Yellow Sky Blu-ray - Gregory Peck

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

Directed by William A. Wellman
USA 1949

Wellman (The Ox-Bow Incident) helms this gem involving of a band of outlaws, led by strong quiet James 'Stretch' Dawson (Gregory Peck), who find themselves knocking at death's door after becoming lost in the treacherous western Badlands. Their only salvation is a lonesome town called Yellow Sky, where the inhabitants consist of a doddering old prospector (James Barton) and his mysterious, alluring daughter (Anne Baxter). But their deliverance from danger is short-lived when the gang discovers a fateful secret hidden within the dusty, rotting walls of this ghost town... GOLD! A perfectly cast genre pearl that seems to have been all but forgotten.

Gary Tooze

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Theatrical Release: February 1st, 1999

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Comparison:

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Koch Media - Region FREE - Blu-ray

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Koch Media - Region FREE - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Cover		Also available on Blu-ray in the UK in July 2012
Distribution	20th Century Fox Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC	Koch Media - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:38:36	1:38:47.963
Video	1.33:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 8.5 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 18,588,781,932 bytes Feature: 14,477,887,488 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 14.99 Mbps
	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), English (Mono), DUB: Spanish (Mono)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1597 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1597 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio German 1592 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1592 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles	English, Spanish, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Video Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Poster Gallery • Production Stills Gallery • Behind the Scenes Gallery • Theatrical trailer • Fox trailers DVD Release Date: May 23rd, 2006 Keep Case Chapters: 24	Release Information: Studio: Koch Media 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 18,588,781,932 bytes Feature: 14,477,887,488 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 14.99 Mbps Edition Details: • Radio program (29:59) • Slideshow Stills Gallery Blu-ray Release Date: August 26th, 2011 Book-style Blu-ray Case Chapters: 13

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Koch Media - Region FREE - Blu-ray - September 11': Both technically speaking and simply perusing the captures - it is evident that this is a more robust transfer than The Ox-Bow Incident Blu-ray - also by Koch. This has some nice grain, decent detail and some depth creeps in - mostly in the desert scenes. It is single-layered with a modest bitrate but the image is solid, if not stellar, in-motion. It also shows more information in the frame on most edges.

Audio also improves but not in any dramatic fashion. The lossless treatment has crisp edges and is probably as good as it going to get via the DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel at 1597 kbps. There is a German DUB and optional English subtitles. It plays on my Oppo and we determine it to be Region FREE!

Extras include a radio western - which is kinda cool as a supplements. It runs about 1/2 hour. There is also a bunch of stills galleries in slideshow/collage presentations.

GREAT western - love to see this again and the improved appearance that may not be stellar but it is a solid step-up. The disc being Region FREE is all the better!

***

ON THE DVD: The Fox DVD image has an impressive appearance. You'd be hard pressed to believe it was from a film over 56 years old. There is a bit of digital noise showing itself in some of the sky scenes but contrast and grey-scale are fine. In my viewing I listened to the mono audio and it was consistent and clean. There is some minor marks that show themselves occasionally, but I am very impressed with how absent blemishes are on this print. I'll knock the yellow subtitles but otherwise we have no solid complaints. Great work by Fox finally bringing this gem to DVD.

This is a damn fine western and I'd say this dual layered DVD is a steal. Great cinema for western fans and those keen on the vintage classics. Buy now!

Gary W. Tooze

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20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Koch Media - Region FREE - Blu-ray RIGHT

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