NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Indicator Blu-ray (April 2020): Indicator have transferred four John Ford-directed films made at Columbia Studios to separate dual-layered Blu-rays. They all have max'ed out bitrates, uncompressed audio and are stacked with supplements - including, out of retirement, Tag Gallagher visual essays for each film. There are also brief Leonard Maltin takes on the four films, Image Galleries and much more. I am still wading through the many extras features. Each film has optional English (SDH) subtitles.

I'll try to be as brief as I can with the specific title comments.

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The Whole Town's Talking from 1935 has a "4k restoration" and has a superior transfer to the existing Twilight Time Blu-ray reviewed HERE. The UK 1080P is darker, slightly heavier and looks a shade more film-like in-motion (it does have a higher bitrate.) Audio is also a bump up with a 24-bit LPCM - as compared to Twilight Time's 16-bit DTS-HD. The US Blu-ray was bare-bones and the Indicator is stacked an aforementioned Tag Gallagher visual essay (entitled "Cymbaline") running over 6-minutes. He talks about 'ascending diagonals' which he finds in the film, talks about Jean Arthur and more. I enjoyed the 22-minute new appreciation by the film historian Sheldon Hall on ‘The Whole Town’s Talking’ and can't wait to fully watch Pamela Hutchinson looking at the life and career of the acclaimed actress Jean Arthur (love her) for almost 18-minutes. Included is a 52-minute Lux Radio Theatre broadcast from 1941 of The Whole Town's Talking starring Jim and Marian Jordan. P.S. a great film - loved revisiting it. 

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The Long Gray Line from 1955 also had a "4k restoration". The Technicolor comes through rich and deeply with strong color representation. It is in the original, super wide, 2.55:1 aspect ratio and has no blemishes or speckles. It looks gorgeous in-motion. The HD presentation is a real treat for those who have never seen the film before and those that have on SD will see a dramatic improvement. It is actually a world-premiere for the film to reach Blu-ray status. A real beauty. Audio - which was originally in 4-Track Stereo - gets the optional of linear PCM mono or a 3-channel DTS-HD Master track - both 24-bit. The latter would be notable in the score by the great George Duning (Assignment Paris, The Guilt of Janet Ames, The Man From Laramie, 3:10 to Yuma, Jeanne Eagels, The Shadow on the Window, Tight Spot, etc.) which comes through with notable bass in sequences. Some may notice Johann Strauss, some John Philip Sousa and other music used in the film. For extras we get an audio commentary with film historians Diana Drumm, Glenn Kenny and Farran Smith Nehme. They address that Ford was not keen on Cinemascope and that it was imposed on him by the studio. There is plenty here with details on the production. Living and Dead is another a new video essay by Tag Gallagher, author of John Ford: The Man and His Films. It runs over 1/4 of an hour - he quotes Jean-Marie Straub about The Long Gray Line and how little of Marty Maher's book ("Bringing Up the Brass") is in the film. There is much more. An interesting inclusion is The Red, White and Blue Line - a rare 1955 promotional film, featuring the principal cast of The Long Gray Line and it ends my thanking those 'who donated their time while on location for the motion picture The Long Gray Line.' It runs 10-minutes long. This film certainly deserved this upgrade - a fabulous viewing experience.

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Gideon's Day also has a "4K restoration" and offers the alternative feature presentation title from the US; Gideon of Scotland Yard. The rest of the presentation, after the opening credits, is seamlessly-branched and is identical in appearance. NOTE: There is also a suspicious Sony "Choice Collection' Blu-ray of 'Gideon of Scotland Yard' HERE. I know nothing about it. This look 1080P great - very heavy, but consistent, textures, deep colors and a wonderfully even video presentation. Indicator use a DTS-HD Master 1.0 channel mono track.  The score is by Douglas Gamley (The City of the Dead, Madhouse, The Land That Time Forgot, The Beast Must Die, Asylum, And Now the Screaming Starts) and works well in this comedy/crime mix. You can frequently hear "London Bridge is Falling Down" throughout. The resulting sound is authentically flat carry modest depth. Indicator add a new audio commentary by film historian Charles Barr, Professor at University of East Anglia - he helped set up one of the very first British academic programmes in film theory and history. He makes some interesting analysis and comments (ex. Anna Massey is actually Ford's Goddaughter). He talks about the Irish influence throughout Ford's career and much more. You can also watch the film with an audio interview of director of photography Freddie Young (credited as Frederick A. Young) excerpted from interviews conducted by Roy Fowler and Alan Lawson on April 1st, 1987 and Aug 14th, 1987. It runs the entire length of the film. Milk and Sugar is another new video essay by Tag Gallagher. He identifies the many murders and attempted murders found in Gideon's Day as well as subtle inferences made in the film. It runs over 9-minutes. John Ford’s London is a new appreciation - by Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London - shy of 1/2 hour. He discusses the book and the prolific author John Creasey (he wrote over 600 novels!), including his other character Inspector West. He also discusses T.E.B. Clarke (Ealing comedies The Lavender Hill Mob, Passport to Pimlico, the crime thriller The Blue Lamp and more) who wrote the screen play. He discusses the many contradictions that are apparent in the film and its low budget. There is a short interview with Elaine Schreyeck who was the 'continuity supervisor' on the film. She recollects her work on the set for almost 6-minutes. John Ford and Lindsay Anderson at the NFT is 4.5 minutes of rare silent footage of Ford visiting London’s National Film Theatre during the production of Gideon’s Day. We can see some of the locations utilized in Gideon's Day in London. I found this a very fun, kind of ambitious, film.

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The Last Hurrah is from a "2K restoration" and looks identical to the Twilight Time Blu-ray from 2018, reviewed HERE. So, repeating my comments about the US transfer: "The HD video looks quite strong with rich deep black levels and impressive contrast. The Blu-ray visuals are tight and very clean - a stunning HD presentation." Indicator use a linear PCM mono track. There aren't an abundance of effects - some crowd noises and arrangements by Paul Sawtell, George Duning, Arthur Morton etc. of notable music in one sequence like St. Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach. True Blue is a new video essay by Tag Gallagher, where he discusses how bigotry against his Irish heritage scarred Ford in his youth and many of his early films (until 1935) depicted contemporary Americans as intolerant, oppressive and creatures of their culture. It runs 7-minutes. We get a 20-minute Super 8 version of The Last Hurrah. In the days before home video formats, cut-down Super 8 versions of popular films were produced for audiences to enjoy in the comfort of their own homes. The included Super 8 presentation of The Last Hurrah reduces the film's running time to a sixth of its original length, but is perhaps of most interest due to the presence of a narrator whose short interjections are intended to compensate for unavoidable elisions in the action. Like most of the rest there are original theatrical trailers and image galleries. Regarding the film; Spencer Tracy is ingratiating and there is some thematic humor. Another very enjoyable film.

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Let's mentioned the amazing limited edition exclusive booklet. For The Whole Town's Talking there is a new essay by Farran Smith Nehme, an extract from the W. R. Burnett’s Jail Breaker, Edward G. Robinson on The Whole Town’s Talking, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits, for The Long Gray Line there is a new essay by Nick Pinkerton, archival interviews with John Ford, Maureen O’Hara on The Long Gray Line, an overview of contemporary critical responses, Anthony Nield on The Red, White and Blue Line, and film credits. For Gideon’s Day included is a new essay by Robert Murphy, an interview with producer Michael Killanin, Jack Hawkins on Gideon’s Day, Lindsay Anderson on John Ford, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits and for The Last Hurrah, a new essay by Imogen Sarah Smith, John Ford on Spencer Tracy and The Last Hurrah, screenwriter Frank S. Nugent on John Ford, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits.

The Indicator Blu-ray package is magnificent. I'm struggling to find more adjectives for this company. Where I would say they keep 'hitting the ball out of the park' - that's for baseball and I don't know the corresponding Cricket term... LBW? (leg before wicket?). Whatever is the best... they're it. John Ford at Columbia, 1935-1958 has top-shelf a/v (as always) and is layered with so many supplements - varied and valued - each in there own way. Then there's the limited edition book (6,000 copies)... I mean, this is the height for this format... in every way. Our very highest recommendation!  

Gary Tooze

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

COMMENTS ON THE INDICATOR Boxset are ABOVE!

Gary Tooze

ON THE Twilight Time (2019): Twilight Time bring John Ford's The Whole Town's Talking to a bare-bones Blu-ray edition. It's on a single-layered disc in 1080P with a high bitrate. It looks quite strong with no damage, a very thick texture-heavy image - I love the fashion and art-deco-esque architecture - and suspect it is a strong representation of this 1935 production. 

The audio is transferred via a 16-bit DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 channel mono track and the sound exhibits the limitations of the era with imperfect audio - no where near as crisp as we would get even a few years later. However it is consistent and dialogue audible. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles on this Region FREE Blu-ray.

For the first time in a long while Twilight Time provide no extras - no commentary, no isolated score, no trailer - nothing except the usual liner notes. Frankly, I think the price should be more reflective of this bare-bones status.

This is a VERY enjoyable film - a serious side mixed with humor - great performances and, importantly, Ford's impressive storytelling ability. The Blu-ray transfer is excellent but the package may be geared more to John Ford compleists or those who appreciate the era (or like me - those who are obsessed with it).