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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (July 2021): Kino have also transferred Andrew V. McLaglen's Shenandoah to Blu-ray. However, it is one a dual-layered disc with approaching double the bitrate. It looks to be the same Universal source but is a bit tighter in terms of colors and has a smidgeon more depth. Overall it is a negligibly better 1080P HD presentation. It's quite a gorgeous film with almost exclusively natural lighting.

NOTE: We have added 34 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

Kino also use a DTS-HD Master (16-bit) 2.0 channel - but it is more robust - in the original English that sounds excellent in supporting the film's aggressive sequences in Shenandoah's latter half plus a wonderful, often melancholy, 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. Kino include optional English (see samples below) and their Blu-ray disc is Region 'A'-locked. It starts with the Universal logo.

Kino augment their package with a new commentary by C. Courtney Joyner (author of The Westerners: Interviews with Actors, Directors, Writers and Producers) and Constantine Nasr (co-author of parts of the Conversations with Filmmakers Series) and later a brief inserts by film historian Michael F. Blake (author of Hollywood and the O.K. Corral: Portrayals of the Gunfight and Wyatt Earp and many other film books.) They discuss Edward Dmytryk's Raintree County inserted exteriorers, the John Ford inspired scenes (the dinner table, the graveyard), the notes that the studio was concerned about; the violence, Katherine Ross showing her nipple when breastfeeding and Stewart use of 'Damn' at the dinner table, they talk about some critics comparisons to Friendly Persuasion, the careers of director Andy McLaglen, composer Frank Skinner, plenty of James Stewart - as a Republican, his military service and much more including the moral core of Shenandoah and its humor. It's excellent in analysing this underrated war-western. Kino include a Super 8mm short film, The Defiant Virginian - running about 8-minutes. There is also a trailer for and related genre trailers.   

Wonderful to have a repeat viewing of this, under discussed, family-centric, adventurous-western-civil-war charmer with a deep moral code starring Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne, stunning Katharine Ross and keep your eyes peeled for Strother Martin and a bearded regal George Kennedy... all in HD! The superior Kino Blu-ray is absolutely recommended for the profound film, the dual-layered 1080P presentation and the revealing, edifying commentary. Fans of Stewart and western genre efforts shouldn't hesitate.

***

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.

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

***

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