DVD restoration shows how "West" was done (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Warner Home Video isgearing up for one of its most ambitious catalog releases ever.

"How the West Was Won," the sprawling 1962 MGM Western epicboasting an ensemble cast that includes Henry Fonda, JohnWayne, Gregory Peck and James Stewart, will be released August26 in three newly restored and remastered versions.

What made the project a bit more cumbersome than others isthe fact that "West" is one of just two narrative feature filmsproduced in the original Cinerama three-panel widescreenprocess, a costly proposition abandoned after just one othersimultaneously shot MGM feature, "The Wonderful World of theBrothers Grimm."

During its initial theatrical run, "West" -- a winner ofthree Oscars, including best original screenplay -- was shownin theaters specially equipped with three synchronizedprojectors on extra-wide, slightly curved screens. Later, itwas presented on traditional screens with the three separatepanels optically joined to form a standard widescreen image,leaving two vertical "join lines" clearly visible on thescreen.

The join lines are noticeable as well on the original DVDedition of the film that Warner released in July 1998, barely ayear into the format's life cycle.

The film has been a consistent seller for Warner, andGeorge Feltenstein, the division's senior vp classic catalogmarketing, has long wanted to produce a special edition. But hedidn't want one with those nasty join lines, he said, so hewent to the technicians at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imagingfor help.

That was about five years ago. Technicians did, in fact,develop a complicated software program to eliminate the lines,and about 18 months ago they began an exhaustive frame-by-framerestoration only now being finished.

"The film has always been extraordinarily successful andpopular, with the cast being what it is and the story being soinspiring," Feltenstein said. "But we always felt that toreally do it justice we had to find a way to bring the panelstogether and eliminate those join lines so it looks gorgeous.We tried and tried, and ultimately we found a way. The resultsare truly astounding."

Feltenstein noted that in all showings subsequent to thefilm's original theatrical run, whether in regular theaters oron television or home video, "people have had to put up withthose awful join lines. It was a fact of life; no one everbothered to fix it or even make any attempt to explain toaudiences why the picture looked funny."

The new and improved "West," sans annoying lines, will bepresented on all three editions of the film: a special editionDVD, an "ultimate collector's edition" DVD and a Blu-ray Discedition. Additionally, the Blu-ray edition will come with asecond version of the film that replicates the originalCinerama experience.

"Dave Strohmaier, considered the world's foremost expert onall things Cinerama, calls it the 'smile box' version becauseit uses the shape of the original Cinerama screen and expandsout with a curve so it looks like a frown on the bottom and asmile on the top," Feltenstein said. "It's almost 3-D, and itallows anyone who has a home theater system to re-create theCinerama experience."

Feltenstein said that Strohmaier, whose 90-minutedocumentary "Cinerama Adventure" is featured on all threeeditions of "West," has been intimately involved in theproduction of the packages.

In addition to the documentary, other special featuresinclude a film historian commentary, a vintage making-offeature and the original theatrical trailer. The collector'sedition comes with a 20-page theatrical press bookreproduction, 10 behind-the-scenes photos and 10 postcards. TheBlu-ray edition is packaged in a "Digi-book" that resembles asmall hardcover book and includes 32 page of press materialsand behind-the-scenes photos.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter