Battle of the Worlds (1961) {The Film Detective Blu-ray Review}

Jason Lockard August 05, 2022

Reviewed by Jason Lockard

Sci-fi films in the 50s and 60s have become cult classics. The Film Detective have been bringing these classics to HD in deluxe Blu-rays. Including; Frankenstein's Daughter, Flight to Mars and The Brain from Arous.

Now the next sci-fi film to get the Blu-ray treatment is the 1961 Italian cult classic, Battle of the Worlds starring the legendary Claude Rains (The Invisible Man).

Scientists at an observatory discover a planet that is nearing Earth. The brilliant but cranky Professor Benson named planet The Outsider and predicts that it will go into orbit around Earth. So they send rockets to investigate but are destroyed by a fleet of flying saucers launched from The Outsider. Now the Battle of the Worlds is on.

Antonio Margheriti was a prolific director of the Italian cinema, and Battle of the Worlds is a masterpiece of 60s B Sci-fi films. The film is heavy on talk and light on action. So fans of the new sci-fi films won't be able to stomach the slow burn. But fans of classic sci-fi are going to find this film a fun experience.

Now As with all their releases The Film Detective has given Battle of the Worlds a deluxe Blu-ray treatment it so richly deserves. The film is presented in 1080p in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The soundtrack is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The film has been transferred from a brand new 4K scan from an archival 35mm print.

Now this new 4K scan looks very good. Better than I expected to be honest. With most Italian cinema to find a good print is nigh to impossible. The colors are vibrant and the pictures is crisp. It is so much better than other prints I have seen. But a beautiful print is not all that is included in this Blu-ray look at the bonus features included.

* Original Essay by Don Stradley, Margheriti's World

* Full length commentary track by Justin Humphreys

* All new original featurette production by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

* Special insert with a surprise for Film Detective fans!

Take a look at the newly restored picture comparison Below:

As you can see this restoration is nothing short of miraculous! It's amazing how much can be done with classic film prints with the technology we have. Now people can witness this Italian cult classic for generations to come. Kudos to The Film Detective for the tremendous work in keeping classic cinema alive in 2022 and even more thriving!

If you are a fan of 60s sci-fi as much as I am you are going to want this new Blu-ray from The Film Detective. Head over to Amazon and order your copy today.