Posted in Ben Johnson, Elisha Cook, Jr., Festivals, screenings, Hank Worden, Katy Jurado, Post-1959, Slim Pickens on August 15, 2016 | 8 Comments »
Directed by Marlon Brando
Starring Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Timothy Carey
New York’s Film Forum will run the new restoration of One-Eyed Jacks (1961) for a week, October 14-20. Hope some of you can make it out.
Posted in Clint Walker, DVD reviews, releases, TV, etc., Jack Elam, Leo Gordon, Olive Films, Paramount, Post-1959 on August 10, 2016 | 21 Comments »
Directed by Joseph Pevney
Written by Warren Douglas
Starring Clint Walker, Martha Hyer, Keenan Wynn, Nancy Kulp, Jack Elam, Leo Gordon, Regis Toomey
Olive Films is continuing their Olive Signature series with a couple of great ones for October on both DVD and Blu-ray. First, there’s John Ford’s wonderful The Quiet Man (1952) — of course, one of the finest films ever made.
Then there’s The Night Of The Grizzly (1966), a solid picture with a great cast, and a fine script from Warren Douglas, who wrote one of my favorite 50s Westerns, Dragoon Wells Massacre (1957). What’s kinda neat about this new edition is that among the “Signature Features” is a commentary by yours truly. It was a lot of fun to do, and I hope any of y’all that hear it enjoy it.
Posted in Ben Johnson, Festivals, screenings, Hank Worden, Katy Jurado, Paramount, Post-1959, Slim Pickens on May 11, 2016 | 59 Comments »
Directed by Marlon Brando
Starring Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Pina Pellicer, Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Larry Duran, Sam Gilman, Timothy Carey, Ray Teal, Hank Worden
The Cannes Film Festival starts today. For me, the highlight is certainly the debut of the restoration of Marlon Brando’s One-Eyed Jacks (1961) — a movie I’ve been fascinated by since I watched it on the afternoon movie back in 1978. It’s also the subject of my first book, which I really wish was completed.
The great Charles Lang shot One-Eyed Jacks in VistaVision — it was supposedly the last film released in the process, so the new transfer should be incredible. Theatrical screenings and a Blu-ray release are in the works, they say.
Posted in DVD reviews, releases, TV, etc., Panamint, Post-1959 on October 11, 2015 | 10 Comments »
Directed by Phillip Borsos
Starring Richard Farnsworth, Jackie Burroughs
Working in video stores in college, I used to push The Grey Fox (1982) off on anybody I could. “You liked Beverly Hills Cop? Then you’ll love this!” I’m happy to say that almost everyone I persuaded to take home the old Media VHS tape ended up liking it.
I’m so happy it’s coming to Blu-ray (region free!) from Panamint Cinema, folks I’m sure will treat it right. It remains one of my favorite films of the 80s, a decade that didn’t knock me out movie-wise. Panamint lists the release date as November 16. Highly, highly recommended!
Posted in Lex Barker, Post-1959 on June 7, 2015 | 14 Comments »
Pierre Brice
(February 6, 1929 – June 6, 2015)
Pierre Brice, who played the Apache chief Winnetou in German Westerns based on books by Karl May, passed away yesterday. The series, which originally starred Lex Barker as Old Shatterhand and ran from 1962 to 1968, was extremely successful — and predated the Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood pictures from Italy. Brice continued to play Winnetou well into the 90s.
This blog does not concern itself with Westerns from Europe or the 60s. But it’s safe to say many of us out there, particularly in Europe, became Western fans through these films.
Thanks to Laura for bringing this to my attention.
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.
Posted in Andy Devine, Edmond O'Brien, Jimmy Stewart, John Ford, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Lee Van Cleef, Making Movies, Post-1959 on February 23, 2015 | 19 Comments »
My wife and I watched John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) on our honeymoon. So as our anniversary rolls around, it usually comes to mind. And this seems like a good excuse to highlight yet another Ford masterpiece.
Here’s Wayne’s hat from the film. In black and white, it seems so much lighter.
Lee Marvin’s vest. After his years doing M Squad on TV, Liberty Valance helped Marvin transition from heavy to leading roles as he returned to features.
One of Edith Head’s sketches for Vera Miles’ costumes.
John Ford and his terrific cast break for tea. Judging from who’s present and how they’re dressed, they must’ve been shooting the dinner scene where Marvin makes Stewart drop Wayne’s steak — and Strother Martin gets kicked in the face.
Jimmy Stewart punches John Wayne — with Ford and crew very very close.
Jennifer and I often celebrate our anniversary by going out for steaks. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
