Posted in ClassicFlix, DVD/Blu-Ray News, George "Gabby" Hayes, George Archainbaud, Hopalong Cassidy, Lesley Selander, Paramount, United Artists, William Boyd on December 13, 2022| 9 Comments »
From the ClassicFlix newsletter: “We have several major projects underway, the largest at the moment is restoration of all 66 Hopalong Cassidy feature films… The first three films in the series are Hop-A-long Cassidy, The Eagle’s Brood and Bar 20 Rides Again (all 1935).”
This is wonderful news. I can’t wait. More news to follow.
Posted in Ben Johnson, Charlton Heston, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Kino Lorber, Lucien Ballard, Paramount, Sam Peckinpah, Slim Pickens on December 5, 2022| 10 Comments »
Written & Directed by Tom Gries
Starring Charlton Heston, Joan Hackett, Donald Pleasence, Lee Majors, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, William Schallert, Matt Clark, Luke Askew
This is going to make a lot of people happy — it’s a constant on many Western fans’ Blu-Ray Want List. Kino Lorber has announced an upcoming Blu-Ray release of Will Penny (1968), one of the finest post-50s Westerns of them all.
Writer-director Tom Gries based his screenplay on an episode of The Westerner, which he also wrote and directed. (Sam Peckinpah created the series.) Charlton Heston often said this was his best performance and named this his favorite of his own films. Lucien Ballard’s cinematography is incredible, and will be beautiful on Blu-Ray — and the entire cast is near perfect.
This is one even real cowboys have a hard time finding fault with. Highly, highly recommended.
Posted in Alan Ladd, Arthur Kennedy, Brian Keith, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Henry Hathaway, John Doucette, Karl Malden, Kino Lorber, Lucien Ballard, Lyle Bettger, Paramount, Paul Fix, Ted de Corsia on September 12, 2022| 27 Comments »
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Starring Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy, Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Landau, Pat Hingle, Paul Fix, Gene Evans, John Doucette, Lyle Bettger, Ted de Corsia
It’s about time on this one! Kino Lorber is bringing Henry Hathaway’s Nevada Smith (1966) to Blu-Ray from the camera negative.
It’s a prequel to The Carpetbaggers (1964) with Steve McQueen playing a younger version of Alan Ladd’s character. It was beautifully shot by Lucien Ballard in a number of incredible locations. For 50s Western fans, its biggest appeal might be its supporting cast of great Western character actors. Highly recommended.
Posted in 1952, Iron Eyes Cody, Jane Russell, Paramount, Podcasts, Roy Rogers, The Carbon Arc Podcast on June 16, 2022| 1 Comment »
Here’s the second episode of The Carbon Arc Podcast. This time, we focus on Frank Tashlin’s Son Of Paleface (1952).
Hope you enjoy it. And a big thanks to Bob Madison for playing along.
Posted in Andy Devine, Denver Pyle, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Edmond O'Brien, Jimmy Stewart, John Carradine, John Ford, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Lee Van Cleef, Paramount, Vera Miles, William H. Clothier on January 14, 2022| 22 Comments »
Directed by John Ford
Starring John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O’Brien, Andy Devine
Just saw that John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) is coming to 4K in April — the first Ford or Wayne picture to do so.
It’s hard to imagine this looking any better than the Blu-Ray, but who’s to complain? It’s one of the finest Westerns ever made.
Image swiped from John Wayne.
Posted in 1959, Anthony Quinn, Dabbs Greer, DVD/Blu-Ray News, John Sturges, Kirk Douglas, Paramount on March 30, 2021| 24 Comments »
Directed by John Sturges
Starring Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Carolyn Jones, Earl Holliman, Brian G. Hutton, Dabbs Greer
Here’s the one so many of us, mainly me, have been waiting for. Last Train From Gun Hill (1959) is coming to Blu-Ray from Paramount in June.
An excellent Western, with terrific VistaVision camerawork from Charles B. Lang Jr., this is one of the pictures that made me a 50s Westerns nut and set me on the path to this blog and the upcoming book. It remains one of my all-time favorite films.
If you’re a reader of this blog, this one’s essential.
Posted in Anthony Quinn, Barbara Stanwyck, Brian Donlevy, Cecil B. DeMille, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Joel McCrea, Kino Lorber, Paramount on February 6, 2021| 2 Comments »
Directed by Cecil B. DeMille
Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Akim Tamiroff, Robert Preston, Lynne Overman, Brian Donlevy, Anthony Quinn
Union Pacific (1939) is a great big Cecil B. DeMille picture about the building of the railroad. It’s got a great cast, some remarkable action sequences and the overall DeMille thing we all love so much.
Kino Lorber is bringing it to Blu-Ray this summer, which should really be something to see. Highly recommended.
Posted in 1953, Alan Ladd, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan, Elisha Cook, Jr., Festivals, screenings, George Stevens, Jack Palance, John Dierkes, Paramount on November 17, 2020| 25 Comments »
Directed by George Stevens
Starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon deWilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan, Emile Meyer, Elisha Cook Jr., Douglas Spencer, John Dierkes, Ellen Corby
The Graham Cinema in Graham, NC, is running George Stevens’ Shane (1953) tonight through Thursday at 7PM.
Tuesday, November 17 thru Thursday, November 19 at 7:00 pm
Graham Cinema
119 N Main Street, Graham, NC 27253
It’s a great old theater, a real favorite of mine. Of course, Shane is terrific, too. And Loyal Griggs Oscar-winning cinematography really needs to be seen on the big screen.
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.
Posted in DVD/Blu-Ray News, Fuzzy Knight, Henry Hathaway, John Wayne, Kino Lorber, Paramount, Ward Bond on July 7, 2020| 3 Comments »
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Starring John Wayne, Betty Field, Harry Carey, Beulah Bondi, Ward Bond, Marjorie Main, John Qualen, Fuzzy Knight
Kino Lorber has announced a Fall Blu-Ray release of Henry Hathaway’s The Shepherd Of The Hills (1941). It’s not a Western, really, since it takes place in the Ozark Mountains, but some Western elements were worked into the novel’s plot to make it more of a John Wayne movie. Wayne was well on his way to becoming a major star — this was just a couple years after Stagecoach (1939).
It was Wayne’s first time working with director Henry Hathaway. They’d do a number of pictures together. It was also the first time we got to see John Wayne in Technicolor, and that gorgeous color will certainly be one of the delights to be found in this new Blu-Ray. This is a beautiful movie. Highly recommended.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 