Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Outlaw Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 4, 2018

Howard Hughes' "The Outlaw" (1943) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Video. The supplemental features on the disc include new audio commentary by film historian Troy Howarth and promotional trailers. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Rio

There are different versions of how exactly The Outlaw came to exist, but the crucial revelation in all of them is that Howard Hughes did extensive ‘research’ before he chose Jane Russell to play the feisty Rio McDonald. And he wasn’t looking for the right type of character actor, but a young girl that had the perfect bust.

The script is a mess and it is probably why Howard Hawks, who was initially hired to direct the film, left to work on a different project. The popular story is that Hughes actually fired Hawks because he wasn’t pleased with his work ethic, but it does not take a genius to figure out that it was a manufactured ‘official’ story. Hawks was not a dummy and once he saw where the production was heading under Hughes’ supervision he probably did what needed to be done to get ditched.

In a small town somewhere in New Mexico, the aging sheriff Pat Garrett (Thomas Mitchell) meets his old pal Doc Holliday (Walter Huston) who has been tracking down the thief that stole his horse. After the two have a drink at the local pub, Pat discovers that the thief is the legendary Billy the Kid (Jack Beutel), but instead of turning him over to the sheriff helps him get away because he likes his style. The seriously injured Kid then ends up in Rio’s secluded house where, after he passes out, his wounds are carefully treated for weeks. The Kid and Rio fall madly in love, but because Rio is Doc’s girl it seems like their future is doomed. Rio also discovers that not too long ago the Kid put a bullet in her brother’s head. Meanwhile, the sheriff summons the town’s best shooters and vows to put his old pal Doc, the Kid, and anyone that helps them behind bars.

Hughes’ desire to shoot Russell as a star when it is very obvious that she is very inexperienced produces some really awkward moments that frequently make the film look like an early period soap opera. There is also an avalanche of poor lines that completely destroy the legendary images that Doc, the Kid, and the sheriff have in countless other films. So the one and only real attraction here truly is Russell’s perfect figure, which is what Hughes was apparently obsessed with.

There is some great panoramic footage where the sheriff and his posse are seen chasing the fugitives that was shot around Yuma and Tuba City, Arizona, but it is not enough to like the film.

*This recent release of The Outlaw is sourced from a 2K restoration of the film that was completed by Lobster Films in Paris. (Other notable restorations from the French company include Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon, Harry O. Hoyt's The Lost World, and Marcel L'Herbier's L'Inhumaine).

The Outlaw Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Howard Hughes' The Outlaw arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Video.

The release is sourced from a 2K restoration that was completed by Lobser Films in France. It is the best presentation of the this legendary bad film that I have seen on any format, though you should keep in mind that the end result is actually closer to what a decent remaster would produce. Of course there are multiple reasons for this, including various source limitations, but I must say that with some specific encoding optimizations the current presentation definitely could have been more convincing.

Detail and clarity are mostly quite pleasing, but there are various noticeable density fluctuations that affect the overall fluidity. Predictably, grain exposure varies, but stronger encoding actually would have enhanced density quite a bit. The best news is that there are no traces of problematic sharpening adjustments. The grading is good, but there is some unevenness in the gamma levels that could have been avoided. Generally speaking, the film is quite clean, but minor scratches and tiny dirt spots remain. My score is 3.25/5.00. (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).

The Outlaw Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.

Dynamic intensity is limited, but with such an early this is anything but surprising. The dialog is stable and clean, but there are segments where some unevenness emerges and occasionally makes it difficult to hear and understand small exchanges. Naturally, some viewers almost certainly would have liked to have optional English SDH subtitles. There are no audio dropouts to report.

The Outlaw Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - film historian Troy Howarth shares a lot of interesting information about the production history of The Outlaw as well as the film's reception and image.

• Trailer - a gallery of trailers for the following Kino Lorber releases:
  
  1. The Outlaw
  2. The Ox-Bow Incident
  3. Yellow Sky
  4. Man with the Gun
  5. Rawhide

• Booklet - promotional catalog for Kino Lorber's releases.

The Outlaw Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Outlaw is worth seeing because it really is as bad as advertised. It was a pet project that never had a chance to be something special, but Howard Hughes completed it because he was obsessed with it and Jane Russell's figure. I've always wanted to have a good copy of it in my library because it is one of those legendary successful bad films that are frequently referenced, but in the past there was never a proper release of it on the market. Kino Video's recent Blu-ray release of The Outlaw is sourced from a good 2K restoration, but the technical presentation could have been more convincing.