High Noon: Collector's Edition

High Noon: Collector’s Edition

Region: One

Genre: Western

Stars: Tom Skerritt, Susanna Thompson, Maria Conchita Alonso, Reed Diamond, Michael Madsen, Dennis Weaver, and August Schellenberg

Writers: Carl Foreman and T. S. Cook

Based On The Screenplay By: Carl Foreman

Based on the Magazine Story By: John W. Cunningham

Director: Rod Hardy

Chapter Stops: 24

Running Time: 93 minutes

Home Video Distributor: Artisan Home Entertainment

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

"High Noon" is one of the best westerns in film history. It would seem inconceivable that anyone would ever try and remake a classic like this, but someone did and with the help of original "High Noon" screenwriter Carl Foreman working with television writer T. S. Cook, and the results is a somewhat edgier color version of "High Noon" that is still relevant today as the time in which the story takes place.

In this version, Tom Skerritt stands tall as Sheriff Will Kane, who promises his new Quaker Bride that he will leave his dangerous profession behind and settle down for a quiet life. However, his plan is put on hold when a telegraph messenger from the railroad station comes to alert him that a vicious killer (Michael Madsen), who he sent to prison years earlier, is coming back to town with an armed posse waiting at the train station for a showdown at high noon in Hadleyville.

All of the characters from the original are here in his film and the acting is pretty good for all involved, but the truth is that aside for young people or someone who has never seen the 1952 classic feature film, it is hard not to compare this new version of "High Noon" with the original and not feel that this remake is unnecessary and still pales in the face of the original. This remake just does not have the same sense of urgency and suspense the original has either and the opening song and music from the 1952 classic that might seem dated today still adds a lot more to the original "High Noon" than the cliché' sounding music this version uses. I almost could not watch this film just for that alone.

The western has served as the American archetype to tell mythic and epic tales of human adventure in the twentieth century much like the plays of the Greeks taught life lessons that people could identify with and understand in their time and now ours. Both versions of "High Noon" succeed in this department. The problem is the original did it better and it is too difficult not to compare both versions despite the many years that have passed between them.

Artisan’s DVD Edition presents “High Noon: Collector’s Edition” DVD in an anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) aspect ratio from a high definition transfer with an English Dolby Digital 5.1 and Surround 2.0 Soundtrack as well as a feature length Audio Commentary Track with Producer David A. Rosemont and Director of Photography Robert McLachlan. An optional Spanish dubbed soundtrack is also included with English Captions and Closed Captions and Spanish Subtitles.

There are three behind-the-scenes featurettes and videotaped interviews with cast and crewmembers. Trailers and TV spots and a photo gallery are also included along with an insert within the DVD keep case with production notes. The interactive menus are all animated and include full motion scene selections. This is a good DVD and an example of the great work Artisan Home Entertainment can do for television films and I hope we will see more examples like this in the future.

“High Noon: Collector’s Edition” will debut on DVD from Artisan Home Entertainment on Tuesday, June 19, 2001.

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