understand that inherent need. With the great Henry Mancini involved, it is no surprise Seminole has an outstanding score full of exciting cues and memorable beats.

Directed by Budd Boetticher (The Magnificent Matador, Bullfighter and the Lady), Seminole is an entertaining film full of life. Boetticher capably directs the screenplay by Charles K. Peck Jr. (The Basketball Fix, Yankee Buccaneer), realizing the vision of the screenplay and the story. Alongside editor Virgil W. Vogel (The Young Riders, Touch of Evil), the director of Seminole finds a good balance, rewarding audiences with a compelling experience. Don't miss it.

Seminole Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Seminole is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The film has an impressive scan which showcases the beauty of the cinematography by Russell Metty. The color reproduction is a bit inconsistent on the release. While colors are generally good, there are some scenes which look a little "off" and over-exaggerated. Nonetheless, the print is in good shape for the most part and looks quite good. The encoding is healthy (with a nice bit-rate) and the transfer is impressively sharp. A quality presentation overall.

Seminole Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio mono soundtrack on the release is quite impressive overall. The track is enormously crisp and engaging. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The track sounds outstanding throughout. There were no egregious issues with regards to hiss, crackle, warps, pops, clicks, and other such audio related anomalies. Kino Lorber presents the film with an effective high quality lossless audio track.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Seminole Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Critic Nick Pinkerton

Seminole Theatrical Trailer (SD, 1:45)

Seminole Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Seminole is an entertaining and exciting motion-picture classic. Rock Hudson steals the show with his performance. The production has great visual aesthetics and the story was well done. With the impressive Rock Hudson collection from Kino Lorber making a splash, Seminole is a must-see cinematic classic. Worth a look.