Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Son of Ali Baba Blu-ray Movie Review

An action-packed adventure that is fun from start to finish.

Son of Ali Baba is an action-packed adventure that fans of B-movies should consider as must-see entertainment. Produced by Leonard Goldstein (Steel Town, The Gambler from Natchez), the cool excursion takes viewers on a journey of sword-fights and romance: the excitement never lets up! Featuring performances by Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie, Son of Ali Baba is undeniable fun. A entertaining gem that surpasses expectations.

Kashma Baba (Tony Curtis) is the son of the famed Ali Baba. Living his life as a military cadet by day, the fun loving Baba enjoys in a more carefree lifestyle at night. He meets the drop-dead-gorgeous Kiki (Piper Laurie) and begins to fall madly in love with her at once: learning of her escapades and her life as a slave under the rule of the evil Caliph (Victor Jory). As Kashma Baba gets to know Kiki more, it turns out she is none other than the beautiful Princess Azura of Fez. Can Baba win her heart and save her from the clutches of the Caliph? Sword battles and intense drama unfold to the climatic end.

The performances are far better than expected. Both Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie are impressive in their respective roles. The actors bring a sense of energy to the parts and seem dedicated to giving honorable performances. The actors have good on screen chemistry as well and it translates into cinematic success: a romantic undertone works well alongside the rollicking good action scenes.

Son of Ali Baba features an entertaining music score composed by Herman Stein (No Name on the Bullet, Backlash). Utilizing the right tone for the storytelling at the core of the project, the music dramatically helps to set the stage for the epic sword battles. The romance. The intrigue.

"Boogie-Woogie?"

The costume designs by Rosemary Odell (City Beneath the Sea, To Kill a Mockingbird) also add to the core of the production. Son of Ali Baba has beautiful gowns and effective attire for the respective roles throughout the story. These designs fit the narrative and showcase the talents of Odell quite well.

The art direction by Bernard Herzbrun (The Fighting O'Flynn), Alexander's Ragtime Band) and Emrich Nicholson (The Veils of Bagdad, City Beneath the Sea) provides the film with a larger-than-life scope which is only found in the movies. The production seems ahead of its time and more ambitious than modern viewers would expect. The stylized production gives another good reason to embrace the traditional styles of filmmaking more: hand-made efforts can be just as much fun as CGI at times.

Edited by Virgil W. Vogel (The Young Riders, Touch of Evil), Son of Ali Baba succeeds to crafting an exciting narrative. The pace and tone are perfectly in tune with each other. Much of Vogel's efforts become aiding the rhythm of the script by Gerald Drayson Adams (The Desert Hawk, Duke of the Navy). There seems to be a real sense of cohesion between the two components of the cinematic narrative.

Yet perhaps the greatest strength of Son of Ali Baba is the top-notch direction by Kurt Neumann (They Were So Young, The Desperados Are in Town). The director brings forth solid performances from the cast. Neumann showcases the action beats of the story with a sense of style. Working alongside the cinematographer Maury Gertsman (Time Out of Mind, Song of the Sarong), Neumann and Gertsman deliver Technicolor imagery with the kind of framing and pacing required for a swashbuckling good time. Son of Ali Baba is a delight and well worth seeking out.

Son of Ali Baba Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Son of Ali Baba features a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. This is a impressive looking scan of the film and the release will leave fans feeling enormously satisfied. The release has exceptional color reproduction and the aesthetics of the production are well highlighted by the high quality encode.

The visual qualities of the film are beautifully presented throughout the entire encode. The clarity of the film elements are appreciable as well. The scan is significantly crisper and sharper than expected while appearing naturally filmic. A wholly satisfying experience that once again showcases how well Kino Lorber has been handling Universal Studios material. There is a sense that the film has never looked better before.

Son of Ali Baba Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray release features a DTS HD Master Audio mono soundtrack. The lossless sound mix is quite impressive and fits the bill wonderfully. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The soundtrack never sounds overly harsh and is perfectly suited to the style of the filmmaking. This certainly is a fun soundtrack and one that makes the most of its modest soundstage. The track is surprisingly vital sounding for its age and never seems too thin. An excellent effort by Kino.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Son of Ali Baba Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio commentary by author/film historian Lee Gambin

Son of Ali Baba Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:03)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (SD, 2:16), The Vikings (SD, 3:26), and Taras Bulba (HD, 3:35).

Son of Ali Baba Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Son of Ali Baba is an entertaining, action-packed, and must-see B-movie. The performances by leads Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie are enjoyable, the production is well-mounted, and the direction is fast and furious (with great editing to boot). There is never a lull in the film and it seems to keep finding new ways to entertain audiences. The Blu-ray features an exceptional video-audio presentation and comes recommended for fans.