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==Copyright status in Japan==
==Copyright status in Japan==
In 2006, ''Shane'' was the subject of a major legal case in [[Japan]] involving the expiration of its [[copyright]] in Japan. First Trading Corporation had been selling budget-priced copies of public domain movies, including Shane, as Japanese law only protected cinematographic works for 50 years from the year it was published—which meant that Shane fell into the public domain in 2003. In a lawsuit filed by Paramount, it was contested that Shane was not in the public domain in Japan due to an amendment which extended the copyright term for these works from 50 to 70 years, and came into effect on [[January 1]], [[2004]]. It was later ruled that the new law was not retroactive, and any film produced during or before 1953 was not eligible for the extension.<ref name="shane-japan">{{cite web|url=http://www.law.washington.edu/Casrip/Newsletter/Vol14/newsv14i1Mitani.html|title=Argument for the Extension of the Copyright Protection over Cinematographic Works|last=Mitani|first=Hidehiro |date=Autumn/Winter 2007|work=CASRIP Newsletter|publisher=UW School of Law|accessdate=2009-01-12}}</ref>
In 2006, ''Shane'' was the subject of a major legal case in [[Japan]] involving the expiration of its [[copyright]] in Japan. First Trading Corporation had been selling budget-priced copies of public domain movies, including Shane, as Japanese law only protected cinematographic works for 50 years from the year it was published—which meant that Shane fell into the public domain in 2003. In a lawsuit filed by Paramount, it was contested that Shane was not in the public domain in Japan due to an amendment which extended the copyright term for these works from 50 to 70 years, and came into effect on [[January 1]], [[2004]]. It was later ruled that the new law was not retroactive, and any film produced during or before 1953 was not eligible for the extension.<ref name="shane-japan">{{cite web|url=http://www.law.washington.edu/Casrip/Newsletter/Vol14/newsv14i1Mitani.html|title=Argument for the Extension of the Copyright Protection over Cinematographic Works|last=Mitani|first=Hidehiro |date=Autumn/Winter 2007|work=CASRIP Newsletter|publisher=UW School of Law|accessdate=2009-01-12}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
* [[Samuel L. Jackson]]'s character in ''[[The Negotiator (film)|The Negotiator]]'' mentions that, though he rarely likes [[westerns]], he listed ''Shane'' as one of the few he enjoyed; he and [[Kevin Spacey]]'s character argue over whether Shane died at the end.
* A sample of Joey calling out to Shane at the end of the movie was used in the hit single ''[[The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking]]'' by [[Roger Waters]]. Scenes from the movie were used in the video clip of that song.
* In the episode "Synchronized Swimming" (Season 4, episode 5/Original air date: Oct. 16, 1999), Arnold and the gang of ''[[Hey Arnold!]]'' create a routine based on the film, with the name changed to ''Wayne''. They finish the routine with a unison chanting of the spoofed final line, "Wayne! Wayne! Come back, Wayne!"
*[[Cliff Robertson]] played a gunfighter-themed guest villain called "Shame" in the 1960s ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' episode "Come Back, Shame".
*[[Clint Eastwood]]'s 1985 western ''[[Pale Rider]]'' contains many thematic and plot references to ''Shane''.
*In ''[[Goodfellas]]'', right before [[Joe Pesci]]'s character starts shooting at Spyder's feet, he asks, "Hey, what's that movie with [[Humphrey Bogart|Bogart]]?" [[Robert De Niro]]'s character jokingly responds, ''Shane!''—at which Pesci smiles and begins to fire.
*The famous [[monologue]] in ''[[Taxi Driver]]'', "You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... you talking to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? Oh yeah? OK." was inspired by a scene from ''Shane'' in which Shane asks "You speakin' to me?" and Chris Calloway replies "I don't see nobody else standin' there."
* [[Roger Waters]] on his solo album ''[[The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking]]'' during the song "5:01AM (The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Part 10)," asks in reference to the movie, "Do you remember Shane?"
* [[Bill Hicks]] on his album ''Arizona Bay'' compares the United States during the [[First Gulf War]] to Jack Palance from ''Shane''.
* [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]] CEO and Owner [[Vince McMahon]] is reportedly obsessed with the movie ''Shane''. He named his son [[Shane McMahon|Shane]] after that movie and he named his production company "Shane Productions" when he made the movie ''[[No Holds Barred]]''. He has reportedly tried to buy the rights to this movie.
* [[Croatia]]n rock band [[Haustor]] recorded one of their most popular songs, "Šejn" (Croatian transcription of ''Shane''), on their third album from 1985. The song was also covered by [[Serbia]]n band [[Eyesburn]] in 1999.
* The 2008 film, ''[[The Dark Knight (film)|The Dark Knight]]'', ends with an allusion to ''Shane'' in which Commissioner Gordon's son calls after [[Batman]] as he rides away.
*The 1978 ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'' episode, "[[The Lost Warrior]]" is quite similar to ''Shane.''
*An episode of the 1960s animated series ''[[Roger Ramjet]]'' called "Hi Noon" parodies the ending to ''Shane'', in which a boy calls after Roger when he rides out of town after defeating the story's villain.
*In the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode riffing the movie <i>The Final Sacrifice</i>, one character, upon seeing the name "Shane" among the credits, calls out "Go away, Shane!"
*[[Gigi Morasco]], a character on the US soap opera ''[[One Life to Live]]'', named her son Shane after the main character of the movie. She says that Shane's father, [[Rex Balsom]], reminds her of actor Alan Ladd.
*In the episode "A Taxing Problem" (1990) (Show - 0415) of the series ''[[Married with Children]]'', Al walks out the door with his suitcase and then comes back in and says, "Very nice. Very nice. No 'Oh Dad, please don't go'? No 'Oh Al, yes I'll cut my hair'? Not even a 'Shane, Shane, come back'?"
*In the episode "Dodgeball City" (1999) of the series [[Recess]], the end has Gus walking into the sunset and as he does so, a kindergartener walks up and says, "Gus come back, school's not over yet." The rest of this episode is a parody of a collection of westerns, specifically Clint Eastwood's Western's, as Gus is dressed as Clint Eastwood's character from "A Few Dollars More" and "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly". Specifically the Unknown gunfighter who hangs up his guns after killing a kid, then takes them up again to avenge another kid, then rides of into the sunset.
*In an episode of [[Gilmore Girls]], Rory runs into Jess at the market. When she learns he has been seeing a girl named Shane, she says "As in 'Come back'?".
*In an episode of the [[1970s]] [[BBC]] sitcom [[Porridge]], [[Fletcher]] [[Ronnie Barker]] cites [[Shane]] as an example of why [[Godber]] should turn the other cheek and walk away from a fight.
*In an episode of [[30 Rock]], Jack Donaghy said that [[Harry And The Hendersons]] reminded him of Shane, which is his favoite movie.
*The [[comic strip]] ''[[Peanuts (comic strip)|Peanuts]]'' had a strip where [[Snoopy]] is sporting a [[cowboy hat]] and [[Woodstock (Peanuts)|Woodstock]] can't resist teasing him by yelling, in his tongue, "Come back Shane!"
*On a "Starship Surprise" sketch in ''[[Sesame Street]]'', the explorers visit the planet Sh, where they are introduced by Shane the Shrimp Sheriff who eventually leaves and the captain yells "Come back Shane!"
*The movie shane was referd to in the fugees song "OUTLAW"


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 03:29, 8 April 2009

Shane
File:Shaneposter.png
theatrical poster
Directed byGeorge Stevens
Written byJack Schaefer (story)
A.B. Guthrie Jr. (screenplay)
Produced byGeorge Stevens
StarringAlan Ladd
Jean Arthur
Van Heflin
Brandon De Wilde
Jack Palance
CinematographyLoyal Griggs
Edited byWilliam Hornbeck
Tom McAdoo
Music byVictor Young
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
April 23, Template:Fy (US)
Running time
118 minutes
CountryTemplate:FilmUS
LanguageTransclusion error: {{En}} is only for use in File namespace. Use {{langx|en}} or {{in lang|en}} instead.

Shane is a Template:Fy western film produced and directed by George Stevens from a screenplay by A.B. Guthrie Jr., based on the Template:Lty novel of the same name by Jack Schaefer. The film stars Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur and Van Heflin, and features Brandon De Wilde, Elisha Cook Jr., Jack Palance and Ben Johnson. The cinematography was by Loyal Griggs, with a music score by Victor Young.[1]

Plot

Alan Ladd and Jean Arthur

A mysterious stranger named Shane (Alan Ladd) drifts into an isolated western valley. It soon becomes apparent that he is a gunslinger, and he finds himself drawn into a conflict between simple homesteader Joe Starrett (Van Heflin) and powerful cattle baron Rufus Ryker (Emile Meyer), who wants to force him and every other homesteader in the valley off the land. Shane accepts a job as a farmhand, but finds Starrett's young son Joey (Brandon DeWilde) drawn to him for his strength and skill with a gun. Shane himself is uncomfortably drawn to Starrett's wholesomely charming wife, Marian (Jean Arthur).

As tensions mount between the factions, Ryker hires Jack Wilson (Jack Palance), a skilled gunslinger. After Wilson kills another homesteader (Elisha Cook, Jr.) who stands up to him, Joe Starrett decides to take it on himself to go kill Wilson and Ryker and save the town; however, he is stopped by Shane who insists on going himself. Starrett and Shane fight over who should go on to face Wilson; Shane regretfully uses his gun to hit Joe over the head and knock him out, knowing this was the only way to prevent Joe from getting killed. Shane then goes to take on Wilson in a climactic showdown, killing him and Ryker, but being wounded in the shootout. After urging young Joey to grow up strong and take care of both of his parents, Shane rides away in a random direction.

As Shane rides away, Joey calls after him, "Pa's got things for you to do! And Mother wants you. I know she does." Shane slumps forward on his horse, presumably dead from his shootout wounds, but the horse keeps going. The movie closes with Joey shouting "Shane! Come back!" as he watches the horse with Shane on its back disappear into the distance.

Cast

Production notes

Although the film is fiction, elements of the setting are derived from Wyoming's Johnson County War.[2] The physical setting is the high plains near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and many shots feature the Grand Teton massif looming in the near distance. Other filming took place at Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino National Forest, the Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth and at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California.

Director George Stevens originally cast Montgomery Clift as Shane, and William Holden as Joe Starrett. When they both proved unavailable, the film was nearly abandoned. Stevens asked studio head Y. Frank Freeman for a list of available actors with current contracts. Within three minutes, he chose Alan Ladd, Van Heflin and Jean Arthur.

Although the film was made between July and October 1951, it was not released until 1953 due to director Stevens' extensive editing. The film cost so much to make that at one point, Paramount negotiated its sale to Howard Hughes, who later pulled out of the arrangement. The studio felt the film would never recoup its costs. In fact, the film ended up making a significant profit. Another story reported that Paramount was going to release the film as "just another western" until Hughes watched a rough cut of the film and offered to buy it on the spot from Paramount for his RKO Radio Pictures. Hughes' offer made Paramount reconsider the film for a major release.

Jean Arthur was not the first choice to play Marian; Katharine Hepburn was originally considered for the role. Even though she had not made a picture in five years, Arthur accepted the part at the request of George Stevens with whom she had worked in two earlier films, The Talk of the Town (1942) and The More the Merrier (1943) for which she received her only Oscar nomination. Shane marked her last film appearance (when the film was shot she was 50 years old, significantly older than her 2 male costars), although she later appeared in theater and a short-lived television series.

Jack Palance had problems with horses and Alan Ladd with guns. The scene where Shane practices shooting in front of Joey required 116 takes. A scene where Jack Palance mounts his horse was actually a shot of him dismounting, but played in reverse. As well, the original planned introduction of Wilson galloping into town was replaced with him simply walking in on his horse, which was noted as improving the entrance by making him seem more threatening.

The film opened in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 23, 1953.[3] According to Motion Picture Daily:

Opening day business at the Music Hall was close to capacity. The audience at the first performance applauded at the end of a fight sequence and again at the end of the picture.[4]

Shane ended its run at Radio City Music Hall on May 20, 1953, racking up $114,000 in four weeks at Radio City.[5]

Technical details

Shane was the first film to be projected in a "flat" widescreen, a format that Paramount invented in order to offer audiences something that Television could not—a panoramic screen.[6] Paramount, in conjunction with the management of Radio City Music Hall, installed a screen measuring 50 feet wide by 30 feet high,[7] replacing the Hall's previous screen, which was 25 feet high by 34 feet wide.[8] Although the film's image was shot using the standard 1.37:1 Academy ratio, Paramount picked Shane to debut their new wide-screen system because it was composed largely of long and medium shots that would not be compromised by cropping the image. Using a newly cut aperture plate in the movie projector, as well as a wider-angle lens, the film was exhibited in its first-run venues at an aspect ratio of 1.66:1. Just before the premiere, Paramount announced that all of their films would be shot for this ratio from then on.[9] This was changed in 1954, when the studio changed their house aspect ratio to 1.85:1.

The film was originally released with a conventional optical soundtrack in March of 1953, but the success of the film convinced the producers to re-mix the soundtrack in May with a new three-track, stereophonic soundtrack, which was recorded and played on a 35mm magnetic full coat reel installed by Altec, in interlock on another dubber in the projection booth.[10] This process was new to the general public, only having been debuted in New York City with This is Cinerama and nationally with Warner Bros. picture, House of Wax

The film was also one of the first films to attempt to recreate the overwhelming sound of gunfire. Warren Beatty cited this aspect of Shane as inspiration during the filming of Bonnie and Clyde (from the documentary "George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey").

In addition, Shane was one of the first films in which actors were attached to hidden wires that yanked them backwards when they were shot from the front.

Awards and honors

Wins

Nominations

  • Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Brandon De Wilde; Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Jack Palance; Best Director, George Stevens; Best Picture, George Stevens; Best Writing, Screenplay, A.B. Guthrie Jr.; 1954.

Other

  • In June 2008, AFI revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Shane was acknowledged as the third best film in the western genre.[11][12]

American Film Institute recognition

In 2006, Shane was the subject of a major legal case in Japan involving the expiration of its copyright in Japan. First Trading Corporation had been selling budget-priced copies of public domain movies, including Shane, as Japanese law only protected cinematographic works for 50 years from the year it was published—which meant that Shane fell into the public domain in 2003. In a lawsuit filed by Paramount, it was contested that Shane was not in the public domain in Japan due to an amendment which extended the copyright term for these works from 50 to 70 years, and came into effect on January 1, 2004. It was later ruled that the new law was not retroactive, and any film produced during or before 1953 was not eligible for the extension.[13]

  • Samuel L. Jackson's character in The Negotiator mentions that, though he rarely likes westerns, he listed Shane as one of the few he enjoyed; he and Kevin Spacey's character argue over whether Shane died at the end.
  • A sample of Joey calling out to Shane at the end of the movie was used in the hit single The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking by Roger Waters. Scenes from the movie were used in the video clip of that song.
  • In the episode "Synchronized Swimming" (Season 4, episode 5/Original air date: Oct. 16, 1999), Arnold and the gang of Hey Arnold! create a routine based on the film, with the name changed to Wayne. They finish the routine with a unison chanting of the spoofed final line, "Wayne! Wayne! Come back, Wayne!"
  • Cliff Robertson played a gunfighter-themed guest villain called "Shame" in the 1960s Batman episode "Come Back, Shame".
  • Clint Eastwood's 1985 western Pale Rider contains many thematic and plot references to Shane.
  • In Goodfellas, right before Joe Pesci's character starts shooting at Spyder's feet, he asks, "Hey, what's that movie with Bogart?" Robert De Niro's character jokingly responds, Shane!—at which Pesci smiles and begins to fire.
  • The famous monologue in Taxi Driver, "You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... you talking to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? Oh yeah? OK." was inspired by a scene from Shane in which Shane asks "You speakin' to me?" and Chris Calloway replies "I don't see nobody else standin' there."
  • Roger Waters on his solo album The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking during the song "5:01AM (The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Part 10)," asks in reference to the movie, "Do you remember Shane?"
  • Bill Hicks on his album Arizona Bay compares the United States during the First Gulf War to Jack Palance from Shane.
  • WWE CEO and Owner Vince McMahon is reportedly obsessed with the movie Shane. He named his son Shane after that movie and he named his production company "Shane Productions" when he made the movie No Holds Barred. He has reportedly tried to buy the rights to this movie.
  • Croatian rock band Haustor recorded one of their most popular songs, "Šejn" (Croatian transcription of Shane), on their third album from 1985. The song was also covered by Serbian band Eyesburn in 1999.
  • The 2008 film, The Dark Knight, ends with an allusion to Shane in which Commissioner Gordon's son calls after Batman as he rides away.
  • The 1978 Battlestar Galactica episode, "The Lost Warrior" is quite similar to Shane.
  • An episode of the 1960s animated series Roger Ramjet called "Hi Noon" parodies the ending to Shane, in which a boy calls after Roger when he rides out of town after defeating the story's villain.
  • In the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode riffing the movie The Final Sacrifice, one character, upon seeing the name "Shane" among the credits, calls out "Go away, Shane!"
  • Gigi Morasco, a character on the US soap opera One Life to Live, named her son Shane after the main character of the movie. She says that Shane's father, Rex Balsom, reminds her of actor Alan Ladd.
  • In the episode "A Taxing Problem" (1990) (Show - 0415) of the series Married with Children, Al walks out the door with his suitcase and then comes back in and says, "Very nice. Very nice. No 'Oh Dad, please don't go'? No 'Oh Al, yes I'll cut my hair'? Not even a 'Shane, Shane, come back'?"
  • In the episode "Dodgeball City" (1999) of the series Recess, the end has Gus walking into the sunset and as he does so, a kindergartener walks up and says, "Gus come back, school's not over yet." The rest of this episode is a parody of a collection of westerns, specifically Clint Eastwood's Western's, as Gus is dressed as Clint Eastwood's character from "A Few Dollars More" and "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly". Specifically the Unknown gunfighter who hangs up his guns after killing a kid, then takes them up again to avenge another kid, then rides of into the sunset.
  • In an episode of Gilmore Girls, Rory runs into Jess at the market. When she learns he has been seeing a girl named Shane, she says "As in 'Come back'?".
  • In an episode of the 1970s BBC sitcom Porridge, Fletcher Ronnie Barker cites Shane as an example of why Godber should turn the other cheek and walk away from a fight.
  • In an episode of 30 Rock, Jack Donaghy said that Harry And The Hendersons reminded him of Shane, which is his favoite movie.
  • The comic strip Peanuts had a strip where Snoopy is sporting a cowboy hat and Woodstock can't resist teasing him by yelling, in his tongue, "Come back Shane!"
  • On a "Starship Surprise" sketch in Sesame Street, the explorers visit the planet Sh, where they are introduced by Shane the Shrimp Sheriff who eventually leaves and the captain yells "Come back Shane!"
  • The movie shane was referd to in the fugees song "OUTLAW"

References

  1. ^ Shane at IMDb
  2. ^ http://nieverojo.colostate.edu/issue2/shane.htm
  3. ^ "Para. Wide-Screen At Music Hall for Premiere of 'Shane'". Motion Picture Daily, April 8, 1953.
  4. ^ "Para. Wide-Screen At Music Hall for Premiere of 'Shane'". Motion Picture Daily, April 8, 1953.
  5. ^ "'Wax,' 'Shane' End Sturdy B'Way Runs". Motion Picture Daily, May 20, 1953.
  6. ^ Weaver, William R., "All Para. Films Set for 3 to 5 Aspect Ratio". Motion Picture Daily, March 25, 1953.
  7. ^ "Hall Alters Projection Equipment for 'Shane'". Motion Picture Daily, April 8, 1953.
  8. ^ "Para. Wide-Screen At Music Hall for Premiere of 'Shane'". Motion Picture Daily, April 8, 1953.
  9. ^ Weaver, William R., "All Para. Films Set for 3 to 5 Aspect Ratio". Motion Picture Daily, March 25, 1953.
  10. ^ "Midwest 'Shane' Premiere at Lake". Motion Picture Daily, May 13, 1953.
  11. ^ American Film Institute (2008-06-17). "AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Genres". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  12. ^ "Top Western". American Film Institute. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  13. ^ Mitani, Hidehiro (Autumn/Winter 2007). "Argument for the Extension of the Copyright Protection over Cinematographic Works". CASRIP Newsletter. UW School of Law. Retrieved 2009-01-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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