The Prisoner of Zenda (1979) Blu-ray Review | Classic Adventure Gets a Royal Upgrade

Peter Sellers was a comedy genius, but sadly was greatly underused when it came to great scripts. For every Dr. Strangelove there were several films that just didn't quite reach legendary status. And not because of his lack of comedic ability. It's because the script were not up to par.

In 1979, Peter Sellers starred in The Prisoner of Zenda. Here, Peter Sellers would not play one role, not two, but several roles. Kino Lorber's KL Studio Classics have been releasing quite of few Sellers films on Blu-ray. The Early Films Collection, The Pink Panther, A Shot in the Dark, The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Revenge of The Pink Panther. Now it's time for The Prisoner of Zenda to receive the Blu-ray treatment.

Synopsis: A 19th-century classic gets the unpredictable Peter Sellers (The Party) treatment in this rollicking, all-star romp about a cabby who becomes a king. The crazy old monarch of Ruritania (Sellers) dies in a balloon accident, leaving the throne to his son Rudolf (also Sellers). But his evil brother Michael (Jeremy Kemp) wants the crown for himself. Afraid harm will come to Rudolf, his loyal followers (Lionel Jeffries and Simon Williams) switch his Majesty with a cab-driving London lookalike named Syd (Sellers yet again)! Add two adoring and confused royal blondes (Lynne Frederick and A Shot in the Dark’s Elke Sommer), plenty of treachery and double-dealing, and a full-scale battle for life and honor, and you’ve got Zenda at its zaniest!

Peter Sellers is spectacular as always. His slapstick comedy is hilarious and his ability to play multiple characters shows how great of a preformer hew truly was. The film drags a bit and lack action. But the film is worth watching for Peter Sellers comedic character woirk.

Kino Lorber has transferred The Prisoner of Zenda to Blu-ray in 1080p and it is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The audio track is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There is also the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. 

This transfer is a thing of beauty, the colors are bright and vibrant, and the picture is crisp and clean with no signs of damage. There are also no digital artifacts or audio anomalies. The film looks wonderful in HD. But Kino Lorber also added some cool bonus features as well to this Blu-ray disc. Take a look at what is included.

Bonus Features:
* NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Paul Anthony Nelson and Lee Zachariah
* Theatrical Trailer
* Slipcover and reversible Blu-ray insert

Paul Anthony Nelson and Lee Zachariah provide an insightful commebntary with a lot of great information. And of course I love different artwork. So two different kinds of artwork is a welcomed plus to this release. 

All-in-all KL Studio Classics have created a nice little Blu-ray that will make a great addition to anyones Peter sellers wing if their home video library. Head over to Kino Lorber or Amazon and order your copy of this Blu-ray today.

Out of 4 film reels (4 being the best) the Blu-ray of The Prisoner of Zenda receives.....