William Wyler on Blu-ray

[Gunsnroses092789]

Dailyan makes threads of some of his favorite filmmakers, so I will do one for one of my favorites:

William Wyler



US Releases:







4K Releases:

Others:

Features footage shot by Wyler, and includes a restored version of The Memphis Belle as a bonus feature:

Select international releases:
(Official releases only, and releases superior to their US counterparts)

[dommie]

One of the greats. Amazing that these Wyler films still have not seen a Blu-ray release:

Friendly Persuasion
The Desperate Hours
Roman Holiday
Detective Story
The Westerner
Wuthering Heights

[Rzzzz]

While my #1 favorite film all time is It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (and has been since my mother took me to see it in the theater as a small boy during one of its reissues), I truly believe Ben-Hur is the greatest film ever made in the history of cinema. By far.

I have seen it so many times. The first time was on Tv as a child. After that when it aired on Tv it was a huge event for my friends and I. I have had it on almost every format and even if I watched it tonight (which I just might now) I would still be blown away by the pure magic of it....

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by dommie

One of the greats. Amazing that these Wyler films still have not seen a Blu-ray release:

Friendly Persuasion
The Desperate Hours
Roman Holiday
Detective Story
The Westerner
Wuthering Heights

Agreed. Also, don't forget Dead End and These Three as two of his masterpieces yet to see the BD light.

Gems like The Storm, Tom Brown of Culver, Glamour, A House Divided and Her First Mate (all of which I was lucky enough to catch theatrical screenings of) have never even seen a home video release of any kind.

[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.

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by 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.

I agree. When I was in college studying cinema, the students who know anything about classic or foreign cinema would be familiar with such figures as Bergman, Fellini, Kurosawa, Almodovar, Lang, Murnau, Ozu, and such, whereas the classical Hollywood directors, Wyler at the top for me, would be unknown to them.

William Wellman, King Vidor, Frank Borzage, and Fred Zinnemann, among some others, seems to have fallen by the wayside as far as their acclaim and importance in cinema history being remembered today. And I'm sure you know, these guys were big names back in their day.

It seems Frank Capra, John Ford, Howard Hawks and Elia Kazan have faired better with time, and are more recognizable names nowadays.

[Dailyan]

"How to Steal a Million" was my first introduction to Wyler (I can't remember if I ever caught "Ben-Hur" on TV) and I felt a bit indifferent towards it. Eventually, I picked up Kino's release of "The Big Country" and enjoyed it quite a lot. I dug into the extras and watched the "Directed by William Wyler" doc. What sold me on getting more into Wyler's filmography was the scene from "The Best Years of Our Lives" when Homer comes home from war; I rarely cry during films but that scene hit a real emotional chord for me.

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

"How to Steal a Million" was my first introduction to Wyler (I can't remember if I ever caught "Ben-Hur" on TV) and I felt a bit indifferent towards it. Eventually, I picked up Kino's release of "The Big Country" and enjoyed it quite a lot. I dug into the extras and watched the "Directed by William Wyler" doc. What sold me on getting more into Wyler's filmography was the scene from "The Best Years of Our Lives" when Homer comes home from war; I rarely cry during films but that scene hit a real emotional chord for me.

That is an unfortunate starting point. It's one of the few of his films I'm not crazy about. I think it's decent, but I'd never recommend it to someone new to his work.

The Big Country and all his films with Samuel Goldwyn would be my recommendations. However, that's not to say that his films Universal, Warner or Paramount aren't great, because they are.

[harpolini]

It was not directed by Wyler, but it needs mention. The documentary, The Cold Blue took all the footage Wyler shot aboard B17's during WWII.

It was one of the best documentaries of last year (HBO). Kino Lorber released it on blu-ray last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmwm4VPW7RY&t=2s

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by harpolini

It was not directed by Wyler, but it needs mention. The documentary, The Cold Blue took all the footage Wyler shot aboard B17's during WWII.

It was one of the best documentaries of last year (HBO). Kino Lorber released it on blu-ray last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmwm4VPW7RY&t=2s

Forgot to add this one. Now I did... thanks to you!

[bonehica]

I would thank almost every post in this thread if could, but I ran out of the 24 hour allotment of them. That being said, my love for Wyler runs deep. The first time I saw The Best Years of Our Lives about 20 years ago, it touched me like few movies have. It's now a perennial Veteran's Day watch. If you have never seen the Netflix documentary Five Came Back, you need to drop everything and watch it. Wyler. Ford. Huston. Capra. Stevens. I loved those guys before watching it, but now...damn...

[bdmckinl]

Originally Posted by bonehica

If you have never seen the Netflix documentary Five Came Back, you need to drop everything and watch it. Wyler. Ford. Huston. Capra. Stevens. I loved those guys before watching it, but now...damn...

Added to the queue. Thank you kindly for the tip!

[RICKBONDOO7]

The Desperate Hours (1955) Please Paramount !!

[SGFfilmfan]

"Dead End" needs a release!

[Gunsnroses092789]

The Shakedown is due for release July 28!

[bonehica]

GnR, we need this gem added to the OP!

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by bonehica

GnR, we need this gem added to the OP!

Better late than never

[bonehica]

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

Better late than never

Hopefully we can say that about some of his blatant omissions from blu, including Little Foxes and The Desperate Hours!

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by bonehica

Hopefully we can say that about some of his blatant omissions from blu, including Little Foxes and The Desperate Hours!

The Little Foxes is available from Sony in Spain, in a dated, but pretty decent master — probably the same era used for the WB DVD.

I could see The Desperate Hours getting a barebones Paramount release now that they seem to have opened their vaults. I doubt they would give it a Paramount Presents release, but hey, it would be day 1 for me if they did. Hell, the barebones would be day 1 even.

[bonehica]

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

The Little Foxes is available from Sony in Spain, in a dated, but pretty decent master — probably the same era used for the WB DVD.

I could see The Desperate Hours getting a barebones Paramount release now that they seem to have opened their vaults. I doubt they would give it a Paramount Presents release, but hey, it would be day 1 for me if they did. Hell, the barebones would be day 1 even.

Yea, I saw that. Just a bit pricey everywhere you look. Plus, I am big on at least having an English friendly menu and insert. I've made a couple of exceptions in the past, but I got a good deal on them. Barebones for either wouldn't be the best scenario, but I will take what I can get as well.