Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (2 Viewers)

[Matt Hough]

As I watched my Blu-ray this morning, my recall of the movie came back to me. Also, my main criticism of the film came back too. Women in those days were at a distinct disadvantage but I still couldn’t buy her not going to the authorities when they were searching the river. Other than that detail, I enjoyed revisiting this movie again. Ida Lupino has been an underrated actress and filmmaker. I’m glad she is finally getting her due.

My criticism exactly. The car was proof that brakes had been tampered with to corroborate her story. Ordinarily women in that era wouldn't have been believed over their husbands, but this was proof of her allegations. The chase through the factory was pretty predictable, too, once Peggy Dow came in and once he removed the guard rail from the overlook. Still, I enjoyed it because Ida was such a good actress.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Viewed episode four of The Power of Film a few days ago. This was a pretty enjoyable episode that dealt with "Heroes and Villains". Some of the topics covered included the reluctant hero (think Rick in Casablanca) and the notions of selflessness and sacrifice as they relate to heroes. There were several examinations of the roots or origins of terms whose original meanings have evolved over the centuries to mean something else. The original meanings of protagonist and antagonist dealt with the concepts of first and after/later, not good and bad.

As was usually the case there were a number of clips accompanying the presentation which is one of the big attractions of the program. Watching the clips from High Noon, I was struck once again by age gap between Cooper and Kelly.

Two episodes left. I believe the concept of Paradoxes will be explored in episode five.

- Walter.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Coop visiting the set of Manhattan Melodrama. Which reminds me that WA should have released this on Blu-ray a long time ago.

 

[Robert Crawford]

TCM's February Schedule:

TCM Monthly Schedule - View the Full TCM TV Schedule

Find TCM's full month schedule and learn what classic movies will be airing on Turner Classic Movies. A printable schedule organized for the current month's programming is also available here.

www.tcm.com

 

[Matt Hough]

Coop visiting the set of Manhattan Melodrama. Which reminds me that WA should have released this on Blu-ray a long time ago.

View attachment 211613

Would love to have it on Blu-ray. Thanks for sharing the photo.

 

[lark144]

Robert, not sure where I should post this, so I'm doing it here. I got an email from VINEGAR SYNDROME today announcing their Feb Blu-Ray releases.

One of them is 5 CARD STUD, which they advertise as a classic Hal Wallis-Henry Hathaway western crossed with a proto-giallo. In any case, it's taken from a 4K scan of the OCN, with a few interesting mid-length extras highlighting the director and screenwriter Marguerite Roberts.

I've already pre-ordered from their website, for while I wouldn't call it "classic", it's a film I've always been fond of.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Robert, not sure where I should post this, so I'm doing it here. I got an email from VINEGAR SYNDROME today announcing their Feb Blu-Ray releases.

One of them is 5 CARD STUD, which they advertise as a classic Hal Wallis-Henry Hathaway western crossed with a proto-giallo. In any case, it's taken from a 4K scan of the OCN, with a few interesting mid-length extras highlighting the director and screenwriter Marguerite Roberts.

I've already pre-ordered from their website, for while I wouldn't call it "classic", it's a film I've always been fond of.

It's on my list of 100 all-time favorite westerns. I preordered mine this morning from their site. I consider it a classic because it's been a favorite western of mine since childhood when I watched it twice in a movie theater that no longer exists in my hometown. That was over 55 years ago since those viewings.

 

[lark144]

It's on my list of 100 all-time favorite westerns. I preordered mine this morning from their site. I consider it a classic because it's been a favorite western of mine since childhood when I watched it twice in a movie theater that no longer exists in my hometown. That was over 55 years ago since those viewings.

By classic, I was thinking more of the structure--closer to AND THEN THERE WERE NONE than HIGH NOON or RED RIVER-- than the quality of the film itself, which for me is exemplary. It's certainly classic in as much as it's a western made by the A Team of Hathaway-Wallis--Roberts, who went on to do TRUE GRIT. I first saw it back in '68 at the Lyric, on a double bill with THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER. I think that theater is now part of B.B. King's. Anyway, it was my first days of college, and I thought I'd catch an 8 am of KATIE ELDER on 42nd street as a palate cleanser before class, started to watch the beginning of 5 CARD STUD and was riveted. Needless to say, I never made it to class that day.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Last night's "Ask Eddie" segment:

 

[Mark-P]

Hey Robert, I hope you don't mind me asking you a questing in your "Random Thoughts" thread, but I'm debating with myself about picking up some Warner digitals in the Fanflix "Get Your Boots On" sale. I am of course only looking at titles that aren't on Blu-ray, but I'm sure a lot of them are probably being worked on by the Warner Archive even as we speak, and when they do come out, the digitals will instantly become obsolete because of Warner's stubborn refusal to update their digitals. Here are the ones I'm considering. I'm guessing you probably have most of these digitals. Do you think I would be wise to purchase any of these?

Mata Hari (upgrade from DVD)
China Seas (upgrade from DVD)
Last Stand at Saber River (upgrade from DVD)
The Left Handed Gun (upgrade from DVD)
Station West (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Lone Star (1952) (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Back to Bataan (upgrade from DVD)
Hell to Eternity (upgrade from DVD)
Fort Dobbs (upgrade from DVD)
The Real Glory (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Destination Tokyo (upgrade from DVD)
The Lost Patrol (upgrade from DVD)
G Men (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Night Flight (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Gunga Din (upgrade from DVD)
Mogambo (upgrade from DVD)

 

[Robert Crawford]

Hey Robert, I hope you don't mind me asking you a questing in your "Random Thoughts" thread, but I'm debating with myself about picking up some Warner digitals in the Fanflix "Get Your Boots On" sale. I am of course only looking at titles that aren't on Blu-ray, but I'm sure a lot of them are probably being worked on by the Warner Archive even as we speak, and when they do come out, the digitals will instantly become obsolete because of Warner's stubborn refusal to update their digitals. Here are the ones I'm considering. I'm guessing you probably have most of these digitals. Do you think I would be wise to purchase any of these?

Mata Hari (upgrade from DVD)
China Seas (upgrade from DVD)
Last Stand at Saber River (upgrade from DVD)
The Left Handed Gun (upgrade from DVD)
Station West (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Lone Star (1952) (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Back to Bataan (upgrade from DVD)
Hell to Eternity (upgrade from DVD)
Fort Dobbs (upgrade from DVD)
The Real Glory (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Destination Tokyo (upgrade from DVD)
The Lost Patrol (upgrade from DVD)
G Men (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Night Flight (don't own it, haven't seen it)
Gunga Din (upgrade from DVD)
Mogambo (upgrade from DVD)

@Mark-P

Before this sale, I had all of them in my digital library except Mata Hari, Last Stand at Saber River, Station West and Night Flight. So, I did purchase those four titles.

Some of those movies you listed are among my favorite films. If I didn't already own them, I would have purchased them.

Station West
Lone Star
Back to Bataan
Hell to Eternity
The Real Glory
Destination Tokyo
The Lost Patrol
"G" Men
Gunga Din
Mogambo

 

[Robert Crawford]

Station West was a new purchase during this Fanflix sale. It's a fine western noir with Dick Powell, Jane Greer, Burl Ives and Raymond Burr.

 

[Mark-P]

Station West was a new purchase during this Fanflix sale. It's a fine western noir with Dick Powell, Jane Greer, Burl Ives and Raymond Burr.

Yeah, Station West is one I’ve had my eye on for a long time as a blind buy, so it will definitely be on the shortlist. I’m trying to whittle my selections down to just 10 titles!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yeah, Station West is one I’ve had my eye on for a long time as a blind buy, so it will definitely be on the shortlist. I’m trying to whittle my selections down to just 10 titles!

The Mogambo HD digital is mediocre at best for this Technicolor film. It needs a lot of work for any type of Blu-ray release. It's a remake of Red Dust that starred Gable with Jean Harlow and Mary Astor back in 1932. I think the digitals of Back to Bataan, Hell to Eternity, Destination Tokyo and Gunga Din are very good considering they're derived from an older scan.

 

[Mark-P]

Well, gosh darn, I couldn't get it down to just 10. I got the following. I decided to pass on Mata Hari and Mogambo because I think those 2 are very likely Archive candidates with Mata Hari finally getting its correct aspect ratio of 1.19:1 and Mogambo getting a new digital recombine of the Technicolor 3-strip negatives.

China Seas
Last Stand at Saber River
Station West
Lone Star
Back to Bataan
Hell to Eternity
Fort Dobbs
Real Glory
Destination Tokyo
The Lost Patrol
G-Men
Night Flight
Gunga Din
The Left Handed Gun

 

[Robert Crawford]

Well, gosh darn, I couldn't get it down to just 10. I got the following. I decided to pass on Mata Hari and Mogambo because I think those 2 are very likely Archive candidates with Mata Hari finally getting its correct aspect ratio of 1.19:1 and Mogambo getting a new digital recombine of the Technicolor 3-strip negatives.

China Seas
Last Stand at Saber River
Station West
Lone Star
Back to Bataan
Hell to Eternity
Fort Dobbs
Real Glory
Destination Tokyo
The Lost Patrol
G-Men
Night Flight
Gunga Din
The Left Handed Gun

I thought I overdid it with my 12 purchases the other day.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This picture appears to be taken at Stewart's house with his dog and good friend Henry Fonda.

 

[trajan007]

Any word when NAPOLEAN will be released in 4k

 

[Robert Crawford]

I watched the 2024 Kino Blu-ray, and I must say I noticed a video presentation improvement with improved detail and grayscale. During the chase in the storm drains, the improvement is quite noticeable. Furthermore, I think somebody involved with The Third Man watched and got inspiration from He Walked by Night which was filmed and opened several months prior to The Third Man. Just my opinion about those storm drain sequences! Anyhow, I must say that I enjoyed listening again to the Alan K. Rode and Julie Kirgo audio commentary which was on the 2017 Classicflix Blu-ray. IMO, it's superior to the new Imogen Sara Smith audio commentary. It might be because I found the Rode/Kirgo commentary more interesting than Smith's commentary because they talk more about the supporting actors and the on-location shooting locations. Smith tends to concentrate more on the writing and the filmmakers which is similar to Eddie Muller. Luckily, this Blu-ray has both audio commentaries on it. Another thing, Smith did make one mistake on her commentary that surprised me because she's so well prepared with her commentary, when she misidentified Reed Hadley in the movie, when it was actually Rory Mallinson. Hadley did narrate the movie which Smith noted in her commentary.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Anyone interested in the following:

"Any of you interested in participating in a "Western" Movies/TV Shows Challenge during the Month of March? Unlike other movie challenges, I don't want to have a bunch of rules regarding participation. There will be no minimum number of Westerns you have to watch during March. If you just want to watch one movie a week then that's fine. If it's even less than four movies in March or you're really into it and end up watching dozens of Westerns that's fine too. Furthermore, there won't be any additional points for watching any new Westerns for the first time. The only requirement is briefly telling us why you liked or disliked each Western you watched. Your opinion can be expressed in just a few sentences as to why you enjoyed the movie or why it didn't work for you. Such comments serve as an incentive for other people to watch or not watch a Western they never seen beforehand.

Also, it doesn't matter if you view any Western on physical media, streaming or on any TV broadcast."

Western Movies/TV Shows Challenge in March?

Any of you interested in participating in a "Western" Movies/TV Shows Challenge during the Month of March? Unlike other movie challenges, I don't want to have a bunch of rules regarding participation. There will be no minimum number of Westerns you have to watch during March. If you just want...

www.hometheaterforum.com