In an epic tale of passion, heroism, love, betrayal and war that has been passed from generation to generation since the dawn of civilization, one woman possesses a beauty that launches a thousand ships and sparks a war that destroys the greatest city of its age–Helen of Troy.

1100 BCE. King Priam (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) of Troy, sends his son, Paris (Jack Sernas), to Sparta to negotiate a treaty to ensure peace between the two Greek city-states. But Paris falls in love with Spartan King Menelaus’ (Niall MacGinnis) wife, Helen (Rossana Podesta). Paris kidnaps the willing Helen and her servant (Brigitte Bardot), starting a war that will kill thousands of brave warriors and spell the end of the city of Troy. Homer’s Iliad provides the basis for this epic from the ’50s heyday of big-screen blockbusters. Robert Wise (West Side Story, The Sound Of Music) directs this lavish epic capturing more than 30,000 people on screen at a then-huge production cost of $6 million.

For thoughts on Helen of Troy, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Helen of Troy with a truly dazzling 1080p master transfer sourced from a brand new 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative. Studios have always devoted big budgets to their period epics to deliver mind-blowing visual spectacle, and Warner Archive makes sure every single cent is featured on screen with this A+ restoration. The film is practically perfect in every way with no signs of dirt or damage. The only clear indication that you are watching a vintage movie is when it comes to the optical dissolves.

Detail and clarity is unbelievable with a pleasing amount of natural film grain intact. There are no intrusive digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances at play. The film features delicious colors within the period costumes and production design that leap off the screen with a keen ferociousness. Black levels are impeccably deep with an impressive stability throughout. Highlights are likewise never an issue with no moment coming close to blooming. This presentation is what we would consider a perfect effort from Warner Archive.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with a robust DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that makes quite an impression. While largely dialogue-driven, there are numerous action sequences that bring a sense of peril and scale to the proceedings as the sounds emanate from all around. The surround sound presentation really enhances the effectiveness of the dramatic moments as you feel in the thick of the action. There is a good sense of depth to the environmental sounds that are complemented with a notable response in the low end.

Dialogue comes through clearly in tandem with the sound effects and the music. The score from Max Steiner proves its power as it flows throughout the room with no dissonance in the upper registers or other harsh inflections. Thankfully, there does not appear to be any hints of damage or age related wear and tear at any point throughout the journey. This is a formidable audio presentation that gives the material the care it deserves. There are optional English SDH subtitles available on the disc for those who need them.

Special Features

The Look Of Troy: A six-minute promotional piece is provided here in which the host showcases the advancements in technology from the early sound pictures to the spectacle of Helen of Troy in terms of production value, model work, widescreen filmmaking and more.

Interviewing Helen: Another six-minute featurette shown after Casablanca is provided in which the host is “transported” to ancient Troy and he speaks to various individuals including Helen herself.

Sounds of Homeric Troy: A final six-minute behind the scenes program which puts a spotlight on the sound effects created for this epic.

Napoleon Bunny-Part: A seven-minute Merrie Melodies cartoon is provided in which Bugs Bunny accidentally tunnels into the headquarters of Napoleon Bonaparte and makes his life very difficult.

Trailer: The four-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Helen of Troy is among the more interesting historical epics made during this era of Warner Bros. This is thanks in part to the rich source narrative they are able to tap into and make their own with an eye towards grand spectacle. Robert Wise keeps this one moving at a great pace, and Rossana Podesta appropriately keeps you captivated even when some of her male counterparts fail to make much of an impression. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a nice array of supplements. If the story interests you, this is a fine staging of the material which delivers on what it sets out to do. Recommended

Helen of Troy 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.