Yellowstone: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Yellowstone: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 20, 2019

“A complicated world in a seemingly simple type of lifestyle” is how Kevin Costner describes Yellowstone, Creator Taylor Sheridan's (writer, Hell or High Water) blending of vintage Americana and the increasingly dense and complicated and threatening 21st century corner of the world in which it still exists. The show, which plays within both the grandeur of a cinema epic and the intimacy and detail of a long-form television show, explores within the vastness of open country a troubled family dynamic, strained from within and challenged from without, as the modern world attempts to undo what several generations of ranchers have done to build and preserve a way of life, make a living, and hand something meaningful, not just of value, down to their children. The show deals in familiar dramatic angles within the family and through its clashes with the outside world, but there's something different about Yellowstone, a show that blends the slower pace of a simpler time with the urgency and ever-evolving landscape of the modern world, yielding a unique and compelling program that aims to draw a wider audience beyond the core Western fan.

Official synopsis: 'Yellowstone' revolves around the Dutton family, led by John Dutton who controls the largest ranch in the U.S. that its under constant attack by those it borders: land developers, and Indian reservation and America's first National Park. This is a world where land grabs make developers billions, the politicians are bought and sold by the world's largest oil and lumber corporations. It is the best and worst of America seen through the eyes of a family that represents both.

Yellowstone is set not in an untamed frontier but rather in a world of modern conveniences and dangers alike. The show is at once both a look at contemporary Western ranching that is still, in some ways, governed by classic Cowboy credos and justice, whether in negotiation with words and a handshake or at the end of a gun. The show explores the evolution of the Western way of life through a family patriarch’s eyes, but it is also about the death of that kind of life and the pending death of the man who has taken the torch to oversee it for his family. John has been diagnosed with colon cancer, leaving his fate in doubt and, maybe, then, the ranch up for grabs, as the family dynamic seems to promise that the Dutton family may not hold the ranch into the next generation, one way or the other, whether because the family chooses not to take the responsibility or because the outside world will win a battle of attrition for the land’s value and resources, destroying everything the family has built through the decades.

That contrast between the big, beautiful, peaceful, open world and the much harsher realities within the family structure and the threats that build beyond the ranch's borders drive the story. Juxtaposition is at the show's foundation, with that land and that history at the heart of it all. It paints a picture of an unmissable and unmistakable romanticism that hearkens back to simpler times, but the show routinely breaks the illusion by introducing new problems and dynamics that threaten it. But that romantic notion of something better, "better" meaning "simpler," is always there within that Montana majesty, the Big Sky Country that seems like it could hold every dream and open every possibility. The show always circles around between promise and hope and problems and the hell that descends on the land, a hell both of the family's making and brought upon it by outside forces. Sheridan carefully balances the show, maintaining a sense of visual grandeur and photographic elegance while shaping the story for not just maximum dramatic effect but believable scenarios that keep the show and characters honest and the audience's attention on the drama but never entirely away from the beauty beyond the bothers that play out within it.

The show is elegantly photographed, capturing classic Western vistas but holding firm to relatively simply techniques that keep the focus on the story and the world, pulling the audience in rather than breaking the illusion with more complex photographic trickery. Writing is smart and detailed; the show is well versed in its world and the characters appear authentic to the place and time, effortlessly blending the old and the new, whether they want to or not. There's a striking balance between modern realities and conveniences and the old way of doing things, of preserving a certain way of life that, like everything else in the show, exists within that seamlessly crafted juxtaposition. Casting is inspired, from Costner down. Costner is the perfect choice to play an aged patriarch who fits comfortably into the clothes and country but brings a dramatic weight, a sense of self, place, and purpose to the part that few other actors could have.

Yellowstone: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Yellowstone: Season 1's 1080p presentation is flat-out gorgeous. The digitally sourced image is pristine, intricate, and inspiring. Whether vast Montana vistas or intimate character portraits, the Blu-ray reveals every detail with incredible clarity and sharpness. Human details are tremendous, with close-ups showcasing every intimate wrinkle, stubble, scruff, makeup, and wounds. Textural abundance prevails in clothing close-ups, whether worn ranch attire or sharp business suits. The Blu-ray reveals every stitch, fray, and example of wear with elegant authenticity. Animal details are equally impressive. Views of horses and cows showcase amazingly intimate detail across the board. Terrain, the rustic (yet obviously very pricy) Dutton home, and even some city exteriors dazzle with wonderful clarity and attention to detail. Colors are perfectly implemented. The palette appears very well saturated and bold, whether big blue skies, intimate portraits of character eyes, rugged Western wear, blouses and neckties, earthy terrain, and natural greenery. Skin tones appear true and black levels are inky deep. Noise is kept to a modest minimum and no significant source or encode flaws are to be found. This is a terrific Blu-ray presentation from Paramount.

Yellowstone: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Yellowstone: Season 1's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack is fairly vanilla, capable in delivery but not often engaging much beyond the necessities. Surrounds are not used with regularity or intensity. Music and even some major effects generally remain firmly up front but do play with agreeable width and always good foundational clarity. The track does fold in some light atmospheric effects that help define various outdoor locales, with the surrounds lightly chiming in to carry some light breezes, insects, or background animal sounds. Several gunshots are adequately deep and prominent and a few heavier effects here and there, such as spinning helicopter rotors, convey good definition and stage immersion. Dialogue propels the show, and its delivery is consistently clear and well prioritized with natural front-center positioning. Dialogue opens up a bit as scenes call for, such as during an auction scene in the first episode.

Yellowstone: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Yellowstone: Season 1 contains extras on all three discs. No DVD or digital copies are included. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

Disc One:

• Behind the Story (1080p): Short pieces that explore a few character points, plot dynamics, and key moments from each episode. Included are extras covering the episodes "Daybreak" (3:33), "Kill the Messenger" (3:38), and "No Good Horses" (3:14).

Disc Two:

• Behind the Story (1080p): Short pieces that explore a few character points, plot dynamics, and key moments from each episode. Included are extras covering the episodes "The Long Black Train" (3:42), "Coming Home" (3:49), and "The Remembering" (3:29).

Disc Three:

• Behind the Story (1080p): Short pieces that explore a few character points, plot dynamics, and key moments from each episode. Included are extras covering the episodes "A Monster Is Among Us" (2:58), "The Unravelling, Pt. 1" (4:04), and "The Unravelling, Pt. 2" (4:01).
• Inside Yellowstone (1080p, 3:43): In praise Taylor Sheridan's writing and a look at the story's scope, the modern elements folded into the story, and more.
• Costner on Yellowstone (1080p, 3:05): Costner discusses his character and his character's children, working with Taylor Sheridan, and more.
• Cowboy Camp (1080p, 1:50): The actors discuss physical prep for the show.
• Character Spots (1080p): The actors briefly discuss their characters. Included are pieces on Beth (1:36), Lee (1:01), Jamie (1:36), Rainwater (1:33), Monica (1:23), and Kayce (1:16).
• Working the Yellowstone (1080p): A two-part feature that explores some of the making-of details, including a look at Production Design (1:43) and Special Effects (1:49).
• Yellowstone Official Theme Music Composed by Brian Tyler (1080p, 2:32): The theme set to scenes from the show and images from the orchestration.
• Taylor Sheridan & Kevin Costner on Yellowstone (1080p, 24:49): This longer-form supplement more thoroughly and in a more relaxed manner explores the story, characters, themes, locations, photography, and more.

Yellowstone: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Yellowstone rarely stumbles. Its only fault is that there's a little too much reliance, at times, on typical TV drama and all the machinations and complex moving pieces that manipulate it all so precisely. But here that's part of the draw. The contrast between man's darker workings and the beautiful natural backdrop make the show familiar but at the same time fresh, relatable in many ways but almost alien in some others. Sheridan and his collected cast and crew have built something that is both visually arresting and dramatically compelling. Yellowstone: Season 1 features gorgeous 1080p video, quality lossless audio, and a decent collection of extra content. Highly recommended.