6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Buckskin Hamilton guides a wagon train across the wasteland, caring well for the pioneers he escorts, but hoping to solve the murder of his brother by one of the travelers.
Starring: William S. Hart, Jane Novak, Robert McKim, Lloyd Bacon, Leo PiersonWestern | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Lambert Hillyer's "Wagon Tracks" (1919) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributors Olive Films. There are no bonus features on the disc, but the film is presented with a brand new piano written and performed by Andrew Earle Simpson. Region-A "locked".
On the trail
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Lambert Hillyer's Wagon Tracks arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films.
The release is sourced from a new remaster that was struck from an original 35mm nitrate print. The entire film looks wonderful in high-definition -- despite some sporadic minor source limitations depth is very pleasing; delineation is also very good, with many of the wider panoramic shots actually boasting the type of strong detail that you would see on much recent restorations; there is even proper fluidity, though a few minor bumps can be spotted. I also wish to mention that the grading job is very convincing. Obviously the tints support slightly different basic qualities, but I think that it is very easy to tell that image balance is indeed proper and very pleasing. There are no traces of problematic digital enhancements. My one and only minor criticism pertains to the presence of some tiny flecks that remain, but this is still a hugely impressive presentation of an nearly 100-year-old film. Well done. My score is 4.25/5.00. (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).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The film has original intertitles in English.
Wagon Tracks can be viewed with a lovely new original piano score written and performed by Andrew Earle Simpson. Obviously, this is a studio recording, so the excellent audio quality is not surprising. The dynamic range is very good for a recording of this type type. Also, there are no balance issues or digital distortions to report.
Unfortunately, there are no bonus features on this release.
Releases such as Wagon Tracks are the reason why I like Olive Films' catalog so much. The film, which is approximately 100 years old, is an absolute treasure that offers a fascinating glimpse at a remarkable period of America's history. Together with Kino Video's recent release of Beggars of Life it is one of the most special discoveries that I made this year, which is why I plan to have it on my Top Ten list at the end of the year. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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1975
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1966
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1977
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1946
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1972
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1950
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1957
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1970
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2016