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Topic: Best Westerns Available on Super 8

Mike Newell
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 826
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 04, 2015 08:20 AM

A selection of the best westerns available on Super 8

Stagecoach the John Ford classic available in a number of lengths from 400 to full feature. Print quality varies a great deal but the polyester prints Derann produced despite a blueish tint are the sharpest in terms of print.

True Grit 3x400 a satisfying mini feature plus there is an elusive full feature version of Duke's Oscar winning portrayal.

Last Train to Gunhill already much discussed on the forum already the feature print of this Anthony Mann western with Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn. Great story and cracking print although there are issues with some prints going pink.

Winchester 73 classic Jimmy Stewart western movie on events revolving around perfect Winchester 73 rifle. Nice feature prints available a little grainy but they do turn up on dealer lists occasionally.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon the second of John Ford’s cavlary trilogy available as a 400 and 4x400 mini feature. Originally released by Mountain later prints were issued by Derann. Good colour on most prints and mini feature does give a

Shane The only western ever released by Derann in feature length. Print was superb and well loved western by fans.

Rooster Cogburn Released by Universal 8 in 400 and Full Feature length. Print quality is virtually identical with hint of pink on most copies. Feature print is masked as opposed to a academy size on 400 digest. Digest itself is well edited and follows story fluently.

High Noon available in full feature but any prints I have seen show negative wear but nice western if you are a Gary cooper fan.

Magnificent Seven 2x400 available in flat and scope versions. Issue with negative wear but great cutdown and very repeatable

High Plains Drifter 2x400 mini feature from Universal 8. Clint Eastwood western from 1970’s. Some prints have tended to go pink and even the good ones have a level of fade from the time they were bought new. Sharp print and concise digest that covers the story well.

Dodge City 3x400 mini feature or full feature. The mini feature is on par with Errol Flynn Robin Hood. The feature print initially Red Fox then Derann was washed out and not as sharp in terms of print. The mini feature wins hands in terms of quality and repeatability.

They Died with their Boots On available as a 2x400. The Custer story told by Warner Bros with Errol Flynn. A surprisingly good cutdown for such a long film. It tells the story well and contains most of the action scenes from the film. A later Derann release, which was sold as a 2x400 so that you didn’t have to edit together yourself. Very Good print and sound with less variations in quality.

Guns for San Sebastian spaghetti western filmed in Mexico with Anthony Quinn & Charles Bronson starring is available as a 400 and 3x400 MGM release. A rare example were a edited version improves a movie. The feature is rather pedestrian but the mini feature contains the best scenes in terms of action and a concise story. Print varies greatly both being soft and pink in a lot of cases. A good print is fairly sharp and has a fair amount of colour in it but still tends be very faded.

Northwest Passage classic MGM western starring Spencer Tracy A neat 400 digest not perfect but usually with good colour although admittedly a bit soft in print terms.

Gunfight at OK Corral 300 (roughly 14 minutes) on 400 reel the Derann extract of the gun fight sequence and the end of the movie. Classic John Sturges western with excellent print and sound as you would expect. I think this was a tester to see if there was demand for the full feature. Released after Shane but apart from myself I am not aware of too many prints being about.

My Darling Clementine 400ft digest from Ken/Fox. Another nice digest with cutsdown the feature story to a very repeatable 17/18 minutes. Print is very good and I can’t remember much if any commentary. I think this was also released as a feature by Classic/Germany later in the day.

Jesse James another 400ft digest from Ken/Fox. Superb digest with very good colour with covers the story well. Some minor commentary.

Bandolero 400 digest from Ken/Fox. A minor western from Andrew V Mclaglen stable with Jimmy Stewart Dean Martin and delectable Raquel Welch. An shorter version which enhances
a feature which would be nearly called a b movie. Colour is good and it is very repeatable with great Jerry Goldsmith score present in a number of scenes.

Shenadoah 2 x200 digests from Universal 8 which is the fight sequence when the army come to conscribe the sons and the battle and return of the youngest son called “Boy” Neat Jimmy Stewart western with two unrelated sequences which somehow work. I picked up new black & white sound copies new at convention one time for less than £5. I think it was Derann. Hoped to find a colour version at some point but they never surfaced so either rare or collectors have held on to them. Print is very good but there is a slight variation in grading between reels.

[ September 04, 2015, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: Mike Newell ]