The John Wayne / John Ford Film Collection

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tavernier
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The John Wayne / John Ford Film Collection

#1 Post by tavernier » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:10 pm

Warner press release:

THE JOHN WAYNE-JOHN FORD COLLECTION

THE SEARCHERS: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION
(Newly Remastered and Restored from VistaVision Film Elements)

STAGECOACH: TWO-DISC COLLECTOR'S EDITION
(Newly Remastered from Best Available Film Elements)

FORT APACHE - THE LONG VOYAGE HOME - WINGS OF EAGLES (New to DVD)

SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON ~ THEY WERE EXPENDABLE ~ 3 GODFATHERS

Collection Arrives June 6 Loaded with Bonus Materials including Introduction by Patrick Wayne, John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker & the Legend, the New Feature Length American Masters Retrospective Profile, Expert Commentaries and Additional New Featurettes

Burbank, Calif. March 6, 2006 - One of the greatest director-star combinations in the history of Hollywood gets the Warner Home Video deluxe DVD treatment with the June 6 release of The John Wayne-John Ford Collection, a ten-disc set featuring eight of the team's finest collaborations. Anchoring the Collection, and arriving just in time for Father's Day, is The Searchers: Ultimate Collector's Edition which includes a Two-Disc Special Edition DVD with extensive all-new bonus features, plus a full color 36-page press book, a 36-page reproduction of the original Dell comic book, filmmaker memos and correspondence, several behind-the-scenes photos and a mail-in theatrical poster.

The collection also features Stagecoach: Two Disc Special Edition, newly remastered and restored from original VistaVision film elements and loaded with new bonus content and three titles making their DVD debuts: the classic western Fort Apache, and the stirring war films The Long Voyage Home and Wings of Eagles. Rounding out the set are the timeless classics She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and They Were Expendable (in new Amaray packaging) plus 3 Godfathers, which is available for the first time in wide release with this Collection.

The Searchers will be available individually in both the 50th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition for $26.99 SRP and the Ultimate Collector's Edition priced at $34.92 SRP. The Stagecoach: Two-Disc Special Edition will be available for $26.99 SRP and the single disc titles will sell individually for various prices from $12.97 - $19.97 SRP. The price for the entire ten-disc Collection is $79.92 SRP.

In the now well-established WHV DVD Classics tradition, The Searchers has been painstakingly remastered and restored from original VistaVision film elements. Also restored from original and best available elements are Fort Apache and Stagecoach and Wings of Eagles is newly remastered in 16x9 format, enhanced for widescreen televisions (1.85:1 aspect ratio). The Collection bonus materials include an introduction by Patrick Wayne (John's son), an all-new feature length documentary American Masters: John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker & the Legend produced by WNET/American Masters, commentaries by noted film director Peter Bogdanovich and Ford biographer Scott Eyman, several new featurettes, audio only segments plus John Wayne home movies.

John Ford was easily one of the greatest, most prolific and versatile directors Hollywood ever produced. Combined with a star of the caliber and magnetism of John Wayne and what emerges is pure cinematic magic.

John Ford was responsible for making John Wayne a star when he cast him in Stagecoach, but their friendship dates back to the silent era. Wayne was a former University of Southern California football player working as a prop boy at Fox, where Ford was one of their top directors. The two were friendly and Ford cast Wayne in bit roles in several of his films (i.e., Mother Machree, Salute, Four Sons). After the arrival of sound, Ford introduced the young actor to director Raoul Walsh, who put him in the super Western The Big Trail and changed his name to John Wayne (he was born Marion Morrison). The Big Trail was a box-office failure and Wayne spent the remainder of the '30s appearing in mostly "B" westerns, while Ford's career soared with such classics as The Lost Patrol, The Informer and The Hurricane.

When Ford purchased the rights to a Saturday Evening Post short story by Earnest Haycox entitled "Stage to Lordsburg," he developed the lead character with Wayne in mind. While Ford fought studio executives to cast Wayne in the role (the studio wanted a star name), their ensuing complicated relationship on the set baffled outsiders. Ford constantly browbeat his star, told him he was a lousy actor, said he walked funny and generally picked on him at every opportunity until Wayne's co-stars came to his rescue. Andy Devine later realized the cast had been fooled to prevent the name actors from being jealous of a newcomer.

Ford's infuriating treatment of John Wayne didn't end with their first film. Throughout Wayne's career -- and he made many films with Ford -- the director continued to taunt him on the set. In fact, he treated many of his actors this way. "If he liked you," Dobie Cary said, "he mistreated you. If he ignored you, then you'd probably never work with him again." The irony of it was that most of Wayne's finest performances were in the 13 films he and Ford made together: Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952), The Horse Soldiers (1959), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), How the West Was Won (1962) and the titles included in this Collection.

The Searchers: Ultimate Collector's Edition & The Searchers: 50th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition (1956)

John Wayne and John Ford made The Searchers a landmark Western with an indelible image of the frontier and the men and women who challenged it. Although not nominated for any awards at the time of its release, the film has since been widely acknowledged as one of the supreme triumphs of the genre. The Searchers was placed on the National Film Registry in 1989 and ranked number 96 on the American Film Institute's list of "100 Greatest Movies."

Wayne plays an ex-Confederate soldier searching for his niece (Natalie Wood), captured by the Comanches who massacred his family. He won't surrender to hunger, thirst, the elements or loneliness. And in his five-year search, he encounters something unexpected: his own humanity. Beautifully shot by Winton C. Hoch (four-time Academy Award winner), thrillingly scored by Max Steiner (21 Academy Award nominations, 3 wins) and memorably acted by a wonderful ensemble including Jeffrey Hunter (King of Kings, The Longest Day), Vera Miles (The Wrong Man, Psycho), Natalie Wood (Rebel Without a Cause, Gypsy, West Side Story) and frequent Ford cast member Ward Bond (My Darling Clementine, The Quiet Man), The Searchers endures as "a great film of enormous scope and breathtaking physical beauty." (Danny Peary, Guide for the Film Fanatic).

Special Features:
Disc 1
Newly remastered and restored from original VistaVision film elements
Introduction by Patrick Wayne (John's son)
Commentary by Director Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show, What's Up, Doc?)
Theatrical trailer
Disc 2
The Searchers: An Appreciation
A Turning of the Earth: John Ford, John Wayne and The Searchers
Behind the Cameras
Meet Jeffrey Hunter
Monument Valley
Meet Natalie Wood
Setting Up Production

Stagecoach Two-Disc Special Edition (1939)

Nine disparate travelers are thrown together on a stagecoach destined for Apache territory...and movie immortality. In the lead role of the Ringo Kid, director John Ford cast a lanky veteran of 70 B-movies, serials and shorts named John Wayne. Each rifle shot and close-up rang out the news: a new star is born. This first collaboration between director and star made both their reputations as talents to watch in the Western genre yet focuses on carefully etched character studies. Marked by deft and efficient editing, as well as remarkable camera work, Stagecoach transcends the traditional shoot-'em-up.

Winner of two Academy Awards (Best Supporting Actor and Best Music, Scoring) and nominated for an additional five (including Best Picture and Best Director), Stagecoach was placed on the National Film Registry in 1995 and ranked number 63 on the American Film Institute's list of "100 Greatest Movies." In addition to a stellar performance by Wayne, Stagecoach boasts an unusually strong cast, including Claire Trevor (Best Supporting Actress winner for Key Largo), Thomas Mitchell (in his Oscar-winning performance), Andy Devine (Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves), John Carradine (The Grapes of Wrath, Satan's Cheerleaders) and silent star George Bancroft (Old Ironsides, 3 Bad Men, Underworld). This adventure ushered in a 30-year era of great Westerns, many featuring its top practitioners - Ford and Wayne.

Special Features:

· Newly remastered from best available film elements.

· New feature-length American Masters: John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker & the Legend retrospective profile

· New documentary Stagecoach: A Story of Redemption

· Commentary by Scott Eyman, author of "Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford"
· Audio-only bonus: radio adaptation with Claire Trevor and Randolph Scott

· Theatrical trailer

· Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only)

Fort Apache (1948)-FIRST TIME ON DVD


John Wayne and many familiar supporting players from master director John Ford's "stock company" saddle up for the first film in the director's famed cavalry trilogy (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande are the others). Roughhouse camaraderie, sentimental vignettes of frontier life, massive action sequences staged in Monument Valley - all are part of Fort Apache. So is Ford's exploration of the West's darker side. Themes of justice, heroism and honor that Ford would revisit in later Westerns are given free rein in this moving, thought-provoking film that, even as it salutes a legend, gives reasons to question it.

The stellar cast includes the distinguished Henry Fonda (The Grapes of Wrath, On Golden Pond), former child star Shirley Temple (reunited with her director from Wee Willie Winkie), Temple's then-current husband John Agar making his film debut and Ford regulars Victor McLaglen, Ward Bond and George O'Brien.

Special Features:

· Digitally remastered and restored from original nitrate elements

· New featurette Monument Valley: John Ford Country

· Theatrical trailer

· Subtitles: English, Français & Español (Feature Film Only)

The Long Voyage Home (1940)-FIRST TIME ON DVD

Director John Ford and screenwriter Dudley Nichols adapted four Eugene O'Neill one-act dramas into this compelling, lyrical look at men at sea that O'Neill considered his favorite of all his filmed works. As his sailors, Ford cast members of his so-called "Stock Company": Thomas Mitchell (Gone with the Wind), Barry Fitzgerald (Academy Award winner for Going My Way), Arthur Shields (How Green Was My Valley), Ward Bond (It's a Wonderful Life), John Qualen (Casablanca) and the star of the previous year's Stagecoach, John Wayne. As sunny, sweet-natured Ole Olsen, Wayne does winning work in an atypical role that required the stalwart star to sport a Swedish accent. Nominated for an impressive six Academy Awards incuding Best Picture, The Long Voyage Home is a journey to remember.

Special Features:

· New featurette Serenity at Sea: John Ford and the Araner

· Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only)

Wings of Eagles (1957)-FIRST TIME ON DVD

Cmdr. Frank "Spig" Wead was a pioneer aviator, renowned screenwriter (whose work included John Ford's They Were Expendable) and a man of war. The skies beckoned Spig to action; a crippling injury ultimately left him powerless to act, propelling him to discover the power of his pen. He was talented, driven, flawed, a friend of Ford -- and the subject of this compassionate biography.

John Wayne plays Spig and Ford directs The Wings of Eagles, which also offers a fascinating glimpse into the ways and world of Ford. Ward Bond plays moviemaker John Dodge, a role modeled on Ford. Maureen O'Hara, Wayne's five-time co-star (including Ford's The Quiet Man), and Dan Dailey (of Ford's 1952 What Price Glory?) play Spig's indomitable wife Min and cigar-chomping sidekick "Jughead" Carson.

Special Features:

· Newly remastered in 16x9 format, enhanced for widescreen televisions (1.85:1 aspect ratio)

· Theatrical trailer

· Languages: English & Français

· Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only)

3 Godfathers (1948)

John Ford remade one of his classic silent Westerns 3 Bad Men (1926), a story of three bandits who come upon a dying mother and child while escaping the law. Two of them die trying to get the child to town and safety. Starring John Wayne (in the role originated by George O'Brien), the cast also features Pedro Armendáriz (The Fugitive, Fort Apache), perennial Ward Bond, the luminous silent star Mae Marsh (Birth of a Nation, Intolerance), who frequently appeared in uncredited roles in Ford's films and, making his screen debut, Harry Carey, Jr. (son of Ford's "stock company" regular Harry Carey, in whose memory the film is dedicated).

· Theatrical trailer

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949)

A masterpiece of mood and heroics, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, was the centerpiece in director John Ford's renowned cavalry trilogy (Fort Apache and Rio Grande bookend it) and features one of John Wayne's most moving performances as a cavalry officer in his final week of service on the frontier.

Under makeup aging him some 20 years, Wayne inhabits the role of a wily veteran who knows the sting of war and vows to make his last mission one of peace. The ritual of outpost life, the sweep of battle, the advance of the patrol beneath ominous skies: She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, an Academy Award winner for its color cinematography, paints a memorable portrait of the honor, duty and courage in the finest tradition of the cavalry.

With Wayne in She Wore A Yellow Ribbon are Joanne Dru (Red River, All the King's Men), John Agar (Fort Apache), Ben Johnson (Mighty Joe Young, Shane), Harry Carey, Jr. (3 Godfathers) and Victor McLaglen (The Informer).

Special Features:

· John Ford home movies

· Theatrical trailer

· Languages: English & Français

· Subtitles: English, Français, Español & Português

They Were Expendable (1945)


Director John Ford's World War II tale knows its battle-scarred topic firsthand: Robert Montgomery (The Big House, Here Comes Mr. Jordan) was a Pacific PT-boat commander and a valorous Bronze Star recipient and Ford filmed the Academy Award-winning documentary Battle of Midway. John Wayne creates a portrait of patriotic resolve as only he can. They Were Expendable salutes all who dedicated themselves to the cause of freedom during some of the war's bleakest hours.

Supplies are dwindling. Troops are hopelessly outnumbered. But even in defeat, there is victory. The defenders of the Philippines -- including PT-boat skippers John Brickley (Montgomery) and Rusty Ryan (Wayne) -- will give the U.S. war effort time to regroup after the devastation of Pearl Harbor.

Special Features:

· Theatrical Trailer

· Subtitles: English & Français

JOHN WAYNE - JOHN FORD COLLECTION


Street Date: June 6, 2006

Pricing: $79.92 SRP

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Floyd
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 10:25 pm

#2 Post by Floyd » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:13 pm

10 discs, 8 films for $80 SRP? Sounds good to me. Not so good for my shelf apparently though. It is out of space already.

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tryavna
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#3 Post by tryavna » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:50 pm

Looks like a superb boxset. Bravo Warners!

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pzman84
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#4 Post by pzman84 » Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:44 am

Did I die and wake up in Heaven? :D :D :D

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The Fanciful Norwegian
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#5 Post by The Fanciful Norwegian » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:27 am

arriving just in time for Father's Day
Smart move. I think I know what I'll be wrapping on June 17th.

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What A Disgrace
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#6 Post by What A Disgrace » Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:47 am

Birthday present for me.

...though I'm not sure I can wait a whole four weeks for it.

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justeleblanc
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#7 Post by justeleblanc » Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:52 am

Floyd wrote:10 discs, 8 films for $80 SRP? Sounds good to me. Not so good for my shelf apparently though. It is out of space already.
But who pays the SRP anymore?

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tryavna
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#8 Post by tryavna » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:23 pm

justeleblanc wrote:But who pays the SRP anymore?
Borders customers, apparently....

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Floyd
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 10:25 pm

#9 Post by Floyd » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:50 pm

I apologize for not hypothesizing what the set will be in stores. I was meaning its a pretty low SRP so the price will be very good.

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justeleblanc
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#10 Post by justeleblanc » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:59 pm

Floyd wrote:I apologize for not hypothesizing what the set will be in stores. I was meaning its a pretty low SRP so the price will be very good.
no i follow, i was just adding to the already good news.

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pzman84
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2004 4:05 pm

#11 Post by pzman84 » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:07 pm

Courtesy of DVD Times

ImageImage
ImageImage
ImageImage
ImageImage

Image

This is not going to be in the box set (it is the Ultimate edition in the box set). However, since I can't find the other cover arts (the Ultimate edition or Stagecoach SE), I decided to post this just to keep the topic alive. If anyone has the missing cover art, please post it.

BTW, when Digital Bits reported on this release (possibly one of the biggest DVD releases in WB history) they gave it very little attention and instead focuced on Superman's animated series. I have to live up to avatar. Digital Bits, you are dead to me

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skuhn8
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#12 Post by skuhn8 » Sat Mar 18, 2006 6:24 am

Are these covers based on original promo artwork? Man, some heinous stuff! Check out Carey's flailing arm on 3Godfathers? Cheese in a can, man.

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Schkura
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:48 pm
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#13 Post by Schkura » Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:56 am

I know that the 3 Godfathers art is, in fact, a replica of the original theatrical poster. I imagine the rest of them are as well.

Thank god the world of advertising has made such great leaps forward in the past 60 years.

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FilmFanSea
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#14 Post by FilmFanSea » Sat Mar 18, 2006 12:09 pm

skuhn8 wrote:Are these covers based on original promo artwork? Man, some heinous stuff! Check out Carey's flailing arm on 3Godfathers? Cheese in a can, man.
To me, the flattening of perspective and choice of colors appear influenced by Diego Rivera and the WPA muralists. I don't think it's cheesy at all--rather I find it iconic and beautiful. I don't think the artist was trying to achieve a realistic image.

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HerrSchreck
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#15 Post by HerrSchreck » Sat Mar 18, 2006 12:15 pm

I agree... I find them nicely nostalgic & charming.

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Schkura
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#16 Post by Schkura » Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:14 pm

I guess you don't collect or appreciate old posters...
And I guess you don't appreciate sarcasm. Sheesh. That being the case, I'll forego the obvious old poster joke and agree with you that I am an uncultured boob who will never answer another poster's question again.

To look like I'm sticking to the topic, though, Pops will absolutely love this set. When it comes to Westerns as a genre, I'm Peckinpah and Leone, and he is straight-up John Ford. I'll probably pick up The Searchers and Stagecoach individually for myself, but my Dad would watch John Wayne paint a bus. Thanks Paramount, for getting my father into DVD before it becomes obsolete.
Last edited by Schkura on Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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tavernier
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#17 Post by tavernier » Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:32 pm

He's saying that the world of advertising has NOT made such great leaps forward. I thought it was pretty obvious from his original post, but I guess not.

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Gigi M.
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#18 Post by Gigi M. » Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:56 am

The artwork for The Searchers: Ultimate Collector's Edition is up at DVDtimes.

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denti alligator
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#19 Post by denti alligator » Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:17 am

For someone who only knows The Searchers and Stagecoach, can you tell me what to expect from the other films. Are these essential?

I'm tempted by the price of the box set, but also by the Collector's Edition of The Searchers (not in the box). So what should I get?

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Gigi M.
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#20 Post by Gigi M. » Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:36 am

denti alligator wrote:For someone who only knows The Searchers and Stagecoach, can you tell me what to expect from the other films. Are these essential?

I'm tempted by the price of the box set, but also by the Collector's Edition of The Searchers (not in the box). So what should I get?
I would definitely go for the box set. The only film that unfortunately I've not seen is The Long Voyage Home, which by reputation is a key Ford. I can't say they're all essentials, but good average films nevertheless. The only film I don't care much about is Wings of Eagles, however at a SRP$ 79.92 ($55.94 with 30% off) this is a great bargain. Plus, I heard that the next DDD super sale is around June.
Last edited by Gigi M. on Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

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tryavna
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#21 Post by tryavna » Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:00 am

I agree with Gigimonagas. The boxset is the way to go if you already like The Searchers and Stagecoach, because Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon are just as good films in their own way. Personally, I'm not a big fan of either Wings of Eagles or 3 Godfathers. But I have seen The Long Voyage Home, and it's a beautiful film, with wonderful cinematography by Gregg Toland. (Reportedly, it was also Eugene O'Neill's favorite adaptation of his own work. He owned his own copy of the film and supposedly screened it regularly.)

BTW, what exactly is the difference between the 2-disc and "Ultimate" editions of The Searchers?

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Gigi M.
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#22 Post by Gigi M. » Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:19 am

tryavna wrote:BTW, what exactly is the difference between the 2-disc and "Ultimate" editions of The Searchers?
The Searchers: Ultimate Collector's Edition which includes a Two-Disc Special Edition DVD with extensive all-new bonus features, plus a full color 36-page press book, a 36-page reproduction of the original Dell comic book, filmmaker memos and correspondence, several behind-the-scenes photos and a mail-in theatrical poster.

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kinjitsu
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#23 Post by kinjitsu » Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:21 am

tryavna wrote:BTW, what exactly is the difference between the 2-disc and "Ultimate" editions of The Searchers?
The Searchers: Ultimate Collector's Edition includes a Two-Disc Special Edition DVD with extensive all-new bonus features, plus a full color 36-page press book, a 36-page reproduction of the original Dell comic book, filmmaker memos and correspondence, several behind-the-scenes photos and a mail-in theatrical poster.

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tryavna
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#24 Post by tryavna » Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:22 am

Ah, I didn't see this info on the links provided above. Thanks for the quick reply.

scotty
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#25 Post by scotty » Thu May 11, 2006 9:59 am

Caught this documentary on PBS last night. Apparently it will be included on the Stagecoach special edition.

Alas, we get many past-their-prime white guys, some of whom have extremely bad hair (Schickel, Bogdanovich, Thomson, Milius, and many more are on hand) talking about how Ford and Wayne taught "us" how to "be a man." Scorsese mildly dissents. Just for relief they should have included Sherman Alexie and a female critic among the dozen or so. As it is, though, there are really too many voices to be coherent as an analysis of the careers or the films, though home movie footage from Ford's boat and from the sets of The Alamo and The Green Berets are welcome. There is also a television exchange between Ford and Wayne that is used throughout but suffers from poor sound.

Devotees of each may be disappointed that their careers are not presented more comprehensively, but the focus, appropriately, is on their relationship, working and otherwise. It is a good general introduction on those terms.

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