“John Wayne’s The Alamo – The Restoration”

Adelaide, Australia, May, 2026

A small yet dedicated movie restoration operation nestled in the southern region of Adelaide is making notable strides in the film world with its extraordinary work in restoring classic films and television series.

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Among their significant accomplishments is the transformative restoration of the 70MM version of John Wayne's The Alamo.            Initially released on home media in an edited 162 minute version, attempts to restore The Alamo to its original 202 minute length for digital release proved problematic. All the deleted scenes were only available in analogue format and found to be totally unsuitable for integration into a high definition master.  

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The Adelaide team undertook a two-year labour of love to meticulously restore and enhance, as much as technology would allow, all 18 cuts to match those of the the master -- thus creating a true representation of this epic motion picture.                                      The result is a stunning Blu-ray and 4K release, showcasing The Alamo's original TODD--AO grandeur.

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After a recent private screening, Australian film critic Peter Hashford wrote, “If there were 18 different clips added to this movie, I couldn’t tell where they were inserted. The quality was extraordinary, with only a minor drop in visual fidelity in a couple of scenes that didn’t detract from the story line. This is truly a remarkable achievement.”

The restored release of The Alamo marks a significant advancement in film preservation, fueled by the project’s creator passion over profit, who described the project as a hobby that evolved into a monumental accomplishment.

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This exclusive 65th Anniversary release of The Alamo, available in both Blu Ray or 4K, includes –

• A Region Free disc that can be played anywhere in the world

• The full 202 minute movie as originally released in 1960 and exactly as John Wayne intended to be seen.

• The Overture, Intermission and Exit music from the award winning score by Dimitri Tiomkin

• All 18 deleted scenes totaling over 30 minutes of screen time

• A fabulous 1920 x 1080 Blu Ray release.

• An outstanding 3840 x 1744 image for the 4K release.

• Digitally restored and enhanced images for the 18 deleted scenes

• The original TODD--AO widescreen ratio of 2.20:1

• A Dolby Stereo soundtrack restoring audio depth and dynamism to a

      movie that won the Oscar for “Best Sound” 

• The final assault on the Alamo Mission is in Dolby 5.1 Surround to give an immersive "you are there" experience.

• Newly designed case sleeves featuring original artwork from the movie

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The filming and release of The Alamo

At the time, The Alamo was the most expensive film ever made in the USA and was produced and directed by John Wayne, who also took the leading role as Davy Crockett.

It also starred Laurence Harvey, Richard Widmark, Frankie Avalon and Richard Boone and literally a cast of 1000s!

Audiences loved it and The London Times in 1960 said “action and battle on the screen have never been more convincingly portrayed than in the final storming of the mission church".

The Alamo was nominated for 6 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Score, Best Sound and Best Cinematography.

After its initial release in October 1960, it was cut by over 30 minutes to allow more daily cinema showings and the overture, intermission and exit music were also removed.

The only surviving print of the full 202 minute Roadshow version has long since deteriorated to such a degree that a complete 1080 restoration was never going to be possible – until now !

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Learn more about The Alamo -

• Full cast and background to the film

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alamo_(1960_film)

• A tour of the Alamo film site.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPFtVni2Y8s

• The film score by Dimitri Tiomkin

https://moviemusicuk.us/2017/08/14/the-alamo-dimitri-tiomkin-2/

• Details of the deleted scenes

https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=3869

• A full length documentary on the making of The Alamo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6DTcHcEdL0

• Examples of restored deleted scenes from The Alamo. These are not in the Hi Res quality as found on the 4K or Blu Ray discs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVJrX4KFcZ0

• The history of the Battle of The Alamo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo

 

This presents a rare opportunity for collectors and film enthusiasts eager to own a piece of authentic cinematic restoration history.

As this talented group forges ahead with their work, they remain committed to revitalizing old films, ensuring that these vital gems of cinematic history are saved for future generations to enjoy.                                                                 

Two of their other standout projects include a full Blu-ray restoration of the iconic Australian TV series A Town Like Alice and the critically acclaimed BBC series Game Set & Match.

Full details of both these titles, and all our other exclusive releases, can be found using the menu at the top of the page.