I’m gonna make this quick because time’s running out. Olive Films’ Signature Edition of Nicholas Ray’s Johnny Guitar (1954) comes our tomorrow. Today, the pre-order price at Amazon is only $16.99 (the list price is $39.95).
Get the new Blu-Ray of Johnny Guitar, or Frank’ll let you have it.
Watched it over the weekend, and I really urge you to get it (a real review will be coming soon). Don’t have a Blu-ray player? Well, now’s the time. This thing’s incredible. As much as I love this movie, seeing it in hi-def and its proper 1.66 framing, I love it even more. Essential.
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Robert A. Harris weighs in:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/a-few-words-about-%E2%84%A2-johnny-guitar-olive-signature-in-blu-ray.349408/%5D
“Released along with Olive’s newly branded Signature edition of High Noon, Nicholas Ray’s 1954 Johnny Guitar, starring Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden and Mercedes McCambridge, is an even greater upgrade.
“The original release was 1.37, with shots making a rather impressive vertical jump at every cut, which was headache inducing.
“Now in 1.66, and properly stabilized, along with other image upgrades, it’s the Johnny Guitar fans have been waiting for.
“Wonderful extras, send a positive message about future Signature releases.”
This is my favorite Blu-ray release of the year, so far.
This is not one of my favourite westerns .Mecedes McCambridge charcter carries on like a spoilt brat .I know a lot of you will disagree with me .No doubt the Olive Signature edition will be good with it’s extras ,but I will stick with the copy I already have .There are other releases that I wan’t to get rather then an upgrade on this.
What’s the problem with an antagonistic spoilt brat? That’s the story, or at least a significant part of it.
Barry ,yes I know it’s part of the story ,but not for me .
Thanks for the tip, Toby!
I got onto Amazon immediately and managed to get both “Johnny Guitar” and “High Noon” at the pre-order price. With postage to Australia taken into account, it works out at just under thirty Aussie dollars per movie – which I have to say is a bargain, considering the astronomical prices originally touted for these items.
An excellent pre-Christmas present for myself!
Thanks again, Toby.
Glad you got one. That’s a great deal, and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
Kind of have mixed emotions on this. On the one hand I think no more buying more copies of movies I’ve already bought, but on the other hand, I’ve done the same thing many times already in the past. So I understand the reason why you want to do it. It’s sort of an addictive habit. Always curious to see the “new and Improved” version even if you kick yourself after.
Due from Sidonis,France in January-darned “forced” subtitles
and all Ray Nazarro’s INDIAN UPRISING an OK George Montgomery
in Super Cinecolor also Ralph Murphy’s excellent STAGE TO TUCSON.
Wouldn’t those two make a great Mill Creek double bill.
For UK fans THE MAN FROM LARAMIE finally gets a Blu Ray release.
From Eureka UK as a DVD/Blu Ray combo pack this 4K remastered version
has a raft of extras and some impressive (if somewhat gory) cover art
(Italian. poster???)
Don’t know at this time if the Eureka version will be 2.35 (Twilight Time)
or 2.55 (Sidonis)
THE MAN FROM LARAMIE is a film of such importance many fans will
not mind double dipping.
Staying in the UK Studio Canal are releasing two classic Brit Noirs
on Blu Ray THE BLUE LAMP and POOL OF LONDON. The latter title
is an all time fave of our friend Jerry.
Yes, and I’ll bet those night scenes in London’s Docklands will look terrific in BluRay, John.
Well I finally got to see JOHNNY GUITAR,after all these
years,with the Olive Signature Blu Ray.
All I can say it’s by far the best transfer that I have ever seen of
a Trucolor movie…it’s eye popping!
The thought of seeing RIDE THE MAN DOWN or HELLFIRE in this
quality (with a voice over by Mr Roan) is mind blowing but I am sure
not holding my breath.
I always,wrongly thought JOHNNY GUITAR was one of those intense
psychological Westerns like THE HALLIDAY BRAND.
In fact there is a lot of physical action in JOHNNY GUITAR as well as
those lovely Sedona locations.
JOHNNY GUITAR sort of stands alone as a one of a kind Western-but
it does share themes with two excellent Allan Dwan Westerns.
WOMAN THEY ALMOST LYNCHED and SILVER LODE.
When the two strident females sort out their issues they actually bond
in the former title,unlike the pair in JOHNNY GUITAR.
The film also reminds me of a Dwan non Western the very impressive
SLIGHTLY SCARLET,that film has a similar sensuous use of color,
features shifts in tone and mood and is equally subversive-furthermore,
the characters exist in their own personal world.
I enjoyed JOHNNY GUITAR very much and look forward to many repeated
viewings.
Interestingly,circa late Fifties early Sixties a French critic asked Boetticher
what he thought of Dwan and Ray..it’s interesting that he paired these two
directors;sadly they were not on Budd’s radar,he offered no opinion.
In the influential UK magazine Movie in 1963 they had an entire issue
devoted to Ray.,JOHNNY GUITAR is only given cursory references.
The Movie in depth analysis of Ray’s work has extensive sections on Ray’s
two other Technicolor Westerns. Judging by that JOHNNY GUITAR’S
reputation was not that hot in 1963,in the UK at least.
John, so glad you got to see Johnny Guitar — and to hear you liked it.
What I find so fascinating, and genius, about Johnny Guitar is how it’s sort of the movie you want it to be. There’s the feminist angle, the “kinky” thing you mentioned, the HUAC allegory, the just general subversive side of it — and it’s still just a good Western at the same time.
Interesting that you’d compare it to Silver Lode — that was what struck me about it when I watched it last week.
I’ve noted the similarity to Slightly Scarlet, too — mainly because I once ended up seeing them a few days apart. The mid-50s were a great time for movies, weren’t they?
Oh, and another thing. Is the interior set of the cabin toward the end of the film (Dancing Kid’s hideout) the same set from Bells of Coronado?
In the UK at least it was very hard to track down Republic A Westerns
that you had missed first time around.I missed JOHNNY GUITAR on
its first run and it was quickly withdrawn from the revival circuit.
Young Western film fans could catch many Republic Westerns in the
early Sixties at the notorious Imperial cinema in Notting Hill’s Portobello
Road.The core audience at the Imperial in the early Sixties were young
film buffs and impoverished Black senior citizens.The area was very run
down dominated by ruthless slum landlords;a far cry from the trendy place
it is today.The necrophiliac serial killer John Christie worked there as
a projectionist,but not,I might add when I frequented the place,.Rod
Cameron was a favorite at the Imperial,I saw so many of his
Republic A Westerns there.
The extras on the Signature edition are OK but sadly the best of these
is only 6 minutes long an overview of Republic studios-I wish that it ran
for an hour.
The short overview does attempt to deconstruct one supposed myth
that John Wayne hated Vera Ralston.The extra feature states that
Wayne rather liked Ralston but was unhappy with the attention that the
studio gave her.
One thing that appears in the signature “extras” and it’s something
that really gets my goat-is the constant referral to Republic as a
B Movie outfit. Sure Republic made wagonloads of B Movies but they were
not a true B Movie outfit,unlike say Monogram.
From 1949-1956 Republic made many big budget A movies attracting
such A listers as Wayne,O’ Hara,Welles,MacMurray,Milland,Stanwyk,
and so on.They made many expensive big budget films,flagship titles
like JUBILEE TRAIL.THE LAST COMMAND,FAIR WIND TO JAVA,
THE QUIET MAN,THE MAVERICK QUEEN and TROUBLE IN THE GLEN.
I do remember the latter title as a bit of a snoozer but to see it in all it’s
Trucolor glory like JOHNNY GUITAR would be very appealing.
Even the Cameron,Tucker,Elliott Westerns that we all love so much had
decent budgets and I get peeved when the mis-informed keep referring
to them as B Movies.Most of Bill Elliott’s early Republic’s,Columbia’s and
later Monogram/Allied Artists Westerns were in fact B Movies,but the
10 films he made for Republic,later on were indeed A Movies.
This is something we’ve covered a few times on this blog — the definition of a B Movie changed over time, and it’s become a bit of an insult to a lot of movies and move-makers that I really love.
One thing that rather put me off JOHNNY GUITAR was Leonard
Maltin’s reference that it was the screens great “kinky” Western.
In retrospect that’s a fair appraisal. Before the Spaghetti era I don’t think
there were many “kinky” westerns.FORTY GUNS certainly has kinky
elements but it’s more a case of Fuiller flamboyance,for the most part.
The only kinky Western that comes to mind is HE RIDES TALL,that film is
indeed nasty and misogynistic but not without some merit.
HE RIDES TALL was directed by Republic veteran R.G.Springsteen.
Interestingly HE RIDES TALL was the only Western of the pre-Spaghetti
era to gain an “x” certificate in the UK. (only over 16’s admitted)
It was the support feature to Dr. TERRORS HOUSE OF HORRORS.
The only other two “X” certificate Westerns were CURSE OF THE
UNDEAD and FIEND THAT WALKED THE WEST,.
.
Toby, Re B movies.
What seems to have happened is that we have gone from a business template to any one’s opinion. That is not good, and John has more than a point. Words have meanings and should, must, be treated respectfully by all, even classic film fans.
That’s a good way to put it, Barry.
Of course, as the twin-bill died, no one understood what the B meant anymore.
Yes, the term ‘B-movie’ is bandied around much too freely now IMHO. It clearly was meant to describe the shorter feature on a double bill (they all were up to late 50s or thereabouts), as in the ‘A’ feature and the ‘B’ feature. We all know this but it is used all over the place now as a sort of detrimental term by writers who look down on certain types of film, and maybe westerns in particular annoyingly.
As and Bs are clearly a different product and should be viewed as such in their own right. To me, both have great value.
Glad you have ‘discovered’ “JOHNNY GUITAR”, john! I also discovered it properly myself only a few months ago and surprised myself by how much I enjoyed it this time around.
Just a point of interest my Signature Blu Ray of JOHNNY GUITAR
is region free. Gary at DVD Beaver notes the his version is region
free as well. Interestingly Gary notes the the Signature HIGH NOON
(mine’s in the mail) is region A coded.
My Olive Blu Ray’s of THE INVISIBLE MONSTER and FLYING DISC
MAN FROM MARS are region free as well…..yet Gary notes that his version
of MONSTER OF PIREDAS BLANCAS is region A coded…go figure.
Those enterprising cats at Kino Lorber have noted THOSE REDHEADS
FROM SEATTLE as a 3D Blu Ray.
I have not embraced the home 3D home viewing experience myself…
yet! but more and more films from the classic era are being released
in that format
Good to see Kino release a Pine-Thomas production-hopefully more
will follow over time. For all their faults the PT films had high production
values and would look gorgeous in high definition.
The attraction for me is lovely Rhonda Fleming in high definition.
THOSE REDHEADS FROM SEATTLE was scripted by Geoffrey Homes
(Dan Mainwaring) best known for OUT OF THE PAST and INVASION OF
THE BODY SNATCHERS and shot by the great Lionel Lindon.
Kino note that the film was Paramount’s first widescreen (1.66) film and
will be presented in that format.
Yes it’s great to see all these gems from the Fifties getting high definition
releases-and as Toby notes the mid Fifties were a generally great era
for movies.
I hope that eventually the aforementioned SILVER LODE and SLIGHTLY
SCARLET get released on Blu Ray.
Another great Sedona shot Western is THE LAST WAGON and that’s already
out on Blu Ray from Koch in Germany and it looks great.
Another subversive little Western is STRANGER ON HORSEBACK that has
the very mysterious Miroslava cracking a mean whip throughout the film.
The lovely Sedona locations are trashed in the only surviving print and
that’s a pity because the film needs a proper restoration if better elements
surface somewhere.
JOHNNY GUITAR and STRANGER ON HORSEBACK would make a wonderful
strident women of Sedona double bill.
It is great to see some of these Fifties movies getting released ,but sometimes legal issues prevent this .I asked Kino about a DVD release for SUBMARINE COMMAND ,a Paramount film but they told me music issues have to be cleared .The same over at Warner Archive .Someone asked about a DVD release for SURFSIDE SIX ,77 SUNSET STRIP and HAWAIIAN EYE but complicated legal issues have to be cleared .
I read where Maria Cooper was receiving emails from fans of her father Gary wondering why THE HANGING TREE was not available on DVD .She figured Warner’s didn’t want to do a less then perfect job on it .The problem was a legal issue with the estate of the author of the book .When this was finally sorted out they had to find a decent print with which they could work with and the end result was very pleasing according to Maria .So this is the problem that some of these films face .The longer it goes on the harder it may be to find a good copy and the fans of these films are getting older.
Koch,Germany sure love giving us high-def versions of our beloved
Universal Fifties Programmer Westerns.
Aside from MAN FROM BITTER RIDGE soon to appear on Blu Ray,they
have just announced John Sherwood’s quirky RAW EDGE for December
making it’s Worldwide Blu Ray debut.
RAW EDGE will be 1.85 widescreen-should look wonderful.
At the same time they are releasing on DVD only Joel McCrea’s BLACK
HORSE CANYON-sadly a high def master of this title does not seem to exist.
I.m still trying to discover why so many Universal Fifties titles,in general
seem to be on the missing list.We have already discussed missing
CinemaScope films like DAY OF THE BADMAN,SAGA OF HEMP BROWN,
WILD & THE INNOCENT (released by Universal France as 4×3 as was
THE PURPLE MASK) Other high profile films have never even had a
DVD release-THE TATTERED DRESS,NEVER STEAL ANYTHING SMALL,
ISTANBUL,FIVE GIRLS IN TOWN,THE SECOND GREATEST SEX and many
others.With Euro companies like Koch and Elephant really mining the
Universal vaults surely some of these may surface over time-if in fact they
still exist-we keep hearing about the Universal fire!!
Elephant have announced some great Universal titles for next year
including MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES on Blu Ray-should look sensational.
There are lots of rare Douglas Sirk (don’t know the format yet) including
the intriguing sounding TAKE ME TO TOWN which I have never seen.
Many of the aforementioned may appear on the Universal Vault MOD
series,but personally I’d take a Koch or Elephant Blu Ray any day.
TAKE ME TO TOWN is a real charmer. It’s a lovely piece of Americana. A “family film,” the closest thing I might compare it to is McCrea’s SADDLE TRAMP.
Best wishes,
Laura
John K,….methinks you mean FOUR GIRLS IN TOWN…color CinemaScope
and a great roster of Universal rising talent,including the always watchable
Grant Williams.
A new release from Madman Entertainment in Australia is getting released next week .It is called AUDIE MURPHY :MAN OF THE WEST COLLECTION. The movies on this are-
SIERRA -1950
THE KID FROM TEXAS-1950
KANSAS RAIDERS-1950
THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT-1959
SIX BLACK HORSES-1952
SHOWDOWN-1963
GUNPOINT-1966
Not a bad collection but overseas buyers will probably need a multi region player to play it on.
Hi gcwe1…a great collection for Audie fans.
Interesting that SHOWDOWN is making it’s worldwide DVD debut-in fact
it’s the only one of Audie’s Universal Westerns that is thus far unreleased.
SHOWDOWN is excellent and the only one of his Universal Westerns
made in black & white.
I’d be very interested to see what ratio WILD & THE INNOCENT is in,
the Universal France version was 4×3 not CinemaScope 2.35.
I have all the other films but if WILD & THE INNOCENT is in the correct
ratio I will get this set for that alone and to have,at last SHOWDOWN
in top notch quality.
Some great titles there with the hard to find and grossly underrated
THE KID FROM TEXAS. The film broke box office records for Universal
and set Audie off on the Western trail.
I hope that this means we will be getting more Westerns from Australia.
Needless to say if this was a Blu Ray collection I’d buy it in a heartbeat-
the very fine KANSAS RAIDERS is the only one that I have on Blu Ray.
The Dutch version of SIX BLACK HORSES was very poor,I hope that the
Australian version is an improvement.
If only Audie was so highly regarded in his home nation-I’d much rather
buy USA discs of Audie films rather than trawling all over the globe.
John K,according to the Madman website the original aspect ratio is 4×3 .I am assuming that this is for all films .JB HIFI have the best price for this set at AU$51.98 and I believe they ship overseas .Madman have it advertised for AU$69.95 ,a big price difference .
I note that the artwork for Koch Media’s RAW EDGE and BLACK
HORSE CANYON is up on their website http://www.kochmedia-film.de
I cannot wait for RAW EDGE in high definition widescreen.
The artwork for the BLACK HORSE CANYON DVD is equally impressive
presented in attractive “digibook” packaging.
Just compare that to the horrendous artwork on Simply Media UK’s version.
Simply Media must qualify for the worst artwork ever on their DVD’s cheap.
nasty and totally un-appealing.
Hi Linnet ,I agree with you on the Simply Media artwork .They have done it on the cheap (the artwork that is) so it’s not as though they couldn’t find a decent picture .
I really like the idea you have for your blog! Westerns are not usually my genre of choice, but I really like them the more I watch them. If I had to pick favourites, I would have to go with “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, but “Johnny Guitar was awesome as well.
I started a blog recently and my first post was on Johnny Guitar. I will post the link below. https://charsmoviereviews.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/johnny-guitar-1954/