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Destry Rides Again
R2 - United Kingdom - Universal Pictures Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (19th May 2013). |
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The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** The son of a famous lawman, young Tom Destry (James Stewart) is considered something of a joke when he takes up the position of deputy in the lawless town of Bottle Neck. Destry refuses to carry a gun, and prefers a glass of milk to alcohol, which hardly makes him a match for gunslinging saloon owner Kent (Brian Donlevy), the real power behind the town. However, with the aid of drunken sheriff 'Wash' Dimmsdale (Charles Winninger), the soft-spoken Destry sets about cleaning up Bottle Neck in his own inimitable manner, winning the admiration of Kent's blowsy, bar-room singer girlfriend, Frenchy (Marlene Dietrich), along the way.
Video
Universal Pictures release "Destry Rides Again" in the original full frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Considering the film is over seventy years old and that Universal have generally been left behind by other major studios such as Warner Home Video and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment when it comes to the overall quality of back catalogue releases, the transfer is surprisingly good and better than I had expected it to be. It's a progressive transfer which is free from many major problems. There is some very obvious grain throughout and numerous small scratches and evidence of dirt which could have been cleaned up much better, but there is very little in the way of wobble or burns which can be prevalent in older catalogue titles. Detail is good and black levels are generally consistent although on occasion the lighter whites do tend to glow and look a little soft. Some very minor haloing is also evident but barely noticeable - I doubt I'd have picked up on it had I not been paying as much attention looking for such blemishes. Overall, the transfer is of a high standard but there is certainly room for improvement. Let's hope we get a blu-ray release sooner rather than later. PAL, and dual encoded for regions 2 and 4.
Audio
Unfortunately, the case makes a mistake here and the original mono track is not on this release. Instead, the only audio option is English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, though it has to be said that seperation is minimal. All dialogue is clear and concise, especially during the occasional musical number sang by Marlene Dietrich. There were some minor moments of distortion but they were barely noticeable and thankfully never took place during dialogue. There were no other major signs of damage in the way of dropouts or scratches and background hiss, whilst there, was at a low consistent level. English HoH subtitles have been included. They are white in colour and free from mistakes.
Extras
None.
Overall
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