Blu-Ray News #361: Proud Rebel (1958).

Directed by Michael Curtiz
Starring Alan Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger, David Ladd, Cecil Kellaway, Harry Dean Stanton, Henry Hull, John Carradine

Bought a DVD of Proud Rebel (1958) years ago, looking forward to seeing it again. It had been decades. Popped the disc into my player — and maybe four minutes later, took it out. (Watched a few episodes of Dragnet instead.)

The point is that given the material out there on this movie, you might be better off not watching it at all. Which is the predicament I’m sure our friends at ClassicFlix are about to take care of. As they tell it, “The Proud Rebel scan we have acquired is in 4K and from an IB Tech print. It has some inherent flaws, but will be, by far, the best presentation of this beloved Western once we’re done restoring it.”

Can’t wait, y’all.

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Happy Father’s Day.

Here’s Jack Holt with his daughter Jennifer and son Tim — on the RKO lot in the late 40s.

If you’re a dad, it’s your day. Enjoy it, especially if it includes putting on a favorite 50s Western.

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American Cinematographer, 1955.

A nice look at widescreen photography and projection in the mid-1950s.

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Blu-Ray News #360: The Fastest Gun Alive (1956).

Directed by Russell Rouse
Starring Glenn Ford, Jeanne Crain, Broderick Crawford, Russ Tamblyn, Allyn Joslyn, Leif Erickson, John Dehner, Noah Beery Jr., J. M. Kerrigan, Rhys Williams, Virginia Gregg, Chubby Johnson, John Doucette, Paul Birch, Glenn Strange, Kermit Maynard, Dub Taylor, John Dierkes

Warner Archive has announced The Fastest Gun Alive (1956) for its next batch of Blu-Ray releases (July, I believe). Glenn Ford made so many terrific Westerns around this time — Jubal (1956), 3:10 To Yuma (1957), Cowboy (1958), etc., and I’ve always felt Fastest Gun gets lost in the crowd. (That’s why it gets a chapter in my book.)

It’s a really terrific movie and George Folsey’s cinematography will look great in hi-def. And look at that cast! Highly, highly recommended.

Thanks to Mr. Richard Vincent for the news.

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Happy Birthday, Dean Martin.

Dean Paul Martin (Dino Paul Crocetti
(June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995)

Dean Martin was born 106 years ago today. He loved Westerns and he was good in ’em, especially playing Dude in Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959).

Happy birthday to JK, too.

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Happy Birthday, Stacy Keach.

Walter Stacy Keach, Jr.
(Born June 2, 1941)

Few actors that I can think of have a list of credits as interesting as Stacy Keach. From Fat City (1972) to The New Centurians (1972) to The Ninth Configuration (1980), he’s made some terrific, and just plain different, movies.

He brought Mike Hammer into the 80s and kept it good (probably quite a task) though two series and a handful of TV movies. Plus, he and his brother James spearheaded one of the last great Westerns, The Long Riders (1980).

Just completed a commentary track on that last one, and more than ever, I’m convinced that Walter Hill made a terrific film and that Stacy Keach is one of the finest actors of his generation.

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