Tobor the Great Blu-ray

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Directed by Lee Sholem
USA 1954

Newly Re-mastered in HD! A Man-Made Monster with Every Human Emotion! To avoid the life-threatening dangers of manned space exploration, Professor Nordstrom (Taylor Holmes, Quicksand) creates a highly advanced form of artificial intelligence capable of piloting a starship to other worlds. In order to transmit alien data, the extraordinary robot is infused with a powerful telepathic device that enables it to instantly read and even feel emotions. Danger strikes when a sinister band of covert agents kidnaps Gadge (Billy Chapin, The Night of the Hunter), the professor's 10-year-old grandson. But Gadge has a powerful ally, for he has developed a psychic, emotional bond with his grandfather's robot, Tobor. And now Gadge's captors must suffer the wrath of his protective friend and face a mechanical monstrosity bent on a killing rampage of revenge and destruction. Serial and TV veteran Lee Sholem (Superman and the Mole Men) directed this cult classic shot by the great John L. Russell (Psycho) and starring Charles Drake (It Came from Outer Space), Karin Booth (Jungle Man-Eaters) and Steven Geray (Gilda).

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 1st, 1954

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Comparison:

Lionsgate - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

1) Lionsgate - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Lionsgate Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC	Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:16:51	1:16:57.613
Video	1.33:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.75 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.66:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 16,681,299,471 bytes Feature: 15,753,787,392 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.92
	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 1556 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1556 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps
Subtitles	English, Spanish, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Lionsgate Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Trailer (Also From Lionsgate) • small poster unfolds from insert DVD Release Date: May 13th, 2008 Keep Case Chapters: 12	Release Information: Studio: Kino Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 16,681,299,471 bytes Feature: 15,753,787,392 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.92 Edition Details: • Audio Commentary for by Film Historian Richard Harland Smith • Trailers for 5 other films Blu-ray Release Date: September 12th, 2017 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters:8

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray August 17': Great job Kino! The new 1080P is only single-layered with advances significantly upon Lionsgate's 2008 DVD. Contrast has layers (losing the green cast on the SD), consistent grain is prevalent, detail rises significantly and it is now widescreen losing some information on the top and bottom but gaining on the sides. The DVD now looks a shade vertically stretched in comparison to the 1080P. The matched screen captures identify the impressive improvement.

The score for Tobor the Great is by Howard Jackson who composed for this film and for almost 400 titles in his career finding his calling in documentary shorts but did do features like It Happened One Night, Cry Terror! and Sam Fuller's Merrill's Marauders. It is transferred via a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel (16-bit) and the effect sounds and score have pleasing support with depth for the film presentation.

I found big value in the audio commentary for by film historian Richard Harland Smith - it helped, in my mind, legitimize the film filling the running time with production details, comments on the effects and performers with film references. He's great to listen to. Thee are also trailers for 5 other films.

Yes, Tobor is 'Robot' in reverse. What's not to love? Huge nostalgia factor here and Tobor the Great is a great selection to start a double-feature night, perhaps with something meatier like the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers or This Island Earth. Kino's Blu-ray is the way to go!

NOTE: As a Pre-order this Kino Blu-ray is 33% OFF as of the posting of this review!

***

ON THE DVD: Quite an unusual title for Lionsgate to release but a perfect one to review with my penchant for sci-fi cinema of the 50's.

Image quality is poor - hazy and interlaced - contrast is dull. The transfer resides on a single-layered disc coded for region 1 in the NTSC standard. Audio is unremarkable but clear enough and there are optional subtitles.

The film is somewhat of a hoot - really aimed at younger children - and has that 'Saturday matinee' appeal. The home set reminded me very much of Leave it To Beaver. It's sweet and simple but even my boys perked up when Tobor was onscreen. It has definite appeal if you can't get enough of this form of nostalgic adventure... as one regressing to childhood cinema.