Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

The Stalking Moon Blu-ray Movie Review

To Kill A Stalkingbird.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III March 18, 2020

Westerns were well on the decline by 1968; The Wild Bunch wouldn't push the dying genre forward for another year, and would only do so by subverting it almost entirely. In hindsight, Robert Mulligan's The Stalking Moon seems like a dry run for such revisionist Westerns -- it plays nice with certain genre cliches, but isn't afraid to step outside normal boundaries a little more than usual. In truth, The Stalking Moon feels more like a suspense film with Western window dressing, and the story couldn't be simpler: aging Army scout Sam Varner (Gregory Peck) tasks himself with escorting rescued white woman Sarah Carver (Eva Marie Saint) and her "half-breed" son (Noland Clay) to protected territory. Unfortunately, the boy's father, a ruthless Native American warrior known only as "Salvaje" (Nathaniel Narcisco), is in hot pursuit. He's killed countless white soldiers and civilians alike, and Sam just might be the next to die.

Without venturing too far into spoiler territory, let's just say that the cat and mouse eventually square off -- and it's for this reason that The Stalking Moon feels like a worthwhile genre entry that's nonetheless flown way under the radar for decades. Another primary reason is the capable lead performance of Gregory Peck (here reuniting with director Robert Mulligan and producer Alan Pakula for the first time since 1962's landmark To Kill A Mockingbird), who offers a strong emotional presence and more than a few memorable lines. Not that there are many, of course: The Stalking Moon is much more of a stoic waiting game than a dialogue-driven affair, pushing through long stretches of silence and short, fragmented exchanges that are almost completely devoid of small talk. This allows for some of its central relationships to eventually blossom, but I'll admit The Stalking Moon's first hour or so is almost frustratingly drawn out.

It's a lot to ask for an otherwise small story populated by an equally small cast of speaking characters but, as hours tick away, The Stalking Moon builds a great deal of suspense between both parties: the three-person group holding down the fort -- five, if you count Sam's half-Native American friend Nick (Robert Forster, clearly struggling with this character) and elderly caretaker Ned (Russell Thorson) -- and Salvaje, who quietly looms over the territory, waiting to strike. Their eventual confrontation, as alluded to earlier, is quite the payoff and, if nothing else, ends The Stalking Moon on a high note -- and if you're going to make one part of a movie good, make it the home stretch.

Like many Westerns peppered with social commentary, The Stalking Moon has aged fairly well; although it'll never be mistaken for a film released in the last 30 years, it still carries a certain degree of charm and accessibility for new audiences. Warner Archive Collection adds their own support with yet another solid Blu-ray package, and one that focuses on a top-notch A/V presentation that easily outpaces Warner Bros.' DVD released back in 2008.

The Stalking Moon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Stalking Moon continues Warner Archive Collection's winning streak for top-tier visuals, as this handsomely-shot Panavision film looks absolutely fantastic on Blu-ray. If you haven't figured it out by now, the studio's press release claim of "brand new master" is short-hand for a fresh 2K scan of the interpositive which, when combined with their careful method of manual cleanup, produces a very pure and film-like image from start to finish. The understated but superb cinematography by Charles Lang (A Farewell to Arms, How the West Was Won) captures the beautiful location footage shot in Nevada (Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire State Park) with many indoor scenes built in Hollywood's Samuel Goldwyn Studios. Earth tones are prominent without looking muddy, with warm tans often standing in good contrast with weathered wood, green forests, and rocky canyons. Image detail and textures remain superb throughout, while the appearance of steady film grain also adds to the visual richness. No banding or compression artifacts were spotted and, as usual, the dual-layered Blu-ray gives this material plenty of room to breathe.

The Stalking Moon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio can't help but lag behind, but still easily gets the job done. After all, The Stalking Moon does not demand much from this DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix: dialogue and action are both very sparse, although both sound perfectly crisp and well-recorded when they arrive. Background noise depends on the environment but adds a nice layer, from stray crickets, livestock, and distant horses to occasional thunderstorms and other weather-related events. Of course, the film's second half ramps up the tension, but The Stalking Mood rarely approaches the level of sonic activity present in a typical Western. Yet this one-channel presentation suits the material perfectly, and its sporadic strengths -- which also include the excellent original score by prolific composer Fred Karlin (Westworld, Lovers and Other Strangers) -- elevate this mix to a height that's more than acceptable under the circumstances.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature. Unfortunately, they're poorly formatted in ALL CAPS like the growing majoring of Warner Archive Collection Blu-rays, which is disappointing.

The Stalking Moon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with attractive poster-themed cover art and no inserts.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:49) - This vintage promotional piece captures the film's slow-building but suspenseful atmosphere; it's presented in rough but watchable condition and is cropped to 1.85:1. Watch it here.

The Stalking Moon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Though it severely drags during its first half, Robert Mulligan's The Stalking Moon builds a formidable amount of tension in the home stretch with an explosive climax that proves to be worth the wait. Gregory Peck leads with a very strong presence, while most everyone else seems content with letting silence do the talking. It's an unorthodox but largely enjoyable formula, elevating this otherwise standard cat-and-mouse thriller to slightly greater heights. As usual, Warner Archive Collection's Blu-ray will please die-hard fans and purists alike, offering a handsome 1080p transfer that easily outpaces the 2008 DVD. Extras are slim, but this one's still recommended to fans of the cast and genre.