Great Locomotive Chase (Rpkg)

Starring:Fess Parker, Jeffrey Hunter, Jeff York, John Lupton, Eddie Firestone, Kenneth Tobey, Don Megowan, Claude Jarman Jr., Harry Carey Jr., Leonard P. Geer, George Robotham, Stan Jones, Marc Hamilton, John Wiley, Slim Pickens, Morgan Woodward, W.S. Bearden, Harvey Hester, Robert Kent, Joel Ashley
Director: Francis D. Lyon
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Disney's Great Locomotive Chase relates a true Civil War story about the Andrews Raiders, a team of 22 Union spies. In 1862 they snatched a train out from under the normally watchful eyes of Confederate troops based near Atlanta in a daredevil attempt to wreck the track and bridges of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. It was a high-stakes operation with a huge payoff. If they succeeded, they would effectively win the war; if they were caught, they were sure to be hanged. This 1956 feature shores up the suspense of the scheme masterfully. We watch, transfixed, as the relentless Confederate train conductor, William Fuller (played by the all-business Jeffrey Hunter) roars through a bevy of Southern stations hot on the heels of his hijacked locomotive. Will James Andrews (Fess Parker), leader of the Raiders, outrun him? History buffs won't need to keep watching for long, but they'll want to anyway--the portrayal of the Raiders' gumption and against-all-odds heroics pushes the basest, most human of audience buttons. It's not that The Great Locomotive Chase is a simple but well-done film about good vs. evil. Instead, it explores both sides' motives and draws gentle conclusions about honor, and it does so at an invigoratingly high clip. In that way, it's a movie worth sharing with kids 8 and older--there's no blood and only a sprinkling of violence here, but as with all war stories, tragedy plays a prominent role. --Tammy La Gorce

Description

After commandeering a Confederate locomotive, heroic Yankee soldiers known as the Andrews Raiders try to bring about an early end to the Civil War by crippling the Southern railroad network. But their efforts are hampered by the unrelenting bravery of a single Rebel patriot.

Customer Reviews:

Childhood memories..........2007-01-01

I just watched this movie for the first time in probably 15 or 20 years. Although I am far too young to have seen this in its initial release in theatres, this was one of the very first movies that I saw when I was a child. I really did not remember much from the movie--except that it had given me thrills as a kid. I was excited to watch this again with my brother and father.

My father is a Noth Carolina native who moved up north, and that makes me a North Dakota native. This is important because we both tend to lean on opposite sides of the "Civil War fence." Well, this movie is great because it shows respect to both sides. The main premise is that some Northern spies steal a train from the South with the intentions of destroying tracks and bridges. One determined Southern railroad conductor takes personal offense at his train being stolen and follows it doggedly--first on foot and slowly upgrading from there.

You can't really describe the movie beyond the premise without ruining it. However, this is based on a true story--and one that potentially would have impacted the war in a BIG way. This is given colorful Disney treatment, and it is very enjoyable. As mentioned already, you are able to watch this from either perspective and enjoy it because both sides are given equal treatment. Also, it is not just the story of a locomotive chase as it also outlines the beginning of the Medal of Honor.

As for the DVD release, I don't mind that there are not extras. The picture is good, and the movie is what I bought it for--not the extras! Thanks for an excellent film on DVD!

Great Film for history buffs.......2005-10-01

When I was 10 years old ( in 1962 ), I had the good fortune to
ride on a train pulled by the "General." This was back during the Civil War Centennial celebration and believe me, nothing
could have brought the past alive more than this trip!
The movie certainly brings to life this amazing event without
today's graphic violence and gore. In the tradition of Disney
productions, high quality and great excitement are pervasive
throughout. Growing up with Disney on screen and television
made watching this movie a trip down "memory lane." I would highly recommend this wonderful film to anyone interested in
the Civil War or to train buffs.

Excellent Movie, Questionable Disney.......2005-04-22

The movie is outstanding. Fess Parker and the rest turn in excellent performances. This exciting story is based on the true to life incident that took place during the Civil War. From what I have heard there were only a couple minor changes in the recreation of the story. Walt Disney made wonderful movies during the Fifties and Sixties that were great for the whole family to enjoy together. I am ecstatic they are now releasing these movies to DVD. My only complaint is that there seems to be an issue with quantity instead of quality. They seem more interested in releasing a great number of movies than worrying about the condition of them. Now I'm am as anxious as the next person to get all their live action movies out but I hope they start taking the time to realize they need to monitor the quality control. I don't need the extras on this first release. Once they have released all the movies they use to run on "The Wonderful World of Disney" then they can go back and do Platinum Editions. I will be satisfied with just the movie since there are so many more they need to release like "Dr. Syn, alias Scarecrow" and "The Swamp Fox" that I can be satisfied with just the basics but I want the movie to have sharp picture and sound quality. Some of the recent live action movies have been great quality (e.g. Three Lives of Thomasina) and some have been poor (e.g. "The Journey of Natty Gann). I hope someone from Disney is paying attention to Amazons reviews because if they don't they may find their DVDs aren't selling so well. Fortunately this DVD picture and sound quality are nicely restored. There are no extra features.

Classic filmmaking based on a true story.......2005-02-28

It's a real treat to see live-action Disney movies in all their glory, (back when movies actually meant something) unlike the special effects-ridden garbage of today. Of the meager number of films dealing with the Andrews Raid, I find this to be the most realistic portrayal by a long shot.

Review of Disney May 2002 release.......2004-06-05

After two previous releases by Anchor Bay, one would assume this release by the movie producer, Disney, would be the ultimate issue of this film. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Besides having zero....none, nyet....bonus features....not even a trailer, this release is riddled with problems. While the menu and FBI warnings are anamorphic, the movie itself is not. If the transfer had been halfway decent, this would be somewhat forgiveable. However, the transfer is grainy, the color pulses, and edge enhancement is frequent throughout. Certain portions of the movie even appear to be in the wrong ratio....as if the screen were squeezed top to bottom.

Another problem I encountered....and basically the last straw....was the random appearance of foreign subtitles as I watched the movie. Whether this is a problem with all DVD players, I do not know [mine is a Toshiba]....but on a quality product, this should never be a problem on any player.

While the movie is somewhat enjoyable [typical 50's Disney-style drama], I'd avoid this DVD [wish I HAD] based purely on the lack of effort Disney put out in assembling it.

Figures....Disney finally releases some of its movies in their entirety [not the destructive pan & scan], and they still put out a lousy DVD.

Great Train Robbery - 100th Anniversay
Average customer rating:

Outstanding Value

The Great Tarin Robbery

The first American Movie

Superb quality and great value

Great Train Robbery - 100th Anniversay
Starring: Morgan Jones , Tom London , Gilbert M. Anderson , A.C. Abadie , and George Barnes
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video
Outlaws | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video
London, Tom | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Birth of a Nation

Battleship Potemkin

Landmarks of Early Film, Vol. 1

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Stagecoach (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B0000WN1JA
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Description

This Special Edition DVD contains two versions of the historically significant western, "The Great Train Robbery" (1903) and more classic silent westerns: "The Heart of Texas Ryan" (1916), "Tumbleweeds" (1925) and "The Battle of Elderbush Gulch" (1913) - all enhanced with music and effects tracks. Bonus Features: Video Prologues narrated by Will Hutchins (WB TV star "Sugarfoot")| Bonus Cowboy Poem by Will Hutchins| Movie Selection Menu| Western Previews| Bios| DVD Rom Content: Extended Bios| Weblinks to more information and biographical material. Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital Mono; 184 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 2003 SRP - $19.99.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Value.......2007-03-09

Of course, everyone (?) knows the reputation of the Great Train Robbery. But the rest of the package contains some gems. Surprising DW Griffith Western, in "Battle...," in the sense that the cavalry does NOT arrive in the nick of time for most of the townspeople, though the stars are saved. The Tom Mix feature is really funny, showing a character who is quite anti-heroic, by Classic Western standards. But the real gem is William S. Hart's Tumbleweeds, which stages an incredible Oklahoma land run, and a stunning ride by 55-year-old Hart.

The Great Tarin Robbery.......2007-03-08

A classic of the start of motion pictures by Thomas Edison that has stould the test of time.

The first American Movie.......2005-01-24

Its hard to believe but this film was made more than 100 hundred years ago,it has to be considered to be a technical step forward for its time. The plot is basicilly a train robbery. It is also the first western. This was a stepping stone for what movies could be, D.W Griffth pushed even farther with the first epic with a Birth Of A Nation.

Superb quality and great value.......2004-02-01

Wasn't to sure what to expect quality wise but on viewing was absolutely delighted.
The DVD features four silent westerns (all classics) with excellent picture quality and suitable accompanying music with orchestra.
Tumbleweeds is the 1939 reissue and has W S HART speaking of his love of the west.
Battle of Elderbush Gulch is an exciting story by D W Griffith.
Heart of Texas Ryan stars Tom Mix.
Two versions of the title film are included.
All the films have short intros, history and bios.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Childhood memories..........2007-01-01

Great Film for history buffs.......2005-10-01

Excellent Movie, Questionable Disney.......2005-04-22

Classic filmmaking based on a true story.......2005-02-28

Review of Disney May 2002 release.......2004-06-05

After two previous releases by Anchor Bay, one would assume this release by the movie producer, Disney, would be the ultimate issue of this film. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While the movie is somewhat enjoyable [typical 50's Disney-style drama], I'd avoid this DVD [wish I HAD] based purely on the lack of effort Disney put out in assembling it.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Childhood memories..........2007-01-01

Great Film for history buffs.......2005-10-01

Excellent Movie, Questionable Disney.......2005-04-22

Classic filmmaking based on a true story.......2005-02-28

Review of Disney May 2002 release.......2004-06-05

After two previous releases by Anchor Bay, one would assume this release by the movie producer, Disney, would be the ultimate issue of this film. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While the movie is somewhat enjoyable [typical 50's Disney-style drama], I'd avoid this DVD [wish I HAD] based purely on the lack of effort Disney put out in assembling it.

Figures....Disney finally releases some of its movies in their entirety [not the destructive pan & scan], and they still put out a lousy DVD.

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

DVD

This One Goes Out To all.......

L.A. Confidential

Pam Grier: Uncaged [4 Discs] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Ss Hell Camp

Auf der Flucht