Criterion Press Release: Red River (Dual Format) (3 Viewers)

[Michel_Hafner]

I hope this uses seamless braching or the average bit rate will be low. Or not. There are 2 BDs, I see, so it depends if these are BD 25s or 50s and how the material is distributed.

 

[David Weicker]

I hope this uses seamless braching or the average bit rate will be low. Or not. There are 2 BDs, I see, so it depends if these are BD 25s or 50s and how the material is distributed.

My assumption is that each version has its own disc. Seamless branching doesn't make sense since there are two different resolutions (2k vs. 4k)

 

[Eerik Paal]

My assumption is that each version has its own disc. Seamless branching doesn't make sense since there are two different resolutions (2k vs. 4k)

You do realise that Blu-ray only supports resolution up to 1080p and everything from a higher resolution source will be and has always been downconverted to 1080p for Blu-ray release, right?

 

[David Weicker]

You do realise that Blu-ray only supports resolution up to 1080p and everything from a higher resolution source will be and has always been downconverted to 1080p for Blu-ray release, right?

I am aware of that.I was referring to the resolution of the scan (and subsequent restoration). The press release implies that each version was scanned and restored separately creating two different masters.Seamless branching involves sharing the common parts of the same master and taking different paths when the versions differ. If there are two different masters, there are no 'common parts' to share. That was my interpretation and point.

 

[Vegas 1]

A definite buy for me, upgrading my old LD.

 

[FoxyMulder]

The best western ever made, good to see a new 4K scan but i'm wondering what the differences are between the longer version and the shorter edition, i'll be buying this, after customs and Royal Mail charges it will be expensive.

 

[JoeDoakes]

This one will be expensive, but it's absolutely necessary.

 

[mikeyhitchfan]

I have the French blu-ray which has both cuts. I like the longer version, especially the ending, but I kind of like the narration in the shorter cut, too. I'll still get this when it goes on sale as I'm sure the new scans will be worth it. Do we really need the novel, though? This thing is going to be huge.

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/16633/Red-River/notes.html

 

[ponset]

Would have like to see the 80's remake with James Arness as a bonus feature.

 

[RobHam]

The best western ever made, good to see a new 4K scan but i'm wondering what the differences are between the longer version and the shorter edition, i'll be buying this, after customs and Royal Mail charges it will be expensive.

Oh Mr Mulder - the best Western ever made.

Wayne is rather good in this but the ending is just plain sully. Just about every great western has its faults, and I have a tough time with the supporting cast of The Searchers (excepting Hank Worden), but there are still so many that better or equal Red River (IMHO).

What I would say is that I have the MOC BD of this film and the night I watched it was one of the more disappointing viewing experiences of recent years. None of the many flaws on the existing DVD were fixed and the poor quality of the print introduced a number of additional flaws.

Its a great film and deserves better - I wonder if Criterion will make a better job of it.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Oh Mr Mulder - the best Western ever made.

Wayne is rather good in this but the ending is just plain sully. Just about every great western has its faults, and I have a tough time with the supporting cast of The Searchers (excepting Hank Worden), but there are still so many that better or equal Red River (IMHO).

What I would say is that I have the MOC BD of this film and the night I watched it was one of the more disappointing viewing experiences of recent years. None of the many flaws on the existing DVD were fixed and the poor quality of the print introduced a number of additional flaws.

Its a great film and deserves better - I wonder if Criterion will make a better job of it.

The ending has the feel good factor, i guess i'm a sucker for that with some films.

 

[JoHud]

Wayne is rather good in this but the ending is just plain sully.

The ending is the best part of the whole movie.

 

[David_B_K]

I've never had a problem with the ending. I guess if one sees it as a grittily realistic western, the ending seems too Hollywood. I see it as a Hollywood western with some grittily realistic touches. I agree with those who say it is one of the great films.

 

[Lord Dalek]

The Searchers > Red River. That's all I'm sayin.

 

[davidHartzog]

Red River is good but not great, there are better contenders: The Wild Bunch, Stagecoach, Man of the West, The Searchers, Monte Walsh, Shane, High Noon.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Red River is good but not great, there are better contenders: The Wild Bunch, Stagecoach, Man of the West, The Searchers, Monte Walsh, Shane, High Noon.

I don't agree, I think Red River is on par with some of those other titles. My three favorite westerns and probably in my top ten films of all-time are The Searchers, The Wild Bunch and Red River in that order.

 

[RobHam]

I don't agree, I think Red River is on par with some of those other titles. My three favorite westerns and probably in my top ten films of all-time are The Searchers, The Wild Bunch and Red River in that order.

If you add Shane and High Noon to that then you probably have the top 5. The order they're in could cause much debate.

I love The Searchers, and consider it Wayne's best performance by some margin. For me it is slightly diminished because Ford gave too much to his ensemble supporting cast and exposed their weaknesses as actors ("It's zis, country Ethan" makes me cringe every time I watch it).

If I had to pick, then it would probably be Shane at #1.

And what about Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, Rio Bravo, Unforgiven, et al?

 

[Robert Crawford]

If you add Shane and High Noon to that then you probably have the top 5. The order they're in could cause much debate.

I love The Searchers, and consider it Wayne's best performance by some margin. For me it is slightly diminished because Ford gave too much to his ensemble supporting cast and exposed their weaknesses as actors ("It's zis, country Ethan" makes me cringe every time I watch it).

If I had to pick, then it would probably be Shane at #1.

And what about Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, Rio Bravo, Unforgiven, et al?

Great westerns, but neither is in my top ten all-time films as I have other genre films in my top ten. However, they are in my top ten favorite western films. As to those other four westerns, I'm not a huge fan of Italian westerns, though, I do enjoy Once Upon a Time in the West and think it's a very good western. Rio Bravo is definitely in my top ten favorite westerns and The Magnificent Seven and Unforgiven are close, but probably are in my top twenty westerns.

My top ten westerns, which isn't to say they're the best westerns ever made, but are westerns that I most enjoy viewing. Some of them aren't even well known, but they're films I can watch anytime. Many of them are films I was exposed to as a kid back in the 60's, so I have an emotional attachment to them as they've become part of what made me love films so much. Unfortunately, only two of them I first viewed in a movie theater which were The Wild Bunch and The Professionals. The others I first viewed on TV as those of my generation were constantly bombarded with western films and TV series as they dominated the TV programming back in the 60's. As you can tell, I'm a big John Wayne fan.

The Searchers
The Wild Bunch
Red River
The Professionals (IMO, one of the best written films ever)
Shane
Rio Bravo
The Gunfighter
High Noon
Tall in the Saddle
South of St. Louis

In truth, there are at least another 20-25 westerns I can make an argument as being on my favorite western film list. I left off so many which makes it difficult to nail down just 10 of them.

 

[RobHam]

Great westerns, but neither is in my top ten all-time films as I have other genre films in my top ten. However, they are in my top ten favorite western films. As to those other four westerns, I'm not a huge fan of Italian westerns, though, I do enjoy Once Upon a Time in the West and think it's a very good western. Rio Bravo is definitely in my top ten favorite westerns and The Magnificent Seven and Unforgiven are close, but probably are in my top twenty westerns.

My top ten westerns, which isn't to say they're the best westerns ever made, but are westerns that I most enjoy viewing. Some of them aren't even well known, but they're films I can watch anytime. Many of them are films I was exposed to as a kid back in the 60's, so I have an emotional attachment to them as they've become part of what made me love films so much. Unfortunately, only two of them I first viewed in a movie theater which were The Wild Bunch and The Professionals. The others I first viewed on TV as those of my generation were constantly bombarded with western films and TV series as they dominated the TV programming back in the 60's. As you can tell, I'm a big John Wayne fan.

The Searchers
The Wild Bunch
Red River
The Professionals (IMO, one of the best written films ever)
Shane
Rio Bravo
The Gunfighter
High Noon
Tall in the Saddle
South of St. Louis

In truth, there are at least another 20-25 westerns I can make an argument as being on my favorite western film list. I left off so many which makes it difficult to nail down just 10 of them.

John Wayne made a few fine Westerns in his long career, but I’ve always felt that he just coasted through many of his films – only really Ford, Hawks and to a lesser extent Hathaway forced him to earn his crust.

The Wild Bunch has warm memories for me, as my dad took me to see this when I was still a pre-teen. It was the first X-Certificate I ever saw, and my dad made me hide in the foyer while he bought the tickets. These days, he would probably be sent on a parenting course for making a child view inappropriate material . I watched it again on BD recently, and I think it still retains its status as a classic of the genre.

Adding to your list – She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Ride the High Country, The Man who Shot Liberty Valence, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Dances With Wolves.

 

[Robert Crawford]

John Wayne made a few fine Westerns in his long career, but I’ve always felt that he just coasted through many of his films – only really Ford, Hawks and to a lesser extent Hathaway forced him to earn his crust.

The Wild Bunch has warm memories for me, as my dad took me to see this when I was still a pre-teen. It was the first X-Certificate I ever saw, and my dad made me hide in the foyer while he bought the tickets. These days, he would probably be sent on a parenting course for making a child view inappropriate material . I watched it again on BD recently, and I think it still retains its status as a classic of the genre.

Adding to your list – She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Ride the High Country, The Man who Shot Liberty Valence, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Dances With Wolves.

Now, that's funny!