How the West Was Won

Rating:
Summary: sooooo bad !
Review: worst dvd i have ever seen.Don't buy itDon't rent itDon't waste your mone

Rating:
Summary: A great movie with a disastrous DVD transfer
Review: I have never seen such a poor representation of such a great film in a DVD format. It really sucks. The three different camera angles are so obvious and so VERY distracting, that the whole movie is painful to watch. One scene with Gregory Peck, shows his hand about three times larger than his head when he motions in the direction of the camera. My recommendation, absolutely two thumbs down. The only reason this has a one star rating, is because the online review form will not allow none at all, and I would rate it a -5.

Rating:
Summary: What a great movie experience.
Review: This was a great movie, I wish that they could make a big movie in CINERAMA today. I though that this was a great DVD, the only thing, that made me mad was that TED TURNER logo, that was in between the overture and the MGM logo. Ted Turner has done nothing good for the MGM liberary, MGM should have the rights for this movie not TED Turner. I thought the widesceen process for this movie was excellent. One of the best that came out of the 1960's.

Rating:
Summary: Less about the West than about the Cold War mentality
Review: I remember seeing this film in the movie theater in Aberdeen, Washington. I was a small boy and very impressionable. The drowning scene was extremely shocking and I recall how my father comforted me so that I could endure the rest of the film. Yes, there was a lot of music - sweeping symphonic salutes to the glorious West and its sumptuous landscapes. Music? What folks really did was strum on banjos, I'm sure, or pound out some sorry tunes on a piano if they could afford one. I would suggest that this movie about the "winning of the West" was, like "The Alamo" of John Wayne, more of a cold war allegory. Message: "Aren't you glad you weren't born in Roosia?" or "If you think the commies aren't all goofs you have another thing comin'." American spunk will save the world. That's what this long, drawn out and over-produced feast of tributes to the hardship and determination of our pioneer predecessors was telling me. Now in my cynical middle age it is hard not to snicker while watching this - no matter if the screen is split or not. "How the West Was Won" is a genuine piece of junk if weighed against the westerns of today - tales less preoccupied with glorifying the U.S.A. for the sake of some propaganda value. But sentimental fool that I am, I can't help but like this movie and the memories it brings back of myself, the patriotic Cub Scout, being consoled by my worried father over the faked drownings of pretend pioneers. Good bless Hollywood. God bless America.

Rating:
Summary: VHS tape would be better format for this film
Review: The transfer of this movie from it's original "Cinerama" format, leaves two crease lines on the screen, so it appears you are looking at a fold out poster. The characters are exagerated in how they move from the front of the screen to the rear, and back. And as a charater moves across the screen, the distance is so distorted, it is difficult to watch. This is a prime example of a motion picture that was designed for the big screen and should always be viewed that way. (One cannot view the Grand Canyon from pictures of it.) My recommendation is to steer clear of the DVD, and purchase this in a 1.33:1 VHS format for a standard TV. The widescreen transfer is such a poor quality, it should not be sold.

Rating:
Summary: see it once, but don't waste your money on this one
Review: this movie really disappointed me when i watched it for the first time. if you are looking for a western with gun fights and bar brawls and villians and heroes, this is not for you. however,if you want a musical set in the west then this will be your favorite movie. too long and boring and entirely too much singing. "walt disney goes west" should be the title.

Rating:
Summary: Historic film which, unfortunately, has not aged well
Review: This film WAS the first dramatic film (or actually the second, since "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm" was shot second but released first) to be shot and released in three-panel Cinerama. Keeping in mind the medium and the relative sizes of the people on-screen in the theaters, there are no closeups. The acting (from a wonderful cast) and writing is therefore broad and simplistic. On a whole, this is a film that technically and craft-wise just doesn't hold up very well today. And, who the hell put a full screen Turner logo in the middle of a letterboxed presentation anyway. Does Turner and MGM employ college interns for this work? Most unprofessional presentation.

Rating:
Summary: Hope you love the Ted Turner logo!
Review: This one wins the "worst presentation on DVD" award. They've sandwiched the "Ted Turner" logo in-between the overture and the main title. You start the film, listen to the beautiful 5 minute overture, and are then assaulted by the Turner logo (at a higher volume) before the main titles start. I guess we're not supposed to forget that Turner had an integral part in the production of this classic film. What next? Stick to the laserdisc -- they didn't screw it up there.

Rating:
Summary: The western of all westerns!
Review: This picture has the: Largest number of stars. Some of the best music. Excellent photography. And a great plot/story line. If you have one western in your collection, this should be the one.

Rating:
Summary: Jimmy Stewart, Gregory Peck, lots-o-buffalo..great epic!
Review: This flick has everybody. Jimmy Stewart, Gregory Peck, Walter Brennen, Debbie Reynolds, you name them, they are probably in this epic western. Lots of action but it does tend to drag in the middle. A must for every home collection.