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

I can't believe I haven't picked this title up before now. I watched it yesterday after getting it from Amazon for $20. The transfer is gorgeous! The detail in the picture had me in awe for the entire 3 hour running time, apart from it being a really good movie. Yes, the story takes some liberties with history, but this was 1962.


I loved the "smilebox" version and the simple way in which it was done. Bravo Warner Home Video! Here's an example of how a little creativity and minimal cost can go a very long way towards recreating the theatrical experience, this time in Cinerama.


The documentary is priceless too. Well done.

Cinescott: I agree--this is a demonstration quality blu-ray for PQ and AQ. And it's a fun and epic if episodic Western too--and what a cast!


And isn't the music score by Alfred Newman great...I was just reading that he worked with Charlie Chaplin quite a bit early on...

Originally Posted by benbess

And isn't the music score by Alfred Newman great...I was just reading that he worked with Charlie Chaplin quite a bit early on...

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The score's fabulous and iconic. It's been used numerous times in other places, including interestingly in the opening scene of "Romancing the Stone."

Some others have also discussed this. http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/276200/a-few-words-about-how-the-west-was-won-in-blu-ray

Having been a film collector before I got into home video, I have seen many 16mm and 35mm dye-transfer Technicolor prints. The Blu-ray of HTWWW really has "the look". Awesome.

Originally Posted by benbess

Cinescott: I agree--this is a demonstration quality blu-ray for PQ and AQ. And it's a fun and epic if episodic Western too--and what a cast!


And isn't the music score by Alfred Newman great...I was just reading that he worked with Charlie Chaplin quite a bit early on...

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Originally Posted by Cinescott




The score's fabulous and iconic. It's been used numerous times in other places, including interestingly in the opening scene of "Romancing the Stone."

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Except nowhere in that film (I was looking for it in the end credit roll) was Newman credited or the source even mentioned. If you didn't recognize it as being "How the West Was Won," you'd assume it was written by Alan Silvestri, who scored "Romancing."

Originally Posted by Rick Thompson


Except nowhere in that film (I was looking for it in the end credit roll) was Newman credited or the source even mentioned. If you didn't recognize it as being "How the West Was Won," you'd assume it was written by Alan Silvestri, who scored "Romancing."

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Yeah, and RTS is a Fox movie, so there must have been an agreement. Weird.

One of the first movies I bought on BD, and a definite demo title. Simply amazing in Smilebox.

i was on the fence for this one,but now i'm buying it for sure.

This was the first BD disc I ordered -- once I read about the upcoming release, the technical achievements in putting it out, and how the Blu-ray was going to have the Smile-Box version and the DVD wouldn't, I bit the bullet, bought my Blu-ray player, pre-ordered the disc, and haven't looked back since. It's probably time to revisit this title, thanks for bringing it up in a thread -- it's hard to believe it's been out for almost two years!

The almost complete elimination of the joining seams was also most impressive with this release. Heaven only knows how much Warners spent on this project, but it was certainly worth the time and money spent on it. I hope they think so, too.

Originally Posted by MattH.

The almost complete elimination of the joining seams was also most impressive with this release. Heaven only knows how much Warners spent on this project, but it was certainly worth the time and money spent on it. I hope they think so, too.

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The seams (or lack of) were very impressive. I have yet to watch the letterbox version for the commentary, although the sight lines on a flat screen might be a little awkward. I wish we could get "The Seven Wonders of the World" or "The South Seas" on Blu-ray smileboxed. I'd buy those for sure.

I do not mind one bit the slight trace of the seams. To have them gone completely would have seemed almost unnatural, because that was a part of the Cinerama experience. As cleaned up as they are, though, they're absolutely lovely.

Originally Posted by MattH.

The almost complete elimination of the joining seams was also most impressive with this release. Heaven only knows how much Warners spent on this project, but it was certainly worth the time and money spent on it. I hope they think so, too.

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I'm sure WB did spent an awful lot on this spectacular restoration. I hope they are not drawing the wrong lessons from it if they have not yet earned back that money.

Originally Posted by benbess




I'm sure WB did spent an awful lot on this spectacular restoration. I hope they are not drawing the wrong lessons from it if they have not yet earned back that money.

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Which is why everyone reading this who has not purchased HTWWW already needs to do so immediately. Don't think, buy. You won't regret this one.

This was my first Blu-Ray, and very few, if any, subsequent purchases have managed to create the same jaw-dropping reaction when viewed the first time.

One of my earliest BLUs, too, AND a deliberate, voluntary double dip with the DVD box set. I go for good quality swag, and settling for less than everything available in this dual release was not an option. The two sets reside very happily together on my shelf.


And I've said it before, but I'll repeat my total love and admiration for Smilebox. Really looking forward to more of same.

I agree about the Smilebox edition. It's the way I prefer to watch the movie now. I would buy every one of the Cinerama films if they were made available to us.

One of the sharpest and most film-like blu-rays I have ever seen. Everything was done right with this one. I've seen it eight times with various friends since picking it up. Talk about getting your money's worth! This is the poster child for why blu-ray is so superior.

Originally Posted by Mark B

This was my first Blu-Ray, and very few, if any, subsequent purchases have managed to create the same jaw-dropping reaction when viewed the first time.

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That was exactly my experience as well.


I'd love to see other shorts and whatnot that were filmed in Cinerama presented in smilebox. Heck, as a bonus feature, I'd love to see smilebox versions of films that hadn't been shot in Cinerama originally but had special prints made for Cinerama screens just to get a sense of what that must've felt like to watch. And I really hope that one day I'll have the chance to actually see HTWWW in Cinerama - it seems like there's a theater in L.A. and a theater in Seattle that can still show it as originally intended, and that may be something worth planning a vacation around if the opportunity arises.