Land of the Pharaohs (1955) Blu-ray Review

Howard Hawks was prolific director he produced and directed some of the most amazing films in cinema. I was thrilled to see the sci-fi classic The Thing from Another World receive a Blu-ray release and his western epic Rio Bravo get a 4K UltraHD release.

Well, in 1955 Howard Hawks took on the task of making a historical epic in the line of The Ten Commandments, The Robe and Ben-Hur, with his film "Land of the Pharaohs". Warner Archive Collection have decided to release this epic on Blu-ray.

Pharaoh Khufu (Jack Hawkins, Beau Geste) has amassed a great treasure during his life. A slave architect Vashtar (Jack Robertson Justice, The Guns of Navarone) is ordered to design a the tomb complete with booby traps of the Pharaoh. Vashtar agrees, provided his people are freed when his work is done. 

Howard Hawks opted to use the almost $3 million budget on the sets and costumes instead of casting big name stars. This could have been a reason why the film failed at the box office. You look at the front cover of the Blu-ray and Joan Collins is in this film, but you have to realize she was just 4 years into her film career, so she was far from a huge star at the time of this film's release.
 
In my opinion what the film lacks in star power, it excels in pageantry. The story is not like the epic Cleopatra but is more like a suspense-filled adventure. This is a film that will keep you invested from start to finish. The acting is very good as well!

Warner Archive has transferred the film is present in 1080p in 2.55:1 aspect ratio and the audio mix is a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 stereo. The is also the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. 

Warner Archive's transfer is from the brand new 2K scan. The colors are bright and flesh tones are good. The picture is crisp for the most part, with no evidence of scratches or marks to the print. The audio is as clear as a bell with no signs of age-related pops, hiss or flutter. This is a very nice 2K scan. But in addition to a beautiful scan Warner Archive added some very cool bonus features.

* Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Peter Bogdanovich with Interview excerpts of Howard Hawks

* Theatrical Trailer


A Looney Tunes short is listed, but it is missing. That is a shame. But it's does not take away from the awesomeness of this disc. It is also cool to listen to this Audio Commentary and hear director Howard Hawks himself speak! This is a very nice Blu-ray.

So if you love historical epics as much as I do, The Land of the Pharaoh Blu-ray is going to be a movie you will want to add to your collection. Head over to Amazon or MovieZyng and order your copy today.


Out of 4 Films Reels (4 being the best) The Land of the Pharaohs Blu-ray receives....