A Few Words About A few words about...™ Beau Geste - in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Unless one becomes excited by the thought of Techniscope, as used in the 1966 (second) re-make of Beau Geste, there are two that should be of interest.

The first, released (silent) in 1926 via Paramount, and based upon the same 1926 novel by P.C. Wren, starred Ronald Colman, as brother "Beau."

As directed by Herbert Brenon (Peter Pan, A Kiss for Cinderella) it's a quality production, and would be a prime candidate for inclusion as a future Blu-ray.

The best has always been the 1939 production, directed by William Wellman, with Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, and Robert Preston in the leads, with an assist from Susan Hayward and Brian Donlevy. This time, it's Mr. Cooper in the role of "Beau."

1939 has been suggested to be the prime year for films, and along with RKO's Gunga Din, Beau Geste, helps that concept along mightily.

The point should be made, with a tip of the hat to the powers that be at Kino, that they've been making more films accessible to the audience here in the Colonies, than any other publisher, especially when it comes to their Universal license toward both the Paramount library, as well as Universal releases, themselves.

Just in the past months alone, beyond Beau Geste, we've received or will be receiving, Glorifying the American Girl (1929), Alice in Wonderland (1933), Supernatural (1933), The Good Fairy (1935), The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935), The General Died at Dawn (1936), Angel (1937), Bluebeard's 8th Wife (1938), Dr. Cyclops (1940), The Great McGinty (1940), The Flame of New Orleans (1941, The Cobra Woman (1944), Murder He Says (1945), Canyon Passage (1946), Night Passage (1957), Lonely are the Brave (1962), The Rare Breed (1966), Ulzana's Raid (1972), Legal Eagles (1986).

Whether gloriously rendered to Blu-ray or more than "good enough," this is a tremendous output.

As far as the quality of Beau Geste is concerned, it's perfectly fine. A nice, natural gray scale, enough grain structure to hold things together, and a stable image with nice blacks.

Look for Donald O'Connor as the young "Beau."

Image - 4.25

Audio - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Upgrade from DVD - Absolutely!

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[Robert Crawford]

Unless one becomes excited by the through of Techniscope, as used in the 1966 (second) re-make of Beau Geste, there are two that should be of interest.

The first, released (silent) in 1926 via Paramount, and based upon the same 1926 novel by P.C. Wren, starred Ronald Colman, as brother "Beau."

As directed by Herbert Brenon (Peter Pan, A Kiss for Cinderella) it's a quality production, and would be a prime candidate for inclusion as a future Blu-ray.

The best has always been the 1939 production, directed by William Wellman, with Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, and Robert Preston in the leads, with an assist from Susan Hayward and Brian Donlevy. This time, it's Mr. Cooper in the role of "Beau."

1939 has been suggested to be the prime year for films, and along with RKO's Gunga Din, Beau Geste, helps that concept along mightily.

The point should be made, with a tip of the hat to the powers that be at Kino, that they've been making more films accessible to the audience here in the Colonies, than any other publisher, especially when it comes to their Universal license toward both the Paramount library, as well as Universal releases, themselves.

Just in the past months alone, beyond Beau Geste, we've received or will be receiving, Glorifying the American Girl (1929), Alice in Wonderland (1933), Supernatural (1933), The Good Fairy (1935), The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935), The General Died at Dawn (1936), Angel (1937), Bluebeard's 8th Wife (1938), Dr. Cyclops (1940), The Great McGinty (1940), The Flame of New Orleans (1941, The Cobra Woman (1944), Murder He Says (1945), Canyon Passage (1946), Night Passage (1957), Lonely are the Brave (1962), The Rare Breed (1966), Ulzana's Raid (1972), Legal Eagles (1986).

Whether gloriously rendered to Blu-ray or more than "good enough," this is a tremendous output.

As far as the quality of Beau Geste is concerned, it's perfectly fine. A nice, natural gray scale, enough grain structure to hold things together, and a stable image with nice blacks.

Look for a young Donald O'Connor as the young "Beau."

Image - 4.25

Audio - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Upgrade from DVD - Absolutely!

Highly Recommended

RAH

That's great news! I recently watched the 2005 DVD and it looked awful on my OLED.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Never seen the film but a big Gary Cooper fan so I hope my local library will get it.

 

[Dave Blair]

Please just buy the movie. Without our support there will be no more outpouring of classic movies. I repeat, just buy it!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Please just buy the movie. Without our support there will be no more outpouring of classic movies. I repeat, just buy it!

Not everyone can afford to buy Blu-rays and that's especially true now due this current crisis.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

With laserdiscs, dvd, Blu-ray, and 4K I have over 800 titles so I am a big supporter of disc format but feel more comfortable in supporting my local library with a movie i have never seen and the good news is when I check out a movie from them chances are good I will buy the disc.

 

[timk1041]

Not everyone can afford to buy Blu-rays and that's especially true now due this current crisis.

True. Just do what you can.

 

[Mistress9]

1939 is not the prime year of films, I don't think there is such a thing, however, Silent Films up to 1963 is the best time for films, they are objectively and categorically better than everything that came after, in my opinion. Gary Cooper is a genius and one of the best actors of all time, glad to see his films released in bluray, but wonder about how many people will actually buy it.

 

[John Hermes]

I like the 1966 Techniscope version too and hope it comes out on Blu-ray at some point. I have the Australian DVD at this point.

 

[Thomas T]

Please just buy the movie. Without our support there will be no more outpouring of classic movies. I repeat, just buy it!

Sorry but I won't buy a film on blu ray just to support the format. The obvious financial considerations aside, I buy the films that I either love or mean something to me on some level (and that often has nothing to do with the quality of the movie). As cinema, Beau Geste doesn't interest me much but there are plenty of other titles from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s that do, so they're getting support.

 

[B-ROLL]

With laserdiscs, dvd, Blu-ray, and 4K I have over 800 titles so I am a big supporter of disc format but feel more comfortable in supporting my local library with a movie i have never seen and the good news is when I check out a movie from them chances are good I will buy the disc.

Public libraries in my area are closed, as there is a pandemic going on.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Public libraries in my are are closed, as there is a pandemic going on.

Public libraries are closed just about everywhere so I think he's talking about when the pandemic crisis eases up and his library is open.

 

[Dave Blair]

Not everyone can afford to buy Blu-rays and that's especially true now due this current crisis.

Not everyone can afford to buy Blu-rays and that's especially true now due this current crisis.

While that is true I believe that without support for physical media the choices will evaporate. My point is that we should support physical media as best we can. Support what you love. I realize, as well, that at this time in history discs are a low priority and money might be better used by our families or by donating to charity.

 

[Randy Korstick]

This is a great movie. I watched 4 times in the 1980's on VHS and Laserdisc when I 1st discovered it. Oddly I haven't seen it since. Definitely time to revisit it.

 

[Alan Tully]

Yeah, it's one of those films I saw on TV, late fifties/early sixties. That great mysterious opening scene with the deserted fort in the desert & then going back in time to the start of the story. The films I saw around that time on TV have really stayed with me: The Adventures Of Robin Hood, Angels With Dirty Faces, The Devil & Daniel Webster, Unconquered, The Road To Morocco, The Egyptian, The Big Sky & so many more (the best art form/entertainment ever devised by man!).

 

[roxy1927]

Mistress9 I would agree with you but I'd stretch it to 68 with everything from 2001 to The Odd Couple to Oliver!

Bafflingly the following decade would be considered ultimately the greatest in American film history by many people even today.

 

[Dick]

1939 is not the prime year of films, I don't think there is such a thing, however, Silent Films up to 1963 is the best time for films, they are objectively and categorically better than everything that came after, in my opinion. Gary Cooper is a genius and one of the best actors of all time, glad to see his films released in bluray, but wonder about how many people will actually buy it.

All personal opinion, of course. I happen to really cherish the films of the late 60's and early 70's, for their boldness following the demise of censorship in favor of the ratings code. Suddenly some really interesting, controversial moviemaking was happening. It was certainly more graphically violent and sexual, but also often nihilistic, bringing audiences more realistic (i.e. downbeat) depictions of life and relationships.

Punches were no longer pulled to placate that rodent-faced Will Hays and the Breen Office. Some would say that the censorship of the 40's-50's led to screenwriters and directors becoming ever sharper and more clever, getting around the watchdogs by literally going over their heads, while audiences got the references quite handily. I agree with that, but I also much appreciated the fact that, after 1967, we could walk into a theater and be treated to a truly adult movie with unexpurgated, mature plots and onscreen visuals that were simply not meant for children (this was well before the days when five-year-olds could watch R-rated films or view porno on their iPhones and laptops).

But the curve was bent the other way in the 90's when Hollywood began to cater more and more to the audience with the most expendable money and regular theater attendance: teenagers. And now, outside of art houses and indie theaters, almost no genuine adult fare exists. Cable networks such as Amazon, Netflix and HBO are filling the gap, but forget seeing a thought-provoking foreign language film at the local Regal.

So, there are good movie "eras" and bad ones. 1939 was inarguably a terrific year in terms of superb movie output, but then, so was 1940. More generally, as you said, the period from silents to 1963 was wonderful. But I would argue you are leaving out that extraordinary period of experimentation, the birth of domestic independent films that were actually distributed by Hollywood studios, and a push-back against the cowardice and religious/governmental constraints that had stifled this wonderful art form for way too long. That was the period roughly including 1967-1975 or so.

 

[Alan Tully]

1967-1975. Fantastic years for movies, some (a lot) of my favourite films are from that era.

 

[Alan Tully]

A rare double posting, but it was worth saying twice.

 

[bujaki]

@Dick Rodent Will Hays reminds me of Nosferatu 1921.