Lion of the Desert

Lion of the Desert     Medium Count 3     Medium 4K     Link [+]     DVD Region 1     Running Time 173     Studio SHOUT! Factory     Theatrical Date 9/6/1981     Cast Quinn, Anthony / Reed, Oliver / Papas, Irene / Vallone, Raf / Moschin, Gastone     Director Akkad, Moustapha     Features DISC ONE (4K UHD) – LION OF THE DESERT (English Language): / Audio Commentary With Producer/Director Moustapha Akkad / DISC TWO (BLU-RAY) – LION OF THE DESERT (English Language): / NEW Restoring LION OF THE DESERT Featurette / Audio Commentary With Producer/Director Moustapha Akkad / The Making Of LION OF THE DESERT / Theatrical Trailer (Original Trailer) / Theatrical Trailer (Re-Release Trailer) / TV Spot / DISC THREE (BLU-RAY) – OMAR MUKHTAR (Arabic Language, No English Subtitles): / Audio Commentary With Producer/Director Moustapha Akkad (In Arabic, No English Subtitles) / The Making Of OMAR MUKHTAR (In Arabic, No English Subtitles) / Theatrical Trailer (Original Trailer in Arabic)     Date Imported 5/1/2025     List Price $19.95     Rating 4.54.54.54.54.5     Genre War     Copy Count 1     Tag Hollywood     IMDb Rating 0      Two-time Oscar® winner* Anthony Quinn (Lawrence Of Arabia) stars as Omar Mukhtar, the brilliant Bedouin leader who waged a 20-year guerilla war against the invading Italian tank armies led by General Rodolfo 'The Butcher' Graziani (Oliver Reed, Gladiator) and increasingly furious fascist dictator Benito Mussolini (Academy Award® winner** Rod Steiger, In The Heat Of The Night). Oscar® winner*** John Gielgud (Arthur) co-stars with a cast of thousands in this action-packed epic produced and directed by Moustapha Akkad (The Message) that remains one of the most provocative historical dramas of our time.

*1952: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Viva Zapata!; 1956: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Lust For Life
**1967: Best Actor in a Leading Role, In The Heat Of The Night
***1981: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Arthur

"Shout! Factory's new 4K restoration is a work of art. The Blu-ray is solid, but the UHD is flat-out super. The 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks are great and the supplements are satisfying. The Arabic language version is icing on the cake. Very highly recommended for one of the better releases of 2022." — Martin Liebman, Blu-ray.com

"The most important thing here is the film itself, and this 4K Ultra HD version of Lion of the Desert is a revelation compared to all previous home video releases. Finally getting the correct aspect ratio (2.35:1) after all these years was significant enough, but the gorgeous color grade breathes new life into the film like nothing else could. I wouldn’t presume to speak for Moustapha Akkad or Jack Hildyard, but I suspect that they’d be delighted with this release. If you haven’t seen Lion of the Desert, this UHD is hands-down the best way to do so in the comfort of your own home." — Stephen Bjork, The Digital Bits