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My Darling Clementine



John Ford takes on the legend of the O.K. Corral shoot-out in this multilayered, exceptionally well-constructed western, one of the director's very best films. Henry Fonda cuts an iconic figure as Wyatt Earp, the sturdy lawman who sets about the task of shaping up the disorderly Arizona town of Tombstone, and Victor Mature gives the performance of his career as the boozy, tubercular gambler and gunman Doc Holliday. Though initially at cross-purposes, the pair ultimately team up to confront the violent Clanton gang. Affecting and stunningly photographed, My Darling Clementine is a story of the triumph of civilization over the Wild West from American cinema’s consummate mythmaker.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• New 4K digital restoration of the theatrical release version of the film, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• High-definition presentation of the 103-minute prerelease version of the film
• New audio commentary featuring John Ford biographer Joseph McBride
• New interview with western historian Andrew C. Isenberg about the real Wyatt Earp
• Comparison of the two versions by the UCLA Film & Television Archive's Robert Gitt
• New video essay by Ford scholar Tag Gallagher
• A Bandit's Wager, a 1916 short costarring Ford and directed by his brother, Francis Ford, featuring new music composed and performed by Donald Sosin
• NBC broadcast reports from 1963 and 1975 about the history of Tombstone and Monument Valley
• Lux Radio Theatre adaptation from 1947 starring Henry Fonda and Cathy Downs
• Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by critic David Jenkins

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Both cuts, McBride, Gallagher, and a silent? What a package.

Pleased to see them not neglecting the alternative cut, and the Tag Gallagher piece is just the icing on the cake.

They specify "High definition presentation" as opposed to 4K for the preview cut; hope it still looks as good as it deserves.

Having both Mcbride and Gallagher on disc is great, and as far as I'm aware, this is the first time A Bandit's Wager has been available anywhere.

WorstFella wrote:They specify "High definition presentation" as opposed to 4K for the preview cut; hope it still looks as good as it deserves.

Having both Mcbride and Gallagher on disc is great, and as far as I'm aware, this is the first time A Bandit's Wager has been available anywhere.

When the DVD edition was made, it is likely that the master tape was HDCam, so it might be a 1080i transfer is the best that was available rather than 1080p.

This is one I've been waiting for. I sure wish they'd gone full 4-k on the pre-release cut, but at least it's included in some form of HD.

I haven't even heard about that Francis Ford short, so that's quite a treat. And a Gallagher essay! \:D/

I can't wait.

Looks like they dropped the Fox Blu-ray/DVD commentary with Wyatt Earp III and Scott Eyman.
One big reason I avoided the recently released Fox Blu-ray was that it was missing the alternate cut which was on the DVD release. The Criterion is the obvious way to go.

Having just returned from Tombstone and Monument Valley, I'm very excited to revisit one of my all-time favorite westerns. (sorry that I don't have anything more substantial to say)

One of my top 5 or 6 Fords. Looks like a great package. That Francis Ford short is certainly a complete surprise! I also like the cover art, as that scene/image is one of the film's most iconic. October is going to be an awesome month!

movielocke wrote:

WorstFella wrote:They specify "High definition presentation" as opposed to 4K for the preview cut; hope it still looks as good as it deserves.

Having both Mcbride and Gallagher on disc is great, and as far as I'm aware, this is the first time A Bandit's Wager has been available anywhere.

When the DVD edition was made, it is likely that the master tape was HDCam, so it might be a 1080i transfer is the best that was available rather than 1080p.

1080i? Geez, that'd be a real shame.

Wow- we hadn't heard any rumblings about this one, right? One of my favorite Fords, and when the European release of the restoration didn't have the extended cut I was worried the stateside release would be the same way. Real glad that Criterion's getting this one.

WorstFella wrote:

movielocke wrote:

WorstFella wrote:They specify "High definition presentation" as opposed to 4K for the preview cut; hope it still looks as good as it deserves.

Having both Mcbride and Gallagher on disc is great, and as far as I'm aware, this is the first time A Bandit's Wager has been available anywhere.

When the DVD edition was made, it is likely that the master tape was HDCam, so it might be a 1080i transfer is the best that was available rather than 1080p.

1080i? Geez, that'd be a real shame.

I highly doubt Criterion would opt to release it in 1080i unless it was absolutely the only choice (Kiarostami's "The Report", being only a videotape source, and the only source)
Very sure Criterion would remaster it themselves and release it in proper 24fps HD, if Fox hasn't done it for them.

solaris72 wrote:Wow- we hadn't heard any rumblings about this one, right?

Here's a forum rumbling

I'd heard about this some weeks ago, I was fit to burst to tell somebody, but I'd been sworn to secrecy. It's a fabulous package, the only thing it's missing is that second part of Lindsay Anderson's BBC doco on Ford, which sadly, it looks as if we'll never get now.

John Hodson wrote:the only thing it's missing is that second part of Lindsay Anderson's BBC doco on Ford, which sadly, it looks as if we'll never get now.

We still have The Long Voyage Home coming at some point. Might be a good fit there.

worth mentioning that Ozu Yasujiro (in his diaries IIRC) had this to say about the scene depicted on this edition's cover:

Look at Henry Fonda in My Darling Clementine: motionless and expressionless--there is the greatness of John Ford. Fonda sits in a chair with his legs propped up on a pillar and a satisfied smile on his face--I really envy that rapport between Ford and Fonda.

There's something very specific about Fonda's presence as a actor that Ford captures so perfectly in this film and that image especially -- the sort of half relaxed half tightly coiled slouchy aw shucks grit of him.

Beaver. Oh, this is excellent. Can't wait.

For those who want it both cheap and early, My Darling Clementine can be found right now for half-price at Costco.

Tempting, but the preview version is my go-to version and I'm not sure the HD presentation here would trump the Fox DVD after up-conversion. I kind of wish they went through it and spliced in the 4k restoration where the footage is a match.

True, but you're still getting a version of it in HD plus a fairly hard to find Ford film as a bonus. Especially at half off it seems like a reasonable get.

Last night, I got chance to watch the blu. It is absolutely beautiful. The detail is nothing short of brilliant. Old westerns are a genre that benefits immensely from the format.

I have not yet seen the Stagecoach blu. For those who have seen both how, does the PQ compare?

I'm looking forward to getting to the supplements.

FrauBlucher wrote:Last night, I got chance to watch the blu. It is absolutely beautiful. The detail is nothing short of brilliant. Old westerns are a genre that benefits immensely from the format.

Clementine is especially beautiful, and may even constitute a special case. Not only was it photographed by the great Joe MacDonald, he took a film noir approach to much of it, especially for interiors. High contrast lighting abounds. It may not be realistic to expect other Westerns of the period to measure up.

caps-a-holic seems to point towards the European FOX BD having a better grain restitution.
However, the restoration remains very strong, much stronger than the one for Stagecoach (which however as a better grain structure).

tenia wrote: However, the restoration remains very strong, much stronger than the one for Stagecoach (which however as a better grain structure).

I would argue that is more due to the source and not the restoration or scan of Stagecoach.

And yes, MDC is gorgeous.