Rio Bravo (BR) Min: 141MonoWS [Import germany]

Good film

A John Wayne classic, my family love this film. It has something for everyone, good against bad, imperfect heroes, a love interest and even comedy! Even my wife enjoyed it!

Best western ever made

Bit of an antidote to my usual fair watching modern discs. First of all the blu ray in this 4k set is nothing much picture wise, film grain always present. In fact the picture quality on my old ITV recording is far better but scrunched-up 4:3 ratio. This is a Technicolor full widescreen experience. I watched, no, I witnessed the events in this small Town out West on 10ft projection screen. Immersive indeed. Love the fact that the movie begins as soon as the disc is loaded and ends with a The End, no credits. 2 hours 21 minutes not 2 hours 7 minutes of ITV broadcast (no ads I may have accidently deleted a 'chapter'). 16 subtitles via your Remote control. The movie still works as a direction piece. The use of silence, the use of music, the low close-ups, the showing of detail ‘tells.’ A thinking man’s movie; much time spent thinking. Rich men are the baddies. Old school respect. Plenty of humour. And music. And Angie Dickenson, wow! Extras include a 55 minute documentary on Howard Hawks yet to be seen. Hard to believe John Wayne could ever die. Or that the spirit of the West as shown in Hollywood ever existed.

Great film that deserved this fantastic restoration. The picture is absolutely stunning and although I’ve seen this film numerous times throughout the decades this looked as if I was made yesterday. The sound is clear and crisp. Far better than my old Blu Ray version. Colours are vibrant. Rio Bravo is one of my favourite films and it was a joy to see it looking as good as this. It breathes new life into it. Buy it and you’re in for not only a visual treat but it’s also a very good story with great acting. Especially from Dean Martin.

I love this film I have watched over and over again

I really love this good old film.

Great film

Excelente película Western. La recomiendo. Saludos

Sehr schnell geliefert, beste Qualität

This 4K release is outstanding. Colour and clarity is th best ever of any release of this movie. As well the detail really stand out in the foreground and background. You can even read the sheriff's badges and see scuff marks in Dudes vest clearly. Audio is bright and clear. The bright outdoor densest scenes never looked better,. This one is a winner. Expensive but fans of Rio Bravo will not be disappointed. Rates a 10 out of 10.

The number of Westerns that Hollywood has made is mind boggling. I hate to think how many there have been. And, Westerns have suffered because of that. Just about everything you could do in a Western has been done over and over again, of course with variations, but I guess you could say that there's nothing new under the desert sun. So, to be considered one of the very best Westerns ever made is quite a compliment. But what is it that makes this Western truly special. There's nothing new here. Just about every thing in this film had been done in some other Western. But here, all those various elements come together in one film. The sheriff in trouble; nothing new. A boozy cowboy; nothing new. A hot shot young gunfighter' nothing new. A Gabby Hayes like sidekick; certainly nothing new. A seemingly floozy woman gambler; nothing new. A bully who thinks he can control everything and everyone; nothing new. A bully; nothing new. A shootout; nothing new. Ac crusader; nothing new there. And, most importantly, the camaraderie; nothing new there, either. Most Westerns are lucky to have a few such elements, but in "Rio Bravo", all those elements and many others come together perfectly. The opening scenes of the film are considered by many to be brilliant. NO DIALOG as the drunk (Dean Martin) walks into a saloon, and is seemingly offered a drink by the bully (Claude Akins), who throws a coin into a spittoon. The drunk is beginning to reach into the spittoon when it is kicked away by a towering man (John Wayne). The drunk reacts by clobbering the sheriff with a piece of firewood. The bully laughs, and is in turn attacked by the drunk. The drunk is beaten. A bystander steps in and is hot to death. The bleeding sheriff follows the bully to another saloon. Nearly 4 minutes later, finally some dialog. But that opening sequence sets the stage (so to speak) for all that is to come. A second brilliant set of scenes takes place again in a saloon after Ward Bond's character is shot to death. The assassin apparently runs into the saloon, but then disappears. Dude (Dean) wants to go in the front door for a change, so Change (Wayne) goes in the back. But no bad guy. Dude orders a drink, and then just a few drops of blood drips down from the loft above into a mug of beer. Absolutely fantastic scene. When it comes right down to it, the pivotal character in this film is Dude, played by Dean Martin. Almost everything in the film revolves around the drunk's redemption. Even Wayne once noted it. Dean's character here, however, isn't just a drunk. He coming off of a drunk and having withdrawal symptoms. A commendable performance, and an indication of what Dean was capable of...when he summoned up his ambition to really act. Another strength here is a strong supporting cast. Ricky Nelson does quite well in a very laid-back role as a sharpshooter. Angie Dickinson -- never one of my favorites -- does nicely here as slightly disreputable woman who ends up with...well, you know. And, by the way, John Wayne was often rather clumsy in romantic scenes, but here he plays well off of Angie Dickinson. And of course, special commendation to Walter Brennan -- always great -- for one of his very best film performances. And there's also Ward Bond, a character actor that I have always felt was highly underrated. For comic relief there's Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez as the hotel keeper. Gonzalez-Gonzalez made an interesting splash in show business about this time -- first noticed for a visit to Groucho Marx's "You Bet Your Life". Some have made much about the "singing segment". As illogical as it is, it works. Dean's performance of "My Rifle, My Pony, And Me" is one of Dean's finest vocal performances. And, it advances the story. Of course, there's got to be real shootout, and the shoot out in "Rio Bravo" is a humdinger and rather unique. Dude is kidnapped after a foiled jailbreak, add in dynamite at an old warehouse, mix in Wayne, Deal, and Nelson, and you've the recipe for an explosive...yet fun...conclusion. And then there's the concluding scene..,implying that Wayne and Feathers are having sex...but it's done in a clever and humorous way. A perfect picture? Well, no, but then again how many films are...probably none. I can't find anything here to criticize, but lots to praise. Well, actually I do have one criticism, but it's not about the film. It's about the Blu-Ray disc from Warner Brothers. It's not up to what we have come to expect from Blu-Ray. That's not to say it's a bad print, but it's also not top-notch.

This film is emblematic of the Western genre, which has a special quality that's been absent from films for a long time. John Wayne's performance as an older Sheriff trying to maintain order is fantastic, mainly because of his commanding presence. Dean Martin's acting as a struggling alcoholic is believable and heartbreaking; especially when he is trying so hard to regain everything he's lost. Walter Brennan's Stumpy is a treat, who has left a permanent impression on me, and seeing him again had me grinning from ear to ear. Angie Dickenson's Feathers is a competent yet anxious character, trying to do what she can to help, even if she gets very rattled and terrified. Ricky Nelson's Colorado is sadly underutilized despite having a lot of potential, yet he is still memorable, thanks to his musical number with Martin, which is still my favourite part of the film (despite what the critics say). The weakest part of the film are the villains (the Burdette Brothers) played by John Russell and Claude Akins (a great Western actor), and I wish they had more of a presence, as their goons are rather clever, which is rather rare. Overall, this film is a classic, and knowing that it was made as a repudiation to what Westerns, as well as society, were becoming, makes me love it even more. The characters, the moral messages, the spirit, the music, all make it so wonderful. The extra features on the bluray are a treat, as both the commentary tracks and the documentaries are illuminating to the history of the film, as well as the director, Howard Hawks, whom I now know was responsible for many films I love, as well as pioneering so much in cinema. Rio Bravo is one of my favourite films, and very possibly my all-time favourite Western. It was a joy to watch again after all these years, and I cannot recommend it enough for people who claim they like Westerns, yet all they have watched are the same 6-8 contemporary films. Saddle up, partner.