Press Release Warner Archive Collection Announcement: A Man Called Shenandoah (1965-1966) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[SuperClark]

I received this 5 disc set today " A Man Called Shenandoah' from amazon.Quality is excellent -video and also audio is fine.As expected.I have only had time to check the first disc but the mps averages in the low 30's and it has 39.5 gb of content.Its well worth the upgrade from the dvds released about 6 1/2 years ago.Another winner from WAC!

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I’m working my way through the review copy - I need a few more days to finish but my early impression is that we have another winner here. The technical audio and video quality is outstanding on everything I’ve seen so far.

 

[ponset]

Color Publicity photo.
Too bad there wasn't a 2nd season filmed in color.

 

[SuperClark]

I agree-a second season in color for the 1966-1967 season and a conclusion to the story line.I think its a better series than the 2 season show "Guns of Will Sonnett' which did have a ending to the series plot line.Walter Brennan was much too old to be playing his character- a man skillfull and fast with firearms who as we know would say 'no brag its da truth'! Or something like that.I do like the show even in its bad video quality and cut episodes form as released on dvd.

 

[benbess]

I've been enjoying this series, which features pristine picture quality from the original negatives. Many of my favorite actors from this era have turns as guest stars, including Ed Asner, Martin Landau, Sally Kellerman, Susan Oliver, Leonard Nimoy, Cloris Leachman, Michael Ansara, and many more. Quite a few of them ended up on Star Trek over the next few years. Anyway, for me it's a bit like getting a little unexpected extra time with old friends I've had since childhood, who are all gone now.

Each episode is about 25 minutes long, and is a self-contained little narrative. They pack a lot into each episode, but still character development, including for the main character well played by Robert Horton, is understandably limited. Production values are good, and there's quite a bit of action in most episodes. During the 1960s, of course, the infrastructure in Hollywood for Westerns was still huge, and they make good use of that, and even had access to the backlot of MGM, just a few years before it was destroyed.

My guess is that each episode way back in 1965-1966 cost close to $100k, which would be a close to a million per episode today. Since amazingly they made 34 episodes in just one season the grand total in today's money might be around $30 million. So it seems something of a miracle to be able to get it for $30, or less than a dollar an episode.

We're lucky that 35mm film was the standard for television back then because all the details look great, including the actor's faces, the costumes, and the environments. Nice to see the deserts and mountains of California, where I sometimes camped with my family as a kid. Also nice to see sets familiar from some movies, such as Show Boat (1951) if I'm not mistaken.

Since the title character doesn't have his identity, it has a little bit of an existentialist, Western film noir, or even Twilight Zone "am I already in hell" feel to it from my pov. Overall I'd give the show a B+, but no doubt there's some grade inflation because I'm fond of old Westerns, like the guest stars, and enjoy the black and white cinematography. Westerns of course were big on American tv from 1955 to 1970, but this was already getting to be the end of that era. In fact, this must have been one of the very last half-hour Westerns on American TV.

 

[SuperClark]

A nice review with some good screen shots that gives an indication of the video quality of the blu ray set ."That will be 1 dollar an episode'. Actually a little less depending on where you bought it.2025 should be outstanding with the upcoming Cheyenne and then later the Lawman and Maverick releases and maybe more.I will get them all.

A Man Called Shenandoah: The Complete Series Blu-ray (Warner Archive Collection)

A Man Called Shenandoah: The Complete Series Blu-ray Release Date November 26, 2024 (Warner Archive Collection). Blu-ray reviews, news, specs, ratings, screenshots. Cheap Blu-ray movies and deals.

www.blu-ray.com

Robert Hortons official episode guide to the series

Episodes

 

[Indy Guy]

This was a blind buy for me and I only got around to viewing it just now. What a pleasant surprise!
I liked Robert Horton on Wagon Train but knew nothing of this series or his singing ability. This led to another worm hole when I found the songs from his Shenandoah LP on line.
This disc set is near perfect in quality and the clarity allows for a little game I am playing. We were able to tour the MGM backlots on our own during the MGM auction back in 1970. The western street was particularly fascinating and still in reasonably good shape. Every town in Shenandoah (so far) was shot on that one backlot street. It's fun seeing how the signs and props change while the building locations and surfaces remain the same.

Occasionally a door or window will be replaced, but it is always the same street. Just beyond the tall eucalyptus trees often seen in the background, was the beautiful Meet Me in St Louis street standing in complete contrast.

My grandparents lived in Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills were literally in their backyard. I have relic pieces I colected from the production of Gunga Din and a photo of me standing at the edge of what was the suspension bridge in that film...it was never more than 8 feet off the ground!

The Shenandoah opening/closing material was shot on rocky Alabama Hill land that is still recognizable thanks to the extreme clarity of this quality transfer. It looks like it must have all been captured on one or two trips to the area and then inserted into multiple episodes in the series when travel shots were needed.

Who could think that it is still possible to find such a great surprise 75 years after it's creation. Mr Horton lived to 90 but sadly did not live to see this extraordinary transfer of a western he was proud of with its often Twilight Zome like overtones and pacing.
On another aside...several episodes were directed by Nathan Juran who directed my favorite Harryhausen film "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad".

 

[ponset]

I finished watching this series a few days ago. Well done by all. B+