Directed by Charles Marquis Warren
Starring Hugh Marlowe, Coleen Gray, Adele Mara, Angie Dickinson, Sheb Wooley, Strother Martin
There’s been a lot of buzz around here lately about The Hollywood Scrapheap, a “salvage operation for Hollywood’s most neglected movies.” Their selection is terrific, and reports of the quality have been encouraging.
I was excited to learn they have The Black Whip (1956)— a Regalscope picture from Charles Marquis Warren, shot by Joseph Biroc — listed among their upcoming releases. They’re promising a chance to see its full Regalscope framing. Can’t wait!
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Directors with their own stock players,
John Ford’s… Ward Bond,John Carradine,Ken Curtis,Hank Worden,
Victor McLaglen Harry Carey.
Clint Eastwood’s… Geoffrey Lewis,Bill McKinney,Walter Barnes,
Dan Vadis,Gregory Walcott,Doug McGrath.
Charles Marquis Warren’s… Rocky Shahan,John Pickard,Sheb Wooley,
Charles H Gray,Richard Shannon,Bing Russell.
LOVE that press ad….two RegalScopes for the price of one!!
I saw these films on their initial release; The Black Whip by chance, and Women of Pitcairn Island because I was interested in the subject matter and James Craig. A single word, flabby, works both.
I recently bought OMAR KHAYYAM (1957) off them through eBay, where they trade under the somewhat unpleasant name ottervomit and was disappointed that most of the original Paramount trade mark title was missing from the beginning, with only about two seconds left of the In VistaVision Motion Picture High Fidelity part of the opening left on it. Otherwise, the image and sound quality are excellent, with rich colour, but the transfer is the old 4 x 3 aspect ratio instead of the 6 x 3 aspect ratio of VistaVision. They seem to be old transfers made for television in the old cathode ray tube days, so if they have found a 2.35:1 transfer of THE BLACK WHIP, it would be unusual and makes me wonder where they obtained it from.
You will be pleased to know, Toby, that “THE BLACK WHIP” has now been released by Hollywood Scrapheap and is available to order! You can see the widescreen screen grabs on their website.
The Scrapheap site says it’s letterboxed, not widescreen. Are any of you who recommend this site’s releases watching them on large screen monitors (50″, 60″ or larger)? Some of the screen grabs for the various releases don’t look all that sharp to me. I already have several of the same titles from different sources and certainly wouldn’t want to order replacements unless they were obvious upgrades.
You’re right to correct that, Mike. They do indeed say letterboxed 16:9.
I have upgraded several films from the Scrapheap and have been more than satisfied with results. Yesterday I watched my new “PLAINSMAN AND THE LADY” and the transfer is beautiful. I don’t see how it could be bettered on DVD. I don’t have a 50″ or above screen though, no, but I would be surprised if the film I watched didn’t look pretty great on that kind of screen size too.
Why not order one film as a tester……..?
It seems to be listed as “letterboxed 16:9”, which is widescreen. Letterboxing would be necessary to display the film in its native 2:35:1, even in widescreen format.
I just ordered THE ALAMO Director’s cut from Cinemajohn .I didn’t realise there was an extended version ,but if I waited for MGM to release it ,I could be in for a very long wait.
I have the original ALAMO Directors cut on laserdisc . I have since put it on 5 DVD discs I will later transfer to a Bluray disc. The biggest problem is the limitations of the laserdisc and players..
I play it at once a year on the laserdisc player.
Last night in honor of the latest two posts I watched BLACK WHIP & CANYON PASSAGE. My Canyon Passage is the commercial DVD release of a couple years ago, the color and the picture was EXCELLENT. I assumed this was a ’50’s western till I saw it, it actually looks like it’s from the late ’40’s. The color was beautiful, Susan Hayward and Andy Devine never looked better (there’s a combo). My BLACK WHIP was from an Encore Westerns showing. The beginning opening was widescreen, but the rest of the whole movie was full screen. But I didn’t mind, I got the point of the whole movie and didn’t feel like I was missing anything. Then again since I don’t know what was on the sides of the picture perhaps I’m just living in a fool’s paradise. This movie was a stark contrast from CANYON PASSAGE, not only was it b/w but most of the characters in the movie were low-lifes, except for the few good guys and gals. I almost felt like I was watching a westerns from the late ’60’s with all the lowly bums and rotten characters in it. But for a gritty foul movie it wasn’t too bad. Canyon Passage was a much better choice.
There’s not a thing wrong with the Universal commercial release of the DVD of CANYON PASSAGE, perfect color and nice and sharp. So I don’t see any need for an “improved” Blu ray as the DVD is already perfection.
However, getting a widescreen version of the foul BLACK WHIP and the improved visual quality that I’m sure the Blu ray must have over Encore Western’s version that I can see would be worth buying. If one was inclined that way and the ugly subjects and characters in the movie don’t bother you.
You’re absolutely right Johnny. Better stick with those wholesome BASKET CASE movies!
I don’t want to get into the Blu Ray vs DVD thing again we’ve already
ridden that well worn trail far too often.
I will however agree with Johnny that the USA Universal DVD of
CANYON PASSAGE was wonderful,one of the finest transfers of an old
Forties Technicolor film that I have ever seen.
There are comparison sites like DVD Beaver and Blu Ray.com that
give good judgements on if it’s worth the upgrade,and surprisingly
enough sometimes the DVD wins hands down,KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL
being a case in point. I will point out that I am comparing the USA
MGM/UA DVD not the horrid bootlegs that have appeared of this Phil
Karlson classic.
Really it’s all down to the master material that people are working with…
silk purses and the like.
One recent Blu Ray that I will endorse,however is CHISUM a brilliant
transfer.CHISUM is one of my favorite later Duke films,and what a knockout
cast!
I was most interested in Johnny’s review of THE BLACK WHIP a
RegalScope picture that I have never seen.I’ve always found Charles
Marquis Warren’s films leaden and turgid, as a director, and the low
RegalScope budgets make them even more so.
I recall fare like RIDE A VIOLENT MILE,COPPER SKY and BLOOD
ARROW being pretty rough going but would still love to see them released
in 2.35 widescreen.
I saw lots of the RegalScopes in cinemas in the Fifties and Sixties
and recall STORM RIDER,APACHE WARRIOR and STAGECOACH TO
FURY as being the best of them.
I’ve never seen FRONTIER GUN and THE LONE TEXAN (both directed
by Paul Landres) and would really love to. I may be wrong but I understand
that these two are still owned by Fox. I’ve requested these on Kino Lorber’s
Facebook page but they don’t seem interested. What a sensational
double bill they would make.I guess eventually they might appear as
Fox Archive MOD’s but it’s doubtful that they would appear in the
correct ratio,especially knowing that imprints track record,.
I received an email from Loving the Classics that said they were informed by Fox this afternoon that DANIEL BOONE -THE COMPLETE SERIES is being discontinued .
Yipe, I just had a horrid recall. One of the worst experiences I had ever ordering a DVD was with “Loving The Classics”. Good luck EVER getting a question or complaint answered. They seem to specialize in ignoring all emails and messages you send via their website.
Nick, if Basket Case represents your values remind me never to take up sewing. And if the trash that populates Black Whip are your kind of people remind me to skip the next invitation to your ball.
I can agree with you on Loving The Classics, Johnny. They are a company to be avoided at all costs. They do seem to have almost every title in existence but their ‘rarities’ are virtually unwatchable and you’ll be lucky if all of your order turns up. BTW didn’t you post on here that you are a fan of the Basket Case pictures..?
I ordered season 3 of THE REAL McCOYS from Loving the Classics and it took over 6 months to arrive .Season 3 features an episode with Lee Van Cleef .
Not only did Loving The Classics never answer my repeated question as to WHEN they would send out the one DVD I ordered, they also NEVER answered the telephone number they give out on their website, just a recording that they never answer in person or return a plea for an answer.
I finally did get my one DVD but it took 4 or 5 months and they never did answer any emails or phone messages.
Nick, I did like some of the later Basket Case movies with all the weird freaks that were in the attic. The first Basket Case was too bloody, BUT the horror in it was mixed with a lot of humor and tongue in cheek just as Evil Dead (the Bruce Campbell movies) also had a lot of humor mixed in with the horror. Funny horror movies I like and horror movies from the ’40’s, ’50’s, and ’60’s I like too. The Friday 13 and Nightmare on Elm type slasher movies are the ones I can’t stand. They’re mindless and made for the ignorant who don’t know what a good horror film should be.
If I remember right, this is a blog about Westerns from the 1950s, not politics. If we zig or zag a bit, that’s fine — as long as we don’t drag religion or politics into it.