Zane Grey - Box Set 2

Zane Grey (1872-1939) was one of the most popular authors of western fiction ever, and 60 years after his death many of his 78 books, such as Riders of the Purple Sage, are still in print. In the silent era Hollywood filmed many of his stories with stars such as Tom Mix and Jack Holt. Grey knew the west well, particularly the deserts of Arizona and Utah, and demanded accurate locations for the films. Later, however, many of these films were remade, sometimes two or three times, without Grey's involvement, and the relation between novels and films grew much looser.

The films are quintessential B-moveis: black and white, just over an hour, featuring minor stars and formulaic plots with some music and comedy thrown in. Committed fans of the western genre will not be disappointed, and others will derive pleasure from the delightful Jane Greer in Sunset Pass and Tim Holt, son of Jack, in the other three films. The location shooting, mostly in the Lone Pine area of California, has an authentic feel.

Titles are: Under the Tonto Rim (1947); Thunder Mountain (1947); Sunset Pass (1946); Wild Horse Mesa(1947).

On the DVD: This box set contains two DVDs, each of which include two movies deriving from Zane Grey novels. Print quality and sound is generally acceptable, though Under the Tonto Rim has poor definition and is a bit scratchy. Aspect ratio is 14:9. The DVDs contain no extras of any kind. --Ed Buscombe