James Stewart - The Signature Collection
In his early years, Jimmy Stewart came to personify the Everyman. "Hollywood dishes out too much praise for small things,'' Jimmy once said. "I won't let it get to me, but too much praise can turn a fellow's head if he doesn't watch his step.'' - Through a Hollywood career spanning 50 years James Stewart has thrilled, touched and delighted audiences with over 80 films.
Titles
Synopses:
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Posters
Theatrical Releases: Various from 1935 - 1940
DVD Review: Warner - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC
DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | Warner Home Video - Region 1, 2, 3, 4 - NTSC | |
Audio | English (2.0), All have French DUBs except The FBI Story | |
Subtitles | English, French, Spanish, None | |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details:
The Naked Spur • Featurette
'Things We Can Do Tonight' • Trailer • Pest
Control (Dave O'Brien short comedy) • Premiere
footage • Featurette
- The Good Time Girls • trailer
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Comments: |
The five DVDs are all sold separately but come at a handsome discount if purchased together in the James Stewart Signature Collection boxset. They are all housed in full (standard) keep cases. All are coded for regions 1,2,3 and 4 in the NTSC standard. Each have original audio and optional English, Spanish and French subtitles in an off-white font with black border. All offer a French DUB except The FBI Story. All transfers are progressive (and anamorphic where widescreen) in their original aspect ratio(s). There are no commentaries offered. NOTE: The Cheyenne Social Club is offered on one side of the last DVD while Firecreek (also with his buddy Henry Fonda) is on the opposite side. Aside from The Naked Spur, these films represent somewhat of a patchwork of also-rans from Stewarts magnificent career which includes such classics as It's A Wonderful Life (1946), Winchester '73 (1950), Rear Window (1954), The Man from Laramie (1955), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Vertigo (1958) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). The cohesive part of this collection is that none have ever been released on DVD before. As I have already indicated in my individual review I was most disappointed with the way that The Naked Spur looks (hazy, muddy, dull), but the rest of the films in the James Stewart Signature Collection look acceptable to very good. Firecreek may have had some black/red boosting - ditto to a lesser extent The Cheyenne Social Club - The FBI Story, The Stratton Story and The Spirit of St. Louis look the best - very sharp and good contrast. Audio (which is generally a Warner strongpoint) was consistent and clean on all five films - I noticed not excessive hiss or pops and dialogue was always audible. Extras - unfortunately there are no commentaries offered with the films in this boxset. There are however some sporadic and unrelated supplements of which I enjoyed the Tex Avery cartoons the most - the rest might be considered filler. For more specific details please cross-reference our individual reviews. Overall, a James Stewart Signature box would be a no-brainer purchase, but with the weak quality of The Naked Spur, (I consider it to be THE film of the collection), one might give second thought. But The FBI Story, The Stratton Story and The Spirit of St. Louis are strong enough films to warrant buying. Tack on the fun Cheyenne Social Club and a decent western on its own merits; Firecreek and you have a reasonable enough reason to raise the value for an acceptable deal - actually a strong deal at less than $7/film. Although not Jimmy's best work - we still recommend! |
DVD Menus
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Screen Captures
The Naked Spur Directed by Anthony Mann USA 1953
Starring Jimmy Stewart, Janet Leigh and Robert Ryan
DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE
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The FBI Story Directed by Mervyn LeRoy USA 1959
Starring James Stewart, Vera Miles and Murray Hamilton
DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE
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The Stratton Story Directed by Sam Wood USA 1949
Starring James Stewart, June Allyson, Frank Morgan and Agnes Moorehead
DVD REVIEWED IN FULL
HERE
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The Spirit of St. Louis Directed by Billy Wilder USA 1957
Starring James Stewart , Murray Hamilton and Patricia Smith
DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE
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The Cheyenne Social Club Directed by Gene Kelly USA 1970
Starring James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Shirley Jones and Sue Ane Langdon
DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE
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Firecreek Directed by Vincent McEveety USA 1968
Starring James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Inger Stevens, Gary Lockwood and Dean
Jagger
DVD REVIEWED IN FULL HERE
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