7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
Brendan O'Malley arrives at the Mexican home of old flame Belle Breckenridge to find her married to a drunkard getting ready for a cattle drive to Texas. Hot on O'Malley's heels is lawman Dana Stribling who has a personal reason for getting him back into his jurisdiction. Both men join Breckenridge and his wife on the drive. As they near Texas tensions mount, not least because Stribling is starting to court Belle and O'Malley is increasingly drawn by her daughter Missy.
Starring: Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol LynleyWestern | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Robert Aldrich's "The Last Sunset" (1961) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive new audio commentary by critic Nick Pinkerton and vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Last Sunset arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.
I was very, very impressed with the technical presentation. The release is sourced from a wonderful exclusive new 2K master that handles the unique qualities of the film's original cinematography really well, which isn't at all easy because there are all kinds of different native fluctuations. To be honest, folks, I think that aside from density improvements the current visuals look as good as they should. Delineation and depth for instance range from very good to excellent, though I must warn that there are quite a few areas with naturally softer material. Clarity is very pleasing too, but you will see the typical unevenness that pops up before or after transitions in these kinds of films. Color balance is outstanding. On my system the primaries and supporting nuances looked simply beautiful and as a result some of the outdoor footage was just flat-out gorgeous. There are no traces of problematic digital adjustments. Image stability is very good. I noticed a few very small blemishes and a couple of white specks, but there are no large distracting debris, cuts, damage marks, warped or torn frames to report. (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 is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I did not encounter any issues to report in our review. The dialog is very clear, stable, and easy to follow. Balance is good too. There is mass footage and some action sequences with good dynamic intensity, but as always you need to keep in mind that the film has its production limitations. Is theer any room for improvement? I don't think so. While some cosmetic adjustments are possible, I think that the current lossless track is rock-solid.
With a different director behind the camera The Last Sunset almost certainly would have turned out a conventional western about the harsh realities of life in the Old West as perceived at the time of its production. To be clear, The Last Sunset is an old-fashioned western, but its understanding of the human condition is actually vastly superior than that of many contemporary films. The big stars are outstanding, but while beautiful this isn't a glamorous western that takes advantage of them. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a very impressive exclusive new 2K master and features a predictably good commentary by critic Nick Pinkerton. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
2019
1958
1972
1961
1948
2016
1974
Warner Archive Collection
1956
1952
Limited Edition to 3000
1966
1972
Warner Archive Collection
1953
1993
Indio Black, sai che ti dico: Sei un gran figlio di... / Adiós, Sabata
1971
2018
1969
1962
Signature Edition
1950
1970
1968