Johnny Guitar (1954) New 4K Widescreen restoration from Olive Films

[Akijama]

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Johnny Guitar Blu-ray

Johnny Guitar stars Oscar winner Joan Crawford (Best Actress, Mildred Pierce) as Vienna, a saloon owner with a sordid past. Persecuted by the townspeople, Vienna must protect her life and property when a lynch mob led by her sexually repressed rival, Emma Small (Oscar winner Mercedes McCambridge, Best Actress, All the King's Men), attempts to frame her for a string of robberies she did not commit. Enter Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb), a guitar-strumming ex-gunfighter, who once was —and perhaps still is—in love with Vienna. With the leads at their operatic best, the table is now set for an epic showdown in this one-of-a-kind western from director Nicholas Ray (Rebel Without a Cause).

A bizarrely veiled allegory for the McCarthy-era Red Scare, Johnny Guitar was misunderstood upon its initial release. One of the most original takes on the western genre — the women are far tougher than the men —Johnny Guitar is praised by fans, filmmakers, and critics alike as groundbreaking.

Boasting superb supporting performances, Johnny Guitar features Ernest Borgnine (Marty), Scott Brady (The China Syndrome), Ward Bond (The Searchers), Paul Fix (To Kill a Mockingbird),Royal Dano (The Outlaw Josey Wales) and John Carradine (Stagecoach). Notably, Johnny Guitar's indelible title song was a collaboration between the Academy Award-winning composer Victor Young (Around the World in Eighty Days), and co-writer and songstress Peggy Lee.

Special Features and Specs:

NEW 4K restoration
Optional English SDH subtitles
Video Introduction by acclaimed director Martin Scorsese
Audio commentary with historian and critic Geoff Andrew
"Tell Us She Was One of You: The Blacklist History of Johnny Guitar" - with historian Larry Ceplair and blacklisted screenwriter Walter Bernstein
"Is Johnny Guitar a Feminist Western?: Questioning the Canon" - with critics Miriam Bale, Kent Jones, Joe McElhaney andB. Ruby Rich
"Free Republic: The Story of Herb Yates and Republic studios" - with archivist Marc Wanamaker
A critical appreciation of Nicholas Ray with critics Miriam Bale, Kent Jones, Joe McElhaney and B. Ruby Rich
"My Friend, the American Friend" - Nicholas Ray biographical piece with Tom Farrell
"Johnny Guitar: The First Existential Western" - an original essay by critic Jonathan Rosenbaum
Theatrical trailer

STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 20.

[Rich Pure Doom]

It's nice and all, but will any of these Signature titles have subtitles (for the love of god)?

[NoirFan]

Well, better late than never with new extras and a 4k restoration. I'd hate to think how many Olive discs I'll potentially be double-dipping on now.

[javi92]

Hopefully they will be able to encode these 4K masters decently. Some other labels have been struggling with compression on these scans that have such a fine grain structure.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

It's nice and all, but will any of these Signature titles have subtitles (for the love of god)?

Yes, the webpage lists "Optional English subtitles."

I just watched my existing Olive Films Blu-ray of Johnny Guitar last week. I loved the movie, and I thought that the picture quality and audio quality were just fine, if not demo quality.

New extras are cool and all, but that's not enough to rope me in.

I'm thinking that I'm just going to stick with my existing disc, but you'd better believe that I'm tempted. This is a pretty awesome film all around.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Yes, the webpage lists "Optional English subtitles."

I just watched my existing Olive Films Blu-ray of Johnny Guitar last week. I loved the movie, and I thought that the picture quality and audio quality were just fine, if not demo quality.

New extras are cool and all, but that's not enough to rope me in.

I'm thinking that I'm just going to stick with my existing disc, but you'd better believe that I'm tempted. This is a pretty awesome film all around.

Thanks for clearing that up. I missed it at the page that was posted. Count me in.

[Firecrackker]

So what do we do if we own this already?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Firecrackker

So what do we do if we own this already?

Cry
Enjoy it
Sell it

[littleprince32]

The 4k restoration isn't exactly news. It played in the UK and I think NYC. Would everyone prefer they not release the 4K restoration on blu ray just because there's already a lesser quality release on the market? Should they not do restorations of previously released blus? If you own it already, you can wait and look at comparisons and then decide if it's worth the upgrade. It literally has 0 effect on your blu Ray. No reason to complain or cry.

[captveg]

Biggest news is that this release is the properly matted widescreen 1.66 rather than open matte 1.33

[Moonlight Shadow]

That's great! Finally an OAR transfer.

[spanky87]

Johnny Guitar, the fastest hands in the West.



Just watched the original Olive disc for the 3rd time a few weeks ago. Day one double dip for sure. This is my favorite Nicholas Ray film along with They Live By Night.

You can never get tired of watching that long opening sequence in the saloon with all those colorful characters trying to outcool one another.

[pro-bassoonist]

“ONE OF THE CINEMA’S GREAT OPERATIC WORKS! Convulsive and passionate, filled with bold, stylistic strokes!” – Martin Scorsese

Mr. Scorsese enthusiastically agrees with Mr. Spanky

Pro-B

[MTRodaba2468]

I never got around to picking up the previous Blu-Ray, so I'll likely wait for this one.

[monorail91]

Sign me up! Love this movie. Wrote an essay about it for a film class in college.

[Mr. Pale]

Does it include a Mute Mercedes McCambridge option?

Not sure if I'll upgrade if not.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by littleprince32

The 4k restoration isn't exactly news. It played in the UK and I think NYC. Would everyone prefer they not release the 4K restoration on blu ray just because there's already a lesser quality release on the market? Should they not do restorations of previously released blus? If you own it already, you can wait and look at comparisons and then decide if it's worth the upgrade. It literally has 0 effect on your blu Ray. No reason to complain or cry.

I don't see anyone complaining or crying. Everyone either seems to be saying they'll pick it up or that they're happy it's happening but will stick with their current copies.

I have the current release, but the new transfer and extras make me awfully tempted to double dip.

[pro-bassoonist]

I think that some people are omitting an important detail.

1. The specs for the upcoming restoration reveal that the film will be presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1. So in addition to a new 4K master, you have the film presented differently.

2. The first release is in fact sourced from an older master, with the film framed in 1.35:1.

NEW RELEASE: 1.66:1 ASPECT RATIO
OLD RELEASE: 1.35:1 ASPECT RATIO

This is rather important

[Mr. Pale]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

I think that some people are omitting an important detail.

1. The specs for the upcoming restoration reveal that the film will be presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1. So in addition to a new 4K master, you have the film presented differently.

2. The first release is in fact sourced from an older master, with the film framed in 1.35:1.

NEW RELEASE: 1.66:1 ASPECT RATIO
OLD RELEASE: 1.35:1 ASPECT RATIO

This is rather important

More important: Mercedes McCambridge can still be heard shrieking and shrilling at her "very best."

UGH!

That is why I'm hesitant. I love many aspects of this film, but holy ****! Hayden and a 50/50 performance from Crawford keep this unique western interesting. Interesting enough for at least the same price paid for the initial release? TUNE IN! SAME TIME! SAME CHANNEL!

Originally Posted by noirjunkie

I don't see anyone complaining or crying. Everyone either seems to be saying they'll pick it up or that they're happy it's happening but will stick with their current copies.

I have the current release, but the new transfer and extras make me awfully tempted to double dip.

And?

Just letting us know you are going to double dip?

I hope you don't get a sunburn, man.

[EddieLarkin]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

I think that some people are omitting an important detail.

1. The specs for the upcoming restoration reveal that the film will be presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1. So in addition to a new 4K master, you have the film presented differently.

2. The first release is in fact sourced from an older master, with the film framed in 1.35:1.

NEW RELEASE: 1.66:1 ASPECT RATIO
OLD RELEASE: 1.35:1 ASPECT RATIO

This is rather important

Even more important is the fact the film is now presented correctly and as intended by the director, rather than merely "differently".