Posted in 1957, 1958, 1959, Budd Boetticher, Burt Kennedy, Claud Akins, Columbia, Criterion, DVD/Blu-Ray News, James Coburn, Karen Steele, Lucien Ballard, Nancy Gates, Noah Beery Jr., Old Tucson, Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Skip Homeier on April 19, 2023| 8 Comments »
The Criterion Collection has announced an upcoming 4K set of Randolph Scott and Budd Boetticher’s Ranown Cycle: The Tall T (1957), Decision At Sundown (1957), Buchanan Rides Alone (1958), Ride Lonesome (1959) and Comanche Station (1960).
It’s coming in July, so get to shopping for 4K players and TVs!
Wish someone would convince the John Wayne estate to pave the way to get Seven Men From Now (1956), the film that launched the Scott-Boetticher collaboration, out on Blu-Ray.
Posted in Denver Pyle, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Hank Worden, John Dierkes, John Wayne, Richard Boone, Richard Widmark, William H. Clothier on June 10, 2021| 22 Comments »
Directed by John Wayne
Starring John Wayne, Richard Widmark, Laurence Harvey, Frankie Avalon, Patrick Wayne, Linda Cristal, Joan O’Brien, Hank Worden, John Dierkes, Denver Pyle, Olive Carey, Chill Wills, Joseph Calleia, Ken Curtis, Richard Boone
We may never get to see John Wayne’s The Alamo (1960) restored the way we want it to be — the way it deserves to be. But there’s something out there — a Blu-Ray/DVD set from Germany — that’s a little closer to the ideal.
Koch has a three-disc set with the shorter cut on Blu-ray and the 202-minute roadshow version on DVD. (Sadly, the only known print of the longer cut has deteriorated to the point that nothing can be done with it.) There are a handful of extras, some in German, some in English. Amazon.de had a version with different cover art — that one is already sold out.
Since this might be as good as we’ll ever get, this is highly recommended. If you have any details about this — like is the roadshow version anamorphic, is the intermission included and what sort of region lock might be on it — please let us know.
Thanks to Graham for bringing this up.
Posted in 3-D, Andre de Toth, Arthur Hunnicutt, Budd Boetticher, Burt Kennedy, Cameron Mitchell, Claire Trevor, Claud Akins, Columbia, Dorothy Malone, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Edgar Buchanan, Ernest Borgnine, Forrest Tucker, Frank Faylen, Glenn Ford, Gordon Douglas, James Coburn, John Russell, Joseph H. Lewis, Karen Steele, Lee Marvin, Lee Van Cleef, Mill Creek Entertainment, Noah Beery Jr., Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Richard Dennings, Skip Homeier on March 25, 2021| 14 Comments »
Mill Creek has announced the six-disc, 12-movie Blu-Ray set The Randolph Scott Collection, which gives us a great batch of Scott’s Westerns for Columbia.
The Desperadoes (1943)
Directed by Charles Vidor
Starring Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Glenn Ford, Evelyn Keyes, Edgar Buchanan
Scott plays a sheriff after two separate bands of outlaws who rob the same bank at about the same time. Turns out the first robbery was an inside job.
The Nevadan (1950)
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Starring Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone, Forrest Tucker, Frank Faylen and George Macready
Scott’s a Marshal who lets an outlaw (Forrest Tucker) escape so he can recover $250,000 in stolen gold.
Santa Fe (1951)
Directed by Irving Pichel
Starring Randolph Scott, Janis Carter
Scott’s trying to help build a railroad, with even his own brothers trying to stop him.
Man In The Saddle (1951
Directed by Andre de Toth
Starring Randolph Scott, Joan Leslie, Ellen Drew, Alexander Knox, Richard Rober, John Russell, Alfonso Bedoya, Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams, Clem Bevans, Cameron Mitchell, Tennessee Ernie Ford
Scott’s a farmer who locks horns with Alexander Knox, who wants his land. The first, and maybe best, of the Scott pictures directed by Andre de Toth.
Hangman’s Knot (1952)
Directed by Roy Huggins
Starring Randolph Scott, Donna Reed, Claude Jarman, Jr., Frank Faylen, Richard Denning, Lee Marvin
Confederate soldiers, led by Scott, steal a shipment of Yankee gold and end up with a posse after ’em.
The Stranger Wore A Gun (1953)
Directed by Andre de Toth
Starring Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine
This time, Scott’s a Confederate spy who’s in in a big robbery but has a change of heart. Originally in 3-D, widescreen (1.85) and stereophonic sound, it’ll be interesting to see what we get here.
A Lawless Street (1955)
Directed by Joseph H. Lewis
Starring Randolph Scott
Then we get four of the Budd Boetticher/Burt Kennedy Ranown cycle, some of the finest Westerns ever made. What’s missing from the unofficial series are Batjac’s Seven Men From Now (1956) and Warner’s Westbound (1959) which aren’t available on Blu-Ray.
The Tall T (1957)
Directed by Budd Boetticher
Starring Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Maureen O’Sullivan, Arthur Hunnicutt, Skip Homeier, Henry Silva
Scott and Maureen O’Sullivan are held captive at a way station by a bunch of crooks. This is an incredible movie, based on a story by Elmore Leonard.
Decision At Sundown (1958)
Directed by Budd Boetticher
Starring Randolph Scott, John Carroll, Karen Steele, Valerie French, Noah Beery Jr., John Archer, Ray Teal
Scott rides in Sundown to kill John Carroll., who had an affair with his wife.
Buchanan Rides Alone (1958)
Directed by Budd Boetticher
Starring Randolph Scott, Craig Stevens, Barry Kelley, L.Q. Jones
Tom Buchanan (Scott) rides into the border town of Agry and is robbed and framed for murder. Naturally, Scott isn’t happy about this and does something about it. This was my entry point into the films of Randolph Scott, and it remains a favorite.
Ride Lonesome (1959)
Directed by Budd Boetticher
Starring Randolph Scott, Karen Steele, Pernell Roberts, Lee Van Cleef, James Coburn
Ben Brigade (Scott) is a bounty hunter trying to take Billy John to Santa Cruz and turn him in. Standing in the way are Billy John’s brother and a group of Indians.
Comanche Station (1960)
Directed by Budd Boetticher
Starring Randolph Scott, Claude Akins, Nancy Gates, Skip Homeier
Scott rescues a women from the Comanches, not knowing her husband has a $5,000 reward for her return, dead or alive. Along come some dirtbags, lead by Claude Akins, who know about the five grand and want her for themselves.
This set is essential. Some of these are available on Blu-Ray elsewhere, some are not. Order yours now.
Posted in Denver Pyle, Dimitri Tiomkin, Hank Worden, John Dierkes, John Wayne, Richard Boone, Richard Widmark, The Real West, United Artists on March 6, 2020| Leave a Comment »
On this day in 1836, The Alamo fell as Mexican forces led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna stormed the fortress after a 13-day siege. All of the Texan defenders (almost 200 of them), including William Travis, James Bowie and Davy Crockett, were killed in battle.
The image is the 24-sheet poster (or billboard) for John Wayne’s epic tribute to those who served at The Alamo. Today’d be a good day to watch it.
Posted in Don Siegel, Harry Morgan, Hugh O'Brien, Jimmy Stewart, John Carradine, John Wayne, Paramount, Richard Boone on December 10, 2019| 8 Comments »
Directed by Don Siegel
Starring John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart, Richard Boone, Hugh O’Brian, Harry Morgan, John Carradine, Sheree North, Scatman Crothers
Two of my biggest movie heroes, John Wayne and Don Siegel, only worked together once, on The Shootist (1976). It turned out to be Duke’s last film, and it gave him the perfect way to go out — which he was obviously aware of.
Clint Eastwood visits Wayne and Siegel on the set of The Shootist.
The Shootist is screening at The Autry Museum Of The American West as part of their What Is A Western? film series.
The Autry: Wells Fargo Theater
Saturday, December 14, 2019, 1:30 p.m.
234 Museum Drive, Los Angeles, CA
I encourage you to go if you can get there. It’s a wonderful movie, and seeing it on the big screen would be quite a treat in this day and age.
And in this era of stupid-looking facial hair, doesn’t Wayne look cool?
Posted in 1955, Kirk Douglas, Richard Boone on June 18, 2019| 5 Comments »
Richard Allen Boone
(June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981)
Was working on my commentary notes for Man Without A Star (1955) tonight when I realized this was Richard Boone’s birthday.
He was a terrific in a number of 50s Westerns before being cast in Have Gun – Will Travel. From City Of Bad Men (1953) to Ten Wanted Men (1955) to Star In The Dust (1956) to The Tall T (1957), he was good no matter how big or small the part. He’s also in Jack Webb’s Dragnet feature from 1954, one of my all-time favorite films.
Boone’s one of those actors you can always count on. If he’s in it, it’s probably worth watching.
Posted in 1955, Claire Trevor, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Jack Elam, Kino Lorber, Kirk Douglas, Mara Corday, Richard Boone, Roy Barcroft, Universal (International) on April 16, 2019| 41 Comments »
Directed by King Vidor
Starring Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, Claire Trevor, William Campbell, Richard Boone, Mara Corday, Jay C. Flippen, Eddy Waller, Sheb Wooley, George Wallace, Roy Barcroft, Paul Birch, Jack Elam, Myron Healey, Jack Ingram
Kino Lorber has announced the upcoming Blu-Ray release of Man Without A Star (1955). That makes two U-I 50s Westerns announced within a week of each other. I’d sure like to see that trend continue.
Kirk Douglas put the movie together through his new production company, and it made him a lot of money. The picture’s got a great cast — look at all those character actors! It was shot by Russell Metty in Technicolor to be cropped to 2.00 to 1, a short-lived standard at Universal (This Island Earth and The Mole People were also 2:1). Highly recommended.
Posted in 1955, Columbia, Randolph Scott, Richard Boone on February 14, 2019| 16 Comments »
Let’s mark Valentine’s Day this year with this ad from the Independent Film Journal from 1955. Ads for Ten Wanted Men (1955) drive me nuts — Scott’s head has clearly been pasted into another body.
Posted in 1957, Dimitri Tiomkin, Hank Worden, James H. Griffith, John Wayne, Paul Landres, Richard Boone, Richard Widmark, Tim Holt, United Artists, William H. Clothier on March 31, 2018| 11 Comments »
This is the last shot in Bedazzled (1967), the very funny Peter Cook/Dudley Moore film. Presley and I watched it recently, and I noticed the theater marquee on the right. John Wayne’s The Alamo (1960) is playing.
I reached out to some of our UK division, and as you’d expect, John Knight came through: “The cinema in question was The London Pavilion. It mainly served as a West End showcase for United Artists releases. They showed lots of United Artists horror double bills like The Monster That Challenged The World and The Vampire (both 1957). My first solo visit to a West End cinema was to the London Pavilion to see Phantom Of The Opera with Captain Clegg (both 1962).”
Posted in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, Arthur Hunnicutt, Budd Boetticher, Burt Kennedy, Claud Akins, Columbia, DVD/Blu-Ray News, James Coburn, Nancy Gates, Noah Beery Jr., Paramount, Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Skip Homeier, Virginia Mayo, Warner Archive, Warner Bros. on February 16, 2018| 44 Comments »
The word on the street is that Powerhouse/Indicator out of the UK is prepping some of the Budd Boetticher – Randolph Scott pictures, the five Columbia ones, for Blu-Ray. Of course, those were put out by Sony in a terrific set several years ago, with plenty of extra stuff — but we’ve all been pining for all of these to make their way to Blu-Ray.
Michael Dante, Randolph Scott and Budd Boetticher on the Westbound set.
Powerhouse/Indicator will do a tremendous job with these. This would leave Seven Men From Now (1956) and Westbound (1959) orphaned in high-definition. Seven Men is handled by Paramount these days, and Westbound is in the care of the Warner Archive. More news as it turns up.
Thanks to John Knight for the tip.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 