From legendary director John Sturges (Bad Day at Black Rock, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape) comes this rip-roaring western comedy about the year Denver was nearly devastated by a drought—of whiskey—and had to have forty wagonloads imported through very harsh—and very thirsty—territory! Screen greats Burt Lancaster (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral), Martin Landau (North by Northwest) and Lee Remick (Days of Wine and Roses) star in this spry, sprawling and spirited adventure that “wins both laughs and thrills” (The Hollywood Reporter)! Also starring Jim Hutton (Major Dundee), Pamela Tiffin (One, Two, Three), Donald Pleasence (Soldier Blue) and Brian Keith (The Rare Breed), with epic Ultra Panavision 70 photography by Robert Surtees (Ben-Hur) and a rousing score by Elmer Bernstein (The Magnificent Seven), this irreverent and literally dry look at frontier life is “possibly the funniest western ever made” (Los Angeles Times)!

For thoughts on The Hallelujah Trail, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/lhmNYo6Vx6c?t=2077]

Video Quality

The Hallelujah Trail returns to Blu-Ray courtesy of Kino Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1 that is derived from a brand new 2K scan of the 35mm Reduction Inter-positive performed by MGM. Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have all been cleaned up immensely with overall clarity and detail looking excellent. There are still minor specks and blemishes that have made it through the restoration gauntlet, but this is by far the best the film has looked on physical media.

Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with no egregious instances of crush apparent. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation with a refined look rather than a clumpy mess. The presentation is quite striking throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being quite strong. The picture can run slightly soft in long shots and with optical effects, but colors are well saturated with the warm hues of the western territory coming through. This presentation is an excellent effort that should please fans of Sturges.

Audio Quality

This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio mix that both sound pretty dynamic throughout this excursion. Similar to the video side of the equation, the audio track avoids most instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. Dialogue holds up practically perfectly, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely from the firing of guns to the galloping of horses. This is a film that utilizes its score well in a way that resonates without overshadowing the on-screen action. It is presented with clarity and a strong fidelity as it fills the room. This track does everything it needs to do exceedingly well. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Filmmaker/Historian Michael Schlesinger and Author/Screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner deliver a very informative commentary track in which they discuss how this film fits into the career of John Sturges, the misunderstood nature of the tone, the background of various creative figures attached to the film, some of the flaws of the narrative, the history and reception of the picture, details about the shooting locations and more.

Trailers: The two-minute trailer is provided for The Hallelujah Trail. There are also trailers provided for Apache, The Kentuckian, The Rainmaker, The Devil’s Disciple, The Scalphunters, Valdez Is Coming, Ulazana’s Raid, Backlash, The Great Escape, The Satan Bug, Joe Kidd and Texas Across The River.

Final Thoughts

The Hallelujah Trail is an ambitious effort from John Sturges which attempts to send up the western genre to mixed results. The biggest obstacle for the film is its mammoth runtime which stretches the movie far beyond where it needs to be. Some sequences are quite clever while others test the audience’s patience. The performances are quite good even if it is embarrassing to see some instances of brownface in the production. The film is a bit misunderstood, but even still there are some structural issues that hold it back. Kino Classics has released a new Blu-Ray with a terrific A/V presentation and a really thorough commentary track. If you are a fan of Sturges, this one is worth digging into simply to see a huge swing for the fences. Recommended

The Hallelujah Trail is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

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