Newt's John Wayne Site

Howdy Pilgrim.

I just wanted to update you on the happenings at Newt's John Wayne Site. CLICK HERE for a list of films starring John Wayne on TV showing this month.

• I know that you are all waiting for the DVD releases of THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY and ISLAND IN THE SKY that Paramount said were coming this spring. To recap, on September 9, 2004 Batjac and Paramount announced a distribution pact to release to DVD previously unreleased John Wayne films including THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY and ISLAND IN THE SKY. The first of the releases was to be May 2005. As you have figured out by now that is not going to happen.
  

  I have not been able to get a response from the Paramount Publicity Department, namely Brenda Ciccone, VP Publicity, Brenda_Ciccone@paramount.com or Kim Waldauer, Publicity Coordinator, Kim_Waldauer@Paramount.com. Perhaps some emails from others will nudge them along. My previous contact has since left the company. I have had to rely on online sources. Ken Beck, a columnist with the Nashville Tennessean, has responded thusly in his May 1 column: "My nearly inside source tells me that The High and the Mighty has been bumped back to July. And now there is talk about holding up the single release and developing a four-box set of DVDs, which would include Island in the Sky and a reworked Hondo and McLintock! for the holiday season with a release date in October. I reckon we'll just have to wait and see." Also on Digital Bits-My Two Cents site it states The High and the Mighty release is to be August 2, 2005, this was stated on this site on May 5. As soon as I hear anything more the members of this mailing list will be the first to know.
  

• Warner Home Video has released on May 3, 2005 five John Wayne films to DVD. The films are, in cronological order; Tall in the Saddle (1944), Blood Alley (1955), The Sea Chase (1955), The Train Robbers (1973), and McQ (1974). These films were also issued in a boxed set called John Wayne Legendary Heroes Collection. This is a five disc set with special features on some of the discs.
  

• I found an interesting article from the Seattle Times of March 27, 2005 titled WE ASKED WHAT YOU'D LIKE ON DVD AND YOU FIRED BACK. It seems that High and the Mighty is in the list but we knew this. Check out the article, there are some other interesting movie and TV choices.
  

• As most of you know May 26 is John Wayne's birthday and TV will not be letting us down. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and Encore Westerns are both showing 24 hours of the Duke. One of the CineMax channels, Action Max, is showing a Duke classic not often seen on TV, The Sea Chase (1955). This film has just been released to DVD by Warners Home Video, see above. The film stars John Wayne, Lana Turner, Tab Hunter, and James Arness. This film is showing on May 11, May 16, May 24, and June 20. You should check your cable/satellite listings for the times in your area.

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Your comments or suggestions are welcome and encouraged.

Later Pilgrim,
Paul Newton