laureatedvd.com

[Ken Barnes]

Certain people in Universal have expressed little interest in the suggested extras for the John Wayne Tribute. Hopefully, this will change in the near future.

I'm hoping they'll take a look at the way Warner Brothers have done
The Adventures of Robin Hood, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Singin' In The Rain and Casablanca. Not forgetting the excellent Chaplin box set. But it is difficult to get through to people who
don't know too much about movies and, even worse, can't understand the needs of the consumer.

But keep fingers crossed, there may be some hope yet.

Ken Barnes

[Ryan]

Mark's question made me think of what would be Wayne's top 20 films, just for fun here's my opinion:

Big Jake
The Cowboys
El Dorado
Fort Apache
Hondo
The Horse Soldiers
The Man who shot Liberty Valance
McLintock!
The Quiet Man
Red River
Rio Bravo
Rio Grande
Sands of Iwo Jima
The Searchers
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
The Shootist
The Sons of Katie Elder
Stagecoach
True Grit
The War Wagon

Not in any favorite order, my top choice is Rio Bravo, though.

[Jack Clowes]

Mark

When I read your first post on this subject I was immediately tempted to tell you that there is a Region 1 Special Edition of THE QUIET MAN but then I read your most recent post and realized that you would not be interested because it has an Audio Commentary by MAUREEN O'HARA!
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Jack Clowes

[Ken Barnes]

I have recommended to Universal that they obtain the Region 1 Special Edition of The Quiet Man because of Maureen O'Hara's contribution. Not only does the gorgeous Maureen do a very interesting audio commentary with lots of inside stories on the film and its cast, she also features on-screen ( though in her 80s, she is still striking ) in a very entertaining featurette where she revisits the actual locations of some of the key scenes. She also comes across as quite a feisty character, which adds to the pleasure.

Anyone who likes "The Quiet Man" couldn't fail to enjoy this DVD.

Ken

[Jim Patterson]

As a companion piece to The Quiet Man, there is a region 1 special edition of Rio Grande that also features an audio commentary by Maureen O'Hara.
Has anyone seen this? Is it a better quality print than the UK version ?

[Mark Bakker]

I was a little disappointed to see that Laureate's next project would be a 20 title release of John Wayne films.
Although i respect Wayne's place as the most successful box office actor over such a long period, and actually like many of his films, i do feel that 20 titles from one actor in one year is a little excessive.
I would have much preferred to see a boxed set or even 2 boxed sets of 4 features each, this i would consider buying. If i start a collection i like to finish it; i won't be buying 20 John Wayne movies!
Perhaps it would have been better to plan 8 or 10 DVD's for Wayne and another 8 or 10 of other actors work, James Stewart for instance.
Interesting to see that the anouncement of this project has not created anything like the interest the previous boxed sets and single features produced.
Mark Bakker

[Ken Barnes]

Hi Mark,

The idea of 20 Wayne titles came from Universal. I came back with the notion of four boxed sets - each with a different theme - containing five films each. And I think the choices I made were good ones.

Unfortunately, Universal seem to consider my services too expensive ( or something ) which is quite typical of people who know very little about movies in general. So until I hear something positive from them, I am working on other projects and considering offers from other sources.

As soon as something breaks one way ot the other, I'll post it on the NEWS section.

Ken

[Ken Barnes]

Thanks for your interest, Mark. Although this project has been under discussion for more than a year - and I've done a lot of research, it now looks like this will NOT be the ambitious project that we hoped it would.

This delay is due to factors too numerous to mention. There will be a Wayne collection of a less ambitious nature and I'll be making a formal announcement within the next two to three weeks.

Ken

[Mark Bakker]

I'm hoping that 'Donovan's Reef' will be one of the movies released. It's always been one of my favourite Wayne films, some great cameo roles by Ceasar Romero and, in particular, Dorothy Lamour.
Did anyone catch the BBC 'Hollywood Greats' programme about Wayne last night? Wayne was certainly one of the most prolific Hollywood actors. It's must be difficult to decide which of his 160 plus movies make up a DVD collection.
Maureen O'Hara was interviewed, she looked absolutely amazing, striking.
If the IMDB is to be believed she is 84 this year!
Mark Bakker

[Ken Barnes]

Yes, Mark, I did catch the Hollywood Greats on Wayne. Very enjoyable but loaded here and there with inaccuracies ( Jonathan Ross or his researchers should have done greater justice to the facts ). I believe that the footage on Maureen O' Hara is relatively recent and, wow, she does carry her years well.

"Donovan's Reef" will not be in the Universal Collection but it is currently available in the UK on a Paramount DVD - released last year.

The Universal batch will be drawn from the catalogues of Republic, RKO and, of course, Universal. It could include early Paramount titles.

It certainly won't be the collection that was discussed last year. But I'll be able to say more in a couple of weeks or so.

Best
Ken

[Ken Barnes]

Hi Mark,

What it means is that Laureate will have nothing to do with the package.

There will be no interviews with Wayne's fellow workers and will contain no audio commentaries. If they are putting psecial features into it, I don't know what they are. It will probably be similar to the Doris Day package - but will probably contain more films.

Best
Ken

[Dominic McHugh]

What a disappointment! These films really deserved the high level of presentation we have come to expect from Laureate DVDs, rather than the thrown-together-at-the-last-minute efforts of Universal's 'in-house' presentations.

I know that some of the UK releases are to be released in USA forms, but are there any plans for Laureate to be involved in the release of any entirely new films? There's been a desperate lull in my DVD buying recently, although I enjoyed Warner's 'Meet Me In St Louis' 2 Disc SE.

And is there to be a second 'Fred and Ginger' set? 'Swing Time' particularly cries out for it! (Though maybe it's out of your hands?)

Keep up the good work!
and thanks

Dominic
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Dominic McHugh

[mgcroadster]

Anyone seen this Paramount press release?

PARAMOUNT AND JOHN WAYNE’S BATJAC PRODUCTIONS SIGN WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

-- Rare Wayne Classics to Make Way to DVD and TV
Beginning May 2005 --

HOLLYWOOD, September 8, 2004 -- Paramount Home Entertainment and Paramount’s television distribution entities have entered into an agreement with Batjac Productions, the production company founded by John Wayne, for worldwide DVD and television distribution. The agreement was announced today by Thomas Lesinski, President, Paramount Pictures, Worldwide Home Entertainment, Joel Berman, President, Paramount Worldwide Television Distribution and Gretchen Wayne, president of Batjac and wife of the actor’s late son, Michael, who owned the company for over 30 years.

Beginning in Spring 2005, Paramount will distribute a number of beloved but rarely seen John Wayne vehicles from the 1950s and 1960s, including a newly restored The High and the Mighty (1954) and Island in the Sky (1953), neither of which has previously been released on VHS or DVD. The restoration of The High and the Mighty, by Gretchen Wayne, will see the film returned to its glorious original 35mm film and presented in Stereo 5.1. Other Wayne classics making their DVD debut under the distribution pact include Hondo (1953) and “McLintock!” (1962), neither of which has been released on DVD domestically or home video internationally by Batjac. These classic films will include bonus features from Batjac’s extensive library of never-before-seen film memorabilia once they debut on DVD, including commentaries with the filmmakers and cast and featurettes on the making of the films, their subjects and their eras, incorporating new interviews and archival materials.

Paramount will also release five films for basic cable, international markets and DVD that were produced by Batjac in which John Wayne did not appear: Man in the Vault (1956), Plunder of the Sun (1953), Ring of Fear (1954), Seven Men from Now (1956) and Track of the Cat (1954).

The deal consolidates much of the home entertainment distribution of John Wayne films under one roof. Paramount’s now owns 63 Wayne titles, such as True Grit, El Dorado, Big Jake, The Shootist, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Donovan's Reef, Hatari! and The Sons of Katie Elder, among others. Broad integrated marketing initiatives are planned across both home entertainment and television divisions in support of the Batjac titles throughout 2005 and 2006.

“Paramount has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with John Wayne and his family for more than half a century,” said Lesinski. “With the addition of these timeless treasures to our existing John Wayne library, Paramount has truly become the home of John Wayne’s films.”

Gretchen Wayne added: “In recent years there has been growing demand by fans of my late father-in-law to see these films released on DVD and on television. We are excited to have found the perfect partner to accomplish this in Paramount.”

“We are delighted to welcome these John Wayne classics into our television library,” said Joel Berman, President, Paramount Worldwide Television Distribution. “As an American icon with a timeless appeal, John Wayne speaks to a whole new generation of movie lovers.”

Among the films to be released under the agreement are:

The High and the Mighty (1954) - Wayne stars as a washed-up pilot who must guide a damaged airliner to safety in this forerunner to modern disaster movies. Co-starring Claire Trevor and Robert Stack, it was nominated for six Oscars® including Best Director (William A. Wellman).

Island in the Sky (1953) - Wayne is the pilot of a transport plane that crashes in the remote reaches of sub-Arctic Canada. As he struggles to keep his stranded crew alive in the deadly conditions, a rescue team desperately searches for them in the vast snow-covered wilderness.

Hondo (1953) - Geraldine Page (nominated for an Oscar for her role) and Ward Bond join Wayne in this adaptation of a Louis L'Amour story about a half-breed Cavalry dispatch rider who protects a woman and her son living amidst warning Apaches.

“McLintock!” (1963) - Wayne stars as cattle rancher George Washington McLintock who spars with his wife (Maureen O'Hara), their daughter (Stefanie Powers) and greedy land-grabbers in this hilarious western comedy.

Man in the Vault (1956) - In this taut thriller, William Campbell stars as a locksmith forced to crack a bank safe deposit box in order to save his girlfriend (Karen Sharpe) from a ruthless mobster played by Berry Kroeger. Anita Ekberg also stars.

Plunder of the Sun (1953) - Glenn Ford is an American claims adjuster caught up in a deadly hunt for Zapotecan treasure in this mystery set in Mexico. .

Ring of Fear (1954) - Circus impresario and famed animal trainer Clyde Beatty plays himself in this whodunit about a series of suspicious accidents under the Big Top. Detective novelist Mickey Spillane, also as himself, arrives on the scene to solve the crime.

Seven Men from Now (1956) - Randolph Scott is a former sheriff who tracks seven men through the desert in an effort to avenge his wife's murder.

Track of the Cat (1954) - Tough guy Robert Mitchum stalks a panther that killed his younger brother (William Hopper) while his snowbound family begins to disintegrate. Directed by four-time Oscar nominee William A. Wellman (The Ox-Bow Incident, The High and The Mighty).

[James LM]

SEs of Seven Men From Now and The High and the Mighty would get my attention

[mgcroadster]

Seen [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002W1ALO/"]this[/url] new 34 film John Wayne collection from Universal?