One-Eyed Jacks getting 4k restoration!

Although it won't be released for some time, it has been confirmed that One-Eyed Jacks is in the process of gathering the film elements in preparation for a 1st class restoration.
To me this is unexpected and fantastic news.
Apparently the copyright issues have been resolved and Universal owns the rights rather than the long time assumption that Paramount had let them lapse into the public domain.
The great news is that the elements have been stored in an environmentally controlled vault and are in excellent shape.
This film was shot in Vista-Vision, another boon.
One of my all time favorite films and really a unique one as well.
Maybe not big news around here but I'm guessing there are some who are familiar with it and its storied. tortured history.

 

It's about time! Brando's only directorial effort is a terrific western with a fantastic cast. To me it's always seemed like the prequel to the Italian westerns: flamboyant characters, colorful dialog, lots of subtext.

The background story is just as fascinating as the movie itself. Hopefully some extras will help put everything in context.

 

I'm excited too. The announcement of this a couple of weeks ago, also included news of the second tier of Universal Horror films, and The Marx Brothers.
In fact I think we now have separate threads for all 3.
.

 

Yeah, it's the last movie shot in VistaVision (1961). I would bet the picture quality could be fantastic. I personally think it's not a good movie, and has some long boring stretches (at almost 2-1/2 hours long), but it has some good moments here and there. You wonder what kind of films Marlon Brando would have continued to direct if this one had been a success. I bet it could have been a very good film had they stuck with Stanley Kubrick as director. (A Kubrick western! )

While I don't like the film, I'm 100% for preserving stuff like this, and it's a crime that a home video release was delayed for so long.

 

I never thought it would happen, this is indeed fantastic news.

 

Kubrick quit when he ask Brando what is the motivation of the character.
Brando replied "Money"
And Kubrick quit the project.

 

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2015/07/authentic-return-one-eyed-jacks/

 

The scene from the trailer in the link above was the one I saw being shot in 1959. It was shot at Pebble Beach Golf Course on 17 Mile Drive near Carmel, CA. They built a small house on the beach that Brando rode up to. Brando must have rehearsed his ride up to that post a million times. We just happened to be at the right place at the right time and spent the afternoon watching. I'm excited about the film being properly released.

 

While I totally agree with some of Vidiot's points about the film, I'm not so sure that Kubrick would have been a White Knight director.
I think Peckinpah would have been better but like Kubrick he couldn't deal with Brando to say the least.
He likely would have made a more taut film something that Kubrick is not known for.
Certainly Brando was no pro at directing and the film does have it's meandering parts but after all I've read the Brando's original cut was 5 hours!
To me what the film does have is a great story, great characters, great locations, cinematography, cast and some amazing dialog.
One thing that sets it apart imo, is that unlike just about every other western at that time the characters are not drawn as total black & white ciphers
Sure Dad's a rotter but he does good as the sheriff and family man.
The Kid is looking for justice but goes about it in a way that hurts more just Dad.
Lon is probably the worst character but he has clear motivation. You know why he's doing it.
You know clearly why everyone does what they do rather than just being bad men or women and they are very convincing.

Pretty much no one I know or read about who's seen One-Eyed Jacks is ambivalent about it.
I think it's a unique creation.
Just my .12 cents.

 

I never got into this film,either it's too good and i don't get it or the other way around
I've seen it a least twice,maybe i have to revisit.

 

For whatever reason the guy who hosts that site is proclaiming that this film should only be released in 1.66:1 AR and not 1.85:1
Regardless of the multiple film professionals that have provided proof otherwise.
He even went so far as to post a doctored(zoomed) frame from the Ten Commandments to try and prove his point.
Weird.

Ruben, don't know where you viewed the film but it may have been a heavily edited version.
Or you just don't get into it
To be clear, I'm not trying to say that everyone should like it, or that they don't "get it".
Far from it.

 

I'd be curious what determine what gets restored and released.
I know they have to be able to make money on it, but is it also some head guy's personal taste that makes the decision.
Is it a cool factor because its vistavision and putting it on blu ray will make it look awesome?
I can only assume that these movie companies make money even on very old films that are somewhat obscure.

 

From what I've read it all depends on who's in charge of the division doing restoration and home video releases.
The fact is that a lot of these catalog releases make very little money for the time and money spent.
Much of the motivation is geared toward preservation of the film itself, if the right person is in charge.
There are many films that have been neglected and will never see the light of day again due to poor, indifferent management.

How many 20 or 30 something's know what Oklahoma is let alone seen it?
Yet the TODD-AO version restoration on blu-ray is unbelievably good.
It's much like hi-res music and audio gear.
Even though they are flourishing on a certain level, it's a niche primarily driven by a 40-50 year old plus demographic.

Surprisingly, vinyl has seen a resurgence among the youngsters in recent years.
Which a very good thing imo.

 

Love this movie. Just watched it yesterday with my son. He commented a couple of times about how beautiful the scenery in it is.
I still think I saw this on t.v. when I was a kid in 60s with a different ending. As Rio and the stepdaughter are fleeing out of town together at the end, a dying Dad Longworth squeezes off one more shot at them. I think (am I imagining) I saw an ending with the stepdaughter getting hit by the last shot and dying in Brando's arms when they stop outside of town.
I own the laserdisc...Looks good.

 

I've never made it through the film due to the pitiful PD transfers and the fact that it's waaay too long. But a full restoration is sorely needed...especially since few VV titles have really gotten the royal treatment. For example NbyBW is one...but Vertigo and To Catch a Thief are based off of older work...and then of course there's Universal putting the '56 Man Who Knew Too Much out to pasture.

 

Love the movie!

 

Some of the greatest dialogue ever!

"Get up you tub of guts!"

"You gob of spit!"

The casting is wonderful. Some of Peckinpah's favorites are here- Ben Johnson, Slim Pickins, Katy Jurado.

Kazan would probably have been one of the few directors to keep Brando focused, but it wouldn't have been the wild and wooly film that was released.

 

$$$$$$$$$ and potential $$$$$$

 

I absolutely agree.
Flawed as it is, One-Eyed Jacks to me is in one word, authentic.
Think about the scene with Rio in jail with Lon as the deputy\guard.
You feel the hate\tension between them.
One is a caged animal the other is outside looking in but you know who's gonna win this contest.
Some scenes are idyllic, honest, one person to another.
Dad with Maria. Rio with Louisa
Other scenes, you're waiting for the roof to blow off and it does.
Yeah, it can be meandering a bit and unfocused but damn there are some unforgettable scenes.
To me it is clear that Marlon really cared about this film and it shows.

 

I'd love to see some of the footage cut out.

 

Hahah Where'd you hear that? Go, Stanley!

 

Me too as a separate Auteur's disc but that may be too much to ask and may be not what you'd want.
5 hours?
I love this film but I'm guessing that would test my attention span.

 

I love collecting films on blu-ray. Some are almost as good as film prints-Casablanca, Ghostbusters, The Godfather, Taxi Driver to name a few..

 

I just watched this film for the first time based on reading this thread! Really enjoyed it. Brando is riveting. He's just so damn good. And so damn strong. When he explodes, he explodes. He throws that poker table across the room like it's nothing. Wow! I can't believe I've never seen this before. I think Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven" clearly borrows the Sheriff Longworth character from "One Eyed Jacks" -- the whipping, the good/bad man. Just too similar to be coincidence. A young Slim Pickens. I never knew he was such a hulk. I always thought he was a smaller guy, but he's huge! Ben Johnson is fantastic. Just so natural. That's what impressed me with the film, you can tell Brando had an ear for naturalism. He keeps the takes with little flubs and some improvised dialogue. These little bits here and there make the movie a standout western. Even Peckingpaw's films seemed more polished than some of the scenes Brando uses. Kubrick would have killed it -- sorry, wrong film for Stanley. I'd love to see Brando's full cut, I'm sure he had even more of these great naturalistic moments. And the physical stuff is truly physical. When Slim Pickens kicks out Brando's legs, you can see they're not fooling around. Unfortunately when it comes to the women and the love story, he had a less sure hand and plays it straight. These scenes bog down the movie. If I can't see the five hour version, I'd like to see a 2-hours version with even more fat trimmed -- mainly slimming down the romance.

But that ENDING. Oh my god, no WAY that was the original ending. They ride off waving? What the hell. Andy749 had to be right. You just know the girl had to be shot by that last bullet and the Romeo and Juliette story end with tragedy. It's ridiculous the way it now stands. What's the story behind this? Someone had to have made Brando film this innocuous happy ending at gunpoint. It stinks!

 

Love Brando, and I love this film. It's been sorely missed on home video!
What a supporting cast : Ben Johnson, Timothy Carey, Karl Malden, Slim Pickens, Elisha Cook, Jr.....