Warner Archive Collection New Releases: Highly Defined Duke, Charlie Chan, Too!
SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949) on Blu-ray John Ford captains yet another cinema classic, the middle picture of his acclaimed, thematic and source linked “Cavalry Trilogy” (all based on stories by James Warner Bellah), and presents John Wayne with what would become the Duke’s favorite film of his extraordinarily prolific film career. Wayne stars as long-in-the tooth widower Cavalry Captain Nathan Brittles, faced with a final assignment before mustering out due to age. As tensions high in the post-Little Big Horn West, Nathan must try to keep the peace between Arapaho and Cheyenne while being tasked with escorting his commanding officer’s wife (Mildred Natwick) and niece (Joanne Dru) across hostile territory. As both missions careen towards disaster, and two of his officers (John Agar and Harry Carey, Jr.) compete for the niece’s affections, Nathan must make a daring bid for peace. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon presents in clean cut uniform dress thanks to a new 1080p HD Blu-ray presentation sourced from the acclaimed 2016 master that premiered at the 2016 TCM Film Festival. Special Features: John Ford Home Movies and Theatrical trailer (1080p).
THEY WERE EXPENDABLE (1945) on Blu-ray John Ford, Captain U.S.N.R., helms this Pacific Island War actioner ripped right from the war dispatches. Robert Montgomery, Comdr. U.S.N.R, stars as Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three Commander Lt. John (“Brick”) Brickley (inspired by real life Navy stalwart John D. Buckley), who finally gets his chance to demonstrate the value of the experimental PT-Boat program in the Philippines after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. John Wayne co-stars as his Exec, Lt. J.G.(“Rusty”) Ryan (inspired by Buckley’s real-life Exec, Robert Kelly), who sees his transfer cancelled by invasion and finds a real heart (Donna Reed) while recovering from his Purple Heart qualifier. This rousing war-time drama never loses sight of the real, as befits its crew of experienced Naval vets in front and behind the camera. Montgomery himself, a decorated PT-Boat captain, was but one of many servicemen assisting Ford in the creation of this classic. With much of the horrific events that unfolded in the Philippines searingly fresh in the original viewer’s minds, much of the drama goes poignantly unspoken, as life and love is expended in service. This brand new transfer for 2016 delivers the goods on 1080p HD in rust and rivet clarity, giving this durable war-classic a most overdue refurb that will leave you ducking for cover. Special Features: Theatrical trailer in HD.
Mystery & Adventure
CHARLIE CHAN 3-FILM COLLECTION These three classic Charlie Chan mysteries made by famed B-movie titans Monogram pictures may give us two different Charlies (Sidney Toler and Roland Winters) but both styles of supersleuth must tackle truly draconian mysteries and murder. The Red Dragon (1945) finds Charlie (Toler) and Number Three Son Tommy (Benson Fong) cracking codes and uncovering killers in Mexico City. The Feathered Serpent (1948) sees Charlie (Winters), Number One Son Lee (Keye Luke), and Tommy Chan (Victor Sen Yung) once again in Mexico on a deadly expedition for Aztec gold. The Sky Dragon (1949) presents Charlie and Lee with an inflight locked-cabin murder mystery high above the clouds on board a commercial airliner.
TARZAN THE APE MAN (1959) Denny Miller (Tongo the Ape Man in the “Our Vines Have Tender Apes” Gilligan’s Island episode) stars in this extremely faithful remake of the 1932 MGM Johnny Weissmuller/Maureen O’Sullivan classic. Joanna Barnes brings the spunk to her Jane opposite Denny’s stolid Tarzan in this production directed by Joseph Newman (Fort Massacre). British explorer Col. James Parker (Robert Douglas) and his sidekick, heroic hunter and guide Harry Holt (Cesare Danova) welcomes Parker’s young daughter Jane (Barnes) to the veldt only to lose her to the wild thanks to tribal warfare. Thankfully, there’s a feral English Peer without peer waiting to rescue her. Eagle-eyed Tarzan fans should recognize some footage… 16×9 Widescreen
NOTE: These DVDs are Manufactured on Demand (MOD); to order, fans must visit The Warner Archive Collection, WB Shop.com, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
