Shenandoah Blu-ray - James Stewart

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
USA 1965

With the integrity and depth of an epic, Shenandoah tells the dramatic story of a man caught in a dilemma. James Stewart stars as a Virginia farmer during the Civil War. He refuses to support the Confederacy because he is opposed to slavery, yet he will not support the Union because he is deeply opposed to war. When his son is taken prisoner, Stewart goes to search for the boy. Seeing first-hand the horrors of war, he is at last forced to take his stand.

***

A perfect example of a movie made watchable and interesting due entirely to its star, Shenandoah (1965) stands as one of the better films in James Stewart's post-fifties career. It's the story of a prosperous Virginia farmer (Stewart) who has raised six sons and a daughter on his sprawling, self-contained farm since his wife died in childbirth. It's 1863 and the Civil War is taking place all around him, but Stewart maintains a neutral stance. Morally opposed to slavery, he wants no part of a war based on it - as long as the conflict does not touch him personally. The war, however, eventually does take a toll on the family, starting when Stewart's new son-in-law is called into Confederate service on his wedding day. Then Stewart's youngest son is captured by the North and suspected of being a Confederate soldier. Showing some of the determination and sense of purpose that marked his earlier Anthony Mann westerns, Stewart sets out to find him, taking most of his other sons with him on the journey.

Excerpt from TCM located HERE

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Theatrical Release: June 3rd, 1965

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Comparison:

Universal (Westerns Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. WVG Medien - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1) Universal (Westerns Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) WVG Medien - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Cover
Distribution	Universal (Westerns Collection) Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC	WVG Medien - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:45:08	1:45:11.555
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 8.67 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	Disc Size: 19,882,795,665 bytes Feature Size: 18,309,728,256 bytes Average Bitrate: 19.99 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 991 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 991 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DUB: DTS-HD Master Audio German 874 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 874 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles	English (CC), Spanish, French, None	English, German, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Universal (Westerns Collection) Home Video Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical trailer (2:10) DVD Release Date: August 24th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters: 20	Release Information: Studio: WVG Medien Disc Size: 19,882,795,665 bytes Feature Size: 18,309,728,256 bytes Average Bitrate: 19.99 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Gallery (4:05) • Trailer (2:08) • Ben Hall Trailer (2:21) • The Timber Trailer (1:26) Blu-ray Release Date: November 24th, 2017 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 8

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

WVG Medien are another of the many Shenandoah Blu-rays out of Europe, although this classic western has yet to come to North America in 1080P there is a Danish version HERE, a French BD HERE, and an Italian version HERE. This German transfer is single-layered with a reasonable bitrate. The upgrade over orangey SD is not overwhelming but is apparent with superior flesh tones and colors overall are tighter and marginally richer. It looks strong in-motion. It's an attractive looking film and deserves to be seen in HD.

DTS-HD Master (16-bit) 2.0 channel in the original English that sounds excellent in supporting the film's aggressive sequences in the film's latter half and the score by Frank Skinner (Written on the Wind, Canyon Passage, Magnificent Obsession, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, All That Heaven Allows, and The Naked City) including Oh Shenandoah (heard as theme twice during the film), along with The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Praise God From Whom all Blessings Flow, Music ('Old 100th') from Genevan Psalter and Yellow Rose of Texas. There is an untested German DUB and optional English (see sample below) or German subtitles. The Blu-ray disc is Region 'B'-locked. It starts with the Universal logo.

Only an image gallery, a trailer for the film and two other trailers (both in German) for supplements in the disc.

Wonderful to see this family-centric, adventurous-western-civil-war charmer with Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne, stunning Katharine Ross and George Kennedy... in HD! Absolutely recommended for the film and presentation.

***

On THE DVD: This is a good film with lots of star support (see young Katherine Ross, Doug McClure , Glenn Corbett, George Kennedy etc.) but I do feel that Stewart may have overplayed his hand a shade. One of the great actors and a perfect "everyman" Stewart is a tad overpowered by his role that might have suited a Burl Ives type better.

The un-manipulated image is very good. Original dark scenes and true colors are all intact. Progressive, anamorphic, original aspect ratio - original audio and excellent subtitles. What we are missing are some decent extras. The original trailer is in rough shape, but overall, for the film itself - this is a good representation. out of

Gary W. Tooze

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WVG Medien - Region 'B' - Blu-ray