Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Taza, Son of Cochise 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-see 3D feature film that has plenty of action and adventure!

An entertaining spectacle for all ages, Taza, Son of Cochise is a vintage 3D classic. The action-packed 3D film is produced by Ross Hunter (Steel Town, All That Heaven Allows). Based on a story written by Gerald Drayson Adams (The Desert Hawk, Duke of the Navy), the film is a blend of genres that finds a distinctive voice as one of the early Hollywood films to feature a story focused on Native Americans to be explored in a more positive light.

Taza (Rock Hudson), the Native American hero of the story, is the son of the beloved chief Cochise (who sadly passed away). The storyline takes place following the events of the Apache Wars and has action, adventure, and romance in good measure. The headstrong Taza wishes for nothing more than peace on the land with the white men of the nation.

Meanwhile, Taza's more rebellious younger brother, Naiche (Bart Roberts), hopes for there to be war and is joined by the highly determined Geronimo (Ian MacDonald). Raids are carried out and events slowly become heated. Taza must also learn to become an even better man in order to properly care for his dearly beloved, the gorgeous Oona (Barbara Rush). Can Taza and Oona find happiness during these turbulent times or will war get in the way?

"What's that? You don't like 3D? Come a little closer..."

The production was impressively mounted for a vintage 3D feature. The fun of it all begins with the quality art direction overseen by Bernard Herzbrun (The Fighting O'Flynn, Creature from the Black Lagoon) and Emrich Nicholson (The Veils of Bagdad, City Beneath the Sea). Combining their sleek efforts with the natural landscapes of the outdoors, the film manages to make a bigger splash in the 3D format.

Seeing the great outdoors in 3D is actually one of the highlights of the experience: the mountains and hills take on a greater prominence in the foreground by becoming more immersive due to the clever implementation of 3D. This was noticeable right from the start. These images would take on less meaning in a flat 2D presentation. In 3D, viewers are drawn into the events of the story with greater ease. Cinematographer Russell Metty (Bringing Up Baby, Touch of Evil) handled the 3D effects well and it helps the find to hold up after all these years.

The original music score composed by Frank Skinner (The House of the Seven Gables, Arabian Nights) gives the film an energetic boost that fits the material well. Action scenes are more intense as a result. The characters are given more life through the themes at play in the compositions. The mood is set.

Douglas Sirk (Imitation of Life, Battle Hymn) directs with the kind of workmanlike approach necessary for this type of material. The screenplay by George Zuckerman (99 River Street, The Tarnished Angels) is far from brilliant and it even has some average dialogue that doesn't give the actors the best material to work with. Despite these qualms, Taza, Son of Cochise is certainly entertaining and the story has a decent pace. Sirk does the best he can with the cast: Rock Hudson is far from being a great actor (and he barely even seems to be trying with his accent), but the star-like power of the actor keeps viewers glued to the film nonetheless. Taza, Son of Cochise is worth a spin.

Taza, Son of Cochise 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Taza, Son of Cochise has received a 1080p MPEG-4 MVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.00:1 widescreen. A stunning 3D restoration effort from 3-D Film Archive. The print itself has received a brand new 2K master. The overall quality of the scan is impressive. There is ample grain and the image looks quite naturalistic. There is some inherent softness in the image and the presentation is never quite as robust as a modern-day production but the restoration is largely effective here: there aren't significant issues in regards to print wear or tear to be seen. Colors are neither robust, nor drab: the color scheme appears to be somewhat subdued and reserved but is possibly the result of the original cinematographic style that was used.

Taza, Son of Cochise was originally shown in a 35mm dual-strip or single-strip 3D and it is nice to see the efforts that went into restoring the original 3-D effects. The image is free of ghosting and crosstalk and looks natural in the use and implementation of 3D. There are not too many scenes with effective pop-out effects but on the few occasions were the effect was used to heighten a scene, the added dimension is well appreciated. The quality is consistent but not up to par with modern-day 3D productions. (This is no fault of the great restorative effort but it is worth noting.) The encode is similarly up to the task and Kino has not let 3D fans down: this is another example of vintage 3D worth owning.

The feature is provided in either 2D or 3D. The 2D presentation bears the same stylistic qualities of the 3D presentation (as the same source/restoration was used for both presentations). I prefer 3D to flat 2D for films produced in the format but those without 3D equipment will be satisfied with the standard 2D presentation quality.

Taza, Son of Cochise 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track. The lossless soundtrack is an enjoyable element of the presentation: adding some extra heft to the action scenes. Though the mix sometimes sounds a bit reserved, I found the more intense scenes (including towards the climix) to sound robust and impressive given the age of the source materials. Dialogue is also crisp and easy to understand. The track doesn't sound overly muffled or lacking in clarity. There are no egregious issues with crackling, hiss, and other common distractions on classic films. One can easily sit back and enjoy the show.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Taza, Son of Cochise 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with David Del Valle and C. Courtney Joyner

Slideshow Commentary with Mike Ballew (HD, 19:58) features 3-D Film Archive's host discussing the 3D film while the audio-track is accompanied by photography related to the film (including rare press materials).

Taza, Son of Cochise Trailer (in 3-D) (HD, 2:06) appears to feature new titles over the restored 3D footage.

Taza, Son of Cochise 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Taza, Son of Cochise is an impressive vintage 3D production. The film is far from being a classic but it has enough entertaining moments to make it worth watching (even in flat 2D). The 3D restoration by the 3-D Film Archive is exquisite and makes the journey more exciting. Rock Hudson is not a great actor by any means but he certainly was invested in his role. The star power translates. Kino has provided 3D enthusiasts with a top-notch disc that is well worth owning. Highly recommended.