The Far Country {Blu-ray Review}

Reviewed By Jason Lockard

Many actors get put into a mold of what kind of films they can play, westerns, adventures, comedies, dramas. And they are not given the opportunity to try anything else. But James Stewart was never put into that mold. He did every kind of film from biopics to screwball comedies, from heart-wrenching dramas to westerns.

Arrow Video is now giving one of James Stewart's best westerns an amazing two-disc Blu-ray release. That film is 1954's The Far Country. Let's take a look at this epic release.

The film take place at the peak of the Yukon Gold Rush. Cowboy Jeff Webster (Stewart) and his partner, Ben Tatum (Walter Brennan), want their piece of the pie, so they decide to drive their cattle from Wyoming to Yukon. While on their journey, the two partners interrupt a hanging by the self-appointed Judge Gannon (John McIntire). He vows revenge when they escape his clutches.

As always James Stewart and Walter Brennan shine in anything they do. But the direction of Anthony Mann is the star of this movie. The scenic grandeur of northern Canada's icy glaciers and snow-swept mountains literally pop off the screen in stunning Technicolor.

The film is been restored in 4K from the original film elements. This two-disc set brings two presentations of this film one in 1.85:1 aspect ratio and the other in 2.00:1 aspect ratio. They also feature the original 1.0 stereo audio and there is an option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.

But as with every Arrow Video release they are never happy with a bare-bones Blu-ray release. They always go above and beyond the call of duty and make a release with all kinds of bonus features. Here are the bonus features included in this release.

New audio commentary by film scholar Adrian Martin

American Frontiers: Anthony Mann at Universal, an all-new, feature-length documentary with Mann biographer Alan K. Rode, western author C. Courtney Joyner, script supervisor Michael Preece, and critics Michael Schlesinger and Rob Word

Mann of the West, a newly filmed appraisal of Far Country and the westerns of Anthony Mann by the critic Kim Newman

Image gallery

Original trailer

Limited edition booklet with new writing on the film by Philip Kemp and original reviews

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys

I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with this release the video and audio quality of this restored film looks stunning and the bonus features will give you hours of entertainment. This release is truly a western fan's dream come true.

So if you love James Stewart, western or just good films Arrow Video's release of The Far Country is for you. Head over to MVDShop.com or Amazon.com and get your copy today.

Audiences: Families
Objectionable Material: Violence
Blu-Ray Length: 97 Minutes
Genre: Western
Blu-Ray Value Rating: A