High Noon

(2-disc set; $19.98; Release Date: June 10, 2008)

By DAVID LEWIS

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

Cast: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado

Everything about Fred Zinneman and Stanley Kramer's minimalist western classic "High Noon" is straight and to the point. The 1952 film mines white-knuckle, real-time suspense from a simple conceit, Carl Foreman's lean script, an understated lead performance by Gary Cooper (it won him the Oscar) and a basic, no-frills look. It seems odd, then, that the film's new two-disc DVD set's bonus section features significant overlap between extras and repetitious revelations about the film's history. The juxtaposition between film and DVD confirms the old adage that sometimes less is more.

For the most part, the extras seem cobbled together from previous DVD versions. Disc two's centerpiece is the brand-new, 50-minute "Inside 'High Noon,'" soothingly narrated by Frank Langella. While it's unfortunate that none of the film's cast and crew is around to discuss their collective triumph, film scholars and celeb guests like Bill Clinton (who, along with Ike and W, named "High Noon" his fave pic) offer interesting insights into the pic's production history and its long-lasting influence. The doc provides some fascinating material for fans, but it's overlong by about 15 minutes and is marred by inconsistent production values.

Also included is a well-made 22-minute featurette from the '80s hosted by a young Leonard Maltin. This doc is significant because it includes interviews with Kramer, Zinneman and the film's co-star Lloyd Bridges.

Fans of Tex Ritter, who performed the pic's Oscar-winning tune "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin'," will enjoy a brief doc about the singer, a performance of the song from "The Jimmy Dean Show" and a radio interview with the country singer.

"Behind 'High Noon'" is a superfluous featurette, hosted by star Gary Cooper's daughter (who's obviously reading cue cards) that mostly repeats information from "Inside 'High Noon.'"

The earnest commentary is another disappointment. Provided by Maria Cooper-Janis, Tim Zinnemann, Jonathan Foreman and the late John Ritter -- offspring of four key players -- the track (from a 2003 DVD release) suffers from some significant lulls. And, with a lack of personal anecdotes, the choice of narrators appears entirely sentimental; they spend most of the time describing what's happening onscreen. Some critical analysis would have been welcome.

In the end, "High Noon" stands on its own (like its protagonist) as a superlative suspense film that belongs in the DVD library of any serious film enthusiast.

AC-3, Dolby, B&W. Running time: 85 minutes

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