The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount has released the classic 1962 John Ford Western 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' to Blu-ray. The disc appears to be identical to the United Kingdom release from June 2013. However, I did not review, nor do I have access to, that disc, so this review will cover the video and audio presentations anew. As with the UK disc, there are no supplements. This review is posted in support of, and for comparisons against, the brand new UHD releasing as part of the 'Paramount Presents' line.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As noted above, this certainly appears to be the same, or at least very similar, to the previously issued UK release. The presentation is very good overall, offering stout and agreeable filmic texturing. The picture holds to a modest, but critical, grain structure which lends a satisfying film-like look to the picture. There are no immediate signs of grain reduction; the picture holds very sharp and true, boasting impressive clarity and naturally sharp definition to the rugged Western landscapes, the texturally gorgeous wooden panels and accents, desert terrains, period clothes, and faces, the latter of which may not show the level of infinite complexity that is more readily apparent on the UHD presentation (and the accompanying remastered Blu-ray) but that does manage to offer the viewer an incredible level of natural and generous depth that never betrays the natural film resolution. The film absolutely thrives, texturally, even here on Blu-ray by bringing to life all of the practical set pieces and incredible photography that gives the movie a very real sense of life and vitality. The grayscale is handled well, too, presenting with rich contrast and expert nuance that cannot approach the UHD's Dolby Vision grading that takes white brilliance, black depth, and contrast to brand new levels of goodness, but viewers should be well pleased with the stability and essential accuracy on display here throughout the range. The picture shows no signs of print wear and no encode issues to drag it down. This is a very good Blu-ray from Parmount.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paramount has included a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack for this release, which is in addition to an "English Restored Mono" track. The mono track offers a very good listen. Fidelity is excellent, dialogue images very nicely to the center, and front side stretch is tangible if not somewhat aggressive. The 5.1 track holds to similar characteristics. Dialogue is grounded in the center. Stretch to the front sides is not particularly bountiful with any of the content, but adequate when necessary. The surrounds carry almost no information, and the subwoofer is not engaged to any significant extent. Both are fine tracks within the film's audio parameters and needs within its original sound design, but purists will want to listen to the restored mono track for the most authentic experience possible.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance contains no supplemental content. The static main menu screen only offers options for "Play," "Settings," and "Scenes." No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover. This is about as bare-bones as they come. Do note that the "Paramount Presents" release includes a plethora of bonus features.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is unquestionably a classic and one of the top Westerns ever made. The simple story is supported by legendary performances, nuanced characterization, expert direction, dramatic depth, and vivid storytelling. Paramount's Blu-ray is featureless, but video and audio are quite good. This is not anywhere near so good a package as the UHD release form the "Paramount Presents" line, which offers obviously superior video on the UHD disc and the remastered Blu-ray disc which is also included in that set. Still, for the budget-minded fan, this disc still comes highly recommended.