William Wyler on Blu-ray

[Professor Echo]

Fantastic idea for a thread and a long time in coming. Having been a part of the film industry, both as an outsider and insider, since I was a teenager, I've seen a lot of things come and go. One of the saddest is witnessing the gradual decline in recognition of certain figures of film history who at one time seemed immortal. Such is William Wyler, who in the 70's was rightly revered as one of the all time great directors and practically critic proof, even amongst the elitist, fickle critics who prevailed in those days.

But since then, for whatever reason, his standing began to fade and sadly nowadays many new cinephiles don't hold him in much regard, if any at all. My film teacher friend in London says his students have no idea who he was. Really, it's comparing apples and oranges, but a director like Richard Fleischer seems to have much more familiarity and cache these days than Wyler. For a long time this fate also befell John Huston, yet another genius in film history, but lately he seems to finally be coming into his own. While the snob critics of the 70's worshiped Wyler, most couldn't care less about Huston. As I said, things come and go. But truly, Wyler needs to be exhibited more and taught more and his legacy preserved as strongly as it once seemed destined to be.