Directed by Delmer Daves
Starring Gary Cooper, Maria Schell, Karl Malden, Ben Piazza, George C. Scott, Karl Swenson, Virginia Gregg, John Dierkes
Delmer Daves’ The Hanging Tree (1959) was a huge deal when Warner Archive brought it to DVD back in 2012. It’d been hard to find for years — and ratty-looking when you did find it. Now it looked pretty terrific.
Warner Archive has announced an upcoming Blu-Ray rollout for The Hanging Tree in early 2018. Great news and a great, great movie.
Simply superb news. This is not only one of my favorite westerns, but a favorite film. I’m delighted!
According to Gary Cooper’s daughter WB had trouble finding a suitable negative to release it on DVD.Maria Schell was so lovely in this film.
A great start to 2018.
Gary at DVD Beaver and Glenn at DVD Savant
give glowing reviews to Kino’s new Blu Ray of FOUR FACES WEST.
Both agree the many exterior scenes glow in high definition.
Glenn provides a fascinating essay on the film’s background and
it’s failure at the box office.
Glenn also reviews Explosive’s stunning transfer of NIGHT PASSAGE.
He provides another wonderful essay on the films “political”
subtext-something I must admit evaded me-I’ll have to give the film
another look and other Stewart post Mann Westerns.
Certainly the films script elements were why Mann decided to walk.
For all of NIGHT PASSAGE’s faults (which for me are few) Ill take the
film over MAN OF THE WEST any ay of the week.
Wonderful to see more McCrea,Scott, Murphy Westerns making it to
Blu Ray.
Allen Smithee, I can’t seem to find Glenn’s review of NIGHT PASSAGE. Can you provide a link? I think I know where he’s going in regard to subtext but I’d like to read it anyhow.
Well 2018 certainly is starting with a double barreled BANG!
Gregory Peck’s-Henry King’s best Western THE GUNFIGHTER
is coming to Blu Ray from UK’s Signal One in February.
Spiffing cover art I must say.
The “extras” as far as I can see are held over from Fox’s superb
3 x DVD set of 8 or so years back.
Now all 3 films in that set are available on Blu Ray.
THE GUNFIGHTER is way overdue on Blu Ray.
A question…..with Disney’s acquisition of Fox does that mean
we could see the revival of the Fox Archives or indeed more Fox classic
releases. I must admit I have not seen Disney making any inroads
on releasing their classic live action films-THE GREAT LOCOMOTIVE CHASE
and so on-perhaps someone can enlighten me.
Allen ,the 3 DVD set you refer to ,is that the one with RAWHIDE ,GARDEN OF EVIL and THE GUNFIGHTER?
Yep! a great 3x DVD set when Fox really cared about vintage movies.
It gets better…THE GUNFIGHTER is from a brand new 4K master…..
WOW!!
I have FOUR FACES WEST on order.This will be my 3rd copy along with a Spanish and UK copy,but since the elements are directly from Paramount ,this should outshine the others.If this wasn’t one of my favourite westerns ,I probably wouldn’t have bothered.I received a western collection today from Japan on a Saturday which was unusual with RIDE THE MAN DOWN ,so guess what I’ll be watching tonight.
Be very interested to hear tomorrow how your Japanese copy of “RIDE THE MAN DOWN” shapes up, Graham! I think many of us here would.
Yes, Graham, just to echo Jerry’s thoughts, please do get back to us on this as such news is always useful and welcome.
This collection is called WESTERN PERFECT COLLECTION .On the case everything is printed in Japenese except the main title.The film titles are printed in English on the discs ,so at least you know what you are watching .The films have English soundtracks with removable Japanese subs .RIDE THE MAN DOWN is in Trucolor and the sound is good.The films are=
FIGHTING MAN OF THE PLAINS
THE LUSTY MEN
WELLS FARGO
THE BARON OF ARIZONA
THE CHARGE AT FEATHER RIVER
LAW AND ORDER
RIMFIRE
RIVER LADY
RIDE THE MAN DOWN
THE OVERLANDERS
The discs come in a compact case a little wider then a VHS case .It cost me AU$30.00 and only took 4 days to arrive .Amazon translated the titles for me so I could see what was on them.The rest of the collections have films which are already on DVD.One or two rarities like ROSE OF CIMMARON ,A LADY TAKES A CHANCE and FLAMING FEATHER are on other collections.I would recommend it as I don’t think RIDE THE MAN DOWN will be restored and released in the USA anytime soon.
Thanks for your helpful feedback, Graham. Was the picture quality about the same as previous copies or any better? Existing copies have always been on the dark side.
A proper restoration would be a dream come true as this is one of my all-time favourite westerns. Top notch! The likelihood though, as you say, is probably minimal. Still, who knows?…
Thanks for that, Graham.
Jerry,the picture quality was definitely watchable ,probably the same as the German copy which I have which was supposed to be in English .I had no problem with it ,although as you say a restoration would be a dream come true.
I have 2 of these collections which includes RED SKIES OF MONTANA which of course is not a western .but that’s the only slip up.They probably seen the name Montana and said 2+2 =5
Cheers.
Here’s the big question, is FIGHTING MAN OF THE PLAINS in color??
Johnny ,the copy on this collection is B/W.
I wonder if we will EVER see FMOTP restored to colour? I seem to remember John K. saying that there was a colour print out there somewhere but my memory could be faulty.
Thanks GC for an answer on Fightin Man… It’s disappointing but hardly unexpected. I have a color copy of Fighting Man.. myself, but the quality leaves a lot to be desired, main problem is it’s dark, but it’s color at least.
As for Big Land and Fighting Man… and the 6 Roy Rogers color movies still missing in color, it’s possible today with the new modern colorizing techniques to colorize all of these features and we’d all be thrilled with beautiful color versions. Even the never-colorers would not be able to complain their standard bellyache “it was meant to be dull old b/w whahhh”. I may have added my own slant to that quote, but the point is the same. These should be colorized to restore them to their color glory. One reason I like ’50’s westerns is because most of them are in beautiful color.
I wish someone would do a good colour version on THE BIG LAND . This is a good film but the colour is terrible,still maybe there isn’t any better elements.A shame if that’s the case.
Jerry,
I did not say there was a color version of FIGHTING MAN OF THE
PLAINS out there,sorry!
I did contact Ignite Films in Holland several years ago who held
high def black & white versions of the three Scott- Nat Holt/Fox Westerns.
They told me that they were making extensive efforts to source color
elements. They did find color elements for CARIBOO TRAIL and
CANADIAN PACIFIC and leased these beautifully restored versions to
Olive Films.
I did say at the time,with today’s advanced and ever evolving technology
they should with the graphic pallette created for the two released films
it should not be too much of a stretch to create a color version of
FIGHTING MAN OF THE PLAINS.
As for RIDE THE MAN DOWN it depends on what shape the master
elements are in-who knows perhaps Paramount might be able to
supply a new 4K master as they have done for other Republic titles.
It also depends on how sales go for similar fare for instance Kino’s
forthcoming 4K restored version of A MAN ALONE. The amount of
“likes” and favorable comments A MAN ALONE has generated on Kino’s
Facebook page is encouraging-far more than is usual for a Fifties
Western.
As I have stated before so many UK Western fans that I know who constantly
moan about Randolph Scott titles not being available in good quality have
not bothered to buy the two beautiful Kino versions-essential for any
Fifties Western fans I would have thought.
So many UK film fans that I know have” long arms and short pockets”
as we say here over in Blighty.
A “film buff” that I know who shall be nameless cracked me up the other
day-he lives in a house worth well over a million pounds (not a stretch in
London these days I might add) yet buys all his DVD’s in charity shops.
He even has the audacity to check on his mobile to see if he can buy
the charity shop item cheaper on Amazon…go figure.
Thanks for reminding me of the proper facts there, John.
Maybe that’s how the guy in the million-pound house got to live in one in the first place!!
I don’t think the existing b/w version of FIGHTING MAN is good enough to colorize. I looked into this 7-8 years ago and was told the b/w print needs to be excellent to produce good colorized print. Which is weird because the b/w version was probably converted from the original Cinecolor print !!!
Yes,but I understand that Ignite have a high-def B & W print
in their archives-not the one that has appeared in various
“unofficial” Euro releases.
My 2018 Blu Ray shopping list……………..so far!
THE FAR COUNTRY a 4K restoration in 1.85 widescreen
Explosive Media
THE GUNFIGHTER……..restored in 4K
Signal One Films
THE HANGING TREE
Warner Archive
A MAN ALONE……………restored in 4K
Kino Lorber
WINCHESTER’73
Spirit Media Germany…..Rumored – Shock Australia confirmed
THE PROUD ONES
Spirit Media/Black Hill, Germany
CATTLE EMPIRE
SIERRA BARON
FORT COURAGEOUS
Movinside,France
Most “Wanted” List
Randolph Scott,Joel McCrea Audie Murphy…..Anything
also: Tribute To A bad Man,Last Train From Gun Hill,The Canadians,
Road To Denver,Charge At Feather River,The Deerslayer,Fort Ti,
The Violent Men,The Naked Spur,Rails Into Laramie,Tom Horn.
Just received Explosive’s THE STRANGER WORE A GUN and
THE LAST FRONTIER.
Both discs are region free.
“Stranger” seems even better in high def and there is some truly
stunning scenery especially in the mid section of the film.
Some stock footage seems to have been included in the chase scenes
and this looks weak compared to the original footage.
The Last Frontier is a lovely 2.55 widescreen transfer-perhaps
Mann’s most underrated Western-film has some of the best landscapes
in any Mann Western.
An ultra “picky” Nick Beal pointed out would officer’s wife Anne Bancroft
have fallen for scruffy crude drunken backwoodsman/trapper Victor
Mature…probably not..their romance is the film’s weak link.
I feel Kirk Douglas could have carried it off..no-one and I mean no one did the
“Noble Savage” like Mr Douglas.
John K,
Sidonis in France released THE VIOLENT MEN on Blu-Ray.
Thanks Mike-I knew that but I avoid Sidonis like
the plague because of their hideous “forced” subs.
I’m sure someone like Explosive or Twilight Time will
eventually get round to releasing it as both release
lots of Sony product.
How about TEXAS RANGERS or TENSION AT TABLE ROCKS ?? Both great movies screaming for a restoration release. Whatever happened with Olive Films? Have they stopped remastering westerns? I bought an Edmund Obrien and James Cagney western (RUN FOR COVER/DENVER AND RIO GRANDE) from them that were fantastic restorations.
TENSION AT TABLE ROCK-(along with DEVIL’S CANYON,GREAT
DAY IN THE MORNING,and TREASURE OF PANCHO VILLA) will eventually
be released by Warner Archive when it’s finally restored.
I would rather these films also be available on Blu Ray if the restorations
are up to standard.
Should have included THE TEXAS RANGERS on my list I guess the
dreaded Sidonis will eventually get around to it.
The screengrabs on their recent THE PATHFINDER look fab!!
http://www.westernmovies.fr
dvdclassik.com
Why the **** is nobody in America interested in releasing these sort of films.
“Why the **** is nobody in America interested in releasing these sort of films.”
Don’t ask.
Richard W…..
Welcome back.
Have you seen HOSTILES it’s getting pretty mixed reviews
on Rotten Tomatoes…..I was hoping this was the one Western we were
hoping might lead to a mini revival of the genre.
I’m rather dismayed that The Guardian’s truly dreadful Peter Bradshaw
seems to like it…he thought the abysmal THE HOMESMAN was some sort
of masterpiece….need I say more.
I also seem to recall Bradshaw was in raptures over the equally dire
BONE TOMAHAWK.
To be honest Richard,I don’t really care if no-one makes another Western
ever,certainly not with films like THE HANGING TREE,THE GUNFIGHTER
THE PROUD ONES and THE FAR COUNTRY constantly turning up in
high def..that;s enough for me one things for sure we will never see
their like or their stars again.
I share your disillusion with current westerns, John K. The nihilism and ambivalence of the spaghetti western, the need to be cool, and America’s own preoccupation with political correctness, has poisoned the well. The netflix production GODLESS is a good example of everything that’s wrong with newly made westerns. The filmmakers can’t see from where they stand and neither can the critics. I don’t plan on watching HOSTILES. Tommy Lee Jones is a total wuss in real life as well in westerns, and I’ve lost respect for him. If I never see another Tommy Lee Jones films it will be too soon. I wish I could erase THE HOMESMAN from my memory. Although based on a fine classic novel Jones’ film version leaves a bad taste in the mouth, like finding out you were served a dead cat in your burrito.
Ed Harris’ APPALOOSA was the last truly memorable western, but 2008 was a long time ago. I’ve started mentioning westerns in my facebook page to fill the wait for and gap between book announcements.
I’m excited about upcoming blurays of classic westerns, 3D films and genre films especially THE HANGING TREE. 4K scans, who would have thought.
I have FOUR FACES WEST on order ,but I think I will have to wait until 2018 before it arrives .I just received BILL ELLIOT DETECTIVE MYSTERIES but it kept freezing so they are sending a replacement .So annoying .I also received CEASE FIRE which was good .Hopefully THE BLUE KNIGHT will be released in early 2018 .I did read that COLT 45 was being restored but can’t confirm anything.
I would like to wish all the guys and gals who visit this wonderful blog,and also Toby our host ,who keeps us in line a Safe and Happy Christmas and New Year and hope all your wishes come true very soon.
William Wellman’s TRACK OF THE CAT (1954) because of its unusual color-coordination in set-design, costume and landscape photography and its highly specialized lab processing is the western I’d most like to see receive the 4K scan. It could look spectacular if correctly done. I don’t know how it would fare in the the digital realm — McCABE & MILLER (1971) another film noted for its unorthodox approach in exposure, lighting, filtering and color timing didn’t fare too well under a 4K restoration but that could be more attributable to someone making the wrong decisions along the way rather than to the technology. Anyhow, I nominate TRACK OF THE CAT.
This is one big fan of HOSTLES; I was thinking of some OSCAR NODS here, but unfortunately, (this note FEB.7th ’19) not even a mention of this terrific western here in pre-Oscar-show nominations; a film that I thought for sure, would re-open the WESTERN again . What a bummer…really folks, this is an OUTSTANDING motion picture.