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

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (January 2025): Indicator have transferred Henry Hathaway's The Shepherd of the Hills to Blu-ray. We reviewed this title as part of the John Wayne - An American Icon DVD boxset back in 2006, HERE. The 1080P improves measurably with 4 X the bitrate, truer colors with more depth, improved detail with earthier browns to richer sky blues. Not discounting that it can look a shade thin, a touch pink and flat, this is a handsome film that is a positive upgrade to this format. 

NOTE: We have added 52 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Indicator use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The Shepherd of the Hills has aggression but also many idyllic sequences of scenery accentuated by the score from Gerard Carbonara (Island Of Doomed Men, King of Chinatown, Among the Living, Union Pacific, The Monster and the Girl, Dr. Cyclops, Abilene Town.) Some may also notice Sam Coslow's There's a Happy Hunting Ground and Brahms' Wiegenlied (Lullaby) Op. 49 No. 4. . It all sounds quote flat and graceful in the uncompressed transfer. Indicator offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Indicator Blu-ray offers a new commentary by academic and curator Eloise Ross (co-author of The Pre-Code Companion, Issue #2: Three on a Match, Female, & Other Men's Women.) She talks about Hathaway's visual style, the novel that the film was adapted from, the director's attention to detail etc. She observes Betty Field being barefoot through much of the film, the locations (Big Bear Lake and Moon Ridge, California) etc. It's an excellent and well-researched commentary. The Return of the Exile is a 1/2 hour 2017 archival appreciation by filmmaker and critic Bertrand Tavernier, presented with English subtitles for the first time. He discusses Hathaway and The Shepherd of the Hills. that he finds an extremely personal film. There is also an original theatrical trailer, an image gallery of promotional and publicity material and the package has a limited edition exclusive 40-page booklet with a new essay by Rick Burin, an archival report on the film’s production and its source novel’s Ozark setting, an extract from an interview with Henry Hathaway, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits.    

Henry Hathaway's The Shepherd of the Hills is notable for many reasons including being The Duke's first Technicolor film. Hathaway had such impressive output from westerns to noir including Niagara, True Grit, 23 Paces to Baker Street, Rawhide, Garden of Evil, Kiss of Death, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, The House on 92nd Street, The Dark Corner etc. etc. The Shepherd of the Hills was based on the novel by Harold Bell Wright. The story depicts a "mountain feud" of people living in the Ozarks and the impact of a sympathetic, elderly, and learned visitor from Chicago who is escaping tragedy (deaths of his wife and children) and seeking reclusiveness. He eventually gains the trust, and positively impacts, the clans that make up his independent and self-reliant neighbors. The 'moonshining' and dialogue are detailed - cleverly establishing characterizations. The Shepherd of the Hills was the first of Hathaway’s six films to star John Wayne. It is immensely entertaining. The Indicator Blu-ray is up to their usual stratospheric standards - fabulous presentation, expert commentary, booklet and more. I'll be keeping this one - strongly recommended!

Gary Tooze