Blake Edwards' - Breakfast at Tiffanys - Audrey Hepburn DVD Review John Ford's - Stagecoach

directed by John Ford
USA 1939

The classic western, STAGECOACH is one of John Ford's greatest frontier epics. This western eclipsed all films in the genre that had gone before it, and so vastly influenced those that followed that its stamp can be found in most superior westerns made since Ford stepped into Monument Valley for the first time. Set in a landscape of endless horizons, STAGECOACH is a wonderful, broad portrait of pioneer life in the untamed Great Southwest, as well as an in-depth character study of eight people, all diverse in their pursuits and all traveling to separate fates on a journey packed with danger.

High peril is present from the first scenes, which depict Geronimo on the warpath and telegraph wires cut by raiding Apaches. Leaving the town of Tonto, New Mexico, by stagecoach are a motley bunch of Western types. Doc Boone (Mitchell) is a conniving drunkard, long ago kicked out of the medical profession for malpractice. Dallas (Trevor) is a prostitute whose sexual exploits have so unnerved the local women that they have banded together to oust her from their scandal-mongering society. Hatfield (Carradine), meanwhile, is a shady gambler with the manners of a southern gentleman, with his own mysterious reasons for leaving Tonto. He pretends, however, that his real motivation is to offer the withdrawn Lucy (Platt), who is pregnant and married to a cavalry officer, his "protection" as she travels to be with her husband. Henry Gatewood (Churchill), a pompous and demanding banker, gets aboard the coach carrying a small valise which is locked and which he will not let go of, while Samuel Peacock (Meek), a whiskey salesman, carries a sample case. These six strangers make up the passenger list, and riding on top on the driver's seat is Buck (Devine), a garrulous type with an aversion to Indians, and tough, gruff, but fair-minded Curly (Bancroft), a lawman riding "shotgun." Before they've been on the trail very long they pick up the Ringo Kid (Wayne, in a star-making performance), whose horse has gone lame. The stagecoach is set, so to speak, so bring on the adventure!

Excerpt from TV Guide located HERE

Theatrical Release: February 15th, 1939

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DVD Comparison:

Warner - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Warner (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC

(Warner - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Warner (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover
	The Special Edition is also available in the John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection along with The Searchers Ultimate Edition / Fort Apache / The Long Voyage Home / The Wings of Eagles / She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and They Were Expendable
Distribution	Warner Region 1 - NTSC	Warner (2-disc Special Edition) Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:36:09	1:35:51
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.16 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.73 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate : Warner Original
Bitrate: Warner (Special Edition)
Audio	English ( Mono)	English (Mono)
Subtitles	English, French, Spanish, None	English, French, Spanish, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Warner Aspect Ratio: Original - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical Trailers and text screens DVD Release Date: October 29th, 1997 Snapper Case Chapters 24	Release Information: Studio: Warner (Special Edition) Aspect Ratio: Original - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by Scott Eyman, author of "Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford" • New feature-length American Masters profile: John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker & the Legend • New documentary Stagecoach: A Story of Redemption • Audio-only bonus: radio adaptation with Claire Trevor and Randolph Scott Theatrical trailer DVD Release Date: June 6th, 2005 Double slim keep case Chapters 25

Comments

Personally, I am not a fan of brightness boosting or over-digitization. In my opinion the new 2-disc Stagecoach Special Edition has both. Although I had nothing to compare it to I was fairly happy with the original Warner release (way back in 1997!) - I expected the damage and earmarks of a film from the late 30's - scratches and blemishes. By brightening the new SE image, Warner have brought out those damage marks giving them more visibility (see example below). I also see a softening of the image in the new SE, usually resulting when the transfer has been over-digitized. There is some movement in the frame with the new SE showing occasional cropping on the top edge (really, I suspect negligible zooming-in - see example below). Audio sounded the same to me - only the original mono tracks provided. Both releases have optional subtitles with the new SE's looking a little clearer. Obviously the extras go far in the new 2-disc releases favor - the Eyman commentary is very good - a lot of details about the production are explored and anecdotes provided. The second disc features go further into examining the Ford/Wayne legend and I even enjoyed the Randolph Scott radio broadcast.

I don't mean to come down hard on Warner, but I feel this transfer was a mistake. I encourage DVD production which does not attempt digital enhancement - especially brightness boosting - if we want it brighter we can do that on out own system, and suffer the consequences. Overall this new SE is still a great package - one for western fans to cherish.

- Gary Tooze

DVD Menus

(Warner - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Warner (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

Disc 2 of the Special Edition

Screen Captures