Customer Reviews

The John Wayne Signature Collection (Stagecoach / The Searchers / Rio Bravo / The Cowboys)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Warner Brothers have reissued The Searchers in 2004, the transfer being stated as 1:1.85 aspect ratio. In this package they are disposing of their old 1997 copies - this has a double sided disc, with a cropped 4:3 version on one side, and, even worse, on the flip side a widescreen version where the vertical image has been significantly cropped (the tops of actors' heads are often lopped off, and the magnificent landscapes are similarly ridiculously framed - to see what you are missing, just flip over to the 4:3 version: the heads and mesas and buttes are seen in full, but of course the horizontal image is severely cropped) - the stated aspect ratio is 1.75:1.
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Similarly they reissued Stagecoach in 2004, but this is the 1997 version. The Cowboys dates from 1998, and Rio Bravo's transfer is from 2001.
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I purchased this set primarily for The Searchers and to now find such an inferior transfer is very frustrating. I would suggest potential buyers take care with other Warner Bros. compilations as they too might be deceptive means of dispensing of obsolete DVD transfers.

Most of the John Wayne movies prior to "Stagecoach" were just generic shoot-'em-ups but in this movie, he made a name for himself as a man's man. It lasted for another 40 years. The disparate flawed characters and competent character actors who portrayed them made "Stagecoach" a unique film, an "adult Western" years before "High Noon" which has been called the "first" such movie. "The Searchers" shows the intensity and acting ability of Wayne for which he was never given credit as he searches for years for a niece kidnapped by renegade Indians. This is a classic Western also with accomplished character actors, great direction by John Ford and beautiful locales meant to be Texas but filmed in Arizona's Monument Valley in color. "Rio Bravo" was the original and the best of other like-themed movies of Wayne's about the good guys being under siege by a host of bad guys. Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan lend good support, along with the much younger Wayne love interest, Angie Dickinson. The theme was repeated in "El Dorado" and "Rio Lobo", not to mention the two modern-day versions of "Assault on Precinct 13". For "The Cowboys", the producers did not use Wayne's usual retinue of friends and family as supporting characters but instead showed him as a lone rancher, having to use kids to drive his cattle to market. It was not as well-received as the other movies herein as Wayne did not prevail in the usual manner, but veteran bad guy Bruce Dern is memorable and at his slimy backshootingest best. This is a good cross-section of the Duke's career, as stated, and I recommend it. Just don't forget to get "True Grit" and "The Shootist" (a term first used by real life bad guy Ben Thompson).

I am a real John Wayne fan from way back. This is a good collection. Somehow in all the years past this is the first time i ever saw the movie Stage Coach. I have tons of the old black and white John Wayne movies that were considered B movies. Personally i rate almost all of his movies as excelent.

I tell you, my father is a pain to shop for. But for ONCE I got him something he thouroughly enjoyed. :) Good buy, fast delivery, and all is well for one more year....

The year 1939 was a golden year at the box office. Movies like Gone With The Wind, The Wizard Of Oz, and of course Stagecoach were released. With Stagecoach John Wayne introduced the world to the charactor he was destined to play, the western mega star, John Wayne. If You love westerns, they don't come bigger than The Duke. He conveyed to us the slight comedy and the HARD BARK, which is sampled in these four great fims. A great collection at a terrific price.

Set of John Wayne DVDs was in like new condition, arrived promptly, well packed, what can I say? what's to complain. I would highly recommend this vendor based on my experience.

this is a great collection of John Wayne! The cowboy is just as good as when i saw it as a boy. Men were men enven when they were just boys......

I have watched the DVD's many time already and enjoy them very much.

For anyone who is interested, I thought I'd let it be known that this isn't JUST "The Searchers" (1956) but an actual DVD collection ("signature edition") of John Wayne's films, to be released on October 12th. It will include a bundle of his most famous and cherished a la The Scorsese Collection and Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection.

So, don't be scared by the $36 price -- it's going to be more than just The Searchers. I hope Amazon fixes this soon and posts all the other films to be included.

there were two of the movies that my wife wanted in this collection and so i got them for her was there a way to make them full screen