This weekend USC has been honoring John Wayne with a program of films and panels that center around him as an accomplished actor. I went to part of the program yesterday and am on my way out the door for today's program.
Here's my thoughts on yesterday's offerings that I went to:
Well, I'm back from the Saturday program of John Wayne films. I only went for the afternoon and evening program. I missed the Friday evening program all together due to the debate.
The print of The Quiet Man came from the UCLA Film and TV Archive and did look quite beautiful. It was great seeing it with an appreciative audience who laughed along with the story.
The Scholar panel wasn't what I was expecting. Instead of having a moderated panel it was a chance for the three panelists to speak about some aspect of John Wayne for 25 minutes each.
Stephen Aron from the Autry Center talked about the "Wayning of the American West", Sharon Carnicke talked about Wayne's acting style and Drew Casper talked about the John Wayne persona in the post-war era. He even managed to work in Doris Day so some things never really do change after all these years.
As the speakers were running a bit late, we ducked out during the Q&A session to grab a bite to eat before the screening of The Searchers.
We did hear the first question for the panel from a writer and due to the question, it made me think that CSJ may have been the questioner but I don't know that for a fact. Turns out from my post at TCM City that it was indeed him. Mr Cutter and I were only two rows behind him. I think he is going back today as well so I'm going to keep an eye out for him and introduce myself.
The print of "The Searchers" was from WBros and was digitally projected. At first I thought it might be the recently restored version. If it was it has some serious problems. There are a number of negative scratches at the beginning of the movie that were evident for about 15 minutes.
In addition, there were at least three scenes that were not "timed" anywhere near correct. One scene is so red it makes you gasp out loud at how bad it looks. Especially since it cuts immediately to Ward Bond cursing Patrick Wayne (and that scene is "timed" correctly). I don't know if the digital artist fell asleep at his computer or what happened but how this digital print got released is beyond me.
Am on my way out the door today for the entire program that includes The Cowboys, The Shootist, a reception, a panel moderated by Leonard Maltin of family and friends and a screening of Hondo in 3-D.
There was also a 5 minute piece done on Wayne by Batjac Productions that included Wayne's Oscar speech for True Grit, an interview clip with Merv Griffin and one with Bob Hope besides pictures of Wayne throughout his career.
Gas to get to USC $40
Parking on campus $ 8
Seeing Rick Jewell after all these years: Priceless
USC honors John Wayne
-
Lzcutter
- Administrator
- Posts: 3149
- Joined: April 12th, 2007, 6:50 pm
- Location: Lake Balboa and the City of Angels!
- Contact:
USC honors John Wayne
Lynn in Lake Balboa
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
-
Lzcutter
- Administrator
- Posts: 3149
- Joined: April 12th, 2007, 6:50 pm
- Location: Lake Balboa and the City of Angels!
- Contact:
I enjoyed the Sunday program very much. The print of The Cowboys was in pretty good shape though there were a few faded scenes.
Rick Jewell introduced the film by telling the story of Wayne and Dern talking about their last scene together in the film. Wayne told Dern "You know, you will be villified." and Dern replied "Yeah, but they'll love me in Berkeley."
The Shootist was in very good shape.
The panel on Friends and Family moderated by Leonard Maltin was very entertaining with Gretchen Wayne, director Mark Rydell (The Cowboys), Stephanie Powers and Lee Meriwether as well as the son of the author of The Shootist who was also the co-screenwriter.
Lee Meriwether told a cute story about a party on the set of The Undefeated that ended with Hudson and Wayne drunkingly walking together back to the hotel where the cast was staying.
Rydell told a funny one about Wayne jumping the gun on his cue and beginning the farewell scene where the cattle drive begins before Rydell said "Action". He screamed at Wayne in front of the cast and crew. At the end of the day he returned to the production office certain that there would be hell to pay. There were three phone calls from Wayne waiting for him. "I thought for sure that I was going to be fired and Andrew McLaglen would be directing the movie in the morning" he told us. Instead, he and Wayne went to dinner and patched up their relationship.
The print of Hondo was great and I really enjoyed the digital 3-D presentation that Dolby Labs sponsored.
I've never experienced 3-D like that before. I know that CSJ has some qualms with print but I really enjoyed it. I haven't seen 3-D in many, many years and this was definitely a big leap forward in the technology from the old days.
I saw some old classmates and friends that I hadn't seen in many years. Got to meet CSJ and as well as the collector who supplied a great deal of the props and artifacts to the exhibit in the David Wolper Center in Doheny Library. That exhibit runs until the end of the year.
I talked to my friend who was in charge of the theater for the weekend and learned that the print provided for The Searchers was a 35 mm print but that a DVD had been provided for the showing of the clips that Sharon Carnicke used. So, that clears up that debate. The print WBros sent had emulsion scratches for about 15 mins at the top of the film and three badly faded scenes in the body of the film.
One of these days I would like to see the digital restoration from last year.
Rick Jewell introduced the film by telling the story of Wayne and Dern talking about their last scene together in the film. Wayne told Dern "You know, you will be villified." and Dern replied "Yeah, but they'll love me in Berkeley."
The Shootist was in very good shape.
The panel on Friends and Family moderated by Leonard Maltin was very entertaining with Gretchen Wayne, director Mark Rydell (The Cowboys), Stephanie Powers and Lee Meriwether as well as the son of the author of The Shootist who was also the co-screenwriter.
Lee Meriwether told a cute story about a party on the set of The Undefeated that ended with Hudson and Wayne drunkingly walking together back to the hotel where the cast was staying.
Rydell told a funny one about Wayne jumping the gun on his cue and beginning the farewell scene where the cattle drive begins before Rydell said "Action". He screamed at Wayne in front of the cast and crew. At the end of the day he returned to the production office certain that there would be hell to pay. There were three phone calls from Wayne waiting for him. "I thought for sure that I was going to be fired and Andrew McLaglen would be directing the movie in the morning" he told us. Instead, he and Wayne went to dinner and patched up their relationship.
The print of Hondo was great and I really enjoyed the digital 3-D presentation that Dolby Labs sponsored.
I've never experienced 3-D like that before. I know that CSJ has some qualms with print but I really enjoyed it. I haven't seen 3-D in many, many years and this was definitely a big leap forward in the technology from the old days.
I saw some old classmates and friends that I hadn't seen in many years. Got to meet CSJ and as well as the collector who supplied a great deal of the props and artifacts to the exhibit in the David Wolper Center in Doheny Library. That exhibit runs until the end of the year.
I talked to my friend who was in charge of the theater for the weekend and learned that the print provided for The Searchers was a 35 mm print but that a DVD had been provided for the showing of the clips that Sharon Carnicke used. So, that clears up that debate. The print WBros sent had emulsion scratches for about 15 mins at the top of the film and three badly faded scenes in the body of the film.
One of these days I would like to see the digital restoration from last year.
Last edited by Lzcutter on September 29th, 2008, 2:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lynn in Lake Balboa
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
-
Lzcutter
- Administrator
- Posts: 3149
- Joined: April 12th, 2007, 6:50 pm
- Location: Lake Balboa and the City of Angels!
- Contact:
Knitwit,Guess I'm showing how dumb I am, but who is CSJ?
Not at all. He's CinesageJr , who posts over at TCM City.
Lynn in Lake Balboa
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
Great stories Lynn . I watched The Cowboys the other night and I still have to turn the part off where Wayne gets all shot up .It really bothers me .Its funny I can stand the sniper shot in Sands of IwoJima but not him getting shot up by Dern. Does Cinesage still like to correct grammer over at TCM 
he did that to me a few times butI just brushed it off as I was more interested in what he had to say about his experiences. Thanks so much for the stories , Carol
he did that to me a few times butI just brushed it off as I was more interested in what he had to say about his experiences. Thanks so much for the stories , Carol