To hear is to obey. A clandestine group of called the Assassins kidnaps Johnny and whisks him to a remote Arabian realm isolated from the world for 2,000 years. Sheik meets desert chic when Elvis Presley plays Johnny and teams with former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley (Presley’s Girl Happy co-star) in this tuneful frolic, partially shot on the original set built for Cecil B. DeMille’s 1927 epic King of Kings and directed by music movie musical veteran Gene Nelson. The kidnappers want Johnny to use his fighting finesse to kill a desert king. Johnny a hitman? No, he’s a hit, man, a top singer of songs like Kismet, Harum Holiday and nine more, all part of the jammin’, scamming, swashbuckling fun of Harum Scarum.

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Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Harum Scarum with a dazzling new 1080p master transfer in 1.85:1 sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative. Warner Archive continues to delight Elvis fans with sumptuous transfers that allow this film to look like the best version of itself. The film sparkles with natural film grain intact bringing forth a world of discrete detail and clarity. The film spotlights some wondrous colors within the costumes and opulent production design that radiate off the screen with an immediate vibrancy. Black levels are first-rate with ideal stability throughout. The film is virtually flawless with no instances of damage or dirt detected here. Compression artifacts, banding, and other such issues are never an issue in this transfer. This presentation is a winner for Warner Archive in every respect.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that holds up every bit as well as the video side of things. Compared to many Elvis vehicles, this one features much less singing since it is not as integral to the plot. That being said, you do get a few numbers, and they all sound great with unwavering fidelity. The more thrilling moments of the adventure are deftly handled and give the track some texture. Even with its stirring moments, no elements ever drown out the dialogue that is being spoken here. Exchanges and background noises are represented admirably along with the tunes. There is no substantial age-related wear and tear to the track such as humming, hissing, or popping. Warner Archive has provided a disc that takes full advantage of the format. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

The Cat’s Me-ouch: A six-minute Tom and Jerry cartoon is provided here in HD. In this short, Jerry orders a “vicious” canine for protection with surprising results.

Of Feline Bondage: A nearly seven-minute Tom and Jerry cartoon is provided here in HD. In this short, Jerry is gifted an invisibility potion to help out with Tom.

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

Final Thoughts

Harum Scarum is one of the least impressive Elvis features we have seen from this label. The performer does what he can with the material, but there simply is not much on the page. The plot seems misguided at best and offensive at worst. There are a few songs that make it worth your time, but this aspect does not even shine as brightly as previous efforts. The hardcore fanatics will probably find something to appreciate here, but most casual audience members will find this to be a bit weak. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray with a jaw-dropping A/V presentation and a nice array of special features. If you are an Elvis fan, this is the type of presentation you dream about for any of his films.

Harum Scarum can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

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

Disclaimer: Warner Archive 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.