Commemorate the 35th anniversary of GLORY: the heart-stopping story of the first Black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War, starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. Broderick and Elwes are the idealistic young Bostonians who lead the regiment; Freeman is the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops; and Denzel Washington, in an Academy Award®-winning performance (1989, Best Supporting Actor), is the runaway slave who embodies the indomitable spirit of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts.

For thoughts on Glory, please check out my colleagues’ op-ed here and here.

Video Quality

The new 35th Anniversary 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Glory offers a momentous uptick in quality over the accompanying 20th Anniversary Blu-Ray from 2009. The film was already released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray five years ago, but I have not had the pleasure of checking out that release. From my research, that release is highly lauded for its technical proficiency. The only difference on the video side of things with this new release is the inclusion of Dolby Vision, which can potentially tidy up encoding issues in addition to slightly more finessed colors and even more stable contrast. This 4K UHD disc offers an ideal amount of natural film grain which is thick yet resolves well and never fluctuates in any unnatural way. There is a persistent sheen of unimpeachable texture and detail within each environment. It is doubtful the film could ever look more glorious.

The UHD disc contains radiant, deep colors throughout, especially within some of the vegetation and uniforms. Highlights are more brilliant and offer greater stability without succumbing to blooming in the skyline. Black levels are deep and allow the picture to maintain a favorable amount of depth and detail in nighttime shots. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a jaw-dropping amount of subtle detail including some perspiration, scars, and facial hair on some of the cast members. There is not a trace of print damage or other such blemishes that would ruin the facade of this title. The showings in contrast and overall clarity are beyond reproach, especially when you are exploring the various encampments with unique textures. This transfer is a revelation for fans of this classic. Sony rarely slips in their ranking as the best in the 4K UHD game.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc brings back the previous Dolby Atmos track along with the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track and the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track for the purists. The audio and subtitle options Sony provides are vast. The Atmos track respectfully expands the overall soundscape while delivering unquestionable vitality. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting swallowed up by the competing elements. Exchanges typically stay anchored up front, but activity extends into the surrounds, rears, and overhead speakers when it comes to the music and numerous environmental sounds.

With this being a war movie, bombastic sounds are the name of the game. There is a cavalcade of gunfire and explosions from cannons. The low end effects from the subwoofer add vital texture during the battle scenes. Directionality is never in question when it comes to atmospheric effects. The sounds up above are not neverending, but they make an impact when it makes sense. These channels really come in handy as the movie establishes the scope of the conflict. The stirring score from James Horner is delicately rendered with perfect fidelity. For those who choose to go with the original stereo track, you will be treated to an ideal presentation that captures the original artistic intent. There are no obvious flaws that would diminish your enjoyment of the film. Sony delivers on all fronts.

Special Features

Sony has provided Glory with a sleek new SteelBook featuring artwork that is truly lovely in person. The front artwork is the theatrical poster of men charging into battle, and the rear features Denzel Washington’s character during the finale. The interior sports a photo of the regiment on the beach. Photos of the SteelBook can be found at the bottom of this review.

4K UHD Blu-Ray

Picture-In-Picture Commentary Track: Edward Zwick, Matthew Broderick, and Morgan Freeman provide insights in tiny boxes that are separate from one another. There are great discussions about the real-life history, the production of the film, and more.

Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided.

Blu-Ray (Disc Two)

Audio Commentary: Director Edward Zwick provides a full commentary track compared to what was included in the visual presentation on the 4K UHD disc.

Virtual Civil War Battlefield: An interactive map where you can learn about various aspects of the Civil War through both text and video-based choices.

The Voices of Glory: A nearly 12-minute featurette that uses letters from the 54th Regiment to help tell their story along with insights from historians.

The True Story Continues: A 45-minute documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman that further explores the history of the 54th Regiment.

Original Theatrical Making-Of Featurette: A nearly eight-minute promotional piece that gives a light overview of the film through interviews and clips.

Deleted Scenes: There are two unused scenes totaling six minutes provided with optional commentary from Edward Zwick.

Previews

Final Thoughts

Glory is a terrific drama that depicts a vital piece of history with great care and confidence from the direction of Edward Zwick. Some may find the Hollywood filter applied to the story to be a bit reductive or self-congratulatory at times, but there is an immense power to this narrative. The performances are beyond reproach throughout, especially from Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman. The film never drags in its pacing, and it has a tangible sense of practical scale that movies lack these days. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a flawless A/V presentation and some great archival special features. Fans of the film will be delighted to have this one in a can’t-miss package. Highly Recommended

Glory 35th Anniversary Edition is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.