Arrow Video
"I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
Legendary director Don Siegel (Dirty Harry) directs the iconic John Wayne as an ageing gunfighter dying of cancer in his final screen appearance, a superb adaptation of Glendon Swarthout's classic western novel, The Shootist.
John Bernard Books is the stuff of legend, a renowned 'shootist' whose reputation looms large. But it's 1901, and like the old west, John is dying and a reputation like his draws trouble like an outhouse draws flies. As word spreads that the famous gunfighter is on his last legs, the vultures begin to gather; old enemies, the marshal, newspaper men, an undertaker, all eager to see him dead. Other men might die quietly in bed or take their own lives, but J. B. Books will choose his executioner and face down death with a pistol in each hand.
With an outstanding cast that features not only Wayne, but James Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, Scatman Crothers and John Carradine, The Shootist is an elegiac ode to a monumental screen presence and to the Western genre itself.
Product Features
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- 2K remaster by Arrow Films from the original 35mm camera negative
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Original lossless mono audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Audio commentary by filmmaker and critic Howard S. Berger
- The Last Day, a visual essay by film critic David Cairns
- A Man-Making Moment, an interview with Western author C. Courtney Joyner
- Laments of the West, an appreciation of Elmer Bernstein's score by film historian and composer Neil Brand
- Contemplating John Wayne: The Death of a Cowboy, a visual essay by filmmaker and critic Scout Tafoya
- The Shootist: The Legend Lives On, archival featurette
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Juan Esteban Rodríguez
- Illustrated collector's booklet featuring writing by film critic Philip Kemp
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Customer Reviews
Top Customer Reviews
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Don Siegel’s The Shootist has always been one of those films that carries a real weight — not just because it’s John Wayne’s last screen role, but because of the way it grapples with ageing, mortality, and the end of the Old West. Arrow Video’s new UK Blu-ray does the film justice, both in presentation and in extras. The transfer looks excellent. Sourced from a 2K restoration, the image is clean and natural, with healthy grain and colours that feel true to the period. Overall, it’s easily the best I’ve seen the film look on home video. The audio sticks to the original mono track — clear dialogue, strong effects, and Elmer Bernstein’s poignant score all come through beautifully. It’s not flashy, but it’s faithful, which feels right for this film. Where Arrow really shines is in the extras. The disc is loaded: a detailed commentary, smart visual essays, a fascinating interview with western historian C. Courtney Joyner, and even a feature on Bernstein’s music. There’s also an older featurette, galleries, trailers, reversible sleeve art, and a booklet with new writing. For anyone who enjoys digging into a film’s history, this is a treasure trove. As for the film itself, Wayne delivers one of his finest performances as J.B. Books, an ageing gunfighter facing his final days. The supporting cast (Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart) is superb, and Siegel directs with restraint, letting the melancholy themes come through without overplaying them. It’s a dignified farewell to Wayne, and to a whole era of western filmmaking. All told, this is a first-class release. The picture and sound are strong, the supplements are generous, and the film remains powerful nearly fifty years on. If you’re a fan of Wayne, Siegel, or westerns in general, this Arrow edition is absolutely worth adding to the shelf.
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