(18 October 2005 3:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Paramount Home Entertainment and Paramount's television distribution entities have signed an agreement with Batjac Productions, the company founded by John Wayne, for worldwide DVD and television distribution.

This agreement will see Paramount distributing a number of classic John Wayne movies, including certain hitherto unreleased flicks. Movies like The High and the Mighty (1954) and Island in the Sky (1953), which have never been released on VHS or DVD, will be restored to their glorious original 35mm film and presented in Stereo 5.1, states an official release.

Other movies like "Hondo" (1953) and "McLintock!" (1962), will also make their DVD debuts, and the DVDs will include bonus features, including commentaries with filmmakers and cast. Other features will include the making of the films, their subjects and their eras, and other memorabilia from the Wayne archives.

Paramount Pictures president Thomas Lesinski said, "Paramount has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with John Wayne and his family for more than half a century. With the addition of these timeless treasures to our existing John Wayne library, Paramount has truly become the home of John Wayne's films."