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Thanks. I don't think I had seen that comment before. It may be that they used portions of the UCLA restoration or that UCLA helped them track down that nitrate dupe neg. If these newly discovered elements are indeed the best available, it may be that they cooperated with them on striking a new screening print, which UCLA would own.

And also in here, Mr Peter Becker said:

You also mention STAGECOACH. We never announced it for December, but it's true that we had hoped to release it then. Again mastering turned out to be more complicated than we anticipated. The original negative of the film is lost, and we have been evaluating a number of different elements. We are now working closely with UCLA's restoration team to evaluate all available elements and create a new HD master, starting from scratch. The bad news is that it's taking a long time. The good news is that in the time we've been working on the master, we've had the opportunity to unearth some interesting supplemental materials, so the edition will be all the better for it. That said, it's frustrating that it didn't come out -- the cover's been on the wall of our office for weeks now, and we're looking forward to making it a part of the collection.

Thanks again. I had forgotten about that great memo from Becker. It seems to confirm that UCLA's primary involvement was in helping to track down and evaluate the extant elements.

They're not mentioned specifically in the notes on the transfer but "Bob Gitt/UCLA Film and Television Archive" gets a mention in the "Thanks" section.

I can't imagine anyone that hasn't seen this film yet...but just in case anyone wants a test drive before diving in TCM is airing it tomorrow (tues. 5/4) in prime time at 8pm.

As a note: the Stagecoach DVD has the radio program available as separate MP3 files that you can download from the second disc. The Blu-ray, as far as I can see, does not. Not a surprise, but thought I would mention it.

EDIT: To be clear, both the DVD and the Blu-ray have this as an audio-only feature. Only the DVD has them available as separate MP3s that you can download onto your computer.

4/5 on Bluray.com

Summation: They did the best they could with what they had.

cdnchris wrote:As a note: the Stagecoach DVD has the radio program available as separate MP3 files that you can download from the second disc. The Blu-ray, as far as I can see, does not. Not a surprise, but thought I would mention it.

You seem to be the only reviewer that's mentioned that. Is it possible that you just got a bum disc? Much more likely is that you are the only one not to just copy and paste the extras off the website into your review.

The disc is the finished product as far as I know. But yeah, they're not on there, and I checked the contents of the disc on my computer. The DVD has them in the root directory of the second disc (didn't actually check the first.) Also, the DVD edition does make mention of the MP3s in the supplements on the back of the cover while the Blu-ray doesn't.

I'm surprised they didn't include it; a 28-minute mono MP3 wouldn't take up that much room. But if they had to choose between compressing the feature further or including the radio show, they made the right choice.

Good afternoon Chris,

The radio files are most definitely on the Blu-ray disc. You would find them under:

Screen Director's Playhouse - a radio adaptation of Stagecoach, originally broadcast on January 9, 1949, starring John Wayne and Claire Trevor, reprising their film roles. In English, not subtitled. (28 min).

Pro-B

Just to be clear, the Blu-ray includes the radio show, just not a separate, easily downloadable mp3 file of it as well, right? Maybe they figured most people don't have BD drives on their computers.

swo17 wrote:Just to be clear, the Blu-ray includes the radio show, just not a separate, easily downloadable mp3 file of it as well, right? Maybe they figured most people don't have BD drives on their computers.

Correct. The radio files are located in the supplemental features section, as a plain audio piece.

Pro-B

Sorry, I thought we were all talking about MP3 files. My mistake. Yes, the radio program is on the disc but not the MP3 files for download.

The DVD, on the other hand, has the files (8 I think) that you can download from the disc.

Oh, okay. It was my misunderstanding. I thought the radio show wasn't on there at all.

My fault. I was on a different page

The Blu looks absolutely wonderful (thanks for those grabs Chris) and with such a stacked package, it's surely going to be a frontrunner for best release of the year. Can't wait to get this!

Received my copy today, watched the film and most of the extras. I was more than happy with the transfer and I can only reiterate what Gary said in his review that it really does look appreciably better in motion. Damage marks are apparent on occasion but nothing that will distract from the experience. Contrast is the strongest improvement over SD and the mono track seemed clearer too. Only a better preservation of the material available (the original is lost but Criterion found a 1942 nitrate double negative) could have resulted in a better presentation so I always found the comparisons to City Girl a bit unfair in context. I imagine most people will be very pleased with Stagecoach's A/V.

As for the bonuses: I didn't sample the 1917 silent and the documentary relating to Monument Valley and have yet to listen to the Kitses commentary but what else there is I found quite satisfying to great. Bogdanovich's piece is perhaps unsurprisingly the slightest seeing as he falls into his old habit of relating first-hand anecdotes rather than analysing the film in more depth. The Brit interview with Ford is extensive and he certainly has an easier ride than Bogdanovich by all accounts but there is the occasional awkwardness as Ford challenges some of the questions. It covers a lot of ground and as far from the tedious mutual backslapping on studio catalogue releases as you can get. Dan Ford's home video feature is nice though not really something to return to for multiple viewings. Tag Gallagher's video essay on the other hand is exemplary and very illuminating (especially in regard to Ford's camera techniques in the dinner scene); Kitses' commentary will have to be something special to beat this as the best supplement. Enjoyed Vic Armstrong's tribute to the stuntman which also points out a few nods (which I'm not going to spoil) to the famous stunt in the chase. Altogether I found this to be a pretty substantial and very good-looking release of this classic - likely to be up there with Rossellini and Sternberg as an end of year vote getter and deservedly so.

Mr Finch wrote:Received my copy today,

Sorry for being off topic- but Mr Finch, how do you keep getting your Criterions so early?! Are you in the states right now?
EDIT: Ah I hear Movietyme is very fast. Anyway carry on!

I got mine this morning. The film looks great. I will finish watching it later tonight (a late night) but caught a couple of the supplements. Great disc!

Oh boy. Anyone else having problems with this Blu-ray? It just whiiiiiiirrrrrrsssss in my player and won't load. No other Blu-rays have the same effect in my Sherwood 5004

domino harvey wrote:Oh boy. Anyone else having problems with this Blu-ray? It just whiiiiiiirrrrrrsssss in my player and won't load. No other Blu-rays have the same effect in my Sherwood 5004

I haven't tried it yet, but I'd venture to guess that it may have more to do with the Sherwood than the disc. It just sounds like a typical Sherwood issue.