GIANT [1956 / 2014] [Special Deluxe Limited Edition DigiBook] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] It’s Courage and Conviction Gives ‘GIANT’ Its Grandeur!
Director George Stevens' sweeping saga of family conflict and social consciousness based on Edna Ferber's best seller is presented here for the first time on Blu-ray. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards®, with a win for George Stevens and Starring Rock Hudson as rancher Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr., and Elizabeth Taylor as his wife Leslie Lynnton and James Dean (in his final film role) as nouveau oil baron Jett Rink, and is a tale of three generations of Texans remains both grand and intimate.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1956 New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Nominated: Best Film. Nominated: Best Screenplay for Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat. 1957 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Director for George Stevens. Nominated: Best Picture for George Stevens and Henry Ginsberg. Nominated: Best Actor in a Leading Role for James Dean [This was James Dean's second consecutive posthumous]. Nominated: Best Actor in a Leading Role for Rock Hudson. Nominated: Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Mercedes McCambridge. Nominated: Best Writing and Best Adapted Screenplay for Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat. Nominated: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration in Color for Boris Leven and Ralph S. Hurst. Nominated: Best Costume Design in Color for Marjorie Best and Moss Mabry. Nominated: Best Film Editing for Fred Bohanan, Philip W. Anderson and William Hornbeck. Nominated: Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture for Dimitri Tiomkin. 1957 Golden Globes: Nominated: Best Motion Picture in a Drama. Nominated: Best Director for George Stevens. 1957 David di Donatello Awards: Win: Best Foreign Production (Migliore Produzione Straniera) for Jack L. Warner. 1957 Directors Guild of America: Win: DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for George Stevens and Joseph E. Rickards (assistant director) (plaque). 1957 Photoplay Awards: Win: Gold Medal Award for the film ‘GIANT.’ 1957 Writers Guild of America: Nominated: WGA Award (Screen) for Best Written American Drama for Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat. 2005 National Film Preservation Board, USA: Win: National Film Registry for the film ‘GIANT.’ 2016 Online Film & Television Association: Win: OFTA Film Hall of Fame Award for the Motion Picture ‘GIANT.’
FILM FACT No.2: Edna Ferber’s character of Jordan Benedict II and her description of the Reata Ranch were based on Robert "Bob" J. Kleberg Jr. (1896 – 1974) and the King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas. Like the over half-million-acre Reata, King Ranch comprises 825,000 acres (3,340 km2; 1,289 sq mi) and includes portions of six Texas counties, including most of Kleberg County and much of Kenedy County, and was largely a livestock ranch before the discovery of oil. The fictional character Jett Rink was inspired partly by the extraordinary rags-to-riches life story of the wildcatter oil tycoon Glenn Herbert McCarthy (1907 – 1988). Author Edna Ferber met McCarthy when she was a guest at his Houston, Texas, Shamrock Hotel (known as the Shamrock Hilton after 1955), the fictional Emperador Hotel in both the book and the film. The Australian actor Rod Taylor was cast in one of his earliest Hollywood roles after being seen in an episode of Studio 57, "The Black Sheep's Daughter." George Stevens gave Rock Hudson a choice between Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly to play his leading lady, Leslie Lynnton Benedict and Rock Hudson chose Elizabeth Taylor. After James Dean's death late in production, Nick Adams overdubbed some of James Dean's lines, which were nearly inaudible, as Jett Rink's voice. George Stevens had a reputation as a meticulous film editor, and the film spent an entire year in the editing room.
Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean, Carroll Baker, Jane Withers, Chill Wills, Mercedes McCambridge, Dennis Hopper, Sal Mineo, Rod Taylor, Judith Evelyn, Earl Holliman, Robert Nichols, Paul Fix, Alexander Scourby, Fran Bennett, Charles Watts, Elsa Cárdenas, Carolyn Craig, Monte Hale, Sheb Wooley, Mary Ann Edwards, Victor Millan, Mickey Simpson, Pilar Del Rey, Maurice Jara, Noreen Nash, Ray Whitley, Napoleon Whiting, Nick Adams [Voice for Jett Rink Banquet Speech] (uncredited), Perfideo Aguilar (uncredited), Elsa Aguirre (uncredited), John Alban (uncredited), Fernando Alvarado (uncredited), Eddie Baker (uncredited), Barbara Barrie (uncredited), Ray Bennett (uncredited), Dave Bishop (uncredited), Richard Bishop (uncredited), Paul Bradley (uncredited), Claudia Bryar (uncredited), Boyd Cabeen (uncredited), John Caler (uncredited), Steve Carruthers (uncredited), Georgann Cashen (uncredited), Mary Ann Cashen (uncredited), Pat Cortland (uncredited), Colleen Crane (uncredited), Marlene Crane (uncredited), Highland Dale (War Winds the Horse) (uncredited), Dana Dillaway (uncredited), Tex Driscoll (uncredited), George Dunn (uncredited), Juney Ellis (uncredited), Richard Elmore (uncredited), Ella Ethridge (uncredited), Bess Flowers (uncredited), Charles Fogel (uncredited), Vera Lee Friedman (uncredited), John Garcia (uncredited), Maxine Gates (uncredited), Rudy Germane (uncredited), James Gonzalez (uncredited), Dick Gordon (uncredited), Marion Gray (uncredited), Ethel Greenwood (uncredited), Robert Haines (uncredited), Bill Hale (uncredited), Marc Hamilton (uncredited), Sam Harris (uncredited), Stuart Holmes (uncredited), David Jiminez (uncredited), Steven Kay (uncredited), Kenner G. Kemp (uncredited), Paul Kruger (uncredited), Jill Lent (uncredited), Judy Lent (uncredited), Jack Lomas (uncredited), Robert Locke Lorraine (uncredited), Wilbur Mack (uncredited), Ana Maria Majalca (uncredited), Thomas Martin (uncredited), Kermit Maynard (uncredited), Philo McCullough (uncredited), Tina Menard (uncredited), Charles Meredith (uncredited), Harold Miller (uncredited), Hans Moebus (uncredited), Tom Monroe (uncredited), Carl Moore (uncredited), Ralph Moratz (uncredited), Tony Morella (uncredited), Monty O'Grady (uncredited), Ina Poindexter (uncredited), Murray Pollack (uncredited), Ramon Ramirez (uncredited), Martha Randall (uncredited), John Rice (uncredited), Julian Rivero (uncredited), Clark Ross (uncredited), Loretta Russell (uncredited), Jeffrey Sayre (uncredited), Norman Stevans (uncredited), Bert Stevens (uncredited), Mitzi Sutherland (uncredited), Slim Talbot (uncredited), Guy Teague (uncredited), Max Terhune (uncredited), Wanda Lee Thompson (uncredited), Felipe Turich (uncredited), Natividad Vacío (uncredited), Francisco Villalobos (uncredited), Christine Werner (uncredited), Dan White (uncredited), John Wiley (uncredited) and Rush Williams (uncredited)
Director: George Stevens
Producers: George Stevens and Henry Ginsberg
Screenplay: Edna Ferber (from the novel), Fred Guiol (screenplay) and Ivan Moffat (screenplay)
Composer: Dimitri Tiomkin (composed music)
Cinematography: William C. Mellor, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Audio: English: 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
French: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
German: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Italian: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Spanish [Latin]: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Spanish: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Português: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Czech: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Polish: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Japanese: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, German SDH, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hebrew, Italian SDH, Korean, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish and Turkish
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Image Resolution: 1080p [WarnerColor]
Running Time: 201 minutes
Region: Blu-ray: All Regions + DVD: NTSC
Number of discs: 3
Studio: Warner Home Video
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: The story of ‘GIANT’ [1955] is long, detailed, and full of exploration. ‘GIANT’ is a richly rewarding story that explores some serious thematic material. It begins by being a story of two people falling in love: Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr. [Rock Hudson] and Leslie Lynnton [Elizabeth Taylor], even though the two seem to have little in common. Bick was traveling to buy a horse within Maryland and is a wealthy Texan who is head of a ranching family. He fancies Leslie when he meets her while on this trip, and she equally fancies him. Leslie breaks up an engagement she was in so that she can leave with Bick and go to Texas. The long journey of ‘GIANT’ only begins here.
Over the course of the storyline, the film explores racial discrimination from the Southern white ranchers and seeks to explore the development of the Benedict family towards racial equality as Leslie determinedly helps to change things for the family. This is a core theme of the story. The Mexican American workers who work for the Benedict's were isolated, segregated, and ignored. In one integral scene of the film, Leslie helps a seriously ill worker who was receiving no help medically. It becomes clear to her that not enough is being done to care for these people, who Leslie understands work with them. Yet she sees that they are being discriminated against. In concluding the film, there is a pivotal scene that makes a definitive statement about the great importance of racial equality. It becomes clear that one of the points of the film is to say that being a "Giant" can have more to do with standing up for what is right than for always being showered with riches.
In voicing her opinions and fighting for what she believes in, Leslie also changes the stance on a woman's role within this family business infrastructure. She wants to do the same kind of work the men do and she wants to be able to be involved in the process that the other men so selfishly attempt to keep to themselves. In a key sequence, Leslie Lynnton Benedict and Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr. disagree over an issue while Bick's having a meeting with his male colleagues. He refuses to listen to her and let her join in the meeting. This causes marital problems between the two, who have a temporary separation during the film's story. This is another big focal point of the story, and it makes the film much more compelling and important as a result.
James Dean plays the role of Jett Rink, who was working for Luz Benedict [Mercedes McCambridge], and trying to make a living so that he could eventfully become rich and leave Texas behind. It was his dream: an American dream of finding success. Upon Luz Benedict's passing, he is given shares that allow him land of his own because he was in Luz Benedict's will. Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr. tries to purchase back the share of the land but Jett Rink rejects. He eventually finds oil and becomes a bigger tycoon with greater wealth and power than the Luz Benedict family. Yet his greatest tragedy lies in how his feelings for Leslie Lynnton Benedict (whom he is in love with) can never come to fruition and his pain leads directly into a path of his own destruction.
The part of Jett in ‘GIANT’ was James Dean's final performance on film and it was his peak between the three films. Despite being a supporting role, James Dean's performance as Jett arguably became the most stand-out one of the films despite a shorter appearance compared to the lead performers, Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson. Whenever I think of `Giant,' despite the many amazing elements to the film, the first thing I always think of is James Dean and his iconic role in it: wearing his similarly iconic Cowboy hat which helped to add flavour to his performance.
The canvas of the filmmaking in ‘GIANT’ was quite expansive and it is something that George Stevens understood how to utilise especially well as a filmmaker. George Stevens was not an overt director like so many are instead of wanting to draw attention to stylistic flourishes, he wanted to hone in on the performances of the actors. Yet a masterful skill resided in George Stevens to deliver incredible shots, these fantastic moments of cinematic greatness when he felt it necessary. He was more capable than most filmmakers as a true visionary of the medium and how to best utilise it to share stories.
George Stevens was so precise when it came down to his directing efforts. ‘GIANT’ is one of the great epics in cinema history. He was entirely capable of telling the detailed story inherent in the book and script while also bringing the best out of his actors. I feel as though he seemed to know exactly when things could shine further with moments of extreme majesty shining through. It was the quiet moments that he created that helped to form the greater, big picture.
‘GIANT’ is without a doubt one of my favourite film in this entire collection: it is one of the greatest of all westerns and a truly remarkable cinematic achievement. Featuring excellent performances by Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean and based upon the novel by Edna Ferber, Giant is one of the greatest films ever made.
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Blu-ray Video Quality – ‘GIANT’ is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1, which is the ratio that was utilised during filming. The film itself was exhibited in cinemas with the more common 1.85:1 ratio, but this Blu-ray presents the film with the most authentic representation of the work done during the making of the movie. This 1080p image transfer does a good job with the presentation of MPI's restoration efforts, which resulted from a 4K scan of the negative. With regards to ‘GIANT’ and this image transfer could surely have been improved had the film been allowed breathing room across a two-disc presentation, and one would hope such an effort would have been allowed to yield even greater results than what is found with this Blu-ray edition. At the very least, I feel the film could have been included across three discs: one showing the film uninterrupted, and another two discs preserving the film with the best possible transfer. As unlikely as this scenario sounds for Warner Bros., I feel as though some films merit this as presentation quality-control and that some films could be improved with a simple solution similar to what I am suggesting. I've never before seen the film look as good as it does here. The film itself is filled with so many conversational-pieces and slow pan camera sequences that the bit-rates are relatively strong for the material presented and help to maintain what is mostly notable about the film quality in regards to depth, colour, and detail. There is also little damage: restoration efforts by MPI helped with this aspect of the presentation. Lastly, I also noticed no unnecessary digital tinkering, which helps to solidify this as an impressive transfer worthy of consideration.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – By a large margin, I consider the presentation Warner Bros. has allotted to ‘GIANT’ in the sound department to be the absolute best of the three recently released James Dean films arriving on Blu-ray for the first time. This is primarily because the film's audio presentation has been preserved with stereo sound rendered in 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio, sourced from the mono soundtrack and preserving the general soundstage with an authentic sounding representation of the source. Maintaining the original audio design allows for the film's audio to sound natural and authentic and closer to the way as it did when released to theatres for the first time. There is surprising fidelity for a film of this age. It doesn't sound digitally altered and the sound-stage is impressive with good clarity and depth for the stereo sound. Dialogue is clearly distinguishable and easy to understand. The score and sound effects have decent range and sound reasonably good. I certainly found the film benefited from its notable sound-design.
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GIANT MUSIC TRACK LIST
GIANT (This Then Is Texas) (1956) (Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster) (Music by Dimitri Tiomkin)
THERE’S NEVER BEEN ANYONE ELSE BUT YOU (1956) (Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster) (Music by Dimitri Tiomkin)
THE EYES OF TEXAS IS UPON YOU (1903) (uncredited) (melody: "I've Been Working on the Railroad") (Written by John Lang Sinclair)
OH SUSANNA (1846) (uncredited) (Music by Stephen Foster)
DIXIE (1860) (uncredited) (Music by Daniel Decatur Emmett)
Clair de Lune (1905) (uncredited) (Music by Claude Debussy)
OH MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1884) (uncredited) (Music by Percy Montrose)
AULD LANG SYNE (1788) (uncredited) (Traditional Scottish 17th century music)
Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride) from "Lohengrin") (1850) (uncredited) (Music by Richard Wagner)
Wedding March from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1842) (uncredited) (Music by Felix Mendelssohn)
BESAME MUCHO (1940) (uncredited) (Music by Consuelo Velázquez)
SILENT NIGHT (1818) (uncredited) (Music by Franz Xaver Gruber)
WOULD YOU BELIEVE ME? (1947) (uncredited) (Music by Ray Heindorf and M.K. Jerome)
THE ARKANSAS TRAVELLER (ca 1850) (uncredited) (Music by Sanford Faulkner)
LITTLE BROWN JUG (1869) (uncredited) (Music by Joseph Winner)
TAPS (1862) (uncredited) (Music by Daniel Butterfield)
THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER (1814) (uncredited) (melody: "To Anachreon in Heaven") (Music by John Stafford Smith)
THE U.S. AIR FORCE (1939) (uncredited) (Originally called "The Army Air Corps") (Music by Robert Crawford)
THROUGH A THOUSAND DREAMS (1946) (uncredited) (Music by Arthur Schwartz)
Lullaby (1868) (uncredited) (Music by Johannes Brahms)
SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Down Mexico Way) (1939) (uncredited) (Music by Michael Carr) (Lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy)
THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS (1955) (uncredited) (Music by Don George)
JINGLE BELLS (1857) (uncredited) (originally called "One Horse Open Sleigh") (Written by James Pierpont) [Sung on the Christmas morning after Judy's wedding]
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras: Due to the massive amounts of special features, and because of space restrictions, I can only give some of the special features brief descriptions.
Special Feature: Introduction by George Stevens, Jr. [1955] [480i] [1.37:1] [2:55] Recorded in 1995, George Stevens, Jr. provides an optional introduction summarizing various points that will be covered in greater depth in the remaining special features.
Audio Commentary by George Stevens, Jr., Screenwriter Ivan Moffat and Film Critic Stephen Farber: As with Shane, Stevens served as an uncredited production assistant on Giant. George Stevens, Jr. and Ivan Moffat provide a wealth of insights, memories and trivia, although much of it is duplicated in the other extras. Stephen Farber acts as informal moderator, prompting George Stevens, Jr. and Ivan Moffat with questions. Even with three participants, however, it proves difficult to keep up a continuous audio commentary for over three hours. An alert listener will notice that some portions of the audio commentary in the last half hour are literally replays of earlier sections (e.g., George Stevens, Jr.' comments on Michael Todd and the Oscar results).
Special Feature: George Stevens: Filmmakers Who Knew Him [2001] [480i] [1.37:1] [45:40] First released in 2001 on the DVD of ‘A Place in the Sun,’ this documentary features revealing interviews with an impressive array of notable directors, actors other luminaries involved in the film industry. Contributors include: Warren Beatty, Frank Capra (archive footage), Rouben Mamoulian archive footage), Joseph L. Mankiewicz (archive footage), Alan J. Pakula (archive footage), George Stevens (archive footage), Antonio Vellani (archive footage), Robert Wise (archive footage) and Fred Zinnemann (archive footage).
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Bonus 1st DVD Special Features:
Special Feature: Memories of Giant [1998] [480i] [1.37:1] [51:36] This 1998 documentary features interviews with people involved with the about the making of the classic film ‘GIANT.’ This documentary while it's slightly entertaining at the same time you can't be somewhat upset by how uneven and at times out of focus it is. I say this because it probably would have been much better had someone edited the footage together in a different way. They talk about Elizabeth Taylor then jump to editing, the costumes, something else and then flashback to continue what they originally were saying about Elizabeth Taylor. The first ten-minutes or so is basically a tribute to director George Stevens as everyone comments on his talent and the way he directed films. Rock Hudson says that actors should just be putty and put themselves in his hands because he could mould anyone into perfection and the Rock Hudson interview is certainly the highlight of the film as he was one of the stars of the picture so he has quite a few stories to tell and one funny story we get to hear about has Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor staying out too late drinking and then having to get up early the next day for an emotional scene. We also get to hear about the impact that James Dean had on the film as well as some technical issues like making everyone age in a believable way. There's no question that all of the interviews are priceless but it's a case where the direction and editing should have had more interest in telling a story instead of just showing the footage. Contributors include: Carroll Baker, Earl Holliman, Rock Hudson (archive footage), George Stevens Jr., Jane Withers, James Dean (archive footage) (uncredited), George Stevens (archive footage) (uncredited) and Elizabeth Taylor (archive footage) (uncredited).
Special Feature: Return to ‘GIANT’ [2003] [480i] [1.37:1] [55:07] This 2003 documentary is narrated by Don Henley and features many of the same participants as "Memories of Giant," along with additional cast members and various Texans, from Marfa and surrounding environs. If the documentary has a weakness, it's over-reliance on clips from the film. Chapter headings are listed as follows: Eye on Marfa; Casting; The Landscape; More than Watchers; Rope Tricks; Hudson and Taylor; Striking Oil; Recreation; Filming Over; Tragedy; As We See Ourselves; Proud Legacy and End Credits. Contributors include: Don Henley [Narrators voice], Don Graham [University of Texas], Earl Holliman, Bryan Woolley [Dallas Morning News], Carroll Baker, George Stevens Jr., Jake Brisbin [Presidio County Judge], Robert Hinkle, Dennis Hopper, Fran Bennett, Monte Hale, Rock Hudson (archive footage), Darlyne Freeman, Clay Evans, Dan Molina [Son of Crew Member], Lucy Garcia, Wally Cech [Caterer], Fritz Kahl [Mayor of Marfa], Bill Christopher, Betty Jo White Spitler, Mike Todd (archive footage), James Dean (archive footage) (uncredited), Mercedes McCambridge (archive footage) (uncredited), George Stevens (archive footage) (uncredited), Elizabeth Taylor (archive footage) (uncredited) and Jane Withers (archive footage) (uncredited).
Special Feature: George Stevens’s ‘GIANT’ New York Premiere [1955] [480i] [1.37:1] [28:51] Hosted by Chill Wills and Jayne Meadows at aa red carpet event from the Roxy Theater for the premiere of the film ‘GIANT’ for the purpose of charity fundraising.
Special Feature: Hollywood Premiere for ‘GIANT’ at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood Blvd, October 18, 1956 [1956] [480i] [1.37:1] [4:21] This is a news report that opens with a recap of the New York The premiere for Warner Bros’ ‘GIANT’starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on October 18,1956 was a very big deal. We get to see a lot of limos arriving outside the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre along the Hollywood Boulevard and we also get to see a number of searchlights strafed the night sky. The number of stars who attended was mindboggling and was well over 100 of them, everyone from Nick Adams to Shelley Winters, along with Art Linkletter as the Master of Ceremonies. The film’s 10-week run was the longest run of any movie at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre that year.
Special Feature: ‘GIANT’ Stars Are Off to Texas [1955] [480i] [1.37:1] [0:38] Here we get a brief look at the Warner Bros. Pathé News item on the film ‘GIANT,’ which appears to basically get is some quite footage of what appears to be a party thrown for the cast and crew of ‘GIANT’ before they left for filming. We get to see Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Jack Warner, George Stevens and James Dean quickly and that's pretty much it. You're certainly not going to learn anything new by watching this but at the same time it's really irresistible because you get to see these legends. Just take a look at the scene where the three stars are cutting a cake. Hudson and Taylor appear to be game but poor James Dean looks as if he is totally bored out of his mind and wishing he was somewhere else. What we get to view is certainly nothing here that will educate you on the aspect of the film but I'm sure the attractive cast at least got people's interest started early.
Special Feature: Stills and Documents: The "stills" are a collection of behind-the-scenes photos. The "documents" are excerpts from the internal correspondence during production, including the often contentious exchanges between George Stevens and Jack Warner over such crucial elements as budget and the film's running time.
Special Feature: Behind-the-Cameras: On Location in Marfa, Texas [1955] [480i] [1.37:1] [5:58] An instalment of the promotional TV series "Behind the Scenes" hosted and narrated by Gig Young. A few bits of location footage look staged, but most of it is obviously authentic.
Special Feature: Behind-the-Cameras: A Visit with Dmitri Tiomkin [1955] [480i] [1.37:1] [6:33] Another instalment of "Behind the Scenes" focusing on the work of Giant's composer. Gig Young interviews Dmitri Tiomkin about his influences and background, and Dmitri Tiomkin plays several of the key themes from the film‘GIANT.’
Theatrical Trailers: 1956 "Book" Trailer [1955] [480i] [1.85:1 and 1.37:1] So named because it has no film clips, only pages of a book that turn to reveal text and illustrations.
Original 1956 Theatrical Trailer [1955] [480i] [1.37:1] [3:45]
Original 1963 Reissue Trailer [480i] [1.37:1] [2:29]
Original 1970 Reissue Trailer [480i] [1.37:1] [3:03]
Special Feature: George Stevens Filmography: This is a text-based inclusion on this release: A ‘GIANT’ Undertaking is a text-based walkthrough of George Stevens career as filmmaker, George Stevens Filmography notes his works, Awards details the awards won, and Cast and Crew gives more insight into the careers of others who worked on the film ‘GIANT.’
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Bonus 2nd DVD Special Features:
Special Feature: George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey [1984] [480i] [1.37:1] [1:51:24] This 1984 amazing documentary, written, produced and directed by George Stevens, Jr., provides a detailed overview of the life and career of George Stevens the director. Beginning with his early days in Hollywood as a cameraman for Hal Roach, when George Stevens saved Stan Laurel's career by figuring out how to photograph the future comedy legend so that his pale blue eyes would register on film, the documentary traces George Stevens' long career directing such skilful light fare as ‘Alice Adams’ (with Katherine Hepburn), ‘Swing Time’ (with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) and ‘Woman of the Year’ (with Audrey Hepburn and Spencer Tracy). World War II changed Stevens' outlook: Volunteering for military service (along with such notables as William Wyler, Frank Capra and John Ford), Stevens was assigned by General Eisenhower to document the Normandy invasion. Later, he directed a film crew that recorded the liberation of the concentration camp at Dachau. He returned from four years of war having lost all interest in comedy or anything else on the lighter side. Indeed, for several years, Stevens seemed uninterested in directing at all. With the film ‘I Remember Mama’ in 1948, George Stevens began the series of films that would bring him two Oscars for Best Director, great popular success and major industry clout. The list includes ‘GIANT,’ ‘A Place in the Sun’ and ‘Shane.’ The winning streak ended in 1965, with the troubled production of ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told,’ starring Max von Sydow as Jesus. It was during this period that George Stevens became embroiled in an infamous controversy within the Directors Guild of America, when Cecil B. DeMille, a staunch anti-Communist and supporter of the blacklist, attempted to remove Joseph L. Mankiewicz as president and to institute loyalty pledges. Stevens led the successful opposition, although, as recounted by Fred Zinneman and John Huston, it was the venerable John Ford who stood up at a key moment and delivered the coup de grace. The documentary uses substantial archival footage, including recordings of George Stevens himself, and its interviewees are an impressive roster, many of whom are no longer with us. In addition to Audrey Hepburn, Fred Zinneman and John Huston, there are other participants that include Joel McCrea, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Fred Astaire, Ginger Roger, Millie Perkins, Frank Capra and Alan Pakula (whose stories about Shane are brief but memorable). Contributors include: George Stevens Jr. [Narrator voice] Fred Astaire, Warren Beatty, Pandro S. Berman, Frank Capra, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Katharine Hepburn, John Huston, Rouben Mamoulian, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Joel McCrea, Ivan Moffat, Alan J. Pakula, Hermes Pan, Millie Perkins, Hal Roach, Ginger Rogers, Irwin Shaw, Jack Sher, Yvonne Howell, Antonio Vellani, Max von Sydow, Fred Zinnemann, Jean Arthur (archive footage), Montgomery Clift (archive footage), James Dean (archive footage), Cary Grant (archive footage), Rock Hudson (archive footage), Sam Jaffe (archive footage), Alan Ladd (archive footage), Fred MacMurray (archive footage), Jack Palance (archive footage), George Stevens (archive footage), Elizabeth Taylor (archive footage), Spencer Tracy (archive footage), Shelley Winters (archive footage), Charles Coburn (archive footage) (uncredited), Brandon De Wilde (archive footage) (uncredited), Joan Fontaine (archive footage) (uncredited), Oliver Hardy (archive footage) (uncredited), Van Heflin (archive footage) (uncredited), Adolf Hitler (archive footage) (uncredited), Stan Laurel (archive footage) (uncredited), Hattie McDaniel (archive footage) (uncredited) and Victor McLaglen (archive footage) (uncredited).
BONUS: THIS 3 DISC SET INCLUDES A STUNNING 44-PAGE THAT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM GEORGE STEVENS, JR,; A TEN-GALLON STORY; FROM PAGE TO FILM: AN EPIC STORY THUNDERS ONT THE SCREEN; BIG TROUBLE; MARFA, TEXAS; THE FINAL FRAME: TINTED WITH TRADGEDY; GIANT STORY, GIANT STARS AND A GIANT OF A FILM SHOOT; A FILMMAKING GIANT; GEORGE STEVENS PRODUCER & DIRECTOR; ELIZABETH TAYLOR LESLIE BENEDICT; ROCK HUDSON JORDAN “BICK” BENEDICT JR.; JAMES DEAN JET RINK; ENDNA FERBER WRITER – NOVEL; FRED GUIOL SCREENPLAY; IVAN MOFFAT SCREENPLAY and TRIVIA. Plus we get a massive amount of rare black-and-white and sepia publicity photographs, as well as rare behind-the-scene photographs.
Finally, when you hear people say "they don't make them like they used to" and ‘GIANT’ is probably one of the first films that springs to mind. This masterpiece of cinematic craft and storytelling is both socially important and marvellous to behold. The visual qualities are so sublime and yet it's not the showiest of films: this is a film that is so nuanced and wonderfully realized that it stands significantly apart from most other productions of its time and even of modern cinema. This is one of the best epics to ever be made and George Stevens made that possible through the brilliance of the directing. The story and the great performances make this an essential viewing. Whether you care most about the acting from Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, or James Dean or perhaps the magnificent storytelling and there is no mistaking the brilliance of this significant classic. Giant should belong in everyone's Blu-ray Collection who is a massive fan of great classic cinema. So much so, this Special Deluxe Limited Edition DigiBook is totally amazing and so beautifully professionally presented and so with a massive tour-de-force film and this ultimate Special Deluxe Limited Edition DigiBook, it is again a great honour to add this to my Blu-ray Collection and in a few years' time will become a very rare item, so don't delay, as in time this will no longer be available. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller - Your Ultimate No. Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
