‘Gunfight At The O.K. Corral’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – A Thrilling Take On A Classic Western Showdown

A gang of ruthless outlaws…a pair of larger-than-life heroes…a timeless tale of good versus evil. Blended together, the result is a sprawling, epic adventure bigger than the wild frontier—Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Screen legends Burt Lancaster (Vera Cruz) and Kirk Douglas (Lonely Are the Brave) team up to rid Tombstone, Arizona of the murderous Clanton gang in this all-star, action-packed classic. When lawman Wyatt Earp (Lancaster) and gunfighter John “Doc” Holliday (Douglas) ride into town, they find themselves pitted against one of the biggest foes ever encountered, in the form of Ike Clanton (Lyle Bettger) and his posse of cutthroats. It isn’t long before the confrontation explodes into a survival-at-all-costs battle, with Rhonda Fleming, Jo Van Fleet, John Ireland, Dennis Hopper, DeForest Kelley, Martin Milner, and Lee Van Cleef among the screen luminaries swept into the drama and excitement of the Wild West’s most legendary six-gun showdown. Shot by Charles Lang (How the West Was Won), scored by Dimitri Tiomkin (High Noon), scripted by Leon Uris (Exodus), and staged magnificently by John Sturges, director of Bad Day at Black Rock, The Magnificent Seven, and The Great Escape.

For thoughts on Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/aPEnqs3FnYU?si=_FhoPj_YuGybokg1&t=2002]

Video Quality

Kino Classics presents Gunfight at the O.K. Corral with a fetching 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative conducted by Paramount. This new release includes a Blu-Ray disc that is derived from the same master, and it looks fantastic even before being improved upon by the 4K UHD disc. The film was first released on Blu-Ray courtesy of Warner Bros. in 2014 through their distribution deal with Paramount. We do not own nor have ever seen that release, but by all accounts, it was a gorgeous presentation. As good as that release may have been, a decade can yield many improvements, and this release is easily the best the film has ever looked on physical media. For a classic title such as this one, this is the type of release fans dream about. 

This presentation captures the intended VistaVision aesthetic of the film with the added resolution making numerous elements seem more crisp and accurately realized. The texture on display in the period outfits and within the dusty landscapes is a standout, and you will rejoice at the rugged facial details present in stunning clarity. Detail and clarity thrive with a nice amount of natural film grain intact and sufficiently resolved. We did not spot very much in the way of unsightly digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. At worst, there is a very minor amount of digital smoothing. This transfer has eliminated nearly all rogue specks which allows this film to truly shine. 

Dolby Vision brings out a world of depth to the color palette with the dusty, earthy hues rendering with unbelievable luminance. The film gets to show off in some respects with certain flourishes in the clothing and other details of the production design, but mainly it unlocks the nuances of the expected hues in the frame. Black levels are impressive with nothing faltering in shadow detail or in resolving crushed blacks. Highlights are bold with no indication of blooming, and the stability of the overall picture is consistent from beginning to end. The encode runs at a consistently high bitrate which helps with cleaning up any issues you might worry would show up on this disc. Kino Classics hit a home run with this release.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track in English that handles this material pretty well. Most fans will want to opt for the  2.0 track to get closer to the original intention, but, from what we can tell, this is a downmix of the 5.1 track with the original mono not utilized. While this is a disappointment, each track is in good shape, and those who want more from their speakers will find that the 5.1 track does not bastardize the source. The environmental sounds such as gunfire and the din of the titular corral are a significant part of the experience, and every element is rendered prominently with the competing elements. The film springs to life when conflicts emerge and things get hairy for our characters. Each sound effect is crisp and lands effectively. 

Music, such as the recurring title song, is an essential part of establishing the atmosphere of the story, and every note flows through with wonderful fidelity. This track embraces every sonic element with care and precision throughout the experience. You do not encounter moments when the music consumes any competing sounds, as it maintains a perfect balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. There are not any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear as elements flow through without issue. All in all, this selection of tracks holds up well for audiences.  

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Author/Screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner and Film Historian Henry Parke (True West Magazine) deliver a new informative commentary track in which they discuss where this film fits into the career of Hal Wallis, the direction of John Sturges, how this stacks up to other films about the historical figures, the tone of the feature, how the movie subverts genre conventions, the background performers and more. 

• Trailers:  There is a two-minute trailer provided for Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. There are also trailers provided for The Devil’s Disciple, Vera Cruz, The Train, Valdez Is Coming, The Indian Fighter, Paths of Glory, Lonely Are The Brave, Backlash, The Great Escape, The Satan Bug, and Joe Kidd. 

Final Thoughts

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is a memorable effort from the great John Sturges which brings together some of our most talented performers and behind-the-scenes creatives for a classic western showdown. The film uses its length to give depth to many of its characters before letting loose the violence and moral bargaining. The dynamic between Lancaster and Douglas is fascinating to explore throughout the film, and each performer brings their A-game. This one is a classic within the genre. Kino Classics has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a rock-solid A/V presentation and a great commentary track. Fans of the film will find this to be a worthy upgrade. Recommended 

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on February 27, 2024. 

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

Disclaimer: Kino Classics 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.