Press Release Warner Archive Collection Announcement: Helen of Troy (1956) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

New 2023 1080p HD master from 4K scan of Original Camera negative!. Coming to Blu-ray July 31st!
HELEN OF TROY (1956)
Run Time: 121 Minutes
Subtitles: ENGLISH SDH
Audio Specs: DTS HD-MA 5.1 Stereo
Aspect Ratio 16x9 2.55:1 Letterbox
Product color: Color
DIsc Configuration-BD 50

Special Features: Three "Behind the Cameras" sequences from the Warner Bros. Presents TV series on the making of the film, WB cartoon NAPOLEON BUNNY-PART (HD) Original Theatrical Trailer
Cast: Rosanna Podesta, Jack Sernas, Sir Cedric Hardwicke

In an epic tale of passion, heroism, love, betrayal and war that has that has been passed from generation to generation since the dawn of civilization, one woman possesses a beauty that launches a thousand ships and sparks a war that destroys the greatest city of its age--Helen of Troy. 1100 BCE. King Priam (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) of Troy, sends his son, Paris (Jack Sernas), to Sparta to negotiate a treaty to ensure peace between the two Greek city-states. But Paris falls in love with Spartan King Menelaus' (Niall MacGinnis) wife, Helen (Rossana Podesta). Paris kidnaps the willing Helen and her servant (Brigitte Bardot), starting a war that will kill thousands of brave warriors and spell the end of the city of Troy. Homer's Iliad provides the basis for this epic from the '50s heyday of big-screen blockbusters. Robert Wise (West Side Story, The Sound Of Music) directs this lavish epic capturing more than 30,000 people on screen at a then-huge production cost of $6 million.


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[ahollis]

Finally, finally, finally.

 

[Konstantinos]

Great news! I'm in for this!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Official specs posted. See top post

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think Warner FB announcement has the wrong release date. July 31st is a Monday. I believe August 1st will be the correct date.

 

[Thomas T]

After the announcement of Land Of The Pharaohs last month, I suspected Helen Of Troy would soon follow. Hope the film includes the previous DVD edition's Overture.

 

[RICK BOND]

After the announcement of Land Of The Pharaohs last month, I suspected Helen Of Troy would soon follow. Hope the film includes the previous DVD edition's Overture.

Pharaohs and Helen of Troy were two titles that were on my WB Archive Bluray release Wishlist for years ! Finally they are Both getting Restorations and releases from WB !! ......... A few others I am hoping for like ......Captain Blood, They Drive by Night, Captain Horatio Hornblower, Knights of the Round Table, Quentin Durward, and Scaramouche.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

Helen of Troy in July, okay, totally swooning now!

 

[richardburton84]

After the announcement of Land Of The Pharaohs last month, I suspected Helen Of Troy would soon follow. Hope the film includes the previous DVD edition's Overture.

The TCM broadcast of the restored version included the overture so I would assume it will be included on the Blu-ray.

I’ve really come to like this film after seeing said broadcast, even if the film does take certain liberties with the legend. While I don’t know if she watched it or not, my sister ( who is very into Greek mythology and was in the midst of re-reading The Iliad and The Odyssey when she visited last month) was mildly interested in the film when I brought it up during a discussion of a proposed musical version of The Odyssey (Jorge Rivera-Herrans is the composer for those who are interested) despite mentioning some of those liberties. In fact, she seemed more disappointed that Odysseus goes by his Roman name and that the film mixed up some of the Greco-Roman names for the gods (this annoys her with other movies dealing with Greek mythology).

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think Warner FB announcement has the wrong release date. July 31st is a Monday. I believe August 1st will be the correct date.

Warner is now correcting their FB announcements to July 25th.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Preorder is live. See top post.

 

[Craig999]

Just watched this tonight, and originally as a youngster in the movie theater. The Trojan Horse stuff is still way better than the Brad Pitt version! An obvious and welcome picture quality upgrade over the DVD. Overall, however, lacks the blu-ray pop of other recent releases like Land of the Pharaohs. Soft focus compromises some scenes.

 

[Douglas R]

Just watched this tonight, and originally as a youngster in the movie theater. The Trojan Horse stuff is still way better than the Brad Pitt version! An obvious and welcome picture quality upgrade over the DVD. Overall, however, lacks the blu-ray pop of other recent releases like Land of the Pharaohs. Soft focus compromises some scenes.

I agree that the picture quality of Helen of Troy is disappointing compared to Land of the Pharaohs. Too many scenes look soft, especially at the left/right extremes of the CinemaScope lens. My main problem with the film is the performance of the leads; Rossana Podesta as Helen and Jacques Semas as Paris, both of whom could do with acting lessons, together with the serious distraction of them both being dubbed, which tends to take me out of the film. It's the battle scenes (fairly violent for the time for a British U certificate. I remember gleefully telling my school friends all about the graphic scene showing a bloody arrow through someone's neck!) make the film worth seeing. I've read praise for Max Steiner's score but I think it's far from his best and why did it have an Overture? It had no sort of roadshow presentation.

 

[richardburton84]

I agree that the picture quality of Helen of Troy is disappointing compared to Land of the Pharaohs. Too many scenes look soft, especially at the left/right extremes of the CinemaScope lens. My main problem with the film is the performance of the leads; Rossana Podesta as Helen and Jacques Semas as Paris, both of whom could do with acting lessons, together with the serious distraction of them both being dubbed, which tends to take me out of the film. It's the battle scenes (fairly violent for the time for a British U certificate. I remember gleefully telling my school friends all about the graphic scene showing a bloody arrow through someone's neck!) make the film worth seeing. I've read praise for Max Steiner's score but I think it's far from his best and why did it have an Overture? It had no sort of roadshow presentation.

I think I read somewhere that the overture was added to a later release of the film, much like the overture on the original King Kong (also scored by Steiner).

 

[ptb2017fr]

Pretty good quality for such an old film. Looks really good at times, though some shots look a bit soft. My criticisms are all of the original film, the revoicing of the two leading actors, and the casting of middle aged men as the sons of Priam. Plus some anachronistic lines .The face that launched a thousand ships. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts etc. But when the Greek armies arrive the film is truly spectacular and the money is all up there on screen. Been waiting years for this so I’m grateful to Warners for releasing such a decent disc.