A Few Words About A few words about...™ Duel in the Sun -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

I was always amused by the reactions by family members to this movie, who all seemed to strongly recall it from its initial release. The women (mother, aunts, etc.) all seemed to love it... "oooh, it was so romantic" and the like. While all the menfolk seemed in agreement that it was one of the dumbest films they ever recall from that era, with a special emphasis on the 'idiotic' finale.

Me? I kinda lean on the side of the latter. I'm sure the restoration should serve up a lot of those eye-popping Technicolor visuals, though. If the darned film's script wasn't just so exasperating, so ridiculous!

That's the part of the film that I loved the most.

 

[lark144]

The ending of DUEL IN THE SUN is so "idiotic", especially in its use of combing music and color in a way that is so supremely (or should I say sublimely) over the top, that's it's positively transcendent. This is a moment in which pure cinema overwhelms any sense of logic, and in my eyes, succeeds. Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether it makes any sense. It's so astounding to look at, and so magnificently produced, that matters such as character motivation just kind of fall by the wayside, and one ends up going with the film's mad logic. It's either that or stop watching.

I don't know whether Selznick or Vidor was responsible for the ending. I'm specifically referring to a use of color and landscape that is so ludicrous and neo-Freudian that it reaches a kind of strange spirituality, which is also present in a couple of scenes in THE FOUNTAINHEAD, also directed by Vidor. When I was young, someone I knew had a 16mm print of DUEL, and we used to watch it and play a guessing game of who directed what sequence. In any case, the ending is something I've never forgotten. Interestingly, in the Italian version of Roberto Rossellini's STROMBOLI, the wild mixture of transcendent sexuality and religious fervor at the climax evokes (visually, not dramatically) DUEL IN THE SUN. Rossellini was a big film buff, so he probably saw DUEL IN THE SUN after the war.

 

[Thomas T]

The ending of DUEL IN THE SUN is so "idiotic" especially in its use of combing music and color so supremely (or should I say sublimely) over the top that's it's positively transcendent. This is a moment in which pure cinema overwhelms any sense of logic, and in my eyes, succeeds. I don't know whether Selznick or Vidor was responsible (I'm specifically referring to a use of color and landscape that is so ludicrous and neo-Freudian that it reaches a kind of strange spirituality, which is also present in a couple of scenes in THE FOUNTAINHEAD, also directed by Vidor. When I was young, someone I knew had a 16mm print of DUEL, and we used to watch it and play a guessing game of who directed what sequence.) In any case, the ending is something I've never forgotten. Interestingly, in the Italian version of Roberto Rossellini's STROMBOLI, the wild mixture of transcendent sexuality and religious fervor at the climax evokes DUEL IN THE SUN. Rossellini was a big film buff, so he probably saw DUEL IN THE SUN after the war.

I think Duel In The Sun was also an influence on Oliver Stone's U Turn. The film's over the top tone and especially it's bloody finale seems almost a homage to DITS. Curiously, I suspect that those who find Duel In The Sun excessive have no problem with the excesses of a Quentin Tarantino film. Go figure!

 

[lark144]

The problem I have with Quentin Tarantino is that while he's absolutely brilliant writing dialogue about nothing in particular (for instance, the double cheeseburger monologue in PULP FICTION) that compels one to listen in complete admiration, he's not very good at delinting character, so whatever happens seems to just be made up by him and thrown in without any real character logic. (The exception, of course, is JACKIE BROWN, which was written by that master of character driven dialogue, Elmore Leonard.) DUEL IN THE SUN, however, may be ridiculous, but the characters do follow an understandable arc, and their interactions are logical within the specific delineations of the fantasy world they operate in. And the conclusion is so out there, that ultimately, it makes perfect sense. After all, this is a Hollywood movie we're talking about, not BICYCLE THIEF. I saw Oliver Stone's U TURN when it came out, but the plot is all jumbled together in my mind, like some strange dream, with every plot device from film Noir knotted so tightly that the only conclusion possible must be a fantasy, like in THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. Anyway, I liked it because it seemed to take its characters personalities and conflicts to their most radical extremes, whereas Tarantino doesn't really seem all that interested in characters, just a kind of iconic activity that's already pre-determined between archetypes, like Norse myth, or some of Howard Hawks' films, like ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS. What's of interest in a Tarantino film isn't so much what happens as the professionalism and sang froid with which the characters comport themselves.

 

[benbess]

UR is no longer used because better digital processes are available.

A new 4k digital element would be easily produced, as the original negatives, as I recall, with one tear aside, are in remarkably good condition.

I know it's not going to happen, but about how much would that cost?

 

[davidmatychuk]

[QUOTE="Also, does anyone have an opinion of the Anchor Bay DVD of "Duel in the Sun"? Thank you.[/QUOTE]

I had the first Anchor Bay DVD, which was superceded in every way by Anchor Bay's Roadshow Edition DVD, which I still have. I'm really looking forward to the Blu-Ray; there are so many reasons that "Duel In The Sun" is fun to watch that "improved picture quality" almost seems too good to be true.

Here's a DVD comparison which includes the MGM DVD. I can assure you that on my setup the difference in picture quality between the two Anchor Bay DVD's was greater than these screen shots suggest.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare2/duelinthesun2.htm

 

[Matt Hough]

I have the Anchor Bay roadshow release on DVD and watched it last night. I hadn't watched the movie in many years, and it was a pleasure getting to renew my acquaintance with it.

The DVD upconverted beautifully, and if I get a chance to review the Blu-ray, I'll be curious what an A/B comparison would reveal because apart from some missing frames, the DVD is likely going to be a very good alternative. But increased resolution couldn't possibly do anything but help the image which is already quite solid.

 

[usrunnr]

I have the Anchor Bay roadshow release on DVD and watched it last night. I hadn't watched the movie in many years, and it was a pleasure getting to renew my acquaintance with it.

The DVD upconverted beautifully, and if I get a chance to review the Blu-ray, I'll be curious what an A/B comparison would reveal because apart from some missing frames, the DVD is likely going to be a very good alternative. But increased resolution couldn't possibly do anything but help the image which is already quite solid.

Thank you for this. I also have the the Anchor Bay roadshow release on DVD, and I was wondering if a Blu-ray upgrade was going to be an actual upgrade.

 

[warnerbro]

This is a beautiful film to look at, but as Mr. Harris said, the script is not good. And I've always thought Jennifer Jones' acting is strange and off. Looking forward to seeing how this print looks.

 

[Thomas T]

And I've always thought Jennifer Jones' acting is strange and off.

I'll defend Jones's Oscar nominated performance any day. As an actress, Jones always had a nervous "jump out of her skin" neurotic quality that was often perfect for certain characters. Pearl Chavez is one of them. Pearl is strange. She doesn't fit in. As someone who is half white, half Indian, she straddles two worlds and belongs to neither. That she's "off" is an accurate description of her character, not her performance. That she's attracted to Peck is understandable as they are both "off". In fact, I'd call it Jones best performance if it weren't for Madame Bovary (1949)

 

[Matt Hough]

I don't think Selznick's screenplay helps her character at all since she seems so wishy-washy about whether to be good or bad, who she really loves, and she waffles constantly on this, so much so that by the end it was hard to feel sorry for her poor choices. I don't blame Jennifer Jones for that; she's playing the character as written, but I think the writing is really inconsistent.

 

[deepscan]

It is hard to remember that the actual owners of the film, Disney, has done wonders with both its in-house and acquired libraries, the Selznick library being one of them.

 

[Thomas T]

I don't think Selznick's screenplay helps her character at all since she seems so wishy-washy about whether to be good or bad, who she really loves, and she waffles constantly on this, so much so that by the end it was hard to feel sorry for her poor choices. I don't blame Jennifer Jones for that; she's playing the character as written, but I think the writing is really inconsistent.

Yes, Pearl can't make up her mind but I don't see it as "wishy washy" but someone torn between what she knows is right and her carnal nature (they don't call it "lust in the dust" for nothing!) She is weak and eventually gives in to her "baser" nature but eventually sees that she must end the circle began by her mother and what is the end of the film but a re-enactment of the film's beginning? I do feel sorry for her because she can't help herself as they say. You call it poor choices but she has no choice. It's her fate.

 

[Matt Hough]

Of course she had a choice. She chose wrong.

 

[davidmatychuk]

Settle for good, stable Joseph Cotten who really, really likes you, or die happy with evil, sexy Gregory Peck who literally can't live without you? As vicarious movie thrills go, that choice is a no-brainer. I mean, the brain is not involved AT ALL.

 

[Thomas T]

Of course she had a choice. She chose wrong.

I envy you your moral righteousness I'm more of the belief that what's in the cards is in the cards and nothing you can do will change it. You can choose where to live, you can choose what to have for dinner, you can choose what to wear but when it comes to love ..... all bets are off! With your perspective, I can see why the movie doesn't work for you.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I envy you your moral righteousness I'm more of the belief that what's in the cards is in the cards and nothing you can do will change it. You can choose where to live, you can choose what to have for dinner, you can choose what to wear but when it comes to love ..... all bets are off! With your perspective, I can see why the movie doesn't work for you.

Wow, I have to agree with Thomas on this one. When it comes to choosing the one to love, it's a very tricky situation. The heart and mind don't work in sequence when it comes to loving this person over that person. I would guess that Pearl's age in that film began when she was maybe 16 or 17 years old. The film ended with her being not much older perhaps 3-4 years later.

 

[Matt Hough]

The movie works for me just fine, thank you. (Not a great film, mind you, but entertaining, and if I get to review the disc, I will say more), and I certainly am not taking any moral high ground as I have, like most people, known the power and vagaries of love. But this man had already disappointed and devastated her, and to keep going back to that well expecting something different is not just idiotic but pointless. "The heart wants what the heart wants" is true to a point, but I don't think it's impossible for common sense and practicality to have a say in someone's thought processes even in the matters of love.

Crawdaddy is right, however, about her age playing into the situation. Because Jennifer Jones, beautiful as she is here, doesn't in any way look seventeen, it's likely hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that these emotional decisions are being made by a teenager. That I do need to take more into account,and if I do get a chance to review the movie and thus watch it again soon, I'll take that far more into consideration.

 

[PMF]

I'm sure I've repeated this many times, but WB said during a chat here (over a decade ago now) that at that time National Velvet was a big seller for them, so I hope it happens. The current DVD is a reissue of one of MGM's first discs from 1997 so seeing it on Blu would be a revelation.

And a great companion piece to compliment Criterion's BD of "The Black Stallion" with Mickey Rooney.

 

[Tom St Jones]

Hopefully they include some good extras on this Bluray.

BTW, MR. HARRIS, hope you get a chance to review the new KinoLorber Blu of THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY... Looks to be the best edition yet (this side of UHD) in terms of transfer + extras, but ofcourse we wanna hear what you have to say..