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.
Archive for the ‘Dean Martin’ Category
Happy Birthday, Dean Martin.
Posted in 1959, Angie Dickinson, Dean Martin, Howard Hawks, John Wayne, Walter Brennan on June 7, 2023| 4 Comments »
4K News #360: Rio Bravo (1959).
Posted in 1959, Angie Dickinson, Claud Akins, Dean Martin, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Howard Hawks, John Russell, John Wayne, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, Warner Bros. on May 23, 2023| 4 Comments »
Directed by Howard Hawks
Starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, Claud Akins, John Russell
Warner Bros. is bringing their new restoration of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959) to 4K disc in July. Haven’t seen any info on a new DVD or Blu-Ray. This is my favorite Western and it has never been all that stellar-looking on video, so I’m really stoked about this. Hope and pray it doesn’t have that sickly yellow tint that infects so many restorations of older films lately.
Thanks to Dick Vincent for the news.
Jim Ridley On Rio Bravo.
Posted in 1959, Angie Dickinson, Claud Akins, Dean Martin, Howard Hawks, John Wayne, Walter Brennan on December 13, 2021| 2 Comments »
Nashville Scene used to boast a film writer named Jim Ridley. He’s about my age and he passed away a few years ago. Came across a compilation of his writing over the weekend called People Only Die Of Love In The Movies. In it, there’s his short piece on Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959).
You may know by now that Rio Bravo is my favorite Western. I’m not gonna say it’s the best necessarily, but if I was headed to the electric chair and I got to watch one Western before they threw the switch, that’d be the one I’d pick (and not because of its long-ish running time).
Anyway, Mr. Ridley nailed Rio Bravo. What makes it special. What it is about it that’s so different. After reading his piece, I thought I would’ve loved to have met him for coffee or lunch somewhere just to geek out on Rio Bravo. That woulda really been something.
Here’s a couple gems from his review (from Nashville Scene, November 2, 2006):
“After the big-budget thud of Land Of The Pharaohs, Howard Hawks emerged from a three-year sabbatical, including a stay in Paris and a purposeful study of TV drama, to create his 1959 rifle opera: a laid-back yet hard-headed response to the sanctimonious High Noon — which pissed off the director because no lawman worth his badge would ask civilians to risk their hides doing his job. The result is an irresistible ode to loyalty, cool under fire and masculine honor — which in the Hawks universe extends even to Angie Dickinson’s stand-up saloon girl.”
“Perhaps the most purely enjoyable Western ever made, Rio Bravo only deepens with age and repeated viewing, right down to the genial juxtaposition of Martin’s slouch and Wayne’s saunter. It’s doubtful another American movie has ever taken so much interest in the way its characters walk — or understood why it matters.”
Mr. Ridley, I’m sure sorry we never got to talk Rio Bravo. Would’ve been a blast.
Blu-Ray News #307: The Sons Of Katie Elder (1965).
Posted in Dean Martin, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Henry Hathaway, John Doucette, John Wayne, Lucien Ballard, Martha Hyer, Paramount, Paul Fix on July 20, 2020| 14 Comments »
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer, Michael Anderson Jr., Earl Holliman, George Kennedy, Paul Fix, James Gregory, Dennis Hopper, John Doucette, Strother Martin, Percy Helton
Paramount has announced a September Blu-Ray release of The Sons Of Katie Elder (1965). It’s a terrific movie, with an incredible cast and gorgeous cinematography from the great Lucien Ballard. Paramount’s Blu-Rays of pictures like this can be stunning, if they’re not overly processed like El Dorado (1966) was. Still, it comes highly recommended.
With this announcement this week, and last week’s news of The Gunfighter (1950) from Criterion, things are looking pretty good.
Making Movies: Rio Bravo (1959).
Posted in 1959, Angie Dickinson, Dean Martin, Howard Hawks, John Wayne, Making Movies, Ward Bond on August 6, 2018| 20 Comments »
Came across this in an old issue of American Cinematographer. John Wayne watches Dean Martin shoot one of his scenes in Rio Bravo (1959).
And another. This time, it’s Wayne with Ward Bond.
50s Westerns Blu-ray News #173: Rio Bravo (1959) Returns To Blu-ray And Brings Cahill (1973) And The Train Robbers (1973) With It.
Posted in 1959, Angie Dickinson, Ben Johnson, Burt Kennedy, Dean Martin, Denver Pyle, Dimitri Tiomkin, DVD reviews, releases, TV, etc., Hank Worden, Harry Carey Jr., Howard Hawks, Marie Windsor, Neville Brand, Old Tucson, Post-1959, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond on February 27, 2015| 15 Comments »
Rio Bravo (1959)
Directed by Howard Hawks
Starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond
My favorite Western, Rio Bravo (1959), has been missing from Blu-ray for some time now (I’d heard it had something to do with music or story rights). Was really happy to find out it was being reissued. However, I’d heard the old Blu-ray wasn’t anything to write home about, and there’s no news yet on if this new edition is remastered or not (I’m assuming not). A new 2K transfer was done not long ago, but there’s been no mention of it for the Blu-ray.
Regardless, Rio Bravo is a terrific movie and certainly worth adding to your high-definition shelf. When it arrives June 2, I’d love to toast my copy with a bit of Duke bourbon (haven’t located it in North Carolina yet).
The Train Robbers (1973)
Directed by Burt Kennedy
Starring John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Rod Taylor, Ben Johnson
Also coming to Blu-ray are a couple of later Wayne pictures. The Train Robbers (1973) is a lot of fun, Burt Kennedy at the top of his game. Wayne and Ben Johnson are terrific together, of course. As a kid, the train stuck in the sand, on the big Panavision screen, was a striking image that really stuck with me.
Cahill: U.S. Marshal (1973)
Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
Starring John Wayne, George Kennedy, Neville Brand, Clay O’Brian, Marie Windsor, Harry Carey Jr., Paul Fix, Hank Worden
In some ways, Cahill: U.S. Marshal (1973) isn’t a very good movie. But as a John Wayne extended-family reunion, it can’t be beat (take a quick look at that cast). Wayne’s interplay with Neville Brand is worth the price of admission, and it’s always good to see Marie Windsor in anything.
These three titles are available separately (highly recommended, at a great price) from Warners, and as part of a John Wayne Westerns Collection set.
Thanks to Dick Vincent for the tip.
“Hey, Dude! How Do Ya Like Them Apples?” Rio Bravo (1959) Heads To The National Registry.
Posted in 1959, Angie Dickinson, Dean Martin, Howard Hawks, John Wayne, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond on December 22, 2014| 4 Comments »
Who would’ve thought? The government actually got something right. Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959) has been selected for preservation in the Library Of Congress. That means their board has deemed it “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”
We coulda told them that years ago.
Thanks for the news, Blake.
50s Westerns DVD News #165: Pardners (1956).
Posted in 1956, Bob Steele, Dean Martin, DVD reviews, releases, TV, etc., Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef, Paramount, Warner Archive on November 11, 2014| 17 Comments »
Directed by Norman Taurog
Starring Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Agnes Moorehead, Lori Nelson, Jeff Morrow, Lon Chaney, Jr., Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef, Bob Steele
Went to a screening of Rio Bravo (1959) over the weekend, and with Dean Martin on my mind, was thinking that it’s about time to revisit him and Jerry Lewis in Pardners (1956).
Soon got to wondering where I’d find a copy, since the old Martin & Lewis DVD sets are out of print and bringing collector-type prices. Well, I didn’t need to worry. Our friends at Warner Archive have released (today, in fact), the Best of Martin & Lewis Volumes 1 and 2. Pardners is in the second batch.
Pardners would be the next-to-last picture Martin and Jerry Lewis made together. This photo seems to sum up their relationship at the time. (The battered record sleeve seems appropriate, too.)
It’s hard to really recommend these films, since people’s opinions of them fluctuate so much, especially where Lewis is concerned. Me, I like them and grew up catching them on TV whenever I could. (Artists And Models, which is in this same volume, might be my favorite of all their pictures.) Pardners‘ VistaVision photography should look terrific on our spiffy HDTVs.
Screening(s): A Weekend Of Wayne.
Posted in 1956, 1959, Angie Dickinson, Dean Martin, Dimitri Tiomkin, Festivals, screenings, Hank Worden, Harry Carey Jr., Howard Hawks, Jeffrey Hunter, Jimmy Stewart, John Ford, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Old Tucson, Pre-1950, Richard Boone, Richard Widmark, Tim Holt, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, William H. Clothier on October 30, 2014| 6 Comments »
The Cary, a newly-renovated theater in downtown Cary (naturally), North Carolina, has put together a weekend of John Wayne pictures, which includes many of his best. If anybody’s planning on going to some of these, let me know.
All of a sudden, I’m kinda glad I live here.
The Searchers (1956)
Thursday, November 6, 7 PM
Donovan’s Reef (1963)
Thursday, November 6, 9:30 PM
Rio Bravo (1959)
Friday, November 7, 7 PM
Stagecoach (1939)
Friday, November 7, 9:30 PM
Red River (1948)
Saturday, November 8, 7 PM
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Saturday, November 8, 9:30 PM
The Alamo (1960)
Sunday, November 9, 2 PM
The Cary
122 E. Chatham Street
Cary, NC 27511
(919) 462-2051
Thanks for the tip, Jennifer.
Happy Birthday, Angie Dickinson.
Posted in Angie Dickinson, Dean Martin, Howard Hawks, John Wayne on September 30, 2014| 15 Comments »
Here’s wishing Angie Dickinson a happy birthday. Of course, I’m gonna offer up a photo of her on the set of my favorite Western, Rio Bravo (1959).
Howard Hawks gives the film such a cool, friendly vibe, and the performances are so good, that I feel like I’ve known its characters all my life.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 