Customer Reviews

How the West Was Won [VHS]

5 star:		(110)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

A massive, sprawling epic shot in the three camera Cinerama Process popular during the early 60's, "How the West Was Won" spans from 1830 to 1880 covering the history of the westward expansion. Directed by three directors (John Ford, Henry Hathaway and George Marshall with a forth Richard Thorpe providing uncredited linking pieces)"How the West Was Won" was produced during the twilight of the western as the most popular type genre.

Warner has done a painstaking job of restoring this classic film and although it isn't perfect, it's an exceptional job that deserves kudos. The film has never looked this good with colors that pop and accurate fleshtones. More important the seams that one could see for the separate cameras aren't quite as glaring as before. The image quality is exceptionally crisp with terrific detail. Audio sounds extremely good with a nice 5.1 mix.

The film is spread over two discs with the original Overture and Alfred Newman's marvelous score included as part of the package. We get a terrific feature length commentary track from "West" stuntman Loren James who provides plenty of background details about the physical shooting of the film, filmmaker David Strohmaier, film scholar Rudy Behlmer, Cierama's John Sittig and music historian Jon Burlingame. My only complaint is that Burlingame will make a comment about listening to Newman's marvelous score and then whomever edited his comments continues to play them right over the music cue we should be listening to without interruption.

The only other complaint that I have is that while the dirt and grit has been removed making the film look marvelous, there's one sequence that has always bugged me--there is a bit of dirt right in the middle of the frame of the opening fly over sequence that I wish they could have figured out how to remove. Other than that, it's pretty smooth looking throughout the presentation despite an occasiona bit of image unsteadiness as characters move across the screen and span of the three cameras lenses.

We also get a terrific hour and a half documentary on the Cinerama process on the third disc.

There are three different versions of the film in re-release: the first is a three disc DVD edition with just the film; the second is the three disc set postcards, a reproduction of the original press book, souvenir book and photos as part of the package;there is no equivalent for this SCE in the Blu-ray edition although it does have a booklet as part of that package.

The image and sound quality in this restored edition improves on the original single disc edition of the film with a terrific commentary track and documentary to round out the set. With a stunning casts (James Stewart, Gregory Peck, Carolyn Jones, Debbie Reynolds, Carol Baker, Lee J. Cobb, George Peppard, John Wayne, Lee Van Cleef, Karl Malden, Agnes Moorehead and others)this was truly one of the last epic, lyrical westerns to be produced in Hollywood. Highly recommended.

If you've never seen the original Cinerama big screen release, or only know the previous video versions of HTWWW, you are in for a big treat. The fully restored classic American film, the top box office hit of 1962, is stunning.

And the Blu-ray hi-def transfer is truly breathtaking. I literally gasped when I saw it. And so have special preview audiences of the hi-def DVD.

Warner -- which owns the pre 1986 MGM library -- has spent a ton of dough getting this right. Six years, hundreds of people, thousands of hours and millions of dollars have been invested in creating and applying new technology that has virtually erased the "join lines" that marred the earlier -- rather hideous -- video transfers. Not only that, but every frame has been restored. That's the equivalent of restoring three 35 MM films -- the original was exposed using three alligned cameras. The final aspect ratio is 2.89:1 (that's nearly three times as wide as it is high). And it is a wondrous sight to behold.

Seeing this new version is like experiencing the film for the first time. The familiar story -- based on a series in Life magazine -- follows three generations of a typical pioneer Ohio Valley family from 1839 to 1889. A myriad of stars shine in this great American adventure -- John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, Debbie Reynolds, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb and Carrol Baker are among the many recognizable faces.

Three accomplished directors (including John Ford) helmed this rousing epic that does not degrade the Native American experience even as it allows for the conflicts the westward movement created.

The absolutely stunning Blu-ray version inlcudes a "smilebox" transfer that mimics the original Cinerama experience of a giant curved screen. On a large video display -- especially if projected on a big pull down screen -- this version is jaw-dropping.

The extras include Rudy Strohmaier's much acclaimed documentary "Cinerama Adventure." And there's a wonderful commentary by filmmaker Strohmaier, John Sittig (director of Cinerama, Inc.), film historian Rudy Behlmer, music historian Jon Burlingame and stuntman Loren James. But why no Debbie Reynolds?

The only other narrative three camera Cinerama film is "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm" and the stored negative has suffered water damage so there are no plans for a full restoration at this time.

As a kid I saw this film at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood. The impact of the big sound and images swept me away and I remember the experience vividly. The rousing music, the involving heartland American story still works. And thanks to cutting edge technology, it's better than ever.

This is one for the digital library.

I keep running into negative reviews for a DVD film or set that hasn't been released yet. I am not sure why Amazon feels in necessay to move reviews over to a DVD that has yet to be released but it's a bit like shooting yourself in the foot. Everyone waiting for a decent release of this film - without the lines on film - should be aware they need to wait for reviews of the set AFTER it has been released and ignore the negative reviews of previous versions.

Everyone knows this film, it is the reviews of the DVD and not the film that is important to most of us. Wake up, Jeff. This is very frustrating. Quit posting reviews of DVDs that have yet to be released.

Richard

Forget all the discussion about poor picture quality. That may legitimately apply to earlier versions of this film. But this remastered edition, just screened on the encore western Channel, is superb. Glorious color, great sound and the joining of the three camera angles all but totally erased. Job well done on a movie that warranted the effort. Buy with confidence but be advised there is a severe letterbox effect because of how wide the CINERAMA picture extends.

When high-quality, low-speed Kodachrome slide film became available many years ago, that product was a justification for photographers to invest in the best 35-mm. cameras available, such as Leica. Kodachrome film shot with a Leica camera became a reference.

The TV western classic of the late 1950's and 1960's, "Bonanza", with its wonderful color photography, provided many an American family with justification to invest in the emerging technology of color television. "Bonanza" was the reference TV show that displayed what color televisions of the time could do.

"How the West was Won", a contemporary along with "Bonanza", went to great lengths to show how beautiful the American West was, using the three-camera process of Cinerama to demonstrate to the public this cutting-edge method of cinematography. Today, Cinerama still remains the best process ever invented to film a Hollywood epic, surpassing even that of IMAX. It is too bad that it was a cumbersome and expensive process to work with, and did not meet with the full approval of the three directors involved with the filming of HTWWW. But what visual magnificence is evident in this film! Thank goodness that Time-Warner went back to the original Eastman negative and developed technology to eliminate or minimize the disconcerting film joins of the three Cinerama projectors in transferring this classic to DVD and Blu-Ray. The results of their efforts are evident, and based on the other Blu-Ray movies I have and have seen, HTWWW can justifiably be considered as a Blu-Ray reference!

Other reviewers critical of the "Smilebox" process transferring HTWWW onto a second disc that mimics the Cinerama curved screen should give it a second view. The reason I say this is because I've noticed that object movement on the right and left panels of the 3-camera film joins is less distorted in the Smilebox transfer than on the normal screen transfer. Give the same scenes another look in both versions (such as the river raft sequence) and compare.

Regardless of your age and film content preferences, if you are just starting into Blu-Ray, make this film one of your "must-purchase" items! You will not be disappointed, and will definitely see how the Blu-Ray HTWWW shows off the capabilities of your high-definition TV or computer monitor.

For those pointing out the reviews of older DVD versions of HWWW being here and much inappropriate, this is ,in my long Amazon experience, normal. Every time I look up a film and read the reviews (if more than one version has been put out) it is pretty much always easy to see the reviews are for all the versions - not just the one specifically listed. Good reviewers might want to be sure to note releasing company and release date in their review to help avoid this problem.

Would, though help if Amazon would simply attach only the reviews of a specific release page to that page and not move them to any other release page - but maybe it's more than their computers/program operators can handle.

The three disc set has the movie on two discs with the trailer on the second one. The third disc contains a fascinating documentary called Cinerama Adventure. The documentary is worth the price of the set!

The trailer is not restored, so it is a handy three-panel source to compare with the new, seamless realese.

How the West Was Won looks fabulous; the lines are indeed gone. The picture is w-i-d-e. So wide, the documentary states, that actors did not look directly at each other during shooting, but off to the side a bit so that they would appear to be facing each other on the Cinerama screen.

The field of view on How the West Was Won is much greater than, for instance, that of Ben Hur. But the letterboxing on the How the West Was Won DVD is not as severe as it is on the Ben Hur DVD.

The sound is great, as well. In the documentary we learn that Cinerama music track recordings were done in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, of all places, using a who's who of New York City-area orchestra members.

During each theatrical Cinerama screening a sound engineer mixed the seven tracks on the spot, taking into account the number of people in the house, whether or not they had coats, things like that.

How the West Was Won--the last true Cinerama film--has been given a restoration worthy of the whole remarkable Cinerama enterprise.

Experiencing the 1963 version at a CINERAMA theater was breathtaking and unbelievable with that 146 degree 3 projector screen bigger than life.

Not since then have we been able to re-experience that magical event until NOW. Yes my fellow movie buffs this Blu-ray Hi-def Picture and Hi-Def Sound 2008 version with its pioneering technology can be enjoyed once again. In fact with the true HD Blu-ray HDMI Home Theater you can experience a better "HOW THE WEST WAS WON" visual wonderland!

My qualifying statement: My HD Home theater weighs in at about $2000 plus movies. A break down is; a Mitsubishi Projector(HC-1500) $800 (orig $1495), a Sony 5.1 Sound system (HT-SS2300) $400 (orig $500) and a Sony Playstation 3 with Blu-ray player $400 (orig $500). Sony HDMI cables $150 and HD Screen paint and kit $180 for my 108" viewing wall screen. With this 1080p system I've created a HD Home Theater presentation sight and sound equal to an IMAX (on a smaller scale) experience.

The 1080p Blu-ray showing blows your minds eye, period. Their are 2 discs and 2 versions. Whats incredible is watching the SmileBox transfer replicating the CINERAMA wraparound theatrical experience right in your own home. By curving the flat 2D picture (disc 1) into a smile simulates the 146 degree 3D image (disc 2)of CINERAMA. Whats truly amazing is the people on the edges appear to be in the foreground on opposite sides talking to each other. You have to see it to believe it. The clarity is so clear you think your living the experience today not 1963. Only seeing the youthful movie stars brings you to the realization on the true date of this spectacular epic eye candy. With Blu-ray you are swept off to where ever they take you.

Bottomline: Blu-ray, HD HDMI 5.1 Home Theater is the only way to enjoy this SmileBox version of "HOW THE WEST WAS WON". Bonus extra CINERAMA ADVENTURE is a 96 minute documentary about the CINERAMA process and history. This alone is worth the price of the set NOTE: I suggest you watch this documentary prior to watching the movie for the appreciation of the entire magical process. Have fun and Enjoy!!

Like the previous reviewer said, Amazon has really messed up by allowing reviews not related to this product. I emailed Amazon asking them to only post reviews of Blu-Ray and HD DVD's. Amazon does not want to listen to their Customer.

If you've avoided purchasing 'Cinerama'-formatted widescreen DVDs in the past (because of the irritating lines indicating each camera, and often blurry images), you're in for a treat; "How the West Was Won (Ultimate Collector's Edition)" has all but removed the lines, and restored the depth of detail, richness of color, and superb stereophonic sound lacking in every previous edition. Add to this one of the most entertaining, informative Audio Commentary tracks I've ever listened to, and you have a DVD that is truly worth owning!

Taking a moment to reflect on the Commentary...I am disappointed that no 'Making of...' video has been made, as "How the West Was Won", with it's stellar cast, legendary directors, and massive production, certainly deserves one. But the Audio Commentary makes a sincere effort to make up for it, offering information on the locations, how the extraordinary shots were created, and backstories about casting and the production. A surprising bit of HTWWW trivia: Did you know that Bing Crosby was originally slated to narrate the film, with Spencer Tracy to portray Ulysses S. Grant? (The reason Tracy switched to narrating isn't explained in the Commentary, but I am familiar with what happened; Tracy collapsed at his home, prior to filming, and had to be rushed by ambulance to the UCLA Hospital; under doctor's orders to rest, he was unable to perform in a role, but still wanted to participate in some manner, so Crosby, graciously, gave up the narration to him). A health issue created another change, as well; Dimitri Tiomkin, the contracted composer of the musical score, broke his leg, and had to be replaced by Alfred Newman, who did a magnificent job. Another surprising fact: Hope Lange was originally cast to play George Peppard's wife, with a long subplot revealing she was Henry Fonda's daughter, first seen working as a showgirl at the railroad camp, where she was courted by both Peppard and Richard Widmark. Despite some scenes being filmed, it was decided the subplot took too much time from the main storyline, so her scenes were cut, and reshot to remove any reference to her, with Carolyn Jones cast in a far shorter version of her role, for the final sequence of the film.

Much more is included in the Commentary, which really encourages a viewer to watch the film at least twice!

The third DVD in the collection (the first two discs are of the film, itself), is devoted to a long history of the Cinerama process, from it's roots during the silent era, it's value during WWII as a training tool, the spectacular, and once, tragic, Cinerama travelogues, through the decision to scrap the 'three-camera' process in favor of a less difficult 70mm 'single-camera' process (HTWWW would be the last film using the original format), and it's ultimate demise, in favor of less costly formats. As someone whose first Cinerama experience was the 'single-camera' "2001: A Space Odyssey", the documentary makes me wish I'd experienced the superior 'three-camera' films, with full stereophonic sound, on a giant curved screen!

Lots of reproductions of original release promotional materials are included in the package, as well, which are fun to browse through, while you're watching the film.

Entertaining, educational, fun..."How the West Was Won (Ultimate Collector's Edition)" is all this, and MUCH more!