High Noon (1952)

An 'Ultimate' Edition that Lives Up to It's Name!

When a film has been available on DVD in a number of editions for a number of years, as "High Noon" has, a new edition had better be pretty impressive to justify shelling out more money.

"High Noon (Two-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition)" is more than pretty impressive...it is superb!

First off, the print is about as close to perfect as you'll ever find, with picture and sound vastly improved over previous releases. Next, the Special Features are engrossing, with a new documentary about the making of the legendary Western, including appreciations by a number of actors and fans (including ex-President Bill Clinton), and a long-overdue look at the remarkable Oscar-winning Dimitri Tiomkin score and song, "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin'", and it's iconic performer, Tex Ritter, plus a 'live' Ritter performance (on radio), and much more. Finally, the packaging is beautiful, so nice that you may be tempted to keep it on the coffee table rather than on the shelf!

That the film was ever made is the stuff of legend...A producer better known for contemporary 'message' films (Stanley Kramer), a European director who had never made a Western (Fred Zinnemann), a screenwriter about to be blacklisted for refusing to buckle under the paranoia of the times (Carl Foreman), and an ailing, aging superstar who was considered 'washed up' after a string of flops (Gary Cooper), combined their talents for a film that flew against all the 'rules' for a successful Western...filmed in black and while, in near-documentary style, with no sweeping vistas, and at nearly 'real' time...and stirred immediate controversy with it's less-than-flattering portrayal of a town's cowardice, incurring the anger of no less than John Ford, Howard Hawks, and John Wayne. Yet the film received 7 Oscar nominations, and 4 wins, including a 'Best Actor' Oscar for Cooper (which, surprisingly, was accepted by Wayne, as Cooper was unavailable). "High Noon" is on the short list of not only the 'Greatest Westerns', but 'Greatest Films' ever made, and is a film that deserves a spot in every DVD collection...it's that good!

So chuck your old copy, and buy this one...you'll be glad you did!

August 25, 2008

Don't shove me Harv. I'm tired of being shoved.

High Noon (Two-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition)
Quite a bit has been said about this film.
Then again, it's 56 years old.
Forget about the Hollywood blacklist period, the trouble behind the scenes, and any politically inclined agenda.
This is probably the first adult western that "holds up".
A good script.
A good director.
A good cast.
A good soundtrack.
All on a small budget and short shooting schedule.
Unheard of now-a-days.
No color.
No CGI.
No fancy hoop-dee-doo credits.
This version deserves some attention.
The restoration is totally amazing. More so if you've seen the original.
3 tracks available. Re-mastered. Enhanced re-mastered. Commentary...which is very low key and quite entertaining.
A classic film with stars long gone...not forgotten.
Go.
August 11, 2008

A great way to spend an evening

This classic film won Gary Cooper his only Oscar. High Noon is basically a morality play placed in the old west. A precursor to the television series 24, High Noon occurs in near real time. Even in its day, this was a low budget movie, and although as an author I'm biased, High Noon proves that a excellent script in the hands of a competent director can beat the razzmatazz of a big budget production.

The special features includes one interesting short--The Making of High Noon--, but no commentary. The DVD has been digitally mastered and it looks and sounds great on modern home equipment.

High Noon is a great film and whether you like Westerns, classic films, Gary Cooper, or catching future stars in early roles, you'll enjoy High Noon.
The Shut Mouth Society
The Shopkeeper July 26, 2008

a brave man facing certain death

This is an "adult" western in that the townpeople act like townspeople. When faced by the possibility of an attack by five desperados, they prefer to do nothing and hope for the best. The movie may have also had a political viewpoint. We were locked in a deadly cold war with the Soviet Union. Many people, just as the townpeople in "High Noon", reckoned that disarmament and coexistence was a safer policy than confrontation.

Gary Cooper, as the resigning marshal of this small town, expects support--in terms of a posse--from the townsfolk. United they will outnumber the desperados many times and should be able to kill or capture them. One by one, however, the would-be posse peals away. Some won't fight for religious reasons, some for personal reasons, some for diability reasons and one, would be hero, is a drunk.

Cooper is left without allies and a bitter pill it is. Even his beautiful wife [Grace Kelly] won't stay. She wants them both to run. The only person who shows some guts is Katie Jurado who wants to fight for the marshal [and we know she would] but he belongs to another woman and so she gets out too.

Cooper, with every expectation of death on a dusty street, waits for the outlaws to arrive on the noon train. Hollywood style, he manages to gun down his enemies and then, in front of the assembled townsmen, throws down his badge in total disgust.

It's a powerful film of a brave man and of human frailty.

Ron Braithwaite author of Mexican Conquest novels, "Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God." June 19, 2008

a great study in honor and duty

I dont think any of us has been as isolated as gary cooper was in that town, when it came to finding support and maybe a true friend when you needed one. I think why you watch this over and over again on repeated viewings, is the great character studies...I mean would we help and stand up for right when it came down to it?...everybody gave a great performance in that movie!...by the way,I watched the first half of the lionsgate new edition last night..and I must say, they did this movie proud!...great picture and sound... an improvement over past editions...notice the great facial closeups..you can see every bead of tension mounting stress and sweat ( o.k. im sure it was hot as well...)....contrast was corrected from past editions , great job! June 11, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...