The Alamo

I want to warn others not to make the mistake I did. This is not that beautiful director's cut which was issued on Laser and VHS. If that is what you are looking for, WAIT.

I am completely in awe why the studio would release the trimmed down version of this film on DVD!

Please please release the 202 minute version.

This review refers to the MGM DVD edtion(2000 release) of "The Alamo"(1960).....

So many times in History, man has had to make the decision of whether to accept things the way they are and live in terror, or rise up against his oppressor no matter what the cost, to make life better for future generations. "The Alamo" is one story of the brave people in American History, who stood and fought for what they believed in, against overwhelming odds.John Wayne put his heart and soul into this epic story and breathes life into these dedicated and heroic Americans.

Col.Davey Crockett,Col.Jim Bowie and Col. William Travis are the driving force behind a group of less then 200 untrained men and their families, barracaded in an old Texas mission("The Alamo"), being used as a fort to fend of the advances of the immense army being lead by Generalissimo Santa Anna. All knowing that they will probably lose their lives, and they could leave without shame at any time, they all stay to defend the right of freedom, and to give General Sam Houston the time he needs to prepare his army for battle. It is a touching and gripping account of the events, of the battles, and of the growing comraderie within the fort.

John Wayne produced, directed and stars as a very convincing Davey Crockett. Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie and Laurence Harvey as Col Travis are fabulous in the roles as the two Colonels at odds with each other but are united for the cause.
Also starring is Richard Boone(every time I see him I expect the old "Palidan" music to start playing), a very young Frankie Avalon and western legend Chill Wills, who recieved a nod from Oscar for his performance as "Beekeeper" in the supporting actor catagory. The music is hauntingly beautiful, and will stay with you long after the film is over. Dimitri Tiomkin won a Golden Globe for his scoring as did Paul Francis Weber for his equally beautiful lyrics of "The Green Leaves of Summer".The cinematography, also garnering a nomination from Oscar,makes this film a joy to watch.

I had previously taped this film from a classic film channel,finally bought the DVD, and when I saw the brillance of this transfer and heard it in the enhanced 5.1 Surround I was in movie heaven. The picture in the original theatrical widescreen and the colors looked magnificent. Every sound from the galloping of the horses, to the cannons blasting, the dialouge and the music were crystal clear. There is also a great documentary included on the making of the film, where you will see the great John Ford making an appearance on the set and adding his expertise as well.It may also be viewed in French and Spanish and also has subtitles in those languages.

So why only 4 stars for my rave review of this film and the DVD?....As I mentioned I had this on tape and watched it many times. I noticed a couple of my favorite scenes are now missing and the film somewhat shorter in length. I especially missed the little birthday party scene(if you have seen it before, you know what I am talking about). This scene to me, depicted the growing closeness of the people inside the mission and the family like atmosphere.

This film is a sentimental favorite of mine, and I really hope someday MGM will release the entire film to DVD, until then I will certainly enjoy this terrific transfer. It's absolutely worth the view.

"Remember the Alamo"...and enjoy.....Laurie

also recommended:
A Bridge Too Far

Great American Western V.10, The

John Wayne

Having the VHS version of this wonderful movie with surround sound and the director's cut I looked forward to the DVD being released. Unfortunately, the distributors have short changed all of us here by releasing the short version of the film with 2 Channel Stereo and no Overture, Intermission or Exit Music. Come on guys, look at what the VHS offers in content. Surely the DVD should be just as good or better!!!!!

Since I already have the laser disc (full directors cut),I could hardly wait for the DVD. I was shocked to find that the DVD was the standard theater release, with the entrance,intermission, and exit music missing, not to mention the aspect ratio was not 2:35 to 1, but around 2:25 to 1, and even the Making Of The Alamo featurette had been edited. What a disappointment! During the final battle the sound dropped noticably. It is ashamed with such an excellent print available to MGM, that they decided to release this version. As a John Wayne fan, I have always enjoyed the movie, even though historically it is highly inacurate. Music is tops by Dimitri Tiomkin, and supporting cast are excellent. John Waynes Alamo still stands to this day in Bracketville Texas, and can be visited. All left standing as a monument to his effort.

Have to say I was totally appalled by the way MGM UA released this classic movie on DVD. Have the Director's Cut on VHS and it's a completely different experience, fleshing out many scenes which appear abrupt in the edited version, especially between Flaca and Crockett, Bowie and Travis - and relating to Travis himself. The death of The Parson (Hank Warden) which is a very moving scene, does not appear, and the viewer especially misses out on Dimitri Tiomkin's Overture, Entre Acte, Intermission and Exit Music. Also missing is the birthday sequence, the fight in the Church over gunpowder doesn't make any sense, and Flaca seems to make a very sudden exit. Even the TV versions run longer than this!
Of course, even with these unacceptable drawbacks, the movie remains Duke's immortal homage to freedom and The Republic.
The DVD also includes a featurette "John Wayne's The Alamo", which will be very interesting to all students of Wayneasia and of this movie in particular.
I would suggest that John Wayne fans and Clubs should petition MGM to release this classic properly as it was meant to be seen, perhaps even with the addition of "Spirit of the Alamo", which Duke also did that year, and give us, the viewing public what we are entitled to - complete versions of all our beloved movies, and not a cut rate edition. Surely the studio could come up with some archival footage re the Premiere of the Picture, maybe even an expanded two disk set - just like they have with other notable Hollywood epics.
The Director's cut on VHS is the one with five stars

"The Alamo" released in 1960, represents Wayne at his best. Duke and action/adventure film aficionados will love this fictional account of the fight for Texas independence at the Alamo in 1836. Both funny at times and moving, one gets a bit of a feel for the seriousness of this historical event, especially with the great musical score. I ditto remarks by other reviewers on the entertainment value of this great film. I include here a couple of warnings. I suggest you get this film in the 2 tape VHS format, as the DVD version is missing some scenes, as stated by other reviewers. Also, if you are looking for historical accuracy, you'll have to go elsewhere to find it, perhaps the History Channel's VHS "The Battle of the Alamo", as well as other documentaries out on VHS. On this subject, Leonard Maltin has a short review on "The Alamo" DVD jacket stating; "historically accurate account of the Alamo battle, where 189 defenders faced 7,000 enemy soldiers." It seems Mr. Maltin has been reviewing too many films and not reading enough history books. There were some 1,800 Mexican soldiers who participated in the charge, of which some 600 were killed by the defenders. For history buffs, "The Alamo" could be a jump off to a great reading and discovery adventure. How, who and what really happened at the Alamo? What became of James Bowie's black slave Joe? What became of Susannah Dickinson and her infant daughter Angelina, known as "The Babe of the Alamo", after being released by Santa Anna? What became of Santa Anna? What about the bodies of Davy Crockett and James Bowie? What became of James Bowie's Mexican wife Ursula Veramendi? So many great and interesting stories. On this note I recommend the book "Duel of Eagles" by Jeff Long, no doubt available at amazon.com. It is a factual easy to read account of the events leading to, and the battle and the aftermath, answering the above questions. John Wayne's "The Alamo" could open up some great reading. I highly recommend the film. (on 2 tape VHS)

To paraphrase a line from "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," when the truth won't support the legend, show the legend. John Wayne's personal labor of love to make this film is well known. Let's anticipate any comments about historical accuracy by calling it artistic license and move on. The authentic reproduction of sets and the thrilling large-scale battle scenes distinguish this film. The movie tends to ramble at over three hours in length, but an enthusiastic performance by a veteran cast makes the time pass quickly. Only Frankie Avalon in his over-sized "skunk-skin" cap looks out of place. He should run, not walk, back to the beach party. John Wayne portrays Davey Crockett as a clear-headed and deeply passionate patriot who waxes eloquent on such topics as republic, liberty, and battling tryanny. The film's unabashed appeal to patriotic duty and manly honor make it a beguiling relic of a by-gone era. The cliches may seem quaint, but you can't take anything away from their spirited presentation. Arguably, it reflects a WWII type fervor rather than the cynicism that later developed. It may explain why many professional critcs did not like this film when it was released in 1960. The legendary incident of Travis standing alone and the other Alamo defenders eventually standing with him is a high point of this movie. Since the script never misses a chance to exploit folklore, we're surprised that Travis never literally draws a line in the sand. Following the lead of his mentor, John Ford, filmmaker Wayne nicely blends humor and sentiment. Music that is by turns stirring and touching is used effectively. Action-adventure fans will enjoy the blood and thunder as the Mexican army attacks the makeshift ramparts manned by the outnumbered defenders. The cappuccino drinking "Sleepless in Seattle" crowd should skip this one. ;-)

One could easily say that seeing this film for the first time was a turning point in my life (it probably had a great impact on a lot of other 6-year old boys, too). To this day, John Wayne's "The Alamo" still has a firm grip on me emotionally.

True, the film is not accurate to history, but I dare anyone to name a movie that is! As I stated in my review of "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc", Hollywood makes "movies", not documentaries (and most documentaries don't agree on the details of the Alamo, anyway). Movie producers, like John Wayne, try to make an "entertainment", to sell tickets and make money. People who think film makers are honor-bound to tell only the truth on the screen are kidding themselves.

So the question is: Does this movie entertain? Speaking subjectively, I say a resounding "Yes!". I guess there's still a lot of 6-year old in me.

One suggestion I have for Ted Turner (or whoever makes the DVD decisions over at MGM) is to release the roadshow Director's Cut version on a 2-Disc Special Edition. Include the 40-minute documentary found on the current disc, and any other archival footage pertaining to the film (Oscars, premiere, interviews). I would also like to see the television special, "Spirit of the Alamo", that John Wayne hosted in 1960. A part of it was used in the aforementioned documentary, but it would be nice to see the program complete for a change. Perhaps the discs could also include a printed history of the Alamo and other events during the Texas Revolution, so viewers won't come away from the film thinking they just witnessed the truth.

As a personal added bonus to yours truly, it would be nice to see the original poster art on the DVD cover for a change, showing a fine painting of the battle in full fury.

With the exception of the recent Billy Bob Thornton retelling of the tale, few epics have had quite as bad a press as John Wayne's The Alamo. If it is not the masterpiece Wayne set out to make, it is also certainly not the disaster it is often painted. Even financially the film eventually turned a very healthy profit, although the staggered nature of its roadshow release meant that it didn't do so quickly enough to save Wayne from having to sell his share in the picture he had invested so much in.

Very much a personal crusade, he raised the $12m budget partially from a trio of Texas millionaires and from his own pocket. The set and surrounding village were actually built three years before shooting, ostensibly so that vegetation could grow naturally around it, though problems raising the budget seem more likely. Nonetheless, the film's much-trumpeted great pains to look authentic extends to the casting, enhanced by some of the great faces in the supporting cast, not least of them the irreplaceable Hank Worden, replacing Old Mose Harper's desire for a rockin' chair for 'the time to live and a place to die' in one of his best performances as the Parson. Laurence Harvey, a man reputedly in life as innately impossible to like as his character in The Manchurian Candidate, carries the dramatic element as Travis more than efficiently, while Wayne and Widmark give perfect demonstrations of fleshing out a part through star quality as Davey Crockett and Jim Bowie.

Along with 55 Days at Peking, this was the biggest of the siege epics of the sixties (Zulu, Khartoum, The War Lord), recounting a somewhat romanticised version of the iconic battle that saw some 185 men hold off 7000 Mexican soldiers for thirteen days. Very much a populist epic, it is broadly entertaining but with a quiet dignity at its heart, and while there is sentiment, it is pure and honest enough not to seem desperately manipulative. Wayne's direction is a strong point, with a good visual eye that owes nothing to John Ford (who had less to do with the film than is commonly believed and nothing to do with the truly spectacular battle scenes) and a surprising generosity to friend and foe alike.

There are many moments of pure visual poetry, too - a rider galloping through a stream, defeated Mexican troops reflected in a muddy pond while their women carry away the bodies of their loved ones and the astonishing finale where the screen is packed to bursting with thousands of extras. The cavalry sequences in particular are strikingly well handled, with a healthy respect for the horses (unlike many sixties epics, none were hurt or killed). True, it sure is a long time a-comin', but if there's a more spectacular battle scene on film this side of Bondarchuk's Waterloo, I've not seen it.

Unfortunately, the DVD is something of a travesty. Facing personal bankruptcy, two weeks after the film opened Wayne asked his producer son Michael to cut the film to get in more shows to improve its cash flow - the film was popular, but at nearly three-and-a-half hours was limited to only two shows a day at a handful of theatres. No prizes for guessing which version MGM/UA have chosen to release. Although the uncut version was available on video and laser disc, the company's rationale for releasing the cut version to DVD was that since there were no foreign language soundtracks surviving for the uncut version and they were committed to releasing multiple-language versions, the cut version was preferable to subtitling the film for foreign languages. To add insult to injury, even the hour-long documentary produced for the laserdisc release has been cut back to 40 minutes to paper over any mention of the restored version!

As a result, some half an hour of footage is now missing once again not much more than a decade after it was restored. Even the Overture, Intermission, Entr'acte and Exit Music from Dimitri Tiomkin's superb score have been lost. The only positive is that the widescreen transfer at least makes the most of Wayne and cinematographer William Clothier's careful Scope compositions - and films like this are what Scope is all about.

As for what you're missing, much of the extra running time was taken up by slightly extended scenes, such as Travis' explaining why he knows "I am better than that rabble" that he commands, crucial to understanding his character. Nonetheless, there are several 'new' scenes, the more significant additions including: more of Bowie's opening scene and various bridging scenes enlarging on his conflict with Travis; the death of the profiteer Emil when he tries to stop Crockett taking the gunpowder from the church and a subsequent love scene between Crockett and Flacca; nearly a full reel after the Intermission where Bowie decides to leave the Alamo but is dissuaded by Patrick Wayne reluctantly lying about the number of reinforcements on their way; Scotty's patrol discovering the cattle and coming off badly at the hands of some pursuing Mexican Lancers and Dragoons; and the death of Parson and Crockett's quietly effective prayer.

Even if to some the film still felt too long at 203 minutes (and frankly, it do), none of these scenes should have been the ones to be cut, and their restoration helped the film flow more smoothly than the shorter version. Worse, it's not an isolated incident - MGM/UA meted out similar treatment to the restored version of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World] on DVD, while some other titles like The Dogs of War and F*I*S*T are available in two different cuts on either side of the Atlantic.

The film's reputation may limit its appeal to Wayne's fans and the epic collector, but it's a fine film that deserves better treatment on DVD than it received.

The Alamo, the movie has been and always will be my families all-time favorite Alamo movie. John Wayne as Davy Crockett, is a brilliamt and different portrait of one of our nations greatest heroes. Richard Widmark, another family favorite, playing Jim Bowie, cannot be beat. Chill Wills as Beekeeper, Hank Wardon as the preacher are two exceptional actors that help bring out the movie. Richard Boone, as the best actor who has played General Sam Houston, absolutely cannot be bested in this role! I suggest this movie as pure entertainment not historical on all accounts. The Alamo is a movie I grew up watching every year on San Jacinto Day, and I will continue to watch it if played on that day as a sort of family tradition.