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Last night I watched this movie from start to finish for the 1st time. I loved this film and the Blue ray looks amazing. Can anyone recommend any other Wayne / Ford pics? Or is this as good as it gets?
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It's hard to beat and it really is about as good as it gets. A classic by any standard. It's particularly stunning on BD.
I love the westerns of John Ford, and for a taste of something completely different, try the 1940s My Darling Clementine, starring Henry Fonda. It might just be my favorite western ever, a telling of the OK Corral shootout. It is in glorious B&W, but just as gorgeous in its own way as The Searchers. As others have mentioned, you must see Stagecoach. I'd also highly recommend Fort Apache as well as She Wore A Yellow Ribbon.
In the same vein, another visually stunning, favorite western (this time from director William Wyler) is The Big Country, starring Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives and Jean Simmons. Wonderful music (one of the great movie scores of all time) and a lot of fun with lots of wide wide shots of goreous...big country. ;-)
And I have a goofy soft spot for the 1980s Silverado, Lawrence Kasdan's tribute to the epic westerns of the 40s and 50s, which boasts a great cast and a stirring, retro score a la The Big Country. I'd rather watch it than Dances With Wolves (which I can't abide) or Unforgiven.
One of the great thrills of my life was visiting Monument Valley a few years ago. What a stunning and impressive location. I stood where Ford had his camera places for many of the shots in Stagecoach and looked down that valley. Amazing.
Orson Wells watched it about 15 times when preparing to shoot CITIZEN KANE. It's directional continuity is haphazard on purpose. We never seem to leave Monument Valley. It's interesting the contrast the Martin Ritt remake of STAGECOACH starring Bing Crosby, May Tyler Moore, Bob Cummings. I think Ford loved the desert for some strange reason.
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.” Hunter S. Thompson, A GENERATION OF SWINE
Winton Hoch was the cinematographer on both films (Searchers, too), and also "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," which were arguably the most beautiful color films of their day. He also shot "Mr Roberts," He also shot the Errol Flynn film, "Dive Bomber" from 1941, another magnificent looking film. Can't wait till they're on Blu-ray, if ever.
Hoch had worked at Technicolor and was very familiar with the process. Ford once referred to him as a "pedantic cameraman". ;) You probably know the story of how he supposedly won his Oscar on the strength of a scene he didn't want to shoot. That was Ford's story anyway.
Bart Glennon shot great B&W and his color in "Sgt. Rutledge" looks as good as anyone's, IMO. And you have to like Clothier's work.
Everything Ford and Wayne did is good including the underrated and misunderstood "Donovan's Reef".
Next try "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance". Then "Rio Grande", "Stagecoach" and of course "The Quiet Man".
"The Wings of Eagles" is an odd picture. Starts out as one of those rowdy rolicking affairs and ends being quite sad and profound. The picture is about a friend of Ford's who was a naval aviator, was crippled in an accident and became a screenwriter, then returned to duty during WW II Ward Bond does a wonderful turn as Ford himself, called "John Dodge" in the picture. And Wayne forgoes his toupee as the character ages.
The Man who Shot Liberty Valance
Wings of Eagles
when i watched that movie it was obvious where he got the nickname 'The Duke'
thanks
Phil
tho' "The Searchers" is a close 2nd for my fave John Wayne filmGW
Edits: 02/26/09
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