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 Back to Part One Barrie Maxwell - Main Page |
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| Selznick
on DVD None of Selznick's early films at MGM or Paramount are available on DVD and that seems unlikely to change. Most of the titles are obscure and none have ever been available on any form of home video to my knowledge. The MGM films are controlled by Warner Bros. while the Paramount films are controlled by Universal (except for Forgotten Faces, which being a silent film and if it still exists, remains under Paramount control). The rights to the 20 films from Selznick's RKO period (1932-1933) are generally held by Warner Bros., although many RKO films seem to be treated as being in the public domain. Thus, The Animal Kingdom has been released on DVD by Alpha and Bird of Paradise by several sources, of which the Roan Group release is quite workable. A half-dozen other titles were previously released on laserdisc (such as The Lost Squadron, A Bill of Divorcement, What Price Hollywood?, and King Kong) and they are the most likely to see a DVD release first. King Kong (which is available in Region 2) is known to be undergoing a substantial restoration by Warner Bros. with a multi-disc DVD release anticipated in 2005. The 11 films from Selznick’s MGM period (1933-1935) were almost all major releases originally and most were previously available on laserdisc. None has yet made it to DVD. Warner Bros. holds the rights and has announced that Dinner at Eight will be available on March 1st, 2005. Anna Karenina is also rumoured to be in preparation. David Copperfield and A Tale of Two Cities are both believed to require substantial restorative work for DVD. Night Flight has some rights issues that prevent its release in any form at present. Of the 17 films that Selznick produced under the various incarnations of his own company from 1936 to 1948, virtually all are available on DVD in Region 1. The exceptions are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (available in Region 2) and most significantly, The Prisoner of Zenda. As the latter's negative was purchased by MGM at the time of its 1952 remake, the rights are currently held by Warner Bros. by virtue of its control of the MGM pre-1986 catalog. Gone with the Wind is obviously the centerpiece of these films and as it was originally released by MGM under the agreement that allowed Clark Gable to star in the film, its DVD rights are now controlled by Warner Bros. A magnificent four-disc special edition that is very highly recommended was just released last month. The other films were either released by United Artists or by Selznick's own releasing company and over the years their rights have migrated to American Broadcasting Companies (ABC) Inc., now controlled by Disney which undertook restoration of the films. Anchor Bay licensed a number of these titles and issued very nice DVDs of Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Garden of Allah, Rebecca, Spellbound, Duel in the Sun (both standard and a preferred road show version), The Paradine Case, and Portrait of Jennie. These titles went OOP when that license expired. (Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Paradine Case have not subsequently been issued by anyone else and the Anchor Bay versions are recommended, as copies can still be found.) Criterion then obtained rights to the Hitchcock titles and issued DVDs of Rebecca and Spellbound. For those two films, the Criterions are the versions to have. Subsequently, they went OOP as the rights to all the Selznick titles from this period were then licensed to MGM. Last spring, MGM issued a DVD of Duel in the Sun and in October of this year, MGM issued DVDs for The Garden of Allah, The Young in Heart, Intermezzo: A Love Story, Since You Went Away, I'll Be Seeing You, and Portrait of Jennie. Having access to the same restored source material, there's little to choose between Anchor Bay's and MGM's efforts on Duel in the Sun, The Garden of Allah, and Portrait of Jennie. There are minor variations in image sharpness, but both of them have generally produced discs with superior image quality and acceptable mono sound. The supplements may be the determining factor. All the MGM discs offer English, French, and Spanish subtitling while the Anchor Bay ones have none. On the other hand, some of the Anchor Bay discs offer poster reproductions and trailers which few of the MGM discs have. Only MGM has released The Young in Heart, Intermezzo, Since You Went Away, and I'll Be Seeing You. All offer consistently fine transfers, mono sound, and subtitling in English, French, and Spanish, but generally nothing else (The Young in Heart does have a trailer). All are recommended. Three films from this period seem to have fallen into the public domain and one other has not been released in Region 1. A Star Is Born and Made for Each Other have appeared in numerous DVD versions from the usual public domain suspects. For A Star Is Born, the old Image release for Kino, despite looking rather soft, is probably your best bet. Image has a new release of the title coming in December, but I've not seen it so cannot say whether it's an improvement. For Made for Each Other, the recent MGM release is definitely the one to get. Nothing Sacred has been less ubiquitous in its DVD availability, but of the handful of releases out there, the best one I've seen continues to be Slingshot's version from half a dozen years ago (despite obvious registration problems with the three-strip Technicolor image). The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is only available in Region 2. Of the final five films produced or co-produced by Selznick, Criterion has released excellent editions of The Third Man and Statione Termini (including the original and re-edited versions). Both are highly recommended. Gone to Earth is only available on a Region 2 disc, which I have not seen but is reportedly a very nice presentation. The status of Light's Diamond Jubilee which was produced for television is unknown, but has never appeared on home video. Selznick's final film, A Farewell to Arms, is not available on DVD. Fox holds the rights, but there has been no hint of a DVD release so far. The following table summarizes the above information. Of the 68 films produced by David Selznick, 20 are available on DVD in Region 1 with three others only available in Region 2. One of them (King Kong) is known to be in preparation for a future Region 1 release. Several other titles from Selznick's 1930s MGM period are believed to be in the works. For the major producers of Hollywood's Golden Age, David Selznick is probably the one best represented on DVD so far. |
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The Latest New Classic Announcements Well, the news of new forthcoming releases is a little sparse this time out, with no one really making a splash except for some exciting film noir news from Fox and a couple of special editions from Warner Bros. As usual, I'll go through things alphabetically by studio. The database has been updated accordingly. Alpha has 57 new releases planned, spread out over December 21st and January 25th. It's the usual combination of westerns (with the likes of Buster Crabbe, Jack Randall, Ray Corrigan, Tex Ritter, Tom Tyler, and Bob Steele), mysteries (including the Ann Sheridan film noir Woman on the Run), serials (Fighting with Kit Carson), and television episodes. Check the database for specific titles. Columbia will release Otto Preminger's Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965, with Laurence Olivier and Carol Lynley) on January 25th and Godzilla Vs. the Sea Monster (1966) on February 8th. The company is also apparently preparing a major restoration of Major Dundee (1965, directed by Sam Peckinpah, with Charlton Heston) that will add 12 minutes of footage to the previous version. A DVD release for about June 2005 is planned after a theatrical release in mid-spring. On January 11th, Criterion will release two films by Seijun Suzuki - Youth of the Beast (1963) and Fighting Elegy (1966). Then on the 18th, we'll get two Jacques Becker titles - Touchez Pas au Grisbi (1954) and Casque d'Or (1952). Criterion's February releases include two Jules Dassin film noirs - Night and the City (1950, with Richard Widmark and Gene Tierney) and Thieves' Highway (1949, with Richard Conte) - and Bernardo Bertolucci's first film, La Commare Secca (1962). Coming from Criterion in the future are Jean Renoir's La Bete Humaine (1938) and The River (1951), Michael Powell's 49th Parallel (1942) and A Canterbury Tale (1944), and Michelangelo Antonioni's The Eclipse (1962). Disney will debut four discs of Disney Classic Cartoon Favorites on January 11th. The titles are Volume One: Starring Mickey, Volume Two: Starring Donald Duck, Volume Three: Starring Goofy, and Volume Four: Starring Chip N' Dale. Each disc will contain from 7 to 9 classic cartoons. Facets Video will offer Luis Bunuel's 1929 short, Un Chien Andalou on December 28th. The disc will feature a remastered B&W transfer, an audio commentary with surrealism expert Stephen Barber, an interview with Bunuel's son, Epilogue: Dali & Bunuel, and a collector's booklet featuring an abridged transcript of Bunuel's 1953 address "Mystery of Cinema". Falcon Picture Group will be releasing various public domain titles, mainly for Critics' Choice Video. Coming on January 4th are: Rosalind Russell Double Feature #1, Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), and from television, Adventures of Robin Hood #4, Love That Bob #3, The Medic #2, and Private Secretary #1. February 8th will bring Betty Hutton Double Feature #1, Edward G. Robinson Double Feature #1, and from television, Adventures of Robin Hood #5, Decoy #1, Follow That Man (aka Man Against Crime) #1, and The Medic #3. Fox will have five titles as part of an Easter promotion for a February 22nd release: A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (1945, with Dorothy McGuire and Peggy Ann Garner), Agony And The Ecstasy (1965, with Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison), Satan Never Sleeps (1962, with William Holden and Clifton Webb), Francis Of Assisi (1961, with Bradford Dillman and Dolores Hart), and Thunderhead: Son of Flicka (1945, with Roddy MacDowell). Fox's first wave of film noir titles is set for March 15th, but the titles are changed from those originally planned. The officially announced films are Call Northside 777 (1948, with James Stewart), Sam Fuller's House of Bamboo (1955, with Robert Ryan), and Panic in the Streets (1950, with Richard Widmark). Supplements include audio commentaries by James Ursini and Alain Silver, newsreel footage, and trailers. All will be in their OAR which means 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen for House of Bamboo and full frame for the other two. Laura has apparently been moved back to wave 2 scheduled for June 7 and currently slated to include Nightmare Alley and Street with No Name. Wave 3 is tentatively set for September 6 and to include The Dark Corner, The Lodger, and Hangover Square. Given the last-minute changes in wave 1, one should not, however, take the wave 2 and 3 news to the bank. Goodtimes will have The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946, with Barbara Stanwyck) on Jan. 25th. Image kicks off the new year with The Cameraman's Revenge and Other Fantastic Tales (1912-1958) featuring the puppet animation of Ladislaw Starewicz and The Old West (1952, with Gene Autry), both on January 4th. January 11th brings I, Monster (1971, with Christopher Lee) and the double bill of White Huntress/Jungle Siren (1957/1942). A Lon Chaney double bill of Victory (1919) and The Wicked Darling (1919) is set for January 25th, courtesy of David Shepard. He will also debut a remastered version of The Cat and the Canary (1927), with two music scores, on February 1st. Image's other February releases include two double bills - Hercules the Avenger/Hercules and the Black Pirate (1965/1964) and Magic Voyage of Sinbad/The Day the Earth Froze (1962/1964), both on February 8th, and Valley of Fire (1951, with Gene Autry) on February 15th. Kino's plans for 2005 (no specific release dates as yet) include three Leni Riefenstahl films (S.O.S. Iceberg [1933], Storm over Mont Blanc [1930], and The White Hell of Pitz Palu [1929]); three Josephine Baker films (Princess Tam Tam [1935], Siren of the Tropics [1927]), and Zou Zou [1934]); two films by Maurice Tourneur (The Blue Bird [1918] and Lorna Doone [1922]); and three films by Maurice Stiller (Erotikon [1920], The Saga of Gosta Berling [1924], and Sir Arne's Treasure [1919]). MGM will have the following Samuel Goldwyn productions out on March 8th: Arrowsmith (1931, with Ronald Colman), Barbara Coast (1935, with Edward G. Robinson), Come and Get It (1936, with Edward Arnold), Dead End (1937, with Humphrey Bogart), Enchantment (1948 with David Niven), Stella Dallas (1937, with Barbara Stanwyck), and We Live Again (1934, with Fredric March). The television releases Green Acres: Season Two and The Best of Mr. Ed: Volume Two will also appear on the same date. Then on March 22nd, we'll get the Sam Peckinpah classic Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974), Robert Blake in Electra Glide in Blue (1973), and Krakatoa East of Java (1969). All come with anamorphic transfers (except Krakatoa which is letterbox) and trailers. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia also includes an audio commentary with Peckinpah scholars Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons, and David Weddle (with moderator Nick Redman), while Electra Glide in Blue has both an introduction and commentary with director James Guercio. MGM is also working on special edition DVD releases for A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1966), and Fistful of Dynamite (1972, aka Duck You Sucker). All will include anamorphic transfers, commentary, interviews, documentaries, and assorted other supplements. Release is projected for summer 2005. Milestone now indicates that the release of Legong: Dance of the Virgins (1935) has been delayed to December 7th and that of The Viking/White Thunder (1931/2002) to December 14th. Coming in 2005 (no specific release date as yet) is the documentary Olive Thomas: Everybody's Sweetheart (2004) paired with her feature The Flapper (1920). MPI will have two box sets coming out on February 22nd - The Cisco Kid: Volume 4 and The Rifleman: Volume 3. Paramount will have I Love Lucy: Season Three on February 1st with Have Gun Will Travel: Season Two also scheduled for that month. Other February releases include All in a Night's Work (1961, with Dean Martin), Hello Down There (1969, with Tony Randall), On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970, with Barbra Streisand), and The Reivers (1969, with Steve McQueen). Roan Group will release the boxing comedy double bill of Kid Dynamite (1943, with the East Side Kids) and The Milky Way (1936, with Harold Lloyd) on January 25th. Sony Music will release the Mr. Magoo Show: Complete Collection (1964) and Roger Ramjet: Hero of Our Nation (1965) on February 8th. Universal has Preston Sturges's The Palm Beach Story (1942, with Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea) coming on February 1st and apparently has plans for Leave It to Beaver and Woody Woodpecker television show releases later in 2005. VCI has four releases scheduled for December 28th. Two of them will be serials - Holt of the Secret Service (1941, Columbia, with Jack Holt) and Winners of the West (1940, Universal, with Dick Foran). The others are Red Ryder western double bills. Red Ryder Double Feature #7 features William Elliott as Red Ryder in The Great Stagecoach Robbery (1945, Republic) and Phantom of the Plains (1945, Republic). Red Ryder Double Feature #8 features Allan Lane as Red Ryder in Rustlers of Devil's Canyon (1947, Republic) and Santa Fe Uprising (1946, Republic). Supplements on each disc will be a combination of trailers and serial chapters. The Dick Tracy serials previously expected this autumn are now delayed into 2005. On March 1st, Warner Bros. will release two-disc special editions of Bringing Up Baby (1938) and The Philadelphia Story (1940), both starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. Details should be available soon. Also coming on that date are: Dinner at Eight (1933, with Jean Harlow and Wallace Beery), Stage Door (1937, with Katharine Hepburn), Libeled Lady (1936, with Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow), and To Be or Not to Be (1941, with Carole Lombard and Jack Benny). Warner Bros. is actively working on an Ultra Resolution restoration of The Wizard of Oz (1939) for a future DVD release. The company also has a release of Advise and Consent (1962, with Henry Fonda and Charles Laughton) in the works (no date set as yet) with a commentary by Drew Casper apparently to be included. Although the release date of November 12th has passed, readers may be interested to know that Woodhaven has released 12 DVDs containing episodes of the 1950s television series You Are There with Walter Cronkite. In Region 2 news, the biggest announcement comes from Optimum which will release seven desirable Fox titles on February 21st. The films are Broken Arrow (1950, with James Stewart), Broken Lance (1954, with Spencer Tracy), Dragonwyck (1946, with Gene Tierney), Garden of Evil (1954, with Gary Cooper), Warlock (1959, with Henry Fonda), Western Union (1941, with Randolph Scott), and Young Mr. Lincoln (1939, with Henry Fonda). In other news, the BFI will release G.W. Pabst's The Threepenny Opera (1931) on December 6th; Orbit will give us Charlie Chan in Paris (1935, with Warner Oland) on December 13th, and Universal-Columbia will release Cockleshell Heroes (1954, with Jose Ferrer) on December 27th. January will bring The Devil Ship Pirates (1964, with Christopher Lee) from Warner on the 17th and F.W. Murnau's Tartuffe (1925) from Eureka on the 24th. Cinema Club will release Red Sun (1971, with Charles Bronson) on February 7th, and Dentist on the Job (1961, with Bob Monkhouse) and The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970, with Roger Moore) both on February 21st. Eureka has a March 21st release date for Joe May's Asphalt (1929). Well, that's it for now. I'll be back again soon. Given all of the above title news, our Classic Coming Attractions Database has been updated accordingly (click the link to download it in zipped Word.doc format). Barrie Maxwell barriemaxwell@thedigitalbits.com |
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