6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A wagon train heads for Denver with a cargo of whiskey for the miners. Chaos ensues as the Temperance League, the US Calvary, the miners, and the local Indians all try to take control of the valuable cargo. Filmed in Ultra Panavision.
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Jim Hutton (I), Pamela Tiffin, Donald PleasenceWestern | 100% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.75:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
John Sturges' "The Hallelujah Trail" (1965) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by critics C. Courtney Joyner and Michael Schlesinger as well as vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Hallelujah Trail arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.
The release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master that was prepared at MGM. This is not the same master that Olive Films worked with to produce this release in 2018. The previous master was struck from a standard definition source, so in terms of detail, clarity, and depth the improvements you will see on the new release are quite dramatic.
The new master does not introduce a proper restoration of the film. What does this mean? It means that throughout the film you will notice minor surface imperfections. Also, in a couple of areas, you will notice conventional damage. One particular area that reveals damage is in the middle of the film, after the caravan stops and negotiations are held to determine a new strategy. You can see an example of what the damage looks like on the left side of screencapture #28. This being said, virtually all visuals boast very good to excellent delineation and clarity, while depth is always pleasing. However, given how the film was shot, all three could be superior, in 1080p and in 4K. Image stability is very good. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections, so the entire film has a very attractive organic appearance. Colors are stable. In many areas, the color balance looks very good, too. However, there are sections of the film where it feels like blues ought to be more prominent and better balanced, while browns and yellow/yellow nuances ought to be toned down a bit. Screencapture #22 is from one such area. On the previous release, this area has solid blues in the skies. Screencaptures #3 and 17 are from other similar areas. Perhaps the wider range of colors that are present in 4K these fluctuations would be much better handled. Still, the overall color balance is satisfying. Darker areas look very good. Blacks, grays, dark blues, and dark browns usually produce plenty of healthy nuances. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.
I viewed the entire film with the 5.1 track. I thought that everything from the overture music to the action footage sounded great. In the past, the film has been screened with a superior track -- a special audio track was finalized for 70mm screenings -- but I do not think that the current 5.1 track is in any way ineffective. On the contrary, I thought that clarity, sharpness, depth, and dynamic intensity were very, very pleasing.
Big films that mix satire and comedy very rarely, if ever, reveal moving sincerity, but this is precisely what The Hallelujah Trail does. I think that this is the biggest strength of The Hallelujah Trail, but as odd as it may sound I do not think that it was carefully planned. It materialized because of the tremendous chemistry that existed between the actors that made the The Hallelujah Trail and, I assume, John Sturges' awareness and encouragement of it. The story that is told is entirely predictable, but the spoofs, noise, and spectacular period visuals produce a pretty special film. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a nice organic master and features a very good exclusive new audio commentary by critics C. Courtney Joyner and Michael Schlesinger. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
1965
1948
1945
1973
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1967
1939
1972
1965
Special Edition
1966
Il grande duello / The Big Showdown
1972
1969
Warner Archive Collection
1950
2014
Colorado
1955
1975
1971
H. Fleet, Robber
1971
1948
1939
1971