First up on May 8, 2007 from Republic (i.e. Lionsgate) are two collections of previously released films. The John Wayne Collection Volume I, which includes Flying Tigers (1942), The Wake of the Red Witch (1949), Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), and The Quiet Man (1952). The John Wayne Collection Volume II includes Dakota (1945), A Lady Takes a Chance (1943), The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) and Rio Grande (1950).
Also on May 8, 2007 for those of you who are looking for some of John Wayne's older films you might be interested in the 10-disc John Wayne 100th Anniversary Collection from Passport Video. This set contains 22 films, mostly from the 1930s, the feature-length version of The Hurricane Express (1932), and the complete 12-chapter serials The Shadow of the Eagle (1932), and The Three Musketeers (1933) and the tribute program Hollywood Remembers John Wayne. The approximate length of this collection is 38 hours.
On May 22, 2007 Paramount will release the new to DVD True Grit Special Collectors Edition, which will include audio commentary by Jeb Rosebrook, Bob Boze Bell, and J. Stuart Rosebrook; a four-part making-of documentary (True Writing, Working with the Duke, Aspen Gold: Locations of True Grit, The Law and the Lawless), and the theatrical trailer. This new edition, which will be available separately, will also be packaged along with 13 other previously-released Wayne films in three ways: all together in a 14-title John Wayne Century Collection and in two smaller sub-collections - the 9-title John Wayne Western Collection and the 5-title John Wayne Adventure Collection.
The 14 titles in the Century Collection are as follows (with the particular sub-collection they're also in shown in brackets): The High And The Mighty: Special Collector's Edition (Adventure Collection), Island In The Sky: Special Collector's Edition (Adventure Collection), True Grit: Special Collector's Edition (Western Collection), Hondo: Special Collector's Edition (Western Collection), McLintock!: Special Collector's Edition (Western Collection), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Western Collection), The Shootist (Western Collection), Big Jake (Western Collection), Donovan's Reef (Adventure Collection), In Harm's Way (Adventure Collection), Hatari! (Adventure Collection), Rio Lobo (Western Collection), The Sons Of Katie Elder (Western Collection), and El Dorado (Western Collection). I wonder if Paramount now regrets giving the Republic catalog back to Lionsgate. Just think of the new John Wayne titles it could have had for this promotion instead of all the recycled material it's announced.
Warners will have Rio Bravo in a new two-disc Special Edition and an Ultimate Collector's Edition, The Cowboys in a new Deluxe Edition, and six new-to-DVD titles in the John Wayne Film Collection. The Rio Bravo Special Edition will feature a new digital transfer from restored picture and audio elements, audio commentary by director John Carpenter and film critic Richard Schickel, the 1973 documentary The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard Hawks, two new featurettes (Commemoration: Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo and Old Tucson: Where the Legends Walked), and a John Wayne trailer gallery. Added to this content for the Ultimate Edition will be press book, Dell comic book, and lobby card reproductions. The Deluxe Edition of The Cowboys features a newly restored and remastered transfer, audio commentary by Mark Rydell, two featurettes (one of which is new), and the trailer. The John Wayne Film Collection contains Allegheny Uprising (1939), Reunion in France (1942), Without Reservations (1946), Tycoon (1947), Big Jim McLain (1952), and Trouble Along the Way (1953). Each title (all of which will also be available individually, just click the links) will have a short and a cartoon for supplements. Then on June 5th, Rio Bravo (1959) and The Cowboys (1972) are coming out on both HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Each will include the same extensive set of supplements provided on the new standard DVD special editions appearing a couple of weeks earlier.
On June 12, 2007 from Universal is a boxed set of previously released films, John Wayne Screen Legend Collection. This five film set includes Reap the Wild Wind (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The War Wagon (1967), Hellfighters (1969), and Rooster Cogburn (1975).
Later Pilgrim,
Paul Newton
John Wayne lives at www.jwaynefan.com