George Stevens may not be a household name like the Hitchcocks and Capras of the world, but chances are you’re familiar with his work. If the likes of Shane, A Place in the Sun (my personal favorite of his), The Diary of Anne Frank and Giant don’t ring a bell, you clearly need to see more movies. Maybe you could start with this one.
Stevens had a long and interesting career, beginning in the silent era and anti-climactically concluding with 1970’s The Only Game in Town. In between are a slew of classics, not-so-classics and should-be-classics…a filmography to be envied, to be sure. Who better to chronicle that career than his own son, George Stevens Jr.? And if that name doesn’t ring a bell, he’s the guy we can thank for the American Film Institute and the Kennedy Center Honors (long before a certain flatulent, orangutan-haired, behemoth turned it into a joke).
Stevens Jr narrates the film, offering insights into his father’s filmmaking approach, ambition and creativity, a director always striving to try something new (as his eclectic filmography certainly demonstrates). Along the way, many of his biggest films (and one of his most notorious flops) are showcased in lengthy segments with key scenes, production footage and interviews with those he worked with. Regarding the latter, it reads like a who’s-who of Hollywood stars and power players, some in archival interviews, others who participated for the sake of this film.
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| "Hey guys...what does this button do?" |
At first, I was kinda curious why Warner Archive would choose a documentary from 1984 for a 4K restoration. However, the stunning transfer does underscore Stevens’ aesthetic gifts (and made me want to watch Shane again). Not only do the lengthy clips from his movies look and sound great, the WWII footage looks almost brand new. The disc’s bonus features also offer testimonial and personal insights from three modern masters (Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Guillermo del Toro). Revealing, affectionate and very entertaining, George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey is a must-watch for film buffs.
EXTRA KIBBLES
4K & BLU-RAY COPIES
3 ACADEMY MUSEUM LECTURES - In three separate lectures, directors Martin Scorsese, Guillermo del Toro and Christopher Nolan offer analysis and appreciation of specific films. Del Toro, discussing The Greatest Story Ever Told, and Nolan, discussing Shane, speak before an audience at the museum. Scorsese also discusses The Greatest Story Ever Told, but shot in 2026, presumably for this release.
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