How the West Was Won (2 Disc) is Amazing! (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

Every time I see this thread I’m reminded that the smilebox edition was the thing that pushed me to upgrade from DVD to BD. It was the first disc I ordered.

 

[ahollis]

Every time I see this thread I’m reminded that the smilebox edition was the thing that pushed me to upgrade from DVD to BD. It was the first disc I ordered.

Same with me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Every time I see this thread I’m reminded that the smilebox edition was the thing that pushed me to upgrade from DVD to BD. It was the first disc I ordered.

Same with me.

Latecomers!

 

[Indy Guy]

I will always remember this disc because it was given free to every audience member attending a rare 3 strip showing of the film at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood. It was also a over a week before the official release date.
I remember the showing had many visual imperfections due to the join lines and the mechanical nature of the film, but the transparent full rich sound more than made up for it! There were some exhibits in the lobby including the glass title plates and a Cinerama camera rig.
I miss those special events at the Dome which has been closed for years now. A few years back I drove by and got very excited by what I saw below...but it turned out to be only a background shoot for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood".

 

[Bernard McNair]

The two disc Smilebox set is wonderful.
While HTWWW may have its critics even after more viewings than I can remember I find it a highly satisfying film experience. Love the score.

 

[Charles Smith]

Same with me.

Aaaaaand...same. One of my first important half dozen or so BDs along with that first player and HD screen.

 

[Garysb]

The 2 disc blu ray of "How The West Was Won" Digi book is apparently available at GRUV. This first release on blu ray was the only time the smilebox version has been available on disk.
At $19.99 this is a good deal for something believed long OP.
Hope it is not some kind of error.

How the West Was Won (Blu-ray Book Packaging) [Blu-ray]

Buy How the West Was Won (Blu-ray Book Packaging) on Blu-ray. Browse our full range of Blu-ray titles. FREE shipping on all orders. 20% off your first order.

www.gruv.com

The link now shows the set is sold out. Maybe it was an error or a few people ordered the remaining stock after I posted about it. They should rerelease the 2 disc set or maybe 4K? TCM has been showing the smilebox version of HTWWW after the Brothers Grimm Warner Archive set was released which also includes a smilebox verstion of that film.

And now it shows as "In Stock" Long live the Smilebox version.

How the West Was Won (Blu-ray Book Packaging) [Blu-ray]

Buy How the West Was Won (Blu-ray Book Packaging) on Blu-ray. Browse our full range of Blu-ray titles. FREE shipping on all orders. 20% off your first order.

www.gruv.com

 

[uncledougie]

By coincidence this was the film I picked to show the youngest triplet nephew this past Saturday night. His parameter for me was a film that had won a Best Screenplay award, and that afforded the perfect opportunity to finally get around to this for him (the Smilebox version of course; I’d already shown it to the eldest nephew a few years back). Having seen it during the initial roadshow release in 1963, I had the enormous pleasure of again seeing the three strip version many years ago at the Seattle Cinerama Film Festival - went to two screenings, once at the beginning of my week there, once at the end. No home screening can approach the immersive impact of such a theatrical event (the rapids, the buffalo stampede!) but the Blu-ray is a fine facsimile and excellent transfer blending the join lines to the point you really don’t notice them. Nephew was also wowed by the brilliant Alfred Newman score, with the always notable assist on the vocals by his assistant Ken Darby. Glad some retail copies showed up after all these years, it’s a real treat. This ought to be a candidate for a new 4K/Dolby Atmos release. It was one of my first LP soundtrack albums 60 years ago and got plenty of play on my old bedroom record changer. The far more complete double disc CD release is simply essential to any soundtrack collector.

 

[Garysb]

Is there anything about a Cinerama 3 panel film that would go against releasing a 4K version of the smilebox version? In other words, would 4K resolution show flaws not apparent in 2K ?

 

[B-ROLL]

Is there anything about a Cinerama 3 panel film that would go against releasing a 4K version of the smilebox version? In other words, would 4K resolution show flaws not apparent in 2K ?

I suspect the joins between the elements would be more apparent

 

[ponset]

Gold Key did a comic book adaption.

 

[Jimbo.B]

I don’t know if this has been posted before but for fans of the film there’s a web site devoted to the production history of How the West was Won.

start page for "How The West Was Won" - MGM's Cinerama epic of the American West

This is the story behind the 1963 MGM epic motion picture 'How the West Was Won'.

www.daveswarbirds.com

 

[jayembee]

I suspect the joins between the elements would be more apparent

They'd probably stick out like sore thumbs, unless some digital magic was applied...which would likely cause its own issues.

 

[jayembee]

Gold Key did a comic book adaption.

View attachment 199212

This is one I need to find a copy of, after discovering that the art was by the wonderful Warren Tufts!