Roy Rogers: His First & Last Double Feature Blu-ray

Verdugo Entertainment and MVD Visual will celebrate Roy Rogers' career with a Blu-ray box set featuring Under Western Stars (1938) and Mackintosh & T.J. (1975). The Blu-ray box set will be available for purchase on November 23.

UNDER WESTERN STARS

Originally intended for Gene Autry, Under Western Stars was the first starring role for Roy Rogers (previously Leonard Slye) at Republic Pictures and launched his legendary career. When severe drought and the greedy exploits of a local water company threaten the prosperity of ranchers in the Dust Bowl, Roy Rogers comes to the rescue. Selected for the National Film Registry in 2019, Under Western Stars, which also stars Smiley Burnett, Carol Hughes and Maple City Four, is presented newly remastered from a print that was made for the film's director Joe Kane and thought to be the only complete, uncut 16mm print still in existence.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• NEWLY REMASTERED IN 4K FROM THE ONLY COMPLETE, UNCUT 16MM PRINT IN EXISTENCE
• Exploring the Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, CA (Lone Pine Location Documentary)
• New Trailer for Under Western Stars
• Mackintosh and T.J. original 1976 Theatrical Trailer

The film's song "Dust," written by Johnny Marvin, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1938 and was performed by Rogers at the live ceremony. In 2009, Under Western Stars was selected for the National Film Registry Award by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant.

"Under Western Stars isn't just a classic western, it is the film that launched one of the most famous names, and voices, in western film history," said Steve Latshaw, Post Producer, Verdugo Entertainment. "Doing this film justice meant creating a newly remastered version in today's formats while staying as close to the original studio's in-house style as possible both from a visual and audio perspective. We believe we have achieved that."

The newly remastered Under Western Stars will premiere at the Lone Pine Film Festival on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at 2:30 pm PST. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Verdugo Post Producer, Steve Latshaw, and will feature Roger's daughter Cheryl Rogers-Barnett along with film notable restoration and preservation experts. The panel will provide a real behind the curtain view of preserving Under Western Stars, other films like it and the growing challenges faced as films age and formats evolve.

MACKINTOSH & TJ.

In his triumphant final film role, Rogers stars as Mackintosh, a migrant cowboy traveling across West Texas plains in his run-down pickup truck. While looking for work breaking horses, Mackintosh befriends T.J. (future Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer Clay O'Brien), a runaway teen. The two form an unlikely bond and find jobs together at a cattle ranch where Mackintosh impresses the owner with his bronco-taming skills. Trouble, however, is on the horizon, but Mackintosh proves himself as a man who is not afraid to take a stand.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• FULLY RESTORED IN 4K
• Lone Pine Cast Reunion with Clay O'Brien, Andrew Robinson and Larry Mahan
• Interview with Billy Green Bush
• Audio Commentary with Clay O'Brien, Andrew Robinson, and moderator C. Courtney Joyner
• Original On-set Footage

Screenwriter Paul Savage, most known for his TV work in Wagon Train, Big Valley, and Gunsmoke, penned the film specifically with Rogers in mind and is one of the few films in which the actor did not play himself.

The film is essentially a moving photo album of ranch life in Texas in the mid-1970s," said Sean Lawrence, Restoration Colorist. "Our approach was to try and be as true to the original intention and not impose modern aesthetics. So, we restored to 4K from the original 35MM camera negative and went through a color correction process to match the original film."

Mackintosh and TJ's original score is by Waylon Jennings and the soundtrack features songs by Jennings and country music icon Willie Nelson.