MarcoBiscotti

Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

Is this owned (under license/distribution rights) by Warner Bros?


I see that it was released as a Special Edition by a third party studio in R2/France, though according to Gary's screen caps at DVD Beaver, it's seriously lacking in the image dept.

2008 will finally give us The Gunfighter as well as underrated classics like The Law and Jake Wade and other great westerns that we've been patiently waiting. Does anyone have any further info regarding this more 'prominent' title?

Eric Peterson

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

Good question. This is one of the rare Hawks' films that I have never seen.

"Shoot a few scenes out of focus. I want to win the foreign film award."
Billy Wilder

"This business has come a long way in the last 30 years, but why should I depress you"
I.A.L. Diamond on the Movie Business (1986)

dany

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

One of my fav's with Dewey Martin. I think it was one of his first films. I belive Dewey is still alive but long gone from the business.

Get In My Belly.

Richard--W

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

Whomever owns THE BIG SKY, release it to DVD. The film is conspicuous by its absence.

"... little by little the look of the country
changes because of the people we admire."
dialog in HUD (1963)

Charles H

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

WB owns THE BIG SKY by virtue of their ownership of the RKO library. For many years, it was listed as "forthcoming" on laserdisc but it never happened--possibly because 20 minutes were missing from the original running time. I forget if TCM shows the complete print now. It's not very good but MGM/UA is releasing THE WAY WEST in a couple of weeks with Kirk Douglas in another adaptation of A.B. Guthrie, jr.

MarcoBiscotti

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

TCM does show the complete print but I believe parts are sourced from inferior 16mm prints and it's quite obvious by the dropout in quality. Perhaps it's absence on home video could be the result of the condition of surviving elements?

Rod J

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

"The Big Sky" is available in France (R2) as "La Captive aux yeux clairs" -the print may not be perfect but it's quite watchable (running time 122 minutes (PAL)).

éditions montparnasse offers a lot of RKO titles that are apparently "unsuitable" for US release.

Billy Batson

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

A few years back in a Warner chat I'm sure I can remember them talking about a Howard Hawks Box Set with; "The Spirit Of St. Louis" "Land Of The Pharaohs" "The Big Sky" & a few others. It didn't quite work out like that, & it looks like "The Big Sky" is the only no show.

Robert Crawford

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

This is one of Hawk's best films and is really underrated by critics and movie fans alike, but unfortunately, I believe Warner has some serious issues with the film elements.





Crawdaddy

G.W. McLintock: Camille, you're on your own.

Robin9

Re: Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY (1952)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Batson A few years back in a Warner chat I'm sure I can remember them talking about a Howard Hawks Box Set with; "The Spirit Of St. Louis" "Land Of The Pharaohs" "The Big Sky" & a few others. It didn't quite work out like that, & it looks like "The Big Sky" is the only no show.

"The Spirit Of St. Louis" is Billy Wilder, not Howard Hawks. Warners must have been planning to use a different movie.