Showing posts with label Howard Hawks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Howard Hawks. Show all posts
24 October 2013
Red River (1948) Masters Of Cinema Blu-Ray Review
Rating:
PG
Release Date:
28th October 2013 (UK)
Distributor:
Eureka! Video
Director:
Howard Hawks
Cast:
Montgomery Clift, John Wayne, Joanne Dru,
buy:Blu-ray
Red River is one of the finest classic Hollywood westerns ever made. The jack of all genres Howard Hawks, who also directed the great western Rio Bravo, directs it. John Wayne starred in both; he probably gives his finest performance in Red River.
The film unlike many pre-60s westerns doesn’t have the racial stereotypes that populate the film of let’s say John Ford. That’s not a dig at John Ford who was a mighty fine director in his own right but Hawks was a much more sophisticated director when it came to his subject matter. Orson Welles once perfectly described the different between Hawks and Ford “Hawks is great prose; Ford is poetry". Ford’s films were more about the poetry and mythology of the west while Hawks’ films were based on the true west.
Red River is based on a news article about the first cattle drive from Texas to Kansas along the Chisholm Trail. It’s set after the end of the American civil war and the South is too poor after loosing the war. Thomas Dunson must lead a group of men including his adopted son Matthew Garth (Montgomery Clift) to move his massive herd of cattle to Missouri.
Dunson is determined to get to Missouri but he is told by many people on the way that the railroad has reach Abilene, Kansas. He instantly dismisses these claims because none of the people have actually seen the railroad. He becomes increasingly merciless in his control over the men and naturally a rebellion starts to grow.
The film is expertly told by Hawks with book passages to fill you in, it moves a very solid pace though out. Hawks after all directed one of the fastest moving films ever made His Girl Friday. The cinematography by Russell B. Harlan is outstanding with stunning point of view shots from inside the carriages. The only real flaw in photography is some of the rear projection is bit dodgy at times; it was clearly shot as pick-up after the location shootss. Harlan also shot To Kill a Mockingbird later in his career along with many films for Hawks like The Thing.
John Wayne’s performance is widely considered one of his finest if not his finest. He was never known for his great acting ability but he gives a fascinating psychological portrayal of a tyrant. The only other performance he gave that comes close would be The Searchers. Red River was only Montgomery Clift’s 2nd film role and was the one that really made him a star and it’s a great performance. Walter Brennan is great as usual; he is really the quintessential character actor of the first half of the 20th century he was literally in everything from Bride of Frankenstein, Swamp Water, Meet John Doe, To Have and Have Not and countless westerns.
The film has some hilarious gay subtext to a modern audience. It’s widely known now that Montgomery Clift was bisexual. The scene that makes the gay subtext very overt is when Cherry Valance (John Ireland) appears and is clearly eying up Matt and they have an exchange involving such lines as “Can I see your gun?” and “Would you like to see mine?” Dunson and Matt’s relationship is also rather suspect especially with the line at the end after a fight between the 2 a woman says “Everybody can see you love each other” There is also barely any women in the film and even they appear and the love interest is basically there just to verbalise the tension between Dunson and Matt.
Red River is possibly the finest western of the Golden age of Hollywood with great performance, expert storytelling, fantastic cinematography and priceless gay subtext. Masters of Cinema has done a very fine Blu-ray release even though a few more bonus features would have been nice.
Ian Schultz
24 September 2013
John Wayne's Red River To Premier on Blu-Ray Via Masters of Cinema
“Immaculately shot by Russell Harlan, perfectly performed by a host of Hawks regulars, and shot through with dark comedy, it's probably the finest Western of the '40s." - Geoff Andrew, Time Out
One of Hollywood's most iconic westerns, Howard Hawks' Red River launches cinema's grandest cattle drive, and one of the screen's most powerful father-son dramas. One of John Wayne's most intense roles inspired one of his finest performances, and in his debut leading role, Montgomery Clift instantly leapt to the forefront of Hollywood's young actors.
After the Civil War, ranch owner Thomas Dunson (Wayne) leads a drive of ten thousand cattle out of an impoverished Texas to the richer markets of Missouri, alongside his adopted son Matthew Garth (Clift) and a team of ranch hands. As the conditions worsen, and Dunson's control over his cattlemen gets ever more merciless, a rebellion begins to grow within the travelling party.
Filmed among glorious expanses with no expense spared, and a roster of brilliant turns from greats including Joanne Dru, Walter Brennan, Harry Carey, John Ireland and Hank Worden, Red River is an all-American epic, a grand adventure yarn, and a profound psychological journey. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present its first UK release on Blu-ray.
SPECIAL FEATURES- New high-definition 1080p presentation
- Original theatrical trailer
- Exclusive lengthy video conversation about Red River and Howard Hawks by filmmaker and critic Dan Sallitt, conducted by Jaime Christley, and shot by Dustin Guy Defa and James P. Gannon
- And more to be announced
- A booklet featuring the words of Howard Hawks, rare imagery, and more!
Buy Red River Starring JOHN WAYNE (Masters of Cinema) (Blu-ray)
22 August 2013
Eureka Video Announce Their Masters Of Cinema October/November Releases
Proudly presenting films from 6 different countries, spanning 67 years, and encompassing classic Hollywood, silent cinema, and the finest in global art cinema, The Masters of Cinema Series is as eclectic as ever in its October and November 2013 line-up – a 5-release slate that includes directors F.W. Murnau, Kenji Mizoguchi, Howard Hawks, Fritz Lang, Metin Erksan, Ahmed El Maanouni, and Ermek Shinarbaev.
In October, we welcome Hollywood legend Howard Hawks into the series for the first time with his John Wayne Western classic Red River alongside the worldwide Blu-ray première of Fritz Lang's Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler. [Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler.] and a strictly limited-edition box-set of late-career films by Kenji Mizoguchi.
More cinematic treats follow in November with a gorgeous new restoration of F.W. Murnau's vampire horror classic Nosferatu (following a UK theatrical release just in time for Halloween), and the very first multi-film release in an exciting new partnership with Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving and restoring neglected films from around the world.
Across 5 standout releases, which include no less than 14 films, world and UK premières abound, with new restorations aplenty, Eureka! Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema Series continues its quest to release the very finest in world cinema, using the very best available materials, all with a meticulous attention to detail and design.
Managing Director of Eureka Entertainment, Ron Benson comments “Among other highlights, it is a real privilege to establish a new partnership with Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation in the US, and to continue through all of our releases to be part of a worldwide cinephile community dedicated to preserving and celebrating the treasures of more than a century of cinema.”
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