Warner Brothers
(Hat tip to Warner Home Video and DVD Times for pix and info)
Barbara Stanwyck: Signature Collection
Street Date: October 30th, 2007 (not yet available for pre-order)
First let me just admit how ashamed I am that I neglected Barbara's 100th birthday last week. But never fear, the fabulous Siren at the Self-Styled Siren didn't forget Babs and posted a great article and her own list of favorite Barbara performance. It's a great article, so don't miss it.
Our good friend Laura scooped the low down on the new Barbara Stanwyck Signature collection yesterday- please visit her site for her great article. Meanwhile Laura is gradually coming to enjoy more of Bab's earlier work -- come over to the dark side, Laura! Yes! Feel the power of the dark side! * Ahem* Excuse me, now where were we? Oh yes, Barbara!
The films included in this set are : Annie Oakley, East Side, West Side, Executive Suite, My Reputation, To Please A Lady and Jeopardy. The extras will include a couple of commentaries, many shorts and cartoons and several radio adaptations of the films. This was rumored to be a 100th Anniversary set, similar to the Katharine Hepburn set, but instead it will be part of the signature collection series. By the way I like the new look of the signature series, one that started with this year's Errol Flynn Vol. 2. Visit DVD Times for more info.
Burt Lancaster: Signature Collection
Street Date: October 30th, 2007 (not yet available for pre-order)I am not the world's biggest Burt Lancaster fan. I don't like some of his films, and I know this will get me tarred and feathered by some Shelfers, who I know love ol' Burt. But none of this is to say that I don't like all of his films. Some I do like very much (Vera Cruz, for example- or his performance in Field of Dreams), and there are some films that I haven't seen. With that in mind, it's good news that WHV is releasing this new Lancaster collection in October.
Titles include: Executive Action, The Flame and Arrow, His Majesty O’Keefe, South Sea Woman and Jim Thorpe - All American. Extras will include the usual bevy of shorts, cartoons and trailers. I am particularly interested to see the Jim Thorpe film- it's a title many film fans have requested. I am also interested to see The Flame and the Arrow, a lighthearted swashbuckler film also starring Virginia Mayo. Visit DVD Times for more info.
Blade Runner
Street Date: December 18th, 2007 (not yet available for pre-order)
Now, if you listened to Geekerati last week (and you really should have been listening- but don't fear- there are archives), you would know how much the panel was looking forward to the Blade Runner release info that was coming from WHV at Comic-Con in San Diego. Well, we've got the lowdown from WHV, and you didn't have to fly to San Diego to get it!
Shelfers know how much I love Sir Ridley Scott's work (he is one of my favorite modern directors) and he has been working to create the ultimate release of his iconic film on DVD. Blade Runner was a great film and a very important film in the modern Sci-Fi era. It brought a new edge to the science fiction genre. The 1982 film starred Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah, Edward James Olmos and Sean Young, and was based on author Philip K. Dick's work, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? This new "Final Cut" version of the film will incorporate the best features and is the result of a dedication to bring the best version to DVD.
Scott himself said of the DVD: "The Final Cut is the product of a process that began in early 2000 and continued off and on through seven years of intense research and meticulous restoration, technical challenges, amazing discoveries and new possibilities. I can now wholeheartedly say that Blade Runner: The Final Cut is my definitive director's cut of the film."There will be three versions:
A two disc Special Edition
A four disc Collector's Edition
A five disc Ultimate Collector's Edition
The two disc SE will include the Final cut version of the film plus Dangerous Days - a brand new, three-and-a-half-hour documentary, the definative look at the film, its influence and legacy. The four disc CE will include the SE discs plus 2 more discs that will feature several other versions of the film: the Theatrical Cut, the international version and the 1992 Director's cut. Also, the fourth disc will feature the Enhancement Archive, a lengthy set of special features including: featurettes that go in depth into the making of the film, promos, interviews, features on author Philip K. Dick, interviews with the author, deleted & alternate scenes, concept artwork and much more. For anyone that has the other Director's Cut or Extended Versions of Scott's films- you know that the features on these editions are informative, authoritative and extensive. The five disc UCE will include everything from the CE plus a bonus fifth disc with the rare and rarely seen workprint version of the film. It will also be packaged in a interesting way: an individually numbered limited edition replica of Rick Deckard's briefcase. It will also include: a lenticular motion film clip from the original feature, miniature origami unicorn figurine, miniature replica spinner car, collector's photographs and a signed personal letter from Sir Ridley Scott. Wow! If you can't find anything to love about these Blade Runner choices coming in December, then you aren't looking hard enough.
Fox
There are several titles forthcoming from Fox that I am excited to see. First up:
The Day the Earth Stood Still Special Edition. This 1951 classic by director Robert Wise is an inconic film that has been previously released, with a good commentary track and documentary. A new special edition is welcome news. Special features are unknown at this time, but with Fox's recent track record they should be excellent.
Also coming soon are some other special editions:
An Affair to Remember 50th Anniversary Edition
The Robe Special Edition
The Lodger
Also coming soon are some more musicals: With a Song in My Heart, Bloodhounds of Broadway, and The Girl Next Door.
Film Noir titles coming soon: Daisy Kenyon, Dangerous Crossing and Black Widow. Also it appears Boomerang! is back on track for wide release. That's good news. I was afraid that the Fox Film Noir series was off track for a while, but it looks like the train is still running.
One other item mention as coming soon at Fox is a box set: Ford at Fox. No titles have been mentioned yet. Could we see Tobacco Road, Submarine Patrol or The Prisoner of Shark Island? As always, when we know, we'll pass it on to you.
Also from MGM a box set due October 16, 2007: The MGM Holiday Classics Collection. The set includes: The Bishop's Wife, March of the Wooden Soldiers, and Pocketful of Miracles. Hopefully The Bishop's Wife will be remastered or at least transferred from a different print.
That's quite a bit of new for today. Stay tuned for more info and reviews as we get them. Coming soon will be this week's roundup, another review and a great article from Wolf. Same Shelf time, same Shelf channel.
I'm a tough old broad from Brooklyn. I intend to go on acting until I'm ninety and they won't need to paste my face with make-up.
4 comments:
Amen, brother, on the tough old broad from Brooklyn.
And tough and talented she was. We need a lot more like her now than some of these "celebrities" we have now.
That was a great birthday link you included on Stanwyck.
It's kind of funny that over the last few months I've started watching Robert Taylor movies for pretty much the first time. ROGUE COP is on my short list to watch soon.
Thanks for the link, too!
Best wishes,
Laura
hey, that Stanwyck set has several I have been waiting for. Thanks much for the heads-up, and the kind words!
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