Here’s a title that has been eagerly anticipated, at least by the silent movie fans I pal around with. It’s an iconic western epic with an all-star cast and a dedication to authenticity. I give you The Covered Wagon on Bluray!
As always, thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this title.
The Covered Wagon was released on VHS and Laserdisc but has been out of print for quite a stretch. This new version from Kino will be available on DVD and Bluray on February 20, 2018. You can pre-order a copy here.
Please note that the Bluray is marked as region A, so be sure to check as to whether or not your player is compatible if you do not live in the Americas.
Image Quality
Oh my goodness, this is gorgeous! If you’ve only seen the film on lower resolution home video formats, you are in for a treat! Take a gander:
(I have cropped the pillarboxes but have not altered the screenshots in any way.)
You can practically count the leaves on the scrub brush! Absolutely stunning!
Oh and the cast includes J. Warren Kerrigan, Lois Wilson, Alan Hale, Ernest Torrence and Tully Marshall. No shortage of star power and character actors here!
Sound
As with the VHS release, the film is accompanied by a Gaylord Carter organ score. There is also an optional audio commentary by historian Toby Roan.
Extras
We get a booklet and a short, the 1932 Baby Burlesk spoof called The Pie-Covered Wagon starring a very wee Shirley Temple.
Buy it?
Definitely! Silent westerns haven’t gotten much Bluray love and this is an absolute stunner that benefits from the HD presentation. Very much worth it to get the Bluray. This film has been worth the wait!
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Movies Silently 
I recently watched a very good transfer of this film from Daily Motion.com and enjoyed it. Can’t wait for the Blu-ray!
It’s lovely!
I won’t consider buying The Covered Wagon until I’ve found out if they step printed it – step printing is an absolute deal breaker for me anymore.
I pre-ordered this, and it’s supposed to arrive tomorrow…I can’t wait! And your post made me doubly anxious to see it.
Lovely! I’m sure you will enjoy it very much.
I can hardly wait to see this, having had the VHS for so long. Glad they retained the Gaylord Carter score, that really makes the movie. But why did they include that Baby Burlesk comedy? Some them are lethally unfunny. I would have been a lot happier if the Will Rogers two-reeler Two Wagons, Both Covered was included. The parody is closely observed, and hilarious.
I’m not sure why that particular decision was made. I’ve never been a fan of child spoofs (including the Fox Kiddies) but glad that the feature is so good.