Directed by James B. Clark
Starring Brian Keith, Rick Jason, Rita Gam, Mala Powers, Steve Brodie
Fox Cinema Archives has announced the Regalscope Western Sierra Baron (1958) for April release. If they get the aspect ratio right and offer up Alex Phillips’ cinematography in widescreen 2.35:1, this will be a very welcome release indeed.
The image above is the original Italian poster art by Paolo Tarquini.
Thanks to Paula for the scoop on this one.
Misc: Color, NTSC, Full Screen
Oh my…..
Don’t write it off just yet. They may come through with widescreen.
They didn’t with Warlock even though the original release was widescreen….
Wonder how many of those they sold?
For starters this was not a RegalScope picture.
It was part of the Lippert/Fox deal but it’s a CinemaScope
picture..same thing actually.
Sadly,it would seem Fox Archives are up to their wretched
old tricks again in spite of all the negative feedback they have received,
really these cats do not give a ****
Classicflix have the film listed as full screen and Screen Archives have
the film listed as 4×3 pan & scan…totally unforgivable these days.
As you can imagine I’m mega pissed off about this.
SIERRA BARON has been on my “wants list” in the correct ratio
for a long long time but NOT as a pan & scan.
Alex Phillips wonderful compositions will be trashed by this heap of junk
from Fox.Noboby knew or photographed Mexico like Philips.
SIERRA BARON is a little gem,a great looking offbeat Western.
Two very appealing female leads..FWOTF fave Mala Powers and
Rita Gam,who sadly passed away last week.
Another sad aspect to the film is that both leading men in SIERRA
BARON took their own lives in real life for entirely different reasons.
Both Brian Keith and the devilishly handsome Rick Jason give stellar
performances in SIERRA BARON.
I was hoping the wonderful Kino Lorber would release this one in
the correct ratio.Sorry about my negative tone,Toby and believe me
this time I would love to be proved wrong.
Kino have just announced classic silent Ford on Blu Ray THREE
BAD MEN….the cats at Kino really GET IT!
John, I force myself to hold out hope for these things. And as you are probably tired of reading, I’m a real sucker for these Regalscope things (even if this is only a quasi-Regal film). I’d sure love for it to turn out to be widescreen.
Glad you mentioned Phillips. He’s so underrated!
Toby,
As I said I would LOVE to be proved wrong.
SIERRA BARON is RegalScope plus..along with other Lippert
projects like FORTY GUNS,THE DEERSLAYER and VILLA.
Never seen the latter film which I believe was shot more or less
back to back with SIERRA BARON.
All those films carried the Fox logo up front as opposed to the much
beloved RegalScope logo.I have a lovely 4×3 off air copy of SIERRA
BARON so why should I shell out $20 for the same thing?
This is one film I’d gladly cough up the $20 for in the correct ratio.
The same goes for THE DEERSLAYER and THE CANADIANS I might add.
It’s a funny old World I remember about seven or eight years ago Fox
gave us that wonderful classic Westerns package 3 set THE GUNFIGHTER,
RAWHIDE and GARDEN OF EVIL all beautifully packaged with a ton of
extras all for far less than they are charging for an MOD disc.
Paula,ever the Tyrone Power fan,,if my memory serves me well, will no doubt
be glad to hear Kino are releasing RAWHIDE on Blu Ray.
I do wish Kino would dip into the unreleased Fox stuff,certainly before
Fox Archives do.
I hope somebody will be able to report back for certain and substantiate everyone’s doubts, or not hopefully……
Love that poster. What a tough looking crowd.
I haven’t seen Sierra Baron and am just pleased to see it released on dvd even if it is mod and pan and scan . Beggars cannot be choosers.
Hi everyone .I am back and it looks like I have a lot to catch up on. I went interstate and trying to log on somebody elses computer just doesn’t always work .Cheers to all .
I always feel a bit silly addressing you as as gcwe1 but welcome home, gcwe1 anyway! Always enjoy your input.
Thanks Jerry ,you can call me Graham .Since arriving home I received 3 DVDs -THE YOUNGER BROTHERS , WILD BILL HICKOK RIDES and WESTWARD HO THE WAGONS .I was going to buy the HICKOK film before Warner Archives released it ,but I am glad I waited .I actually didn’t know they were releasing it ,and so it is a good western ,a little predictable but good fun.
The other 2 were good also and the inclusion of Wayne Morris and Fess Parker also helps .WESTWARD HO is pan and scan ,and I can’t see that changing in the future .I bought mine from E BAY because although I would normally buy from Amazon , the way the Aussie Dollar is at the moment ,and the postage cost made it cheaper to buy from E BAY .If you really want it then shop around.
John K, a beautiful 2.35:1 and 16 x 9 enhanced digital transfer of THE DEERSLAYER definitely exists, because I have the German DVD of the film released a few years back and obviously obtained by them from Fox Home Video. Unfortunately, it’s only in the German dialogue and the original music score by Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter has been removed and replaced with a very inappropriate electric guitar backing, but the Germans obviously have the original film and could allow some other company to release it in English with the original music score. I do have a pan and scan DVD-R of the original film transferred from an old VHS video tape, but it’s badly done and the picture looks very cropped at the sides. THE CANADIANS was beautifully filmed on location in Canada and the cinematography alone cries out for a widescreen DVD release.
Firstly,may I echo Jerry’s statement….welcome back gcwe1
your comments have been missed.
David Rayner..I’m glad you are on-board this thread because you of
all people will be able to clarify a few points.
Firstly I believe SIERRA BARON in the UK played as a main feature,
the support feature was HOW TO ROB A BANK (aka A NIce Little
Bank That Should Be Robbed)
It was a great week for a 12 year old Western fan because MANHUNT
(From Hell To Texas) was released the same week.
It’s amazing how these Lippert Fox programmers or RegalScope plus,if
you will;played as main features in the UK.
Another 1959 pairing that I sadly; missed was SON OF ROBIN HOOD
paired with FRONTIER GUN a RegalScope Western that I have never
seen.
I might add that both SIERRA BARON and SON OF ROBIN HOOD
played at the Gaumont circuit which was the second string group
of cinemas owned by the major Odeon chain,.
David,I’m glad you too are keen to see THE CANADIANS get released
in widescreen,I have requested this,along with THE DEERSLAYER on
Kino Lorber’s Facebook page.
Furthermore David I don’t know if you were aware of the recent MGM
MOD (parent company Fox) of REVOLT OF THE SLAVES.
I don’t know if this is your thing but I can happily report that it is a truly
gorgeous widescreen transfer.
This is the sort of thing I would have loved as a 12 year old but I cannot
recall what it was released with at the time,perhaps you may know.
I might add that for a Sword & Sandal type picture it’s incredibly violent.
I found the film a vary good watch…OK it’s not BEN HUR but it’s not
HERCULES UNCHAINED either.
John K ,thanks for the kind words. The site that you mention a lot ,Koch Media ,I wish they would consider releasing DRAGOON WELLS MASSACRE. That is one that a lot of us want .
REVOLT OF THE SLAVES wasn’t shown on the Rank circuit here in Stoke on Trent on its release in January, 1962, and neither played at the Gaumont or Odeon. It’s first showing in this area was a six day run at the Essoldo Rex, Newcastle under Lyme, commencing Monday, April 23rd, 1962, supported by Jimmy Clanton and Diane Jergens in TEENAGE MILLIONAIRE. Oddly, I’ve never seen either of them.
I think HOW TO ROB A BANK may have been the feature in the programme you mention, but I’ll have to check up on that.
I went to see SON OF ROBIN HOOD and FRONTIER GUN when they were a new release in 1959. SON OF ROBIN HOOD is available on DVD, but only in pan and scan and FRONTIER GUN has never been made available and has never been shown on television. So I haven’t actually seen it for 57 years. I do have the Front-of-House set and quad poster for it though. RegalScope films were generally all black and white supporting features, with the exception of, if I remember correctly, KRONOS, which was released as a top of the bill feature. All Fox anamorphic lensed colour films of that period were released with the CinemaScope opening title on the beginning.
Thanks David,
The two year hold up for REVOLT OF THE SLAVES
UK release may have had something to do with censorship
problems-the recent MGM MOD release seems to be
uncut with lots of graphic torture and carnage.
I cannot see much of the footage making the UK “A”
certificate.
The Fox pan & scan release of SON OF ROBIN HOOD is
terrible with lots of neg damage to boot.
I like the film a lot-it’s a fun parody of Swashbucklers
with a most capable and engaging cast.
According to the Lipperrt book the budget was $350,000
although George Sherman’s expertise makes it look
like it cost a lot more to make.
I really like Frontier Gun. Sure wish it’d get a decent DVD release. it deserves it.
The Paul Landres RegalScope I’d also love
to see is THE LONE TEXAN reputedly very good.
Wouldn’t it be ultra cool if Kino released these two on
Blu Ray…don’t even know if Fox still own the rights to these two.
What’s THE BLACK SLEEP doing on a blog like this……………?
Well TheHannibal-8’s getting a bit too up-market for the likes of
me lately so I thought I’d report on it here,name dropping a few
Western directors along the way.
As my day was un-made with the news of a 4×3 version of SIERRA
BARON I was more than cheered up when my Kino Lorber Blu Ray
of THE BLACK SLEEP arrived yesterday.
It’s a beautiful new widescreen re-master,though the 1.85
ratio might be cropped a tad too tight for some viewers.
I love the way Kino Lorber give these low budget Horror flicks
the attention they deserve.
I know the film does not have the highest of reputations,but I love it.
It’s certainly not bad enough to make one of Richard Oravitz’s
good wine bad movie evenings. Funnily enough Richard,if you are
reading this the later,similar THE FROZEN DEAD might actually be
TOO BAD to qualify for one of your great fun sounding evenings.
The icing on the cake on the Kino release is the commentary by
Tom Weaver which has a whole host of info on the Bel Air outfit.
I should imagine Toby will have a RegalScope chapter in his forthcoming
Western book,should he also decide on a Bel-Air chapter then Tom’s
commentary provides a raft of great info.
For starters Allen H Miner,Lesley Selander and Alfred Werker were
considered as directors but Bel Air decided on Reginald Le Borg who
had done a whole heap of similar stuff.
Basil Rathbone,by all accounts was a bit stand-offish while making
the film,this is understandable. He had just made WE’RE NO ANGELS
with A List co-stars and director,a major studio and color and VistaVision
to boot.A Bel Air quickie shot in black & white on the old PRC lot is quiet
a comedown to say the least.
Furthermore Gloria Talbott found Basil great fun while making
WE’RE NO ANGELS,playing practical jokes and stuff.
Lots of stuff about Bel Airs Koch and Schenck.I did not know that they
executive produced William Castle’s MACARBE
Allen Miner’s GHOST TOWN was shot in 5 days for $100,000.
I actually prefer it to Miner’s other micro budget Westerns round about
the same time:BLACK PATCH and THE RIDE BACK.
Jerry recently took me to task for calling GUN DUEL IN DURANGO and
THE IRON SHERIFF OK programmers. Well,Jerry there are OK programmers,
bad programmers and very good programmers…GHOST TOWN fits into the
latter.
Interestingly GHOST TOWN also features the iconic lone figure in a
doorway shot; both GHOST TOWN and THE SEARCHERS were released
in March 1956.
Miner’s career was mainly in TV-it’s a real shame that he never got to
make a big budget Western.
H8 being too up-market — that cracked me up. You’ll be happy to know I’m working on something on that Fred F. Sears prison picture, Escape From San Quentin.
Ha!
Glad to hear that soon the H8 will come down to
my level again 🙂
You will love that commentary on THE BLACK SLEEP I
might add.
While making Bel Air’s Foreign Legion romp DESERT SANDS
John Carradine used to appear on set in the morning looking
very bleary eyed. In the evenings he used to slope off to a
Mexican cantina and read Shakespeare to the locals for drinks
and tips. This tale is made even odder because none of the locals
could speak English!
john k……aw, both THE BLACK SLEEP and THE FROZEN DEAD qualify for the Good Wine, Bad Film Festival. Who can count out any film featuring frozen Nazi officers, bimbo teenage girls & decapitation, even if the budget springs for color and alcoholic Dana Andrews instead of B&W and alcoholic John Agar in the featured role? …actually, several years ago THE BLACK SLEEP was shown on VHS at the Festival, and now, THE FROZEN DEAD (saw this at the theater, but can’t remember the co-feature) on DVD is waiting in the wings……could make a great decapitation triple bill alongside THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE & the German THE HEAD!!!…will give this some thought.
Thanks Richard,
Never knew Agar had a drink problem;never heard
that one before.
I saw THE FROZEN DEAD on a double bill with IT
made by the same director.
IT had Roddy McDowall reviving the Golem.
Another great contender for one of your wonderful evenings.
I always admired THE BLACK SLEEP as a valiant attempt
to revive classic Gothic Horror.
The Blu Ray looks wonderful BTW.
Not long after Hammer showed Bel Air how it should be done.
Essoldo, Hanley, Sunday, August 10th, 1958, for seven days.
Don Murray and Diane Varsi in MAN HUNT (u) CinemaScope and Color by De Luxe. Also Bill Owen and Joy Nichols in NOT SO DUSTY (u).
———————————————————————————
Gaumont, Hanley, Monday, September 8th, 1958, for six days.
Brian Keith and Rick Jason in SIERRA BARON (u) CinemaScope and Color by De Luxe. Also Tom Ewell and Mickey Rooney in HOW TO ROB A BANK (u) CinemaScope.
So SIERRA BARON did go out on the Rank circuit as a main feature.
Great info, David. I see that ‘NOT SO DUSTY’ is currently doing the rounds on Talking Pictures TV channel!!
I missed “FRONTIER GUN” on release and, as you say, has never been shown on (UK) TV. That is one I would love to see!
Thanks David,
Those were the days,when there were so many great
films released you just could not decide which programme to
see any given week.
Two great Fox CinemaScope Westerns released in the same week.
As good as MANHUNT (From Hell To Texas) was SIERRA BARON
made a terrific impression on me at the time.
SIERRA BARON was released in Spain on DVD several years
ago the picture quality was abysmal. I have since sourced a very
good 4×3 off air copy,I think from the Fox Channel.
At least the forthcoming DVD should look nice…just a great shame
about the ratio.
Kino Lorber, an American company, only seem to be releasing films on BluRay and not DVD. So, if they ever released a wide screen version of THE DEERSLAYER, I wouldn’t be able to play it unless I went to the trouble and expense of importing an American BluRay player. I think that they should do what other companies do and that is to release both BluRay and DVD versions of a film.
Amen to that!
David, most of Kino’s releases have been offered on both Blu-ray and DVD, just not dual format packages. A small number of titles which had been put out on DVD shortly before (as MGM MOD discs for the most part) were Blu-ray only. For example Hidden Fear & Shield for Murder are coming at the end of June and there are listings on Amazon now for both the DVD and the Blu-ray versions.
Yes it’s tough on us who don’t have the luxury of a blu – ray player.
It’s just more of the effort to force people to buy blu even against their will by only releasing in blu. I reject and resent their efforts to force me to go blu and will hold out till blu goes the way of the laser disc. I didn’t buy HIGH TIME for the same reason, even though I’m a big Bing Crosby fan. They only released it in blu, so good bye to you was my response.
I haven’t seen Frontier Gun yet, but with all this talk I think I’ll schedule it for this Saturday night!
Why are you against Blu-ray!
Johnny, the celebration of mediocrity doesn’t necessarily make you a dangerous radical involved in an idealistic battle against evil capitalists who are trying to force you to spend a couple of dollars to improve the aesthetics of your home cinema viewing and also help finance the restoration of some of the fine old movies you profess to love in the process.
Nick, Wow! Talk about putting words in someone’s mouth and creating a Red Herring for an easy cheap shot. Needless to say I never uttered any such incoherency.
You just can’t improve on perfection and that’s what DVDs are. While you are forced to rationalize it that way to justify re-purchasing your collection all over again, I fortunately recognize a scam when I see it.
I am perfectly happy with the quality of my DVDs and don’t wish to buy my entire movie collection all over again esp. when I am more than thrilled with the beautiful quality already of DVDs. The only thing I profess is loving the excellent quality of DVDs whenever I pop in a DVD of an old movie or a TV show.
If all that bothers you, get over it. I profess not to care.
Folk who rail against the astounding increase in picture quality facilitated by blu-ray are people who clearly care little for the cinematographer’s art and probably once insisted that computers or the mobile phone (‘cell’ in the US) would never catch on. As for the economic argument against making that ‘big purchase’, here in the UK a decent blu-ray player can be picked up for a few pounds in a supermarket. Home cinema has progressed a long way since the
best that was on offer was grainy, off-air copies on VHS although many folk still seem content with that level of excellence. As John Knight said recently “Those folk need to get their eyes tested”
Amen!
If not buying Blu ray qualifies one for an eye examination I would say spending money on the same products over and over again should qualify one for a head examination.
I am not against BLU RAY but if I did make the switch it would have to be multiregional so I could play my mostly multiregional DVDs.
DVDs properly transferred from good source elements can look pretty fine (see those Tim Holt movies from WAC). That said, Blu-ray (again, depending on the transfer and source material) is a major step up — enough that I’ve re-bought a lot of my fave movies on Blu-ray. However, from what I’ve read, you need a high-def TV at least 40 inches in size for Blu-ray to make a noticeable difference from DVDs, and there are still folks still out there who don’t want to make the considerable investment in upgrading televisions. It can be a lot if you’re on a strict budget. My parents finally got a larger television and they love it, though it’s still on the horrible factory settings (too bright, too video-ish) and during my one trip there since they got it I wasn’t able to figure out how to get into the TV settings. I gotta work on that next time I’m there. They don’t even know what Blu-rays are; they’re into streaming. And they’re 88 and 92! 😉 The next question is — what are you all going to do if and when they ever put a Western out on UHD 4K? 😉 It could happen. 😉 Toby, that’s absolutely awesome artwork for Sierra Baron. I love the Italian and Japanese posters in general. I have a Japanese poster for Bound for Glory with David Carradine because it’s so much nicer than the American ones.
The French Connection is one of my favorite films. To date, I’ve purchased the laserdisc, the letterboxed laserdisc, the double feature laserdisc that includes French Connection 2, the DVD and the Blu-ray. That doesn’t count the Super 8 Ken Films thing or the soundtrack CD. When it comes out on 4K and I have the TV to handle it, I’ll buy it again.
I’ve made similar purchases with The Searchers and Thunderball. Sure it’s a little over the top, but I’ve never regretted any of these purchases (except French Connection 2, which didn’t knock me out).
I’ve done the same thing, going back to the ’60’s when I bought 8mm films of 3 Stooges, Laurel & Hardy and various monster movies. I’ve bought for just one example beta, VHS, Laser disc & DVD of The Searchers. Maybe I’m just tired of being ripped off. I figure I’ve paid enough for the same thing over and over again. I’m happy with DVDs and will stay that way.
There are some fascinating interviews with William Friedkin on youtube about The French Connection. His commentary on the Signature Edition is very instructive. I remember when it opened in the NYC area when I was growing up. It played non-stop for about three years, kept coming and going at first one theater and then another (not unlike Night of the Living Dead which must still set the record for being the longest continuous and most persistent theatrical release). Then it was paired with other movies as a double-feature. It was even re-issued with the semi-sequel The Seven Ups, Later it was paired with French Connection 2. I saw it many times. I still watch it occasionally. Just an incredible film.
I want to recommend to JohnK three recent horror films: The Babadook, It Follows (both 2014) and The Witch (2015). They are each a scary film but the latter has genuine power. The Witch is masterpiece on every level.
A good DVD looks good on a CRT TV and can look pretty good on a HD TV upscaled to 1080p.
But in a few years time all TV’s sold will be UHD (or4K) TV’s, we can’t stop that.
DVD’s will look terrible on those TV’s because they have to be upscaled about 20(!) times and no way will that result in a good image quality.
I have a large collection of DVD’s and Blu-rays.
Some DVD’s are kept simply because the film has not (yet) been released on Blu-ray or is simply not good enough as a film or Blu-ray to buy.
Some of those DVD’s I keep just for the collection because someone I admire is in it.
Physical media are on their way out as a mass thing.
DVD’s are almost dead and buried, Blu-ray never really caught on en UHD
disc will also have a hard time selling in substantial numbers.
Streaming is the way to go for the masses but there will alwasy be little companies releasing films on a disc for a niche market.
We can enjoy our DVD’s but remember, in a little while we will have no
suitable TV’s anymore to play them on.
After UHD there will be TV’s with even higher resolutions and so on…..
I’m not sure I’d agree that DVDs are almost ‘dead and buried. I’ll think they’ll be with us for a while as a kind of cheap and cheerful default media, although the claim made somewhere up the page that they offer some kind of ‘perfection’ is
clearly ludicrous. The fact that a single layer DVDr is so cheap means that the various Archives can output good quality editions of what were once astonishingly rare titles in the context of a working business model. However, it’s worth noting that the Warner Archive has recently been releasing beautiful blu-rays of classics such as THE BIG SLEEP and KEY LARGO with picture quality that utterly smokes the DVD editions. I do agree with Zetmon that a great
deal depends on the sort of screen an individual is watching on. Obviously even
a fairly ropey DVD (or even a VHS tape for that matter) will look good on an old CRT set (are there any still out there?). Most TV sets these days are 1080 x 1920 screen resolution (Standard HD) and in that context a good blu-ray will simply blow away a good DVD in terms of picture quality. I still buy loads of DVDs but if a blu-ray of a favourite title becomes available then that purchase is simply a no-brainer. There aren’t enough UHD blu-rays or indeed enough TV stations that transmit in UHD for that to interest me as yet, although I will keep
an eye on the situation. Steaming is fine, but like most collectors, I prefer physical media.
These BD vs DVD wars seem to appear periodically and the same arguments get trashed out time and again. DVD will be around for some time yet – it’s a source of revenue for studios and the production process is very low cost now.
BD remains a niche market and will likely be as good as it gets as far as physical media is concerned. The trend among younger viewers is away from amassing physical collections, and towards video on demand.
So streaming is the future, but I’m not at all convinced that UHD quality is a given. Being a film enthusiast tends to encourage viewing the world from within a kind of bubble, where our concerns appear paramount. We need to step outside that bubble though and look at what the average consumer (for it’s they who drive the market after all) wants.
Nowadays, the majority of people will have HD TVs, or if they haven’t they will quite soon. Yet relatively few people bother to buy Blu-rays to watch on these 1080 panels, they watch plenty of broadcast material in standard def and still watch DVDs. These people aren’t blind – they simply do not care beyond a certain point. For most, DVD and standard def TV is that point, In the future, even if UHD panels are widely available, the availability of material to view in that format is not something I’d like to count on. Even now, HD streaming is not quite of the same quality as a HD hard copy like a Blu-ray.
To finish, if you want a glimpse of the future, then look aat what the kids are ding. Every day I see my students happily viewing content streamed at a very low bit rate to their phones. And they are more than happy with this – even if we’d like to think quality rule the market, it’s actually convenience that’s firmly installed in the driving seat.
in The Netherlands where I live nearly all TV broadcasts are HD so people
ARE used to better than SD but most people I know rather watch a movie that’s broadcast on TV of streamed than buy a physical disc.
But this forum is for true film lovers like myself and we like to OWN a physical version of the movies we love not just on a harddisk or “in the cloud”….
UHD is the way to go and the increase in resolution will go on and on.
We don’t know how far it will go but I think very far.
But unfortunately we all won’t be here to see it…..
UHD is already being streamed and streaming will get better and better
over the years.
People will always be watching movies one way or another and some will always want to OWN them.
But to me it’s a given that someday physical media will just cease to be.
UHD still fits on normal-sized disc but in the future it will just not fit unless they start using Laserdisc-sized discs…..
We just have to except the way things are going and in the end the major companies will follow the main public which does not collect movies but only watches them.
Hopefully there will be smaller companies that continue to serve the needs of true moviefans like us.
Even now, when you want good editions of classic movies you have to buy them from smaller companies like Eureka, Arrow, Koch, BFI etc….
Didn’t Leonard Cohen say “I’ve seen the Future baby, and it’s Murder”. God preserve us from a world where we watch movies on mobile phones. I don’t even enjoy watching a movie or a TV show on a computer despite the fact that
most now boast HD screens. I agree that most folk embrace mediocrity in AV matters it’s just disappointing when you encounter that world view on dedicated
movie blogs where you would hope that folk would have higher aspirations.
The whole point, it seems to me, is to experience a movie as closely as possible as it was intended to be seen by it’s original producers.It the same with music where serious music lovers are now discarding the inadequate CD format and reverting to vinyl or exploring hi-def downloads. Agree with you Colin that most HD streams are of lower quality than a physical blu-ray.
Nick Beal, always good to hear of another Leonard Cohen fan!
I’m very much a physical product guy myself, but the fact is I’m in my mid 40s now and I can see that my generation is pretty much the last one to feel that way about stuff. I really don’t share the optimistic view of others re the UHD business – you’d need an enormous screen – projection dimensions really – to see much benefit, and I’m not convinced that kind of space hogging kit is the way things are going for the masses. We’re talking a system that is destined to be a niche within a niche within a niche…
I definitely want to see material looking as good as possible but I guess “as good as possible” varies from person to person. I think we all have our leveling off point; I know I don’t care if everything I watch is in HD, for example. The fact Blu-ray hasn’t (and won’t now) equaled the success and market penetration of DVD proves to me that the convenience aspect – no rewinding, scene access, etc – of disc based material was the deal breaker rather than increased resolution alone. If picture quality was the ultimate clincher, then Blu-ray would have buried DVD some time ago. No, for many, the best possible is similar to good enough, and DVD still checks that box for a lot of people. And I can understand this because it’s often good enough for me too.
With disc based media, I think there’s room for SD and HD to exist together, and I wholeheartedly support the dual format releases the likes of Arrow and Eureka favor in the UK. I don’t see it as a black and white, either or situation – both formats can exist together right now and give consumers the chance to decide what’s good for them (and of course their budget) on a case by case basis.
I watched the opening scene of Sierra Baron on youtube and I hope the rest of the movie is better than the first 2 minutes. Brian Keith is somehow snuck up on by man on horse only forty feet away from him, is dragged thru a mud pit and then stands up with not a trace of mud on his face or hair – voila !
Since you can now buy a good, name-brand Blu-Ray player for under $50, I can’t imagine why people are still buying regular DVD players. After all, you can play all of your DVDs on the Blu-Ray player, and even if you choose to never replace a single DVD with a Blu-Ray, you can always purchase the new movies and older titles you don’t already own on Blu-Ray.
I agree there’s lots of incentive nowadays, Mike. Even so, I think there’s maybe e few reasons holding some back:
1) The necessity to also own a HD panel may be an obstacle for those with an older set.
2)The fact it’s a little more difficult to make a Blu-ray player multi-region for DVD, for some models anyway, and a lot trickier to make them so for Blu-ray discs.
3) A general absence of interest in another upgrade – either due to a perceived lack of picture improvement, or just technological burnout.
For me anyway, Colin’s summing-up puts the situation in context most succinctly for many of us.
Guys,
This DVD vs Blu Ray thing has gone far enough.
What we should really be doing is getting on the case of people like Fox
who continue to deliver 4×3 versions of CinemaScope films and the fact
that no-one in America seems interested in releasing all those fine
Republic and Columbia Westerns trapped in the vaults especially with all
the great Columbia product appearing in Europe.
At least Horror fans have nothing to carp about.
Again I’m veering into the (very upmarket) Hannibal 8 territory
but Scream Factory are going to release THE BOY WHO CRIED WEREWOLF
in high def. This was the final film from the great Nathan Juran as well as the
final feature from famed producer Aaron Rosenberg.
Robert Wilke plays the Sheriff on the case.
TBWCW would be an ideal opportunity for the H8 to revert back to my level
at last. 🙂
Just thought I’d report on the two recent Koch Blu Ray releases of two
Fox CinemaScope Westerns for those interested,.
WHITE FEATHER
Is a considerable upgrade on the DVD which I always found rather
pallid. It’s not the best transfer of a classic Fox film that I have seen
but worth the upgrade if you really like the movie.
THE LAST WAGON.
The DVD was pretty darn good but the Blu Ray takes things to another level.
The beautiful landscapes in THE LAST WAGON are jaw dropping on Blu Ray.
THE LAST WAGON is one film that was “made” for high definition.
Well recommended.
Hey John, I got very excited when I read your report on the blu-ray of The Last Wagon, jumped straight on Amazon and for some reason ended up on the French site. I realised my error but not before noticing they have Comanche Station on blu-ray. Boetticher on blu is a dream come true!…But I don’t trust those Frenchy discs (I imagine you know why). And what is it with European labels getting all the great Westerns, and Noirs for that matter?
Anyway, thanks mate. I have ordered the Koch edition of The Last Wagon, it really is a beautiful looking film. Let’s hope the Germans pick up the Boetticher’s as well – no use hoping for a UK or region friendly US release.
Hi Chris,
You won’t be let down by the Koch version of
THE LAST WAGON…..it rocks!
Before this summer Explosive in Germany are releasing
COMANCHE STATION on Blu.
They also are releasing Blu’s of THE STRANGER WORE A GUN,
GUNS OF FORT PETTICOAT and THE LAST FRONTIER.
Koch have RIDE LONESOME on Blu sometime in the future.
I’d happily get all the Scott/Boettichers on Blu.
One things for sure The French and The Germans have a far
greater love for Westerns than the Home Nation and The Brits.
Cheers mate. Yeah, I’ll be all over those Scott/Boetticher blus soon as they’re up for pre-order.
If I can throw a couple of titles back at you, I highly recommend the Koch release of Canyon Passage and Western Union. I’d never seen the Tourneur so can’t compare (It is a thing of great beauty), but I did a side by side comparison with my old DVD of the Lang and it was a revelation – absolutely stunning.
And have you seen Twilight Time’s Man From Laramie? Holy Mackerel, again a side by side with my old DVD revealed previously unseen depths of shadow detail that simply floored me. TT are all region – I’m just disappointed they didn’t continue rolling out the other Stewart/Mann Westerns.
Hi Chris,
Great to have a dialog with a serious collector,of taste.
Yep those Koch Blu Rays are stunning CANYON PASSAGE
is jaw dropping on Blu Ray as is WESTERN UNION.
I got the Sidonis Blu Ray of COMANCHE STATION
because I had read that you are able to disable the subs.
I can’t do this on my Pioneer but apparently on a state of
the art Oppo you can. As a bog standard Oppo comes in at
something like £500 it’s too rich for my blood.
I am not bitter about it as I liked the trailer gallery of
forthcoming Sidonis attractions and also the trailers for
the five Boetticher Renown;’s (I love trailers)
I’ll still get the Explosive Blu Ray as a comparison and
will avoid all other Sidonis Blu Rays in future.
The p.q. on the Sidonis COMANCHE STATION actually
smokes the Twilight Time MAN FROM LARAMIE it’s
that good.
Topless babes and the UK censor!
Well,as I’ve said many times before you can always rely on me to lower
the tone of any blog.
Recently saw the Warner Archive release of THE ANGRY HILLS.
I was amazed in the opening scenes there is a topless dancer in a bar
and the scene seems to go on forever.Enjoying the view are Robert Mitchum
and Leslie Phillips. I thought,there is no way this would have passed the UK censor at the time.Furthermore the film was given a UK “A” certificate.
(under 14’s to be accompanied by an adult.)
The supporting feature I believe was TARZAN’S FIGHT FOR LIFE.
At the end of the Warner DVD the sign off is European so the print they
have sourced is an export strength version.
THE ANGRY HILLS for me was a pretty boring film way below par for Mitchum
and director Robert Aldrich. Great cast but a very un-involving film.
Aldrich’s TEN SECONDS TO HELL from the same era is the far superior
film.
The UK censor was very hot on nudity in the Fifties.
NO PLACE TO LAND is an obscure “last gasp” Republic programmer.
In the film Marie Blanchard is sun bathing front down on a li-lo
It’s obvious she is wearing no bikini top.
This alone caused the UK censor to slap an “X” certificate on the film.
(over 16’s only)
The UK distributor seeing the exploitation value changed the title to
MAN MAD. According to my records MAN MAD was the support feature
to the J.D. drama SERIOUS CHARGE.
David Rayner,no doubt will correct me if i’m wrong.
NO PLACE TO LAND is an interesting little film with a very good cast that
also includes John Ireland,Gail Russell and Robert Middleton.
It’s yet another obscure film trapped in Paramount’s vaults.
If they wanted to,and they obviously don’t want to;Paramount could
have a MOD imprint that could really give Warner Archive a run for their money.
For starters there is all the post 1949 Paramount titles.
(the pre 1949 titles are owned by Universal)
Then there is the entire Republic library which also includes many Monogram,
Allied Artists and RegalScope titles.What a great MOD series that has the
potential to be.
Nothing to correct you on, John k. It was strange that in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there were a lot of naturist films that were filmed as semi-documentaries in nudist colonies, usually in the south of France where it was warmer. Off the top of my head, I recall THE GARDEN OF EDEN; AROUND THE WORLD WITH NOTHING ON; THE NAKED VENUS; NUDIST PARADISE; THE NUDIST STORY; THE NAKED VENUS and NUDES OF THE WORLD. Everyone was running around naked in them, including the children, and yet the British censor always passed them with an ‘A’ certificate. These days, they would probably be banned outright as simple nudity is now regarded as pornography. But the funny thing is, while everyone was letting it all hang out in these ‘A’ certificate nudist films, the sight of Brigitte Bardot wearing a flimsy negligee in a drama film caused the censor to slap an ‘X’ certificate on it. I never understood the reasoning behind that.
Yep! You are quiet right David about these films,especially when the
slightest suggestion of nudity in a “mainstream” movie was sure to
be granted an “X” certificate.
I believe Michael Winner even did one of these “nudie Flicks”
SOME LIKE IT COOL (1962)
The French Connection.
I note that the screen caps from George Sherman’s very fine
REPRISAL! are up on the French Western Fan site
http://www.westernmovies.fr
They look really good but the film is presented in 4×3 as opposed to
widescreen as shown on the trailer reel on other Sidonis DVD’s
This is the sort of thing I really wish Mill Creek would put out instead
of their bargain basement sets. Some of these sets include 50 films,
really Mill Creek…life’s too short. I wish these guys would go for quality
above quantity.
Furthermore Elephant Films France (no “forced” subs and very user friendly
menus) are continuing their very fine Universal Horror editions.
Coming in June are all the MUMMY follow ups.
The following in the series will be on Blu Ray
THE MUMMY’S HAND
THE MUMMY’S CURSE
ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY
Elephant’s Blu Rays normally come in Blu Ray/DVD Combo packs.
I’ve been having a look at the Sidonis 4 x 3 DVD of REPRISAL on amazon France and if it wasn’t for the forced French sub titles, that can’t be turned off, I might have bought it. The burned in subtitles are too distracting for me.
That’s such a shame — this is a terrific movie. One of my favorite Sherman pictures, which is saying a lot.
Those 50 film DVD sets always contain public domain films. Meaning they’re free, no owners to pay off and no cost to the DVD makers to put out. So a Mill Creek 50 film set is not in the same category as an individual DVD movie release. I really liked those Shout released “Movies 4 You” four film DVD releases. They were all great films, not public domains & they were nice a cheap. Now that’s what I’d like to see more of those 4 films for you Shout sets with great much sought after movies. Their great 4 westerns release looked like this, we need more of this:
Totally agree with you ,Johnny .I think we all need to email them and say this is what we want to see released and maybe another release similar to this will be forthcoming.
I noticed at Amazon.uk that Simply Media is soon releasing some Universal titles of possible interest on Region B that I don’t think have had a prior video release anywhere.
Maybe they will come out over here via Universal Vault at some point.
Anyway, JOE BUTTERFLY with Audie Murphy and John Agar is coming soon.
Another title coming soon is JOURNEY TO SHILOH.
A MAN CALLED GANNON is another new or recent British DVD release.
There’s a review of it on the CinemaRetro site.
If you scroll back on this thread you will find comments
from Chris Brunton.
For some reason I assumed that Chris was a Brit but actually
he’s from Australia.
Anyway you can click on Chris’s name and it takes you into
his website which reveals some truly sensational artwork.
What’s so encouraging about all this is Chris is a mere 23 years old
and it’s encouraging to see one so young with a serious interest
in Westerns.
Toby has created a truly international blog here and it’s certainly wonderful
to connect with Western fans across the globe.
I agree, terrific artwork. I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with Chris on a few occasions in the past, especially about Fritz Lang, but I had no idea he was so young.
Thanks, Gentlemen! I should set the record straight though – John, I think you may have gotten 23 from my bio page. That’s how many years I worked as art director for the main newspaper here, and finally set up my website a couple of years back when I went full time freelance illustration and graphic design.
I’m a long time reader of both 50 Westerns and Colin’s High Country, and am very grateful for the wealth of information, not only in the reviews and write ups, but also from the comments section – so much so, I tend to keep quite, just in awe, but I never leave either site without writing down a few titles to chase up.
John, I too was looking at splurging on an Oppo. What ended up stopping me was living in a small North Queensland town and not really trusting Aussie Post to safely deliver something so darn expensive all the way from Brisbane. But if you’re an Aussie I can recommend a cheap all-region player.
Just a few weeks ago I was bemoaning the region lock thing with a guy I chat to regularly on another movie site and he put me onto a brand I’d never heard of – ‘Laser’. I was able to pick one up for $80 from a local store (Good Guys). It’s marketed as an all region player on the front of the box, all you do is set it to whatever region you want. It’s a bit of fiddling to jump back and forth so I’ve kept my Panasonic to play region 2/4s.
I’ve just taken a look. What a brilliant illustrator he is. Totally wonderful. And to think that I can’t draw a straight line without the aid of a ruler. Well done, Chris !
Chris…..
Sorry about the age mix up….it’s just your youthful good looks mate!
To backtrack on stuff we talked about earlier not all French DVD’s and
Blu Ray’s have forced Subs this seems to be Sidonis’ thing.
I also believe Wild Side have forced subs.
If you don’t have it already I can highly recommend Carlotta’s Blu Ray of
3.10 TO YUMA a beauty of a transfer.
Elephant France have a couple of interesting releases on Blu Ray
later this year; NIGHT PASSAGE and ULZANA’S RAID. No forced subs
with Elephant either.
I’m very excited about NIGHT PASSAGE on Blu Ray such a beautiful
looking film.I do wish folks would get over the fact that Anthony Mann did
not direct it…it’s a darn good picture in it’s own right.
Night Passage on Blu-ray should be incredible. One of the most beautiful Westerns ever — and a movie that doesn’t get its due.
Hey John
I’ve got to say I’ve come across forced subs on discs from several French labels, including Gaumont and Opening Distribution. Getting accurate info before ordering often proves difficult so I tend to avoid. It is a shame too with titles like Garden of Evil, and, I think, Broken Arrow only available there.
That’s great news about Night Passage though. Sort of the unofficial Anthony Mann isn’t it? I’ll probably get in trouble for saying this, but I think I like it more than The Far Country. I just can’t reconcile the ending in that one.
3:10 From Yuma, darn I forgot about that. With my new u-beaut all-region player I’ll probably pick up the Criterion edition. And I promised I’d lay off my credit card for a while!
Hi Chris,
I can highly endorse the Carlotta 3.10 TO YUMA…nice extras too.
I was hoping that they might release some of the Universal Mann Westerns
on Blu Ray.
I find it unbelievable that films like WINCHESTER’73 and BEND OF THE
RIVER are not available on Blu Ray.
You can say what you like here,mate I’m fine with THE FAR COUNTRY
but have no time at all for MAN OF THE WEST what a film that would have
been with Robert Taylor and Burl Ives instead of fatally mis-cast Coop
and Lee J Cobb.
We’re a very broad church here and opinions vary wildly at times.
Isn’t GARDEN OF EVIL soon to be released on either Criterion or
Twilight Time.
NIGHT PASSAGE was the first Western to be shot in the then new high definition Technirama, so it should look good on BluRay, as long as it’s transferred properly.
I love Technirama. Legend Of The Lost is coming to Blu-ray, too. Not a big favorite of mine, but it’ll look terrific.
The Technirama film I’m really after is THE HELLIONS (1961)
This was a South African take on HIGH NOON with Richard Todd
standing alone against a murderous clan (Lionel Jefferies,Marty Wilde
& James Booth having the time of their lives)
The film was the first Irving Allen production after he fell out with
Albert Broccoli over the James Bond films.
Oddly enough the last Allen/Broccoli production JOHNNY NOBODY was
the support feature to THE HELLIONS a wonderful double bill.
JOHNNY NOBODY was directed by and starred Nigel Patrick.
Most able support was provided by Aldo Ray and William Bendix.
I hope I’ve got my facts right on this and I’m sure David will correct me if
I’ve got things wrong.
Aldo Ray and William Bendix? Where has this thing been all my life?
JOHNNY NOBODY as I remember was beautifully shot (Ted Moore) in
Ireland in black & white scope.
It was as I mentioned, the last production from Irving Allen & Albert
Broccoli before they parted company.
When Allen saw that his old partner had struck gold with the Bonds he went
ahead and made the Matt Helm flicks with Dino.
According to imdb Connery got very peeved when he saw Dino was making
more money from the Helm flicks than he was making from the Bonds.
According to imdb JOHNNY NOBODY was distributed in England by Eros
films an independent company.
Ironically Allen & Broccoli had switched their distribution from Columbia to
Eros.As fate would have it the duo decided to go upmarket with THE TRIALS
OF OSCAR WILDE a critically acclaimed film that turned out to be an
expensive flop. This sadly sealed Eros’s fate,they went out of business.
I will have to check but I believe that THE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE
was another Technirama picture.
Certainly JOHNNY NOBODY deserves a revival and was certainly intended
to be an A picture,and would have been had not Eros gone out of business.
At any rate the talent both in front and behind the camera is top drawer.
THE HELLIONS and JOHNNY NOBODY went out on release as a double feature on the Rank circuit in January, 1962, playing at the Odeon here.
THE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE, starring Peter Finch in the title role was expensively filmed in Technirama and released on the ABC circuit in June, 1960, in direct competition to Rank’s release of the 20th Century-Fox version, entitled OSCAR WILDE starring Robert Morley in the Wilde role. Both films were passed with an X certificate, not because they showed anything sexually explicit, but because of their subject matter, which audiences apparently weren’t comfortable with and subsequently stayed away, ensuring that both films flopped at the Box Office.
Back to thread…..well sort of!
Finally caught with the Fox MOD of WALK TALL.
It’s a beauty of a widescreen transfer which proves on the odd occasion
Fox can get it right sometimes.
Very impressed with the film a mere 60 minutes,an all location minimalist
Western beautifully shot by Floyd Crosby.
I guess it’s me but I enjoyed WALK TALL far more than THE SHOOTING
or RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND.
Crosby’s lensing of the lovely California scenery is breathtaking.
This has given me a craving for someone like Kino to give us
“The Maury Dexter Western Collection” on Blu Ray.
Set should also include THE PURPLE HILLS (also shot by Crosby) and
THE YOUNG GUNS OF TEXAS in the correct ratio…that would be a
total blast.
Checking on imdb I did not realize just how many of these Lippert
things Crosby worked on.
Sadly, the DVD of The Purple Hills is pan-and-scan. Really liked the movie, however. Stay turned for something on Walk Tall.
Thanks Toby,
I await your review with great interest.
It certainly makes one wish that some of the RegalScopes had been
made in color-especially APACHE WARRIOR
The week has only just begun and already I’m in a bad mood. (:
Sidonis (them of the “forced subs) have just announced
FACE OF A FUGITIVE in widescreen.
I’d rather Mill Creek released films like this (and pay a handsome price)
than all their bargain basement sets.
That’s a shame about Face Of A Fugitive. I have the Spanish DVD, which is OK. I’m dying for a Blu-ray of it!
I am totally upset with those Fox-folks for their awful pan and scan formats of their CinemaScope /RegalScope Pictures of late. How ignorant not to figure that a neat little obscure gem like “SIERRA BARON” would only have a small group of people who would want it to begin with, anyway, thus releasing it in the prehistoric pan&scan version is not only a major crime committed against most collectors /lovers of these mostly-forgotten films, but it slaps all of us in the face as the one big insult that only the Fox people could deliver with some kind of awful irony involvement here; as to WHY this company, who presented the world with CinemaScope to BEGIN WITH, would reverse Zanuck’s original format to this pan&scan disgraced policy here for a showing of ANY of that series(1953-1967) , belongs in the files of IGNORANCE AND STUPIDITY, and a perfect portrait of greed&unconcern vs the .excellent product&quality released prior. (as they were beautiful product until now). WHY do they reckon that a fan of an obscure little western from long ago and far away would like to return to a cheap, no-cost product copied from an old television version made so long ago like the film is a thought process in illogical pattern: OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO SEE IT IN IT’S ORIGINAL THEATRICAL FORMAT! I mean, these MORONS at Fox have ruined the original intent, let’s face it. It has taken a long time to get these formats right, and to throw the whole policy away(hell why not go back to square TV SETS as well?) like these FOX FOLKS have done should make us all want to scream SOMEWHERE; AND BY LUCK I have found this place of refuge a comfort and a pleasure alike in knowing that there are film fans who have similar interests, indeed. Thanks for this and looking forward to getting to know some of you here. Also had no idea that there were so many RegalScope fans out there. As for ”VILLA”, also 1958, I remember it as a poor production and a co-feature status it properly held…but so what? I would see it again anyway, but not a version dejavu from over a half century ago for this serious collector of , especially in this case, westerns from the 1950’s.
Well, at least Fox-FX-Retro Channel has been recently (2018) Broadcasting some Fox SCOPERS in SCOPE and NOT in Pan & Scan: PURPLE HILLS, WALK TALL, YOUNG JESSE JAMES . YEA-FOX FOLKS!! THANK YOU!! WAY TO GO!!!AND all of a sudden, after a horrid pan & scan– out-of-focus, mess-of-a- transfer version of SON OF ROBIN HOOD — Fox is NOW currently showing it in FULL-SCOPE AND it is SHARP!