You can, if you are so inclined to, chart a thirty year cycle of director Lewis Milestone, from war film to war film (Yes, I know he shot films of real combat during WWII, he also he did A WALK IN THE SUN (1945) of which PORK CHOP HILL is considered a vague trilogy piece.) However, these are his films about the modern, fruitless war. Both ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930) his best film and PORK CHOP HILL are about those grinding modern wars that see futility in combat. Lt. Joe Clemons (Gregory Peck) knows the score here. He has been given the order to take Pork Chop Hill, not for military prudence more as a bargining chip. The Chinese and US negotiators at Panmunjom peace conference are at loggerheads. To lose the hill would be to lose face with their communist adversaries at an unthinkable time. This would mean a weakened position and a deal tainted with horror.  Clemons has no choice and leads his troops into combat, up the hill, to fight for an objective that they know to be strategically pointless. As the realisation of the lack of military success creeps in and that every order is an order that does nothing, Pork Chop Hill becomes the place to live or die trying to conqueror. For Koreans to live in freedom tomorrow, Clemons and his men will sacrifice today.

Though based loosely on a true story, PORK CHOP HILL is an assualt on the exceptionalism of America. This is by no way a terrible thing. America is seen here as a multicultural country of hope, which has both fatigue after that other war and a sense of optimism at what it offers now it is a superpower. This lacks in places. Milestone wants a point made and the script does it sufficently but with the expectation of a banner parade needed at the end. It also illustrates some of the dubious bits of the war, mainly focused on the Chinese tactics (without mention of the waves military tactic nor the fear of a MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE) but also the America military intellegence lapses. You asked soes the film look good? Well its clarity is better but I was less impressed with the compressed frame rate. This is likely just the 1080p from a 2K and shouldnt trouble you. But the real selling point here, as Imprint seem to focus the commentary and sole rarely seen extra on, is Gregory Peck. The documentary extra, sees an old Peck talking about his career with PORK CHOP HILL glanced a little. Peck is a personable guy who really was a lovely human. The commentary talks a lot about him also alot and fleeting mentions of Harry Guardino, Rip Torn, Woody Strode, Harry Dean Stanton & George Peppard aside, it really is a bio about him, the film, its director and writer, and Peck. And why not I say.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray from a 2K scan
• NEW Audio commentary by film historians Steven Jay Rubin & Steve Mitchell
• Gregory Peck, His Own Man – Vintage documentary
• Original Aspect Ratio 1.66:1
• Audio English LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English HOH subtitles
• Limited Edition slipcase on the first 1500 copies with unique artwork

https://viavision.com.au/shop/pork-chop-hill-1959-imprint-collection-196/