WHV Press Release: How The West was Won (DVD/Blu-Ray)+Western & Errol Flynn Classics (1 Viewer)

Saddle Up August 26 with WHV’s Western Collections…

HOW THE WEST WAS WON
THE SPECTACULAR CINEMATIC EPIC IS RESTORED TO ALL ITS “CINERAMA®” GLORY WITH THREE BONUS-FILLED EDITIONS: ULTIMATE COLLECTORS,
TWO DISC-SPECIAL & BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF!

Ten More Movies Available in Two Collections: Warner Home Video Western Classics Collection and Errol Flynn Westerns

Burbank, Calif. April 28, 2008 – The wondrous western historical saga How the West Was Won gallops onto home theatre screens August 26th in three new restored and remastered editions. One of only two narrative feature films produced in the original Cinerama® three-panel widescreen process, How the West Was Won is a stunning epic, following four generations of a courageous New England farm family as they travel to the fertile Ohio Valley during America’s early westward expansion.

M-G-M and Cinerama®, Inc. spared no expense to give this sprawling Western saga the huge vistas made possible with the original Cinerama® process. After its initial theatrical engagements in theaters equipped with three synchronized projectors for Cinerama® presentation, the film was subsequently presented on traditional theater screens with the three separate Cinerama® panels being optically joined to form a standard 35mm 2.35:1 widescreen image, leaving most subsequent viewers puzzled by the annoying ‘join lines.’

Following several years of careful development, the technicians at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging perfected a technology that could finally eliminate the ‘join lines,’ and unify the images into a superb viewing experience that captures the essence of the production’s initial road show exhibitions, with an aspect ratio of 2.89:1.

This ultimate western film gets the Ultimate treatment with How the West Was Won Ultimate Collector’s Edition ($59.92 SRP). The two disc Standard Definition Ultimate Collector’s Edition is loaded with collectible memorabilia including a 20-page theatrical press book reproduction, 10 behind-the-scenes photo cards and 10 postcards, and an exclusive movie poster offer. Streeting simultaneously will also be a glorious Blu-ray™ Hi-Def ($34.99 SRP) version. Exclusive to Blu-ray is the “SmileBox” version of the film which presents the image with a unique curvature that virtually recreates the true Cinerama® experience in a home theater. This Blu-ray™ Hi-Def Edition comes with a special Digi-book packaging featuring 32-pages of rare press materials and behind-the-scenes photos. The third new edition is a Two Disc-Special Edition in standard definition ($20.97 SRP).

Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including John Wayne, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Richard Widmark, Gregory Peck, Lee J. Cobb, Debbie Reynolds and Carroll Baker star in How the West Was Won. Set between 1839 and 1889 against the backgrounds of the Louisiana Purchase, the Civil War, buffalo hunters, the Pony Express and the first transcontinental railroad, the film consists of five segments, with direction by Henry Hathaway, John Ford and George Marshall, and written by James R. Webb and John Gay, suggested by a Life Magazine series of the same name. The film was the winner of 3 Academy Awards® (Best Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Editing) as well as being nominated for an additional five Oscars®, including Best Picture. In 1997, How the West Was Won was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the US National Film Registry.

How the West Was Won Special Features:
Film Historian Commentary
Dave Strohmaier’s critically-acclaimed, feature-length documentary Cinerama® Adventure
The Making of How the West Was Won (Archival featurette)
Original Theatrical trailer

WARNER HOME VIDEO WESTERN CLASSICS COLLECTION

To further celebrate the western genre, Warner Home Video proudly announces the DVD debut of 6 long-awaited favorites, each newly remastered especially for this release.

Escape from Fort Bravo (1954)
Union officer William Holden contends with Confederate prisoners inside Fort Bravo…and fierce Indians outside. John Sturges (The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven) directs.

Special Features:
· Theatrical trailer

Many Rivers to Cross (1955) First ever home-video release!
Trapper and resolute bachelor Bushrod Gentry comes to Kentucky, where a marriage-minded lass is waiting. Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker team in a comedy/adventure.

Special Features:
· Theatrical trailer

Cimarron (1960 remake)
Oklahoma is theirs…if they can tame it. Glenn Ford stars in the decades-spanning tale of the famed land rush and of settlers sinking deep roots. Anthony Mann (Winchester ’73) directs this two-time Oscar® winner.

Special Features:
· Theatrical Trailer

The Law and Jake Wade (1958)
Lawman William Holden is sworn to uphold the law but destined for a showdown with his
outlaw past when former partner Richard Widmark resurfaces. Directed by John Sturges.

Special Features:
· Theatrical Trailer

Saddle the Wind (1958) First ever home-video release!
Blood for blood; brother against brother. An ex-gunslinger’s attempts to go straight meet a fury of violence ignited by his brother. Robert Taylor stars in Rod Serling’s taut tale.

Special Features:
· Theatrical Trailer

The Stalking Moon (1968)
A suspenseful manhunt saga. A relentless foe tracks Army scout Gregory Peck as he attempts to lead a woman (Eva Marie Saint) once held captive by Apaches to safety.

Special Features:
· Theatrical Trailer

ERROL FLYNN WESTERNS
Warner Home Video continues its year-long 85th anniversary celebration by saluting one of the studio’s very-own legendary greats – Errol Flynn. Despite his Tasmanian roots and elegant British diction, Flynn made an ideal all-American cowboy. With his steely gaze, lean frame and understated humor, he tamed the West in eight thrilling sagebrush sagas. WHV presents four of Flynn’s classic “oaters” making their DVD debuts and available exclusively as a collection.

Montana (1950)
The star heads for the wide-open spaces of Montana in this adventure saga about a bitter range war. Errol Flynn plays an Australian transplant looking to buy grazing land. But the cattle-raising locals won’t sell to interlopers, especially one they consider the most contemptible excuse for a human being ever to cross the Great Plains: a sheep rancher. Flynn’s San Antonio co-star Alexis Smith is a flame-haired beauty with an eye for the newcomer…until she learns his occupation. In time, she’ll put aside her disdain for the handsome stranger.

Special Features:
· Vintage Newsreel
· Warner Night at the Movies 1950 Short Subjects Gallery
· Joe McDoakes Comedy Short: So You Want a Raise
· Classic Cartoon: It’s Hummer Time
· Trailers of Montana and 1950’s Chain Lightning
· Bonus Gallery of Santa Fe Trail Series Western Shorts: Oklahoma Outlaws, Wagon Wheels West and Gun to Gun

Rocky Mountain (1950)
Errol Flynn saddles up for his final Western starring as Confederate Captain Barstow in a brawny tale directed by William Keighley (co-director of Flynn’s The Adventures of Robin Hood) and filmed wholly in the rugged environs of Gallup, New Mexico. Co-star Patrice Wymore became Mrs. Flynn weeks before the film’s release. And drawling character actor Slim Pickens (Blazing Saddles) makes his debut as one of Captain Barstow’s men.

Special Features:
· Commentary by biographer Thomas McNulty [McNulty looks at Flynn’s career, his unique qualities as a Western hero and his romance with costar Patrice Wymore.]
· Warner Night at the Movies 1950 Short Subjects Gallery
· Vintage Newsreel
· Trailers of Rocky Mountain and The Breaking Point
· Bonus Gallery of Santa Fe Trail Series Western Shorts: Roaring Guns, Wells Fargo Days and Trial by Trigger
· Classic Cartoon: Two’s a Crowd
· Joe McDoakes Comedy Short So You Want to Move

San Antonio (1945)
San Antonio features blazing action in Technicolor® (a rip snorting saloon gunfight), suspense (a tense showdown in the granddaddy of Texas monuments, the Alamo) and a beautiful girl (Alexis Smith as a sultry songbird) to add romantic luster to the heroics.

Special Features:
· Warner Night at the Movies 1945 Short Subjects Gallery:
· Vintage Newsreel
· OscarÒ-Nominated* Vitaphone Varieties Short Story of a Dog
· Vintage Shorts: Frontier Days and Peeks at Hollywood
· Classic Cartoons: A Tale of Two Mice and Wagon Heels
· Trailers of San Antonio and The Corn Is Green

Virginia City (1940)
In his second Western, Errol Flynn again teams with Dodge City director Michael Curtiz to play an undercover Union officer determined to stop a gold-laden train rolling to Dixie. Randolph Scott is a Johnny Reb ramrodding the shipment, Miriam Hopkins is a beguiling spy, Humphrey Bogart is a pencil-mustached desperado, and pioneering stuntman Yakima Canutt pulls off a daring stagecoach feat.

Special Features:
· Commentary by historian Frank Thompson [Thompson discusses this all-star collaboration with Flynn, Humphrey Bogart, Randolph Scott and Miriam Hopkins, and the challenges faced by director Michael Curtiz throughout production.]
· Warner Night at the Movies 1940 Short Subjects Gallery
· Vintage Newsreel
· TechnicolorÒ Shorts: Cinderella’s Feller and The Flag of Humanity
· 1936 WB Short: The Light Brigade Rides Again
· Classic Cartoons: Cross Country Detours and Confederate Honey
· Trailers of Virginia City and A Dispatch from Reuters


WARNER HOME VIDEO WESTERN CLASSICS COLLECTION
Street Date: August 26, 2008


HOW THE WEST WAS WON
165 minutes - Rated G
5.1 Dolby Digital – 2.89 Widescreen

HOW THE WEST WAS WON: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION
$59.92 SRP

HOW THE WEST WAS WON: SPECIAL EDITION
$20.97 SRP

HOW THE WEST WAS WON: BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF
$34.99 SRP

WARNER HOME VIDEO WESTERN CLASSICS COLLECTION
$59.92 SRP Collection; $12.97 SRP Individual Titles
All Films Not Rated




Escape from Fort Bravo
Run Time: 99 minutes
Catalog#: 1000036331
Color/16x9 1.75 stereo
Many Rivers to Cross
Run Time: 94 minutes
Catalog #: 1000036330
Color/16x9 2.35 stereo

Cimarron
Run Time: 147 minutes
Catalog #: 1000036299
Color
16x9 2.35 stereo

The Law and Jake Wade
Run Time: 101 minutes
Catalog #: 1000036298
Color
16x9 2.35

Saddle the Wind
Run Time: 84 minutes
Catalog #: 1000036297
Color
16x9 2.35

The Stalking Moon
Run Time: 109 minutes
Catalog #: 1000036296
Color
16x9 2.35

ERROL FLYNN WESTERNS
Catalog #: 1000027305
$49.92 SRP (available as a collection only)
All Films Not Rated

Montana
Run Time: 76 minutes
Color
Rocky Mountain
Run Time: 83 minutes
B&W

San Antonio
Run Time: 106 minutes
Color

Virginia City
Run Time: 121 minutes
B&W

2.89??? Wow. I was under the impression that 3-strip Cinerama was 2.55:1, I guess the extra wideness is generated by the Smilebox effect if they are using that.

Also no "This is Cinerama", darn.

Cinerama should be 2.59:1. I'm hoping it's a typo since the examples on HP's site are 2.55:1. Good to hear the BluRay will be Smilelboxed, but why offer the ultimate collector's edition only in SD?

These are so mine!!!

I especially can't wait for The Law and Jake Wade & Escape From Fort Bravo!

3 more must-haves from Warner!

Now let's get6 some artwork for all of these sets online!

As I posted in another thread devoted to this release:

I was shocked to see that the smilebox is exclusive to Blu-Ray - that seems like it's a big slap in the face to customers who've been very loyal to Warners over the years. A bad mistake, I think, as I will now not pick up the standard DVD issue. I have been a staunch supporter of Warners, but with this move they've really lost me as a customer. It's just not right.

I agree, a bit of a slap for the non-hidef viewers. I'm sure standard DVD can handle smilebox presentind in a 16:9 frame

Aw well, Warners gets my money for it anyways, I've been wanting to see it forever, and it's a rare slap, so I'll forgive them.

Errol Flynn sounds awesome! the first two sets were a blast.

Entire quoted announcement removed by owner

Great news. Allot of good Westerns on this list. I will be picking up all but The Stalking Moon and Cimarron. This is gonna make August an unexpected expensive month.

I'm surprised they're even bothering with a standard-def release on this. Cinerama is the highest resolution film format after IMAX. I'm not going to bother with SD on this title and everyone is better off waiting until they can get the BluRay.

Hi
Robert taylor is the lead in The Law and Jake Wade (1958) not William Holden. thought you may be interested.
Dan Oldrati

Baah! That sounds like a bunch of bull in my case. I'm sure the hi-def will look not much different on my meager 27" LCD. with the upconverted DVD player to hdmi thing I got, SD is fine. More then good enough for watching.

Probably be better for Warrners to just not release it since they wont see as huge a return on a blu-ray only release of a relatively unknown (compared to something like Blade Runner, no getting your snoot panties in a knot folks... ) classic title though I suppose.

Nope, while having a (apparantly) horrid looking smile box SD copy would be prefered, I'm fine watching the non-smile box SD version, and look forward to the release.

I've translated most of me mate Russles post and find myself agreeing with some of it [gasps].

How the West Was Won in good old nothing wrong with it, SD-DVD!! Can't wait. Count me in.

what's smilebox anyway ?

AWSOME ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Have I died and gone to heaven?

I have waited nearly 50 years for this to happen.

After seeing HTWWW six times in it's premiere Cinerama release, 3 times in Cinemascope, then buying the LP soundtrack, followed by the Stereo reel to reel soundtrack tape and then the VHS version and then finally the less than perfect non anamorphic DVD we are to be treated with what would appear to be the ULTIMATE version and we will get to hear the dynamic original Cinerama multi track sound at home for the very first time.

This film has long been in my favorite top 3 movies of all time.

I hope that the exclusive Blu-ray version will encourage more people to make the plunge into High Definition.( and yes, the difference between SD and HD is enormous when viewed on a full HD screen)

Because of my enormous love of this film, I will most likely buy both the Blu-ray and the special edition SD, if only to get the lobby cards, photos, etc.

George Feltenstein you are truly a LEGEND!!!!!

The 2 Western sets are also must haves.
The extras on the Errol Flynn set sound terrific and the set also contains "Rocky Mountain" , which I saw and never forgot after I saw it over 50 years ago at a kids Saturday afternoon matinee (I haven't seen it since as it appears to have been lost to Australian TV)

I am greatly disappointed at some of the negative postings so far on this thread.
Warners, no doubt with George Feltenstein's head on the block, have undertaken an enormous financial gamble with costly restoration of this film for DVD and why? because Mr Feltenstein's heart is, as always, with the true Movie lovers of this world.
He knows what we want and he delivers.
God forbid if ever he leaves Warners.


footnote: They say if you wait long enough and pray mighty hard your prayers will be answered.

It appears that mine have.

I just hope that others agree.

Oddly enough only in the last few years have I begun to enjoy western films, I never liked them when I was a youger (HIGH NOON and THE GUNFIGHTER are the exceptions.)

Now that I am 43 I cannot get enough of them, nevertheless I still find it amazing to realize I have not seen a single one of these films, which makes this entire group of films a bonus for me.
I cannot wait until August!

The image is taller at the sides, and narrow at the centre to emulate the enveloping quality of the image caused by the deeply curved Cinerama screen.

Basically 3-strip Cinerama films aren't meant to be viewed as a flat image, because it means the distortion of the 3 x 28mm lenses goes uncorrected.

The problem is, a lot of How the West Was Won was shot in Ultra Panavision, not three strip Cinerama, so the Smilebox formatting may not help the UP sequences.

As a card-carrying member of The Santa Fe Trail Association I'm looking forward to the series of Santa Fe Trail historical shorts which supplement the Errol Flynn set. Nice early dye-transfer color, too.

Nice move, WHV.

Nice Cinerama logo on the cover:

One of the greatest movie moments of my life happened a
few years ago while I was out in Los Angeles.

Robert Crawford took us out to the huge Cinerama theater in
Hollywood to see How The West Was Won.

I never saw the film or a Cinerama presentation before. The
experience was nothing short of "awesome" and you can bet
that I have had a very special place in my heart for this film
ever since. Cannot wait to own this "seamless" presentation
on Blu-ray!

What's better for this Blu-ray release is that LA viewing was prior to the restoration work done on this great film. Unfortunately, my first viewing of this film was not on a Cinerama screen during its original theatrical release, but I was probably too young to really noticed it anyway.




Crawdaddy