Just a reminder that we’re less than two weeks away from this terrific release (April 2) from the TCM Vault Collection (“presented by Universal”).
The set includes: The Virginian (1946), Cattle Drive (1951), Border River (1954) and Mustang Country (1976, McCrea’s last film). Any time a Universal-International 50s Western hits DVD is cause for celebration, but these McCreas are titles we’ve all been hoping and praying for.
Border River is a real treat for us George Sherman fanatics out there. Now if Columbia would come through with Reprisal! (1956) and Universal with The Last Of The Fast Guns (1958).
Judging from the packaging as seen on the TCM site these days (that’s it to the left), they’ve changed the front-and-center image of McCrea.
I like the old picture better, this one makes it look like McCrea’s a comedian.
In Westerns packaging, gun(s) drawn has to be a selling point.
I may be wrong but it would seem that Universal during their 100th
Anniversary output are only going to concentrate on bona-fide classics
or their beloved Monster Movies.More obscure films or films with less
mass appeal would seem destined to be released on TCM themed sets.
Laura has given us an excellent preview of the TCM WOMEN IN DANGER
set on her website.This set has four rarely seen Noir Thrillers.
There is “buzz” about a possible Universal rarities set and a Universal
Noir set penned in for the end of the year.
There are many great Universal Noirs in their vaults; the two I am most
keen to get are George Shermans LARCENY and Jack Arnolds
THE TATTERED DRESS. Its not as if either film lack star power!
Returning to Joel McCrea,his greatest non-Western has just been
released by Universal:SULLIVANS TRAVELS.
This is a de-luxe edition and comes in a nifty fold-out slipcase;which opens
up into a Universal 1942 timeline. The remastered DVD has a trailer and
two short features on Universal history.A wonderful package!
I really want a Blu-ray release of Winchester ’73 (1950). it has some of my favorite black and white cinematography ever.
I was attempting to purchase the FEMME DE FEU (RAMROD) DVD released by Wild Side Video, but I’m finding it virtually impossible to check out on any of the French websites unless I want to use an address and phone number in France.
I’ve purchased easily from AMAZON.FR but they don’t sell this title.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to a French seller whose site is not impossible for someone in the U.S. to purchase from or navigate?
Mike,
RAMROD is up on Amazon France and it aint cheap.
Just key in RAMROD and it will appear.
Have you seen the screengrabs for the new Sidonis DVDs on the
French Western Movies website?
LAST OF THE FAST GUNS is stunning!
Universal; in France are releasing:
BLACK BART
CALAMITY JANE & SAM BASS
CHIEF CRAZY HORSE
The French Universal DVDs do not have those wretched “forced”
subtitles.
I went to Amazon.fr and saw the price for Ramrod was 23,98, am I right in thinking that means it’s $3,198.21 in US currency? $3,200 for a DVD????? Are they crazy? Maybe I’ve converted this wrong, I used the web’s “coinmill” to convert the 23,98 to US dollars and it came up with that #3,200 figure. That’s crazy if it’s true. Anyone know?
That should be around $32.
Call me Rube. I guess Amazon.fr puts a comma where we would put a period. So Amazon’s 23,98 is really 23.98 in EU which is then converted to 32 in US $. OK, Thanks. Why do I feel liike Gabby Hayes?
Thanks for the feedback, John. Unfortunately it’s a private seller on Amazon.fr and he doesn’t ship out of the country. I know there are other sites where the title can be purchased and they do ship internationally, but their websites are impossible to navigate. Since I don’t speak French, I have to rely on google translate for any non-translated page, and once you get into the “check out” and “address” and “shipping options” it’s a virtual nightmare.
The high price coupled with Amazons expensive postage costs have put
me off getting RAMROD; at the moment anyway.Another downer is the
“forced” subtitles on Wild Side product.
Its kinda ironic that the Wild Side print is from the UCLA restoration;
why does no-one in America want to release this great movie.?
According to the IMDB, Ramrod is one of the titles licensed by Olive Films. I just posted a question at their Facebook page asking if it’s one of theirs and if they’re planning a release. I have a copy I got from a collector but I’d love to replace it with something a little more official.
Yes, it is ironic–and it’s a shame (RAMROD). I’ve seen the 35 of the UCLA restoration. As usual, they did a beautiful job. This is a key Western–it’s just superb. Kind of neat that Russell Harlan was cinematographer on de Toth’s first and last Westerns (this one and DAY OF THE OUTLAW), which are for me his best. Harlan was surely one of the genre’s best guys.
This question of who puts out what provokes me to say something I was thinking about when this thread came up. I don’t really care what they do with the art work or image of McCrea. But even though, as Toby says, “Any time a Universal-International 50s Western hits DVD is cause for celebration…” I continue to feel this selection of McCreas was carelessly considered. As pointed out before, THE VIRGINIAN was already available; I haven’t yet seen MUSTANG COUNTRY and I think it’s because the epiphany of the final scene in RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY makes me wish McCrea, like his friend Randolph Scott, had stayed retired. He had certainly contributed more than his share in the genre’s best days.
Of the six 50s U-I Westerns they had to choose from, there was a clear consensus here that SADDLE TRAMP is the best and I believe some agreement that THE LONE HAND was next best, and I’m guessing that if we ranged outside this group, those would remain the choices. Yet they were both passed over. That said, of the remaining four, they did fine with the two that are there. But this set could have been so much better.
Of course we could hope for McCrea Westerns, Vol. 2, but I’m guessing none of us should lose any sleep waiting for it.
And that’s just the trouble, with 1/2 the choices on this TCM set being so lousy it’s bound not to be as popular an item as it would have been if there were 4 rare 50′s McCrea films on it. And almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy, a low buying public will mean no future releases. TCM seems to have doomed their own hope of a successul sale of a potentially sought after product. Does it really take a DVD packaging genius to figure out, gee if we release 4 never before seen and much sought after films we’ll have a fantastic product. What genius thought a re-release and a little known and relatively unwanted film would equal big profits??
And I have a nice region 2 release of BORDER RIVER, so I can’t justify $40 or $50 for one movie that I’d like to have.
I’m in the same boat, having perfectly good Region 2 copies of Border River and The Virginian. I don’t need Mustang Country, so it would mean $40 plus shipping for Cattle Drive – I don’t think so.
A really awful marketing decision the more I think about it.
Yep! The choice for the McCrea set is lousy;I too have the very fine
Koch version of BORDER RIVER and the region 2 of THE VIRGINIAN.
Also these Turner sets are very expensive if they do appear on Amazon
USA.A much better choice would have been McCreas first major Western
WELLS FARGO which I think Universal now hold the rights to. It would
have made a mini career retrospective ending with his last picture
MUSTANG COUNTRY. I cannot see the point of Universal having their
MOD vault series if they do not issue things like the McCrea Westerns
or in fact any of their rarer Fifties Westerns.Then there are all those rare
Noirs in their vaults things like OUTSIDE THE LAW,THE NIGHT RUNNER
NAKED ALIBI…….I could go on and on!
Now Paula has noted that Olive Films have the rights to RAMROD so I too
checked out their updated list on the IMDB.WOW! they have extended
their titles quite a bit;and then some. Now there are several key Republic
titles in the mix (which I believe Paramount own) not to mention some RKO
stuff and (this really blew my socks off) some select Regalscope titles.
Also there are titles which we have all been waiting for on DVD like
Sam Fullers CHINA GATE.Also another great McCrea Western SOUTH OF
SAINT LOUIS.(always wondered how the Warner Archive never released
this one.) Then there is an ultra rare Film Noir CRY VENGEANCE with
underrated Mark Stevens.
Not only that Olive Films release REAL DVDs not MODs.
Whoever thought that Olive Films would,apart from the Archive, be the
Saviours for Vintage Film Fans!
Also,the IMDB list may not be complete as in June Olive Films will
release Jack Arnolds ultra-rare Pacifist Sci-Fi flick THE SPACE CHILDREN
I know that people on this site like Paula,Blake,Colin and Mike are quite
happy to actually BUY DVDs (and buy Globally too!) so as long as
people avoid bootlegging these titles there should be some really
outstanding releases in the future..
I got the set last week and watched Cattle Drive & Border River yesterday. I can report that the DVD’s are eye popping beautiful-very rich technicolor-Yvone DeCarlo has a number of costume changes with a variety of colors-stunning. I also wish they had put Saddle Tramp on this set but in spite of the 2 weaker choices for me it was a good purchase, Beware though it’s not easy getting the discs out to actually play them.
I ordered my set, but I got a message saying it’s on “back-order” which is video company talk for “we don’t got it and you’re gonna wait.” So I’m waiting, but I can’t wait to get a better looking “Border River” than the one I have.