Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Thunder on the Hill Blu-ray Movie Review

Thunder on the Hill is a classic murder mystery with an element of suspense throughout. The classic film is based on the play Bonaventure by Charlotte Hastings. Produced by Michael Kraike (Woman in Hiding, The Fighting Guardsman), Thunder on the Hill is a compelling tale led by great performances. The film stars Claudette Colbert and Ann Blyth.

Sister Mary Bonaventure (Claudette Colbert) is a nun working against the clock in order to try and help prove the innocence of Valerie Carns (Ann Blyth). Valerie was accused and convicted of murder and is being considered as a dangerous murderess. As Valerie is being escorted away to prison, with a date pending with execution, Sister Mary is determined to help prove her innocence.

Ann Blyth is outstanding in her central role in Thunder on the Hill. Colbert is a wonderful and charming actress and she carries herself well with the film. The performance is one that showcases terrific range for the actress: showcasing the vulnerability of her journey as she faces serious murder accusations and is found guilty – while simultaneously fighting to be found innocent with accompanying help by Sister Mary Bonaventure.

Claudette Colbert is similarly impressive in her role as the helpful and upstanding nun determined to seek justice when she sees a potential wrongdoing. The performance is also strong and one that matches up well alongside Ann Blyth. The dynamics between these two performers is quite exceptional and as a result the filmmaking is that much more compelling and engaging. One can easily be swept up in the filmmaking because of these

The production has a number of impressive elements in it. The art direction by Bernard Herzbrun (Battle of Broadway, Alexander’s Ragtime Band) and Nathan Juran (How Green Was My Valley, The 7^th Voyage of Sinbad) is one of the most remarkable elements – there is so much to appreciate about the quietly charming production elements. The design is true to the storyline and manages to help the film be all the more engaging.

The costumes by Bill Thomas (Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Logan’s Run) make a solid impression as well and these costumes certainly seem well thought out for the characters. Not only are the designs for the nuns believable and well designed, the costuming for Ann Blyth is fantastic. The supporting actors have effective costuming as well.

Edited by Ted J. Kent (The Bride of Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon), Thunder on the Hill is well cut. The editing is solid and the production benefits from the nice sense of pace given to the film. Scenes flow well and the editing manages to convey the mood of the production. A worthy effort by Kent.

The score composed by Hans J. Salter (It Started with Eve, Incident at Phantom Hill) is one of the highlights of the entire film and an essential element. The score by Salter is evocative and brings compelling depth to the production. The music provides a solid backdrop to the mystery element, carrying the story forward. The score works well alongside the performances and there is a lot to appreciate about it.

The cinematography by William H. Daniels (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Shop Around the Corner) is beautiful and haunting. The black and white cinematography is compelling and provides a strong artistic element to the cinematography. The effort by Daniels is certainly fascinating and an important aspect of the production. The lighting and tone of the film is well projected through the lensing.

The screenplay by Oscar Saul (A Streetcar Named Desire, The Joker Is Wild) and Andrew Solt (In a Lonely Place, For the First Time) is a standout element. The screenplay provides Thunder on the Hill with strong characters and a compelling storyline. The script capably evokes a sense of dramatic heft with the tale exploring the complications of the murder trial and the quest to fight for justice against those murder accusations. Saul and Solt handle the dialogue and characterizations well and the end result is a tale more compelling than some might be expecting to find.

Directed by Douglas Sirk (Imitation of Life, To New Shores), Thunder on the Hill is well directed and there is a classical quality to the filmmaking that permeates throughout the production. Sirk is an exceptional filmmaker with a keen sensibility as a director. There is a lot to appreciate about the filmmaking style: gorgeous visuals, strong performances, and excellent storytelling from the director’s chair. This is a wonderful showcase for the talents of Sirk. Fans of the filmmaker will not want to miss out on this entertaining and engaging mystery classic.  

Thunder on the Hill Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Universal, Thunder on the Hill is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The presentation on the release is generally satisfactory with a scan of the film that appears relatively presentable and enjoyable. The black and white visuals are effective and the scan looks decent on the whole.

Nonetheless, this is a somewhat dated presentation compared to newer 2K or 4K remasters and the scan also shows some occasional flaws – thin scratches and minor imperfections. The transfer isn't perfect but there is still a lot to appreciate about the generally solid presentation. The release benefits from a healthy bit-rate and video encoding. This is one of the strengths of the Blu-ray format – it is nice and reassuring to see high bit-rate encoding and to know that it is superior to streaming counterparts (if a film is even available on digital services). This continues to be a wonderful selling point for the Blu-ray disc format.

Thunder on the Hill Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. The lossless audio encoding on the release is generally satisfactory. Dialogue sounds crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The original score for the film is well reproduced and highlighted during the presentation. Though the film has a somewhat modest sound design, the audio clarity is engaging and the track doesn't suffer from any egregious issues with hiss, crackle, and other slight imperfections.

The track is well encoded by Universal. Considering the average quality of streaming services with low bit-rate encodes being the norm, it is nice to have the lossless audio encoding on the release – one of the best advantages of Blu-ray as a format (compared to subpar streaming presentations with lossy audio quality). Good lossless encoding can go a long way for an enjoyable and cinematic presentation.

Thunder on the Hill Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This is the most disappointing element of the release of Thunder on the Hill. The release is entirely barebones and there are no supplements on the release whatsoever: no audio commentaries, behind the scenes documentaries, or production featurettes. Not even an original theatrical trailer (or trailers promoting other releases available from Universal) is provided on the release. In fact, the Blu-ray is so barebones that there is no menu screen selection and the disc loads directly in to the feature-film presentation.

Thunder on the Hill Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Thunder on the Hill is an entertaining and compelling murder mystery featuring excellent performances from leading stars Claudette Colbert and Ann Blyth. The performances help to carry the film. The production has numerous excellent qualities, including excellent artistic design elements and a wonderful score composed by Hans J. Salter (It Started with Eve). Directed by the legendary Douglas Sirk (Imitation of Life), Thunder on the Hill is a well-directed classic demonstrating the strengths of the iconic filmmaker.

The Blu-ray release features a worthwhile video and audio presentation. Though the scan isn't as pristine as newer 2K or 4K restorations may have provided, the presentation is still reasonably engaging and satisfying. The biggest drawback to the release is the fact that the disc is entirely barebones with no bonus features to speak of. The disc doesn't even have a menu option. Despite the lack of extras, the presentation is solid and the film is well worth seeing. Recommended.