Anthony Mann's Westerns -- why no blu-rays? (1 Viewer)

Anthony Mann directed the best westerns ever made during America's golden age of westerns.

Check out these savvy essays on Mann's westerns at Livius' blog:

The Furies (1950)
http://livius1.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/the-furies/

The Devil's Doorway (1950)
http://livius1.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/devils-doorway/

Winchester '73
http://livius1.wordpress.com/2008/04/16/winchester-73/

Bend of the River (1952)
http://livius1.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/bend-of-the-river/

The Naked Spur (1953)
http://livius1.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/the-naked-spur/

The Man From Laramie (1955)
http://livius1.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/the-man-from-laramie/

The Tin Star (1957)
http://livius1.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/the-tin-star/

In Europe, an Anthony Mann western is a foreign art film, defining the image of America and representing Hollywood craftsmanship at its finest. Not one of these great films are on blu-ray.

Who wouldn't buy these great westerns on blu-ray?

"The Man From Laramie" is being prepped and restored for blu-ray release later this year by Sony...for that, you just have to wait a few more months. As to the other titles listed, I completely agree!!!

There's a pretty nice German BD of Man Of The West, which I have. Bend Of The River and Winchester 73 BDs have just been released in the Netherlands. Hopefully, someday these will come to the U.S.

I would buy any of these great films in a heartbeat.

lukejosephchung said:

"The Man From Laramie" is being prepped and restored for blu-ray release later this year by Sony...for that, you just have to wait a few more months. As to the other titles listed, I completely agree!!!

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Oh I dunno, I've seen lots of old Columbia movies in good looking HD transfers on TV, & no sign of a Blu-ray release of any of them, so I wouldn't hold your breath.

I'm hoping Universal releases a Blu-ray version of the James Stewart Western Box, that would include: The Far Country, Bend Of The River & Winchester '73. I've seen most of the films in this box in HD, & Winchester '73 looks particularly good. But again, I'm not holding my breath.

Criterion released a wonderful looking DVD of The Furies in an impressive package that contained the original book. Would they still have the rights to release a Blu-ray version of that film?

I thought I read somewhere that Criterion was prepping Cimarron for a BD release? Perhaps, or maybe I just dreamed it.

lukejosephchung said:

"The Man From Laramie" is being prepped and restored for blu-ray release later this year by Sony...for that, you just have to wait a few more months. As to the other titles listed, I completely agree!!!

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This is the first time I hear about this, where did you get that info?

The Man from Laramie is well suited for a Blu-ray release - great movie and great widescreen cinematography, Mann certainly knew how to shoot cinemascope!

I saw it on HDNet Movies looking really great. One would hope it is being prepped, but that was over three years ago; so I would not assume anything.

for

OliverK said:

This is the first time I hear about this, where did you get that info?

The Man from Laramie is well suited for a Blu-ray release - great movie and great widescreen cinematography, Mann certainly knew how to shoot cinemascope!

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I found out at another thread here discussing upcoming Sony restoration releases for 2013...several have since come to pass: "On The Waterfront", "Funny Girl" and "Oliver!" which has officially been announced for limited edition release at Twilight Time...the other titles include "Laramie" and "The Last Detail"!!!

With the exception of "Cimarron", those are all great, great movies. Mann was a flat-out amazing filmmaker and I'd happily buy each of the films you've listed. I think "The Furies" and "Devil's Doorway" are very underrated, as is "The Tin Star", which people tend to forget because it doesn't star Jimmy Stewart. The DVD transfers are pretty good, so you'd hope they could turn out decent Blu-ray discs. "The Last Frontier" and "The Naked Spur" might be the most problematic titles - they've never looked great and the DVD of "The Naked Spur", perhaps the best film of all of them has always been a big disappointment. There may be some conjecture over the proper aspect ratio, too.
I've got the German Blu of "Man of the West" and think it's an excellent, unadorned transfer. Would love to see more follow.

There is an HD master of Cimarron as I recently recorded it on my PVR (just haven't had a chance to watch it yet). I would buy all of those films (be a great box set, if the rights issues could allow for it). I'd also love to see a Criterion treatment for as many of these as possible, though even barebones releases would be great.

lukejosephchung said:

forI found out at another thread here discussing upcoming Sony restoration releases for 2013...several have since come to pass: "On The Waterfront", "Funny Girl" and "Oliver!" which has officially been announced for limited edition release at Twilight Time...the other titles include "Laramie" and "The Last Detail"!!!

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Then let's hope they come through with Laramie, too!

aHorseofCourse said:

The DVD transfers are pretty good, so you'd hope they could turn out decent Blu-ray discs.

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The Tin Star was shot in VistaVision and therefore has the potential to look very good if treated properly.The HD versions that I have seen look OK but I would surely hope for a substantal improvement with the Blu-Rays and not just some sharpening and scrubbing of grain or otherwise they may end up like the recent release of Cape Fear (this remark is for you, Universal!).

All in on hoping to see these films released on blu-ray and at least one of them has been prepared for that according to Grover Crisp.

"The Man from Laramie" contains a wonderful filmmaking moment early on. It's a pan (right to left) that at first gives the audience the impression it's from Jimmy Stewart's POV, yet Mr. Stewart comes into the shot half-way through making it an audience POV pan. I'd love to see it on blu-ray along with all of Mr. Mann's other classic western titles. "The Naked Spur" is my personal favorite. Nothing comes close to matching Lee J. Cobb in "Man of the West," though. Talk about being wonderfully, entertainingly over-the-top!!

I'm still mostly interested in correctly done blu-ray's of "The Fall of the Roman Empire" and "El Cid."

PatrickDA said:

I'm still mostly interested in correctly done blu-ray's of "The Fall of the Roman Empire" and "El Cid."

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One would hope that somebody gets around to doing these justice.

Bumping this thread.....watched Winchester '73 last night on Encore Westerns in HD. Looked very nice. Also watched Bend of the River last month on one of the HD movie channels, it looked amazing.


Jimmy Stewart as well as Anthony Mann, IMO, is severely under-represented on Blu-ray.

atfree said:

Bumping this thread.....watched Winchester '73 last night on Encore Westerns in HD. Looked very nice. Also watched Bend of the River last month on one of the HD movie channels, it looked amazing.


Jimmy Stewart as well as Anthony Mann, IMO, is severely under-represented on Blu-ray.

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Yes I have those two on my planner in HD & they look very nice (I also had The Far Country, but it seems to have disappeared, oh well it'll be back on again). I also have some Bud Boetticher westerns in HD, Ride Lonesome, The Tall T & Comanche Station. You got to record them when they're on, as it's not a given that they will ever appear on Blu-ray. Just so many westerns awaiting the Blu-ray treatment.

The Naked Spur is one of the most stunning westerns, and highly underappreciated. I would love to see this film have it's day on blu-ray. I'm guessing it would need some heavy restore work since - as aHorseofCourse mentioned - it has never looked good in prior releases. But neither did The Quiet Man and look at that blu-ray release.