AMAZON: THESE REVIEWS NOT FOR BLU RAY VERSION PLEASE FIX!!!
This hugely entertaining film has been restored to full aspect ration and the annoying panel lines from the three 35MM prints have been removed. Warner Bros has spent a ton of dough getting this right but the reviews on this page are almost all for previous versions. Amazon: please correct!!!

I can't wait for this new edition.
I purchased the original MGM/UA dvd of "How the West Was Won" years ago when originally released on DVD. I've watched it twice over the years and continue to be amazed by the utterly mediocre quality of the picture. If I wanted such poor quality, I might as well watch a butchered-up version on tv. That is why I was so overjoyed to discover a new edition to be released this August. As this is one of my 10 favorite films and a film that continues to bring warm memories of my childhood, as I originally saw the film at age 13 with my father, I had hoped for years for a new release of this film. I will be purchasing it on Blu-ray.
This film case out duting a wonderful time of movie epics that we will never see again (at least without the use of CGI.) I remember walking down Broadway in Manhattan with my parents in 1962. At the Criterion theater "Lawrence of Arabia," the Demille "The Longest Day," the Loews State "Mutiny on the Bounty." A few months later at the Cinerama "How the West Was Won." This was followed by "Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." Yes those were great days.
For years I was always puzzled by the great John Wayne's relatively small role in my favorite western. I was advised by someone in the know that this was due to the Dukes wanting to work with John Ford on the civil war segment and this was the only real role in that segment that the Duke was well-cast for.
In conclusion, I love this film and can't wait for its re-release on DVD (and blu-ray) this August.

Review on DVD set for August 2008
I keep running into negative reviews for a DVD film or set that hasn't been released yet. I am not sure why Amazon feels in necessay to move reviews over to a DVD that has yet to be released but it's a bit like shooting yourself in the foot. Everyone waiting for a decent release of this film - without the lines on film - should be aware they need to wait for reviews of the set AFTER it has been released and ignore the negative reviews of previous versions.

Everyone knows this film, it is the reviews of the DVD and not the film that is important to most of us. Wake up, Jeff. This is very frustrating. Quit posting reviews of DVDs that have yet to be released.

Richard

Is the Blue-ray version region free.??
How the West Was Won (Special Edition) [Blu-ray] (1963) Is this all regions, ABC?? If so I'll order it now otherwize I'll have to wait until next year when it's released in my country.

at last the one and only cinerama
this will be a wonderful version of this one of a kind movie. saw it in its original form at the windor cinerama theatre in texas in 1963 and at the pacifics cinerama theatre a few years ago. one posted a comment thats absolutely correct i wish folks would not comment on something about it before it even comes out without the facts. this version is the restored version that was shown at the cinerama theatre in 2003 ( along with " this is cinerama") recently by paul allen. it was wonderful and as beautiful as it was when first released. and folks keep in mind for those that are complaining about the aspect ratio....this was the widest of all wide screen formats....so there is only so much they can fit on our tv screens.... O.K.? so im sure it will be spectacular and im looking forward to the documentary " cinerama adventure " and anything like this movie to put out in our day and time on dvd is right on. lets be grateful and enjoy. i think they are going to show this wonderful piece of americana in cinerama at the cinerama dome to coinside with the release of this great movie. i wish they would still make cinerama movie's like they used too... thank you warner bros.