7.9 | / 10 |
Users | 3.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Vienna has built a saloon outside of town, and she hopes to build her own town once the railroad is put through, but the townsfolk want her gone.
Starring: Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge, Scott Brady, Ward BondWestern | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Is Olive Films, as one character in Johnny Guitar put it, “on the fence” about the horrors of Communism? How else to explain the dual releases of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, a film some insist is a thinly veiled examination of an encroaching Red Menace, and now Johnny Guitar, another film with a widely discussed supposed subtext, albeit in this case one which is purportedly anti-McCarthy. Of course, I jest, and it’s to Olive Films’ credit that they’re bringing two iconic fifties films out on Blu-ray, films that certainly present enough fodder for subtextual interpretation to allow critics (and you know how they are) a field day of analysis and allegorical exegesis. But much like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Johnny Guitar can have every last ounce of its supposed subtext removed and it’s still an absolutely deliriously entertaining film. Make no mistake about it: Invasion of the Body Snatchers can be enjoyed as a really unsettling science fiction thriller, no matter what one may think of its alleged treatment of the dangers of Communism. The “deal” with Johnny Guitar is somewhat different; it’s almost impossible not to laugh at this camp-fest, a film that can make a spinning shot glass seem like some near religiously inspired icon (of what, who knows?), and which is a veritable treasure trove of often hilarious dialogue (I dare you not to laugh when Joan Crawford emits little bons mots like, “Come over here, Mr. Guitar”). Mr. Guitar? Johnny Guitar was a quickly forgotten film when it was first released in 1954, but it (again, like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, which was similarly dismissed on its original release) slowly grew in stature (or something like that) over the ensuing years, fueled by frequent late night broadcasts and a certain appreciation by French New Wave auteurs that may have had just an inkling of irony. The film literally must be seen to be believed, and is so patently odd at times that even after having seen it, some viewers will wonder if they’ve simply had some kind of bizarre hallucinatory fever dream.
Johnny Guitar is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.35:1. This release is garnering perhaps more interest than usual for an Olive release due not just to the cult following for Johnny Guitar, but because we're now starting to see Republic catalog titles released in high definition by the niche label. If Johnny Guitar is any indication, Olive's reputation for releasing solid to excellent product with no obvious digital tweaking is secure. Johnny Guitar was filmed in Republic's parent company Consolidated's proprietary Trucolor process and if the results don't quite have the luster of traditional three color Technicolor (before Eastmancolor), they're quite good and look reasonably intact here. While there is some evidence of some slight fading, reds and purples are still extremely vibrant and flesh tones look reasonably saturated, albeit again slightly faded at times and just slightly purplish in some scenes. Greens probably fare the worst here, with Vienna's bowtie and The Dancin' Kid's shirt looking just slightly pallid some of the time. The upgrade to high definition does offer some unexpected new glimpses into fine detail (I personally had never previously noticed that Hayden is in front of rear projection in two early close-ups when he's riding his horse into town). The transfer does have a certain softness, especially in midrange and far range shots, but the lack of digital tweaking means grain is fully intact and the overall look of this presentation is very natural.
Johnny Guitar's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono audio provides decent if shallow fidelity, with very good midrange and occasionally boisterous low end as well. Dialogue is clearly and cleanly presented, and the interesting Victor Young score, which makes copious use of the Peggy Lee co-written theme song, sounds nicely moody and evocative. The mix is well prioritized, especially with regard to some of the omnipresent ambient environmental sound effects. While lacking depth and width, this track has no real damage to report and provides a very good recreation of the film's mono theatrical exhibition.
Johnny Guitar may not be a masterpiece, but it is "must see" fare nonetheless. Crawford marauds through the frame like she's on steroids (and heaven knows, she may have been), and she's matched by a seething Mercedes McCambridge. The guys are relative namby-pambies by comparison, again part of the extremely peculiar allure of this weird and wacky film. This new Blu-ray offers very good video and audio and should let fans concerned about the Republic catalog rest easy (at least for now). This release really should have had a commentary, but otherwise it comes Recommended.
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