You voted and the results are in! (1 Viewer)

[battlebeast]

Is there a concensus as to John Wayne's BEST film? The Searchers? Liberty Valance? Red River? Iwo Jima?

 

[Keith Cobby]

Please define 'best'. My favourite is The Cowboys (western) and In Harms Way (non western).

 

[John Hermes]

Please define 'best'. My favourite is The Cowboys (western) and In Harms Way (non western).

Yeah, I guess you'd have to ask the critics what are his best films. My favs are The Sons Of Katie Elder (Western) and Hatari! (non-Western), although I do like In Harm's Way a lot also.

 

[David Weicker]

I think the best answer is that there isn't a consensus

 

[Robin9]

I think the best answer is that there isn't a consensus

Correct.

My favorite is Rio Bravo but is it better than The Searchers?

 

[Rob_Ray]

My favorite is Stagecoach, but I'm not sure I'd call it his best.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Is there a concensus as to John Wayne's BEST film? The Searchers? Liberty Valance? Red River? Iwo Jima?

Red River is my favourite but i also like Sands Of Iwo Jima and many of his other films.

 

[RobHam]

Is there a concensus as to John Wayne's BEST film? The Searchers? Liberty Valance? Red River? Iwo Jima?

Oh Dear.

This question could run and run till I grow hair on the top of my head again.

I grew up with a father who was a huge John Wayne fan and have seen just about everything he appeared in (possibly excluding some of the Republic Studios stuff that he churned out in the 1940's) .

The Searchers, along with Red River are the only two films (IMHO) that JW fully explored a character other than his own. To me Red River fails because of the odd twists for the character arc at the finale that don't make sense from what has gone before - possibly more Hawks failure than Waynes.

This leaves JW's portrayal of Ethan Edwards in The Searchers as his one shot at acting glory. I use excerpts from this film for the many sceptics as proof that John Wayne was capable as an actor, and not just as a cowboy icon on film.

For me its a pity that he failed to mature as an actor in the 1960's in the way that may of his peers did (e.g., Burt Lancaster). Compare performances in The War Wagon with The Professionals to see what I mean.

 

[John Hermes]

Oh Dear.

This question could run and run till I grow hair on the top of my head again.

I grew up with a father who was a huge John Wayne fan and have seen just about everything he appeared in (possibly excluding some of the Republic Studios stuff that he churned out in the 1940's) .

The Searchers, along with Red River are the only two films (IMHO) that JW fully explored a character other than his own. To me Red River fails because of the odd twists for the character arc at the finale that don't make sense from what has gone before - possibly more Hawks failure than Waynes.

This leaves JW's portrayal of Ethan Edwards in The Searchers as his one shot at acting glory. I use excerpts from this film for the many sceptics as proof that John Wayne was capable as an actor, and not just as a cowboy icon on film.

For me its a pity that he failed to mature as an actor in the 1960's in the way that may of his peers did (e.g., Burt Lancaster). Compare performances in The War Wagon with The Professionals to see what I mean.

Personally, I rather watch The War Wagon than The Professionals, even though I like the latter and have the BD. JW's films of the 1960s are my favorites of his career. They are right up my alley in terms of entertainment.

 

[Johnny Angell]

If The Searchers was a typical Wayne performance, instead of the exception, he'd be considered one of America's greatest actors. Instead, he's one of our greatest stars. And there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[David Weicker]

While I hope that Fox does another survey, I kind of wish they would do one at the half-year point, instead of waiting until the beginning of next year. I am glad that they are releasing the titles they are, but the impatient part of me doesn't like waiting until December. If they had another poll soon (say in July), while the results might take almost a year until they hit the shelves, it would only be half-a-year since the last wave.

David

 

[davidHartzog]

War Wagon, Rio Bravo, Red River, Big Jake are all entertaining films, but The Searchers was unique and has had a far greater impact, especially on filmmakers like Schrader and Scorsese. It ranks with Stagecoach and The Wild Bunch as a truly great film.

 

[Nick*Z]

I'm torn about the winners. Like most already posting herein I think two John Wayne minor efforts from the 60s beating out Two For The Road is a bit overkill. But as a classic buff and avid historian I'm happy to see that classics of any kind are making their way to the hi-def format.

We've steadily seen the classic market in 1080p shrink to near nothing this past year. Warner Home Video in particular has been leaving classics by the waste side in hi-def. I mean, the Gangster box set not withstanding (and with zilch in the way of new clean up or transfers on The Public Enemy or Little Caesar) and a pending Oz 75th (a year ahead and if it ever materializes given the concerted delays thus far established), I mean...where is everything else.

Fox at least has some very good catalogue coming down the pipeline. Cannot wait for Blood and Sand (out next Tuesday) and Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (via Twilight same day and date, hopefully), and having my fingers crossed for Cavalcade, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and Jesse James.

Yes, I would have loved to have seen Anastasia (1956) win this horse race. It's a personal fav I am desperate to acquire. But in the final analysis Fox is giving us a lot more classic movie viewing in 1080p than Warner is, or for that matter, any of the other majors this year so far.

I mean, can it really be 2013 and we still don't have hi-def versions of such immortal movies as Giant, Mary Poppins, Kiss Me Kate, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Student Prince, Swiss Family Robinson, The Parent Trap, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Out of the Past, Now Voyager, Jezebel, Mildred Pierce, A Woman's Face, The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), The Women (1939), Marie Antoinette (1938), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), any of the Astaire/Rogers musicals, The Band Wagon, Mrs. Parkington, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Gaslight, Random Harvest and on and on. Notice I haven't singled out Fox titles still MIA - not because there aren't any I wouldn't love to see - but because I still think from all of the studios their output is by far the most impressive this last year.

Things could change. We still have 6 months to go. But I don't think so. WB usually is pretty savvy about announcing big surprises. We'll finally get The Big Parade from them in October. It'd be nice to have Greed from them too!

Fox could do us a big favor by releasing the rest of the Rodgers and Hammerstein collection: State Fair (both versions), Oklahoma! in Cinemscope and Todd A-O and Carousel and The King and I.

I'd also love some vintage Bette Grable and Alice Faye: That Night In Rio and Down Argentine Way are at the top of that list. Springtime in the Rockies, anyone?!? But on the whole I'll just bite my tongue for now and keep my fingers crossed that perhaps Shawn Belston is listening and reading and thinking similar 'happy' thoughts. He's clearly in a better position to do something about my daydreams than I am!

 

[Richard V]

Nick Z - Giant will be released in BD (French release) in Oct, as part of a 3 film James Dean set, with Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden. Rumored that there will be a Region 1 (N. America) release as well.

 

[Nick*Z]

I won't get excited about this just yet, Richard V but thank you so much for the update. A lot of Euro-Blu doesn't come this side of the Atlantic and even when it does we have to wait for it. Cleopatra comes immediately to mind. But yes, it is good to hear that it's at least getting a debut of some sort in hi-def. Will it be stellar. We'll just have to wait and see. Best.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I won't get excited about this just yet, Richard V but thank you so much for the update. A lot of Euro-Blu doesn't come this side of the Atlantic and even when it does we have to wait for it. Cleopatra comes immediately to mind. But yes, it is good to hear that it's at least getting a debut of some sort in hi-def. Will it be stellar. We'll just have to wait and see. Best.

The James Dean set with Giant is definitely coming out this Fall in the States! So others can get excited even if you won't right now.

 

[JoHud]

Another "Voice Your Choice" poll will be happening in the future:

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment boasts a rich catalog featuring many of the most beloved films of all time. With the VOICE YOUR CHOICE program, Fox is able to connect directly with film aficionados and react to their interests. The support for the inaugural VOICE YOUR CHOICE program was so successful, Fox is planning a second vote later this year with all new titles!

The press release is months old, but it does confirm another one happening later this year, probably around the time the first one started. Good news for those that weren't completely satisfied with the results of the first poll. Looks like others that didn't make it will have another shot.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Then lets make sure we vote daily and get a few more great titles on Blu!

 

[David Weicker]

While I didn't mind only one voting per day, I hope they allow more than one title per vote per day.Last time, there were a few titles from each decade that I would have like to see, but I soon realized that spreading your vote among multiple titles meant all would lose.

David.

 

[David Weicker]

Do we have any news on these releases? We are under four months to go before these eight winners are comingI would like some information. Price? Extras? Artwork?David