You voted and the results are in! (1 Viewer)

[jim_falconer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancisP
Worth noting that we are talking about Fox films. Wayne did not do that many films with Fox. However North To Alaska is not one of Wayne's lesser efforts. It is a very entertaining film with a cast that does a fine job from top to bottom. Just because it it a light-hearted film does not make it any less important than any other films.

Absolutely, positively agree with you. North To Alaska is a classic film, in the same way that Bringing Up Baby is a classic film. One of Duke and Hathaway's best collaborations.

Originally Posted by MLamarre
I wonder if Fox believes in the selling power of John Wayne enough to release two of his pre-codes on Blu-ray: Girls Demand Excitement (1931) and Three Girls Lost (1931)?

You know, as I was reading thru this thread, I was thinking the same exact thing. After the failure of The Big Trail, FOX assigned John Wayne to more juvenile roles, to which these two films came from. I read that Duke personally hated both of them, but I'd still like a chance to view them. Anyone know if prints exists of these 2 films?

 

[OliverK]

Worth noting that we are talking about Fox films. Wayne did not do that many films with Fox. However North To Alaska is not one of Wayne's lesser efforts. It is a very entertaining film with a cast that does a fine job from top to bottom. Just because it it a light-hearted film does not make it any less important than any other films.

Last I looked it ranked number 36 among movies with John Wayne on imdb. At least one other John Wayne fan in this thread also did NOT call it a classic John Wayne. This at least shows that the assessment of a movie being a classic or not is rather subjective and while some may consider almost every John Wayne movie a classic because it is with Johne Wayne there will be others that reserve this distinction to movies like The Searchers, Rio Bravo, Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance etc.

 

[ahollis]

As a John Wayne fan I feel that NORTH TO ALASKA is not necessarily a classic Wayne film but it sure is fun. It is not surrounded by the Wayne stock company which makes it different but it does have the same fun and lighthearted humor that HATARI, MCLINTOCK and DONAVAN'S REEF has. With NTA fitting squarely between MCLINTOCK and Reef with HATARI being the best. I have wanted this in Blu-ruy since THE COMANCHEROS arrived and glad it is on the way. THE UNDEFEATED, I could care less if I up grade or not. I just never cared for this title.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by ahollis
As a John Wayne fan I feel that NORTH TO ALASKA is not necessarily a classic Wayne film but it sure is fun. It is not surrounded by the Wayne stock company which makes it different but it does have the same fun and lighthearted humor that HATARI, MCLINTOCK and DONAVAN'S REEF has. With NTA fitting squarely between MCLINTOCK and Reef with HATARI being the best.
I have wanted this in Blu-ruy since THE COMANCHEROS arrived and glad it is on the way.
THE UNDEFEATED, I could care less if I up grade or not. I just never cared for this title.

I don't understand the love for Hatari as I think it's much weaker than McLintock and Donovan's Reef. Both of the latter films are much funnier with better acting. The only thing Hatari has going for it is the location and wildlife. As to North to Alaska, I even find that film more entertaining than Hatari.

 

I don't understand the love for Hatari as I think it's much weaker than McLintock and Donovan's Reef.  Both of the latter films are much funnier with better acting.  The only thing Hatari has going for it is the location and wildlife.  As to North to Alaska, I even find that film more entertaining than Hatari.

Everyone has their opinion. I like Hatari! best of the films mentioned, although I like them all. Heck, I even like The Undefeated.

 

[ahollis]

I don't understand the love for Hatari as I think it's much weaker than McLintock and Donovan's Reef.  Both of the latter films are much funnier with better acting.  The only thing Hatari has going for it is the location and wildlife.  As to North to Alaska, I even find that film more entertaining than Hatari.

We finally have fun disagreement. . I am fascinated by HATARI and enjoy it each time I watch it. The blasphemy I have for it is it has a, IMHO, a weak Mancini score (is there really such a thing?). While I have DONAVAN'S REEF on the bottom of those four films, Lee Marvin out does Wayne and keeps it from bogging down and it is an enjoyable fun film. But at least I know MCLINTOCK and NORTH TO ALASKA are coming to Blu-ray. We just need the others along with another 40 or so titles from the various studios.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by John Hermes
Everyone has their opinion. I like Hatari! best of the films mentioned, although I like them all. Heck, I even like The Undefeated.

Will somebody tell me why they like Hatari so much? The acting is horrible and Red Buttons is annoying as hell. By the way, I liked Hatari more when I was a kid back in the 60s than as an adult now.

 

Will somebody tell me why they like Hatari so much?  The acting is horrible and Red Buttons is annoying as hell.  By the way, I liked Hatari more when I was a kid back in the 60s than as an adult now.

To quote Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, "Marvelous lighthearted action film of wild-animal trappers in Africa, with just the right mixture of adventure and comedy. Wayne is at his best." Sums up my feelings rather well.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by John Hermes
To quote Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, "Marvelous lighthearted action film of wild-animal trappers in Africa, with just the right mixture of adventure and comedy. Wayne is at his best." Sums up my feelings rather well.

Besides the monkey scene, what is so funny about Hatari? Adventure is kind of weak in the film. Is it just because of the wildlife, particularly, the Rhino?

 

[ahollis]

Will somebody tell me why they like Hatari so much?  The acting is horrible and Red Buttons is annoying as hell.  By the way, I liked Hatari more when I was a kid back in the 60s than as an adult now.

The baby elephants are cute and funny. Capturing the tree of monkeys is funny. The action scenes capturing the animals are entertaining. True the characters are very one dimensional but as far as a fun, entertaining film it hits all my cylinders.

 

[JoeDoakes]

John Wayne fans indeed can feel very lucky, especially given the fact that so many great westerns have not been released on Blu-Ray so far with several of the Dukes lesser efforts comfortably making their way to Blu-Ray. Imagine for example the much lauded collaboration of Anthony Mann with Jimmy Stewart: 0 out of 5 movies released, The Scott/Boetticher Westerns: 0 out of 7 released. Westerns by Sam Peckinpah: One rather mediocre looking release. I could go on with actors often associated with the western that are missing with many of their best movies etc.... So the Duke fared very well on Blu-Ray which reflects his popularity that apparently also comes with larger than life success on classic catalog releases on Blu

I'd like to see Universal release Destry Rides Again on blu. I think it's his best western, and I was disappointed it was not an anniversary release.

 

[Lromero1396]

I'd like to see Universal release Destry Rides Again on blu. I think it's his best western, and I was disappointed it was not an anniversary release.

It'd be great as part of a Jimmy Stewart boxed set. However, I only want them released if the transfers are not processed to death, as seems to be standard protocal for non-100th anniversary releases from Universal.

 

[OliverK]

It'd be great as part of a Jimmy Stewart boxed set. However, I only want them released if the transfers are not processed to death, as seems to be standard protocal for non-100th anniversary releases from Universal.

As long as I cannot see a general change in philospohy at Universal I sadly have to say that the less classics they release the better. They are hit and miss and they miss mostly do on titles I happen to want, last example being the original Cape Fear. Parents can lose custody of their children if they don't care for them properly but unfortunately studios cannot lose custody of their movies...

 

[OliverK]

I'd like to see Universal release Destry Rides Again on blu. I think it's his best western, and I was disappointed it was not an anniversary release.

Jimmy Stewart really is underrepresented on Blu-Ray, certainly one of his more popular movies! For reasons named above for the time being I am more interested in Stewart movies from other studios though. Too bad most of the Mann/Stewart collaborations were also with Universal, I really hope they will know how to get things right when they finally get to them.

 

[Lromero1396]

As long as I cannot see a general change in philospohy at Universal I sadly have to say that the less classics they release the better. They are hit and miss and they miss mostly do on titles I happen to want, last example being the original Cape Fear. Parents can lose custody of their children if they don't care for them properly but unfortunately studios cannot lose custody of their movies...

Sadly true. I'd rather see them pass it up if it's not a perfect release.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I watched the Audie Murphy remake, Destry, yesterday on television. A film I've always liked with Mari Blanchard and Lyle Bettger playing the villain (as usual). The IMDB shows this with a projected ratio of 1:85 which was that shown yesterday. I also have a recording of it at 1:33 which I think is the better presentation.

 

[Nick*Z]

Extremely disappointed that Two for the Road and Anastasia did not make the cut - two of the finest movies ever made. Oh well, here's to hoping Fox will eventually get around to them anyway. I'm not a big Wayne fan - at least not of the movies that won this contest so I won't be buying any of those. I'm frankly bewildered that North of Alaska overwhelmingly made the cut.

Cavalcade is a nice touch and about time!!! The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and Desk Set will be welcomed into my private collection too.

 

[Matt Hough]

I would love to see Fox do this again next year with another set of titles from each of these decades. It was a lot of fun voting, and I know next time I will be writing in other titles like mad hoping to spur some interest for them.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I agree with you Matt, it was fun and it generated a lot of interest. I wish Warners would do something similar, at least it would give us a clue as to which titles were currently in the best shape for a blu-ray release. I am of the opinion however, with the slow release of blu-ray titles through the Archive, that they are waiting for burn-on-demand to deliver their titles more cheaply.

However, I want to end on a positive with thanks to them for House of Wax.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I agree with you Matt, it was fun and it generated a lot of interest. I wish Warners would do something similar, at least it would give us a clue as to which titles were currently in the best shape for a blu-ray release. I am of the opinion however, with the slow release of blu-ray titles through the Archive, that they are waiting for burn-on-demand to deliver their titles more cheaply.

However, I want to end on a positive with thanks to them for House of Wax.

If Warner could find some more exciting titles to put on blu through the archive I would bite. Most of what they have released so far, is not that interesting to me. Now, I did see that the WA tweeters tweeted a photo from Blow Up. If they release that through the archive, I'm there.