Although it’s difficult to argue with Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman’s contention that war is hell, a quartet of recent Fox Blu-ray releases prove that war can be heaven for fans of such films. Fox’s fab four BD war films include a couple of iconic epics, The Longest Day and Patton, along with A Bridge Too Far and Battle of Britain.

Fox released a fifth title, The Sand Pebbles, with the others, but it’s not reviewed here because it is set in 1926 China and isn’t a war film despite its protagonist being a U.S. sailor serving on a Navy vessel.

Patton might be more of a biography than a typical war film, but at least it is set during World War II. It and The Longest Day are clearly the squad leaders in this platoon of Fox BD releases. Both were critically acclaimed and decorated (Academy Award winners) during their theatrical runs in 1970 and 1962, respectively. They also benefit from hours of extras that overflow each feature film’s BD disc onto a second standard definition DVD. By contrast, neither A Bridge Too Far nor Battle of Britain—the other same-day BD releases Fox touts as “inspiring historical tales… in venerable war films”—contains any extras (discounting trailers).

Patton earned seven Oscars, including Best Actor for George C. Scott’s mesmerizing portrayal of the controversial title character, General George S. Patton, Jr. Many more of its 170 minutes are devoted to interpersonal battles than military ones, yet it remains an exceptional film worthy of repeat viewings nearly four decades after its release. Fox does the film justice with a stellar 1080p AVC MPEG-4 transfer characterized by exceptional detail, vivid colors, and an absence of digital artifacts. The disc’s audio, available in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.0 Surround formats, is also impressive, doing full justice to Douglas Williams’ and Don Bassman’s Academy Award-winning sound work. I noticed the occasional faint background hiss and sometimes wished for more immersive sound effects that packed a bit more punch. But Fox’s audio technicians did an outstanding job making the film’s engaging dialogue clear and its Oscar-nominated musical score dynamic.

In some ways, The Longest Day sounds even better. Like Patton, the feature is available with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 4.0 Surround. But the surround effects are more dramatic in this film, frequently conveying the feeling of what it must have been like to take part in the Allies’ D-Day invasion of France. As bullets whiz past and artillery shells explode in the distance, it’s easy for the viewer to imagine the mayhem of what was arguably the most pivotal 24 hours of WWII.

But what makes this Fox release truly memorable is its video palette of stark black, white, and shades of gray. Producer Darryl F. Zanuck, who employed three directors to create his masterpiece, insisted on shooting the 1962 film in B&W to help convey the grimness of war. In retrospect, few would argue that Zanuck was mistaken to do so, and fewer still could find fault with Fox’s remarkable transfer—one of the first B&W blockbusters to get Blu-ray treatment. The format has been praised for its ability to convey detail, color fidelity, and vibrancy, but The Longest Day proves that it can come very close to recreating a commercial theater viewing experience with B&W classics.

If A Bridge Too Far and Battle of Britain are any indication, it ain’t too shabby at doing color, either. Bridge is from 1977, so I expected good sound and audio, and it didn’t disappoint. But I was frankly surprised that Battle of Britain, which was made in 1966, looks as lush and detailed as it does. It sounds good, too. Unfortunately, neither film contains any bonus content, making me wonder why Fox gave them the same $39.95 list price as the other titles in this line up of “war classics.”

Granted, Fox’s Blu-ray treatment is first-rate, and while some critics disagree, I give both titles high scores for artistic merit. Nevertheless, 40 bucks seems a bit much for the Bridge and Battle for all but the most avid war film collector, particularly when compared to the excellent treatment given Patton and The Longest Day which seem priceless.