Triumph of the Spirit Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Triumph of the Spirit Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 18, 2025

Robert M. Young's "Triumph of the Spirit" (1989) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by critic Manuela Lazic and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

A short text informs that Triumph of the Spirit will retell the true story of Greek boxer Salamo Arouch, who was a prisoner in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps during WWII. Many of the visuals that emerge after the text disappears are genuinely disturbing. However, even the most shocking ones only suggest the nature of the horrors that Arouch and others like him faced in the camps.

Arouch’s story begins somewhere in Greece, where the Germans round up hundreds of Jews and gypsies, separate the men from the women and the children, and load them on a train, heading North. Initially, the detained are told that the train will take them to Poland, where they will begin a new life. Arouch, his girlfriend (Wendy Gazelle), father (Robert Loggia), and several other relatives are among the first to get on the train.

But the train arrives in Auschwitz, where the weakest and sickest women and all the children are immediately sent to the gas chambers. The men, completely unaware that many of their loved ones have been instantly killed, are also divided into several groups. The oldest and sickest among them are promptly eliminated as well.

Arouch and his father are placed in a group that is routinely dispatched to do heavy work out in the freezing cold, near the camp’s barbed-wired fences, where, after a small brawl with a thickheaded prisoner-turned-supervisor, a high-ranking German officer discovers that he can box. Soon after, Arouch is ordered to begin participating in a series of boxing matches, extremely popular among the Germans, where everyone likes to bet large amounts of money. Arouch becomes a golden goose for the high-ranking German officer and is able to bring back with him fresh bread, a special treat, and his only prize, which is then shared with his father and other prisoners.

While working hard and boxing, Arouch befriends his group’s supervisor, a middle-aged gypsy (Edward James Olmos), who uses his privileges to help him move to a slightly better area of the camp. However, when the Germans begin purging the sickest prisoners again, Arouch’s friend is unable to save his father.

The final twenty or so minutes recreate bits of the madness that spread in various concentration and military camps after it became obvious that it was only a matter of time before the Red Army entered Berlin. In Auschwitz, several prisoners supercharge the madness after launching an amateurish uprising. While in their orbit, Arouch miraculously survives a quick massacre and then witnesses the brutal culmination of the madness.

Robert M. Young directs with conviction and confidence, and the entire cast responds appropriately. However, Dafoe and especially Loggia’s efforts are a few notches better, which is why there are many unforgettable scenes with the two.

The entire film was shot at Auschwitz, and many of the places where real prisoners were tortured and killed are featured in it. Unsurprisingly, the visuals that emerge from it are often stunning. However, it feels like Young presents a shorter, in some areas rushed, version of Arouch’s story, which is extraordinary.

At the end, another short text reveals that Arouch was able to walk out of Auschwitz together with his girlfriend, who had miraculously survived as well. The two then went to Israel and started a family.

Triumph of the Spirit Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Triumph of Spirit arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

It is obvious that at some point Triumph of the Spirit was remastered at or on behalf of MGM, because it looks great in high-definition. I do not think that there are any areas of the current presentation where significant improvements can be introduced. In a few places, cosmetic adjustments -- like small stability enhancements during the opening credits or tweaks to optimize the dynamic range of the visuals -- can be made. However, they will not make Triumph of the Spirit look significantly better. The current presentation produces strong, convincing, stable organic visuals that look great even on a very large screen. Color reproduction and balance are excellent as well. All primaries and supporting nuances are very healthy and properly set, so the entire film has a proper period appearance. There are no traces of any problematic digital corrections. Also, the surface of the visuals is not plagued by any distracting age-related imperfections. My score is 4.75/5.00. (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).

Triumph of the Spirit Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with tiny portions of German). Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I did not encounter any age-related anomalies to report in our review. All exchanges are very clear, sharp, stable, and easy to follow. The action footage features short but intense shootouts and several big explosions, all of which sound great. Cliff Eidelman's moving score creates big dynamic contrasts as well, which I liked a lot. So, unless a new Atmos track is created in the future, and specific new enhancements are added to it, I think that the current lossless track will remain the definitive one for Triumph of the Spirit.

Triumph of the Spirit Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Manuela Lazic.

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Triumph of the Spirit. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Triumph of the Spirit Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Auschwitz, where Triumph of the Spirit was shot, quickly begins producing visuals that only the most intense of nightmares can deliver. However, even the most shocking of these visuals only suggest the nature of the horrors that Salamo Arouch endured. Arouch's true story is incredible, but it is one of many that are too gruesome and too mad to properly retell in a mainstream film, which is why Triumph of the Spirit appears to be rushing through parts of it. If its subject appeals to you, also see Lajos Koltai's Fateless. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.