Wake of the Red Witch

The Olive Films Blu-Ray edition of "Wake Of The Red Witch" is beautifully produced. The sound is excellent and video clear. Pausing the video and stepping frame-by-frame reveals an astonishing clarity for this 1948 released film. Absolutely excellent technical work by the Olive FIlms crew on this Blu-Ray Disc.The story may be complicated, but is mysterious and engaging, and well directed by Edward Ludwig. The underwater scenes are surprisingly well-done for a movie made in 1948! Even the giant octopus appears as a realistic, actual living creature, quite a feat using the limited special effects available to 1948 film production. Indeed, a modern CGI generated giant octopus may appear more cartoon-like and not as real as the special effects used to create the creature in 1948! The model-work used to create the sunken Red Witch is superbly done and makes a modern viewer truly appreciate the skill and talent of film production crews just after World War Two.Luther Adler really takes the role of a slick, polished charming, villain, "Captain Sidneye" and runs with it in a performance so engaging it is difficult to imagine anyone else as Captain Sidneye. Gig Young, in an early role, is well cast as Captain Ralls' First Mate Sam Rosen, who is also the narrator of the story. Paul Fix is very good as "worry-wort" sailor Ripper Arrezo and many western fans will recognize him from his later role on "The Rifleman" as Town Marshall Micah Torrance. Lovely Adele Mara is very well cast as the beautiful niece of Captain Sidneye, and love interest of Sam Rosen; she would appear the following year in the John Wayne classic "Sands Of Iwo Jima".As the dark, bitter, dangerous-when-drunk Captain Ralls, John Wayne proves he can really act, in a difficult demanding role reminiscent of his superb performance as Ethan Edwards in the John Ford masterpiece "The Searchers" 8 years later in 1956. Unlike Wayne's unsalvageably dark "Ethan Edwards", however, Wayne's "Captain Ralls'" dark side is balanced in his love for Angelique Desaix. Perfectly cast, Gail Russell is breathtakingly beautiful, and totally believable as the frail and tragic Angelique. This was the second and final time John Wayne and Gail Russell would star together; their scenes with each other are so real and touching in genuine affection and chemistry, that it is truly regretful that the two of them did not do more movies together.For those thinking that John Wayne could not act, or was only good in westerns, "Wake Of The Red Witch" is an exciting sea adventure that will prove otherwise. You will also get the added bonus of the genuine tenderness of John Wayne and Gail Russell together. As it is only the second and last time the two of them starred together, "Wake Of The Red Witch" is worth watching or buying for that special Wayne/Russell chemistry alone.

good movie but sad ending

You don't see this particularly John Wayne on TV with any regularity. I'm not sure why this would be so. The film is similar in plot to "Reap the Wild Wind," with enough differences to make it worth watching. Once again in the role of a ship's captain, Wayne is a disreputable character out to make a buck, woo women and get a little payback for a wrong done to him in the past. There's a love story in the background, barratry, native gods, and treasure.If you've not seen this, it's worth the time. If you're a John Wayne fan and haven't seen it, you've missed one of those rare endings for a Wayne film.

“Wake of the Red Witch” was the second movie where John Wayne is a sea captain in love with a beautiful woman and fights a large, tentacled creature. Yes, there are actually two of them.The first was “Reap the Wild Wind” (1942), Cecil B. DeMille’s seagoing take on “Gone With the Wind”, a Technicolor extravaganza set in the antebellum South that featured Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard as well as a giant squid. It was very entertaining and enormously popular. In it Wayne’s character was not as totally good and heroic as in his usual pictures, an idea that seems to have intrigued him.In 1948 he got his chance to almost repeat the role in a similar setting and with a character even darker and more complex. And again, the film is set in the age of sailing ships. There are so many parallels between the two films that you could say one is a follow-up to the other. But “Red Witch” is not merely a copycat, but a deeper exploration of character and human relations and actually the better film. Martin Scorsese recently introduced the restored print of the film at New York’s Museum of Modern Art as the top film in the project to preserve the best of the films of Republic Pictures.Republic Pictures was an odd studio which usually turned out B-Pictures, mostly run-of-the-mill westerns, action pictures, mysteries and even serials. But every now and then they would produce a quality picture like “The Quiet Man” (John Ford), “Macbeth” (Orson Welles) or “Sands of Iwo Jima” (Alan Dwan). John Wayne made his early career in Republic westerns and was the natural choice to play Captain Ralls in the film. He had personally promoted the studio getting the rights to Garland Roark’s bestselling novel of 1946. Like many actors famous for doing one thing, he wanted to show he could do something else. It was a fabulously expensive film for Republic featuring many extras, a full size ship and numerous settings that included three underwater scenes. Even so, Republic was not Paramount, and could not afford the Technicolor of “Reap the Wild Wind”, a real shame. Replacing the DeMille crowd-pleaser was a darker, more complex story. Both films are very entertaining, and I am not knocking “Reap the Wild Wind” here.The story mixes flashbacks with current goings on and is told with narration by first mate Sam Rosen (Gig Young). It can be a bit hard to follow on first viewing. Captain Ralls is a not so nice guy who scuttles ships, uses devious means to meet his needs and has drunken binges that include great violence. The first views we have of him are of him having a sailor lashed mercilessly for insubordination and, in a flashback, being rescued at sea, having been tied to a log and set adrift by Gilbertese natives for cavorting with their young women. The interesting thing is that you eventually come to like him.The plot follows two great currents which eventually become entwined. First is the love between Ralls and Angelique, the niece of the French of the Commandant of an island under French Mandate. It’s a nice romance that reveals the softer side of Ralls and Gail Russell is both beautiful and intelligent in her role. The second part is far more interesting than the first, which is, after all, a conventional romance. Ralls works for Mayrant Ruysdaal Sidneye, the most ruthless and wealthy man in the South Pacific. Sydneye seems to be a self-made man, perhaps even with a shady past, who sees in Wayne the only person on his level of being or perhaps one even greater. He seems almost obsessed by Ralls as his only worthy successor or opponent. At a critical moment he scolds his wealthy friends saying, “Turn back to the window and keep your eyes upon a man. Ralls lives! He makes every day of living a challenge. Beside him you’re all decadent and dead.” It’s this dark and complex relationship that gives Wake of the Red Witch it’s real heft and it’s always fascinating when the two characters get together. Luther Adler gives a remarkably vivid and memorable performance in the role of Sydneye and one only wishes he had made more films. His career was mostly spent on stage in New York.I first ran into this film decades ago when it used to regularly be shown on television afternoon or late night movie programs. I became totally taken with it’s exotic picture of faraway tropical islands where beautiful young women played Chopin by moonlight. It is nice to see that not only does the film hold up but it is also finally getting some serious recognition.EXTRA NOTE: Where exactly does this take place? There’s a bit of cultural dissonance here that I can’t quite figure out. Ostensibly this takes place in Indonesia (at the time of the story, the Dutch East Indies). The names of important characters are Dutch: Ruysdaal, Van Schreeven. Sydneye offers a rijsttafel (Indonesian banquet) dinner to Ralls and his companions. There is a bit of Gamelan music in the opening credits. The court proceedings take place in the court of King William III (of Holland).But everything else seems Polynesian: the native canoe welcome is right out of Mutiny On the Bounty. The islanders’ huts, dances and culture seem Tahitian. There is a statue modeled on those on Easter Island. Nothing ever seemed Indonesian and the native people never looked or dressed Indonesian. Perhaps the island of pearls was in Polynesia; after all, Tahiti’s pearls are as famous as those of Indonesia. Or perhaps, as the French Commandant had a British accent, it was just that Hollywood laziness or confusion about details that simply saw the South Pacific as one place. They probably didn’t want to confuse an audience which likely had only a Polynesian image of the entire Pacific and East Indies. It doesn’t affect the enjoyment of the picture.

Great addition to my dvd collection!

It was one of the best pictures of John Wayne and I like John Wayne and I use the one I have all 130 of those movies on state but now I haven't gotten the left and I'm going to watch everyone of your movie called if I can thank you very much work do you want me and I will keep you informed on every movie I do thank you and bye-bye

This is a good interesting and entertaining movie.

This seller was awesome. they shipped the wrong item first, but upon notice that I had the wrong DVD they immediately replaced it. They were courteous and very conscience of the problem and made a solution. Actively contacting me to make sure all was good and that I was happy. I was, and am, and will use this seller again.

Classic sea faring tale with John Wayne. A bit over the top in places but lots of fun.

Le dvd était parfaitement emballé, conforme à la description concernant les langues, et le vendeur a été très réactif dans ses réponses, y compris après l'expédition.A recommander sans modération, donc !

This was an entertaining film, John Wayne was integral to the silver screen, it would have been a poorer place without him. Now these films can be enjoyed in the comfort of your sitting room.

Ein meiner Ansicht nach sehr sehenswertes Schwarz-Weiß-Schätzchen von John Wayne aus dem Jahr 1948! Wie bereits in dem 1946 gedrehten Western  Der schwarze Reiter  spielt eine erneut bezaubernde - und mit 36 Jahren leider viel zu früh verstorbene - Gail Russell an der Seite des "Duke". Diesem in der Südsee angesiedeltem Abenteuer um Gier, Hab- und Eifersucht sieht man zwar das Entstehungsjahr überdeutlich an (so z.B. in der Kampfszene mit dem Riesenkraken oder wenn Gail Russell und Luther Adler vor einer Palmenlandschaft entlang flanieren). Doch das tut der Freude beim Zuschauen wenig Abbruch. Wer John Wayne ausschließlich durch seine Western oder seine Kriegsfilme definiert, der sollte sich gerne "Wake of the Red Witch" anschauen. Und wer eine für die damalige Zeit gemäße Erwartungshaltung in punkto Spannung, Melodram und Romantik besitzt, der wird auch nicht enttäuscht werden. Die DVD hat m.E. eine gute Bildqualität (Format 4:3), die die Tonqualität etwas hinter sich lässt. An Specials gibt's lediglich einen Trailer. Der Film ist ausschließlich in Englisch mit auswählbaren englischen Untertiteln. Wer perfekt Englisch parliert, der benötigt diese natürlich nicht. Für mich war es dem Verständnis aber sehr dienlich. Ein Booklet oder weitere Informationen sind nicht vorhanden.Fazit: Für Freunde von John Wayne (und Gail Russell!) mit Englischkenntnissen ein sehenswerter Film Der schwarze Reiter

parfait