Review: Ride the High Country BD + Screen Caps

This feature debut from Sam Peckinpah is a classic western featuring three fun performances by Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea and Mariette Hartley.

 

 

Ride the High Country
— Archive Collection —
(1962)

Genre(s): Western
Warner Archive | NR – 94 min. – $21.99 | April 4, 2017

Date Published: 04/19/2017 | Author: The Movieman

 

MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Sam Peckinpah Writer(s): N.B. Stone Jr. (written by) Cast: Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, Mariette Hartley, Ron Starr DISC INFO: Features: Commentary, Featurette, Theatrical Trailer Digital Copy: No Formats Included: Blu-ray Number of Discs: 1 Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono) Video: 1080p/Widescreen 2.35 Subtitles: English SDH Disc Size: 30.6 GB Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Region(s): A, B, C

 

PLOT SYNOPSIS

Reduced to transporting gold from a distant mine to a small-town bank, retired lawman Steve Judd (JOEL MCCREA) recruits friend Gil Westrum (RANDOLPH SCOTT), who has been performing in a traveling carnival. Unknown to Steve, the restless Gil and a young drifter intend to steal the next gold transport. On the way, the men help Elsa Knudsen (MARIETTE HARTLEY) to break free from her zealot father and join her fiancé at the mine, not realizing the consequences that await them all.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES – 1.5/5

Features include an Audio Commentary with Peckinpah Biographers/Documentarians Nick Redman (usually a staple on Twilight Time releases), Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons and David Weddle; A Justified Life: Sam Peckinpah and the High Country (23:05; SD) featurette on, obviously, the iconic director; and the Theatrical Trailer (2:43; HD).

 

VIDEO – 5.0/5

Warner Archives releases Ride the High Country onto Blu-ray presented in its original 2.35 widescreen aspect ratio and a new 1080p high-definition transfer remaster. The video is rather impressive showcasing incredible and vibrant colors as well as excellent detail throughout. There were no apparent signs of artifacting or aliasing and no film damage like dust marks or scratches.

AUDIO – 4.0/5

The disc includes a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track which provides clear dialogue levels and some decent depth when the action picks up from wild west gunfire and the score from George Bassman.

 

OVERALL – 3.5/5

Overall, this feature debut from Sam Peckinpah is a classic western featuring three fun performances by Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea and Mariette Hartley. The Blu-ray released by Warner Archives offers great video and audio transfers and at least does have features highlighted by an academic-like commentary track.

 

 

 

 

Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.