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

ADDITION: Warner Archive Blu-ray (November 2019): Warner Archive have transferred Fritz Lang's Moonfleet to Blu-ray. There is a striking difference between the 1080P appearance and the 2010 and 2003 SD transfers. The image brightens significantly, flesh tones warm and detail dramatically rises. This is a huge upgrade in terms of the video.

NOTE: 32 more full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray captures for Patrons are available HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Warner Archive use a DTS-HD Master2.0 channel mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It is another advancement in the film's audio notably the score by the iconic Miklós Rózsa (Eye of the Needle, The Killers, The Lost Weekend, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Double Indemnity) sounding delightfully rousing and adventurous with a rich depth via the lossless. Warner Archive offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray has only a trailer and they continue to scrimp on an important aspect of the package for fans. This should, bare minimum, have a commentary.

Another of the many, endlessly, re-watchable Fritz Lang films - combining young boys adventure, swashbuckling pirates, beautifully costumed gals and a hidden treasure. Moonfleet is well worth this impressive Blu-ray a/v upgrade. You can give away the DVD-R if it still even plays. A strong recommendation! 

Gary Tooze

ADDITION: Warner Archive DVD - December 2010: The Warner Archive MOD disc is progressive, single-layered and anamorphic. There are no extras and no subtitles. There doesn't appear to be a large difference in the image quality between the two releases. The Warner may be marginally brighter and slightly cropped on the side edges. The French edition has PAL speed-up, an optional French DUB and subtitle choices plus some extras. Even with the current WBShop sale the French disc is still cheaper - and in stock. Only those with sensitivity to PAL speed-up, or who are locked to NTSC, should consider the Archive disc.

Gary Tooze

ON THE FRENCH DVD: This release of Fritz Lang’s 1955 picture from Warner France comes a few years before the exemplary Légendes du Cinema series, and its less than lustrous transfer, not to mention the snapper case belies its age. The disc is dual layered with the movie occupying one side of the disc with 4.13 Gig. The image quality is somewhat murky, image is a little soft and colors while clean have a brownish tinge. The print used is free of damage like speckles and surface marks but the DVD image is ultimately a slave to the typically early fifties Eastmancolor process. Nonetheless it’s a marked step up from Moonfleet’s only previous home video version on a 1995 Laserdisc which had dreadfully pumped up color with bleeding and sundry other problems. It’s a perfectly serviceable image, without ever looking brilliant, but I recommend it unreservedly for newcomers to the movie who are interested in Lang. And for Langians the disc is a no-brainer. Given the movie’s relative obscurity in English speaking repertory cinema I strongly doubt Moonfleet will see a major Region 1 makeover any time soon.

The two short bonus feature commentaries by Bernard Eisenschitz are lovingly and lucidly composed. Eisenschitz, like other French Langian cinephiles is able to probe and relate Lang’s thematic imagery and engage viewers effortlessly with the many levels of meaning in the picture. Happily the Shorts are also subbed (English only.) The original English Stereo soundtrack is clean and direct. And subtitles (I only checked French and English) are comprehensive.