Warner Home Video classic DVD, HD-DVD & Blu-ray releases...

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 6:54pm

As many of you know, Warner Home Video owns the largest back-catalog of any film studio in town (5 times as many films, actually because of the TCM merger that included all the old MGM films, the RKO library as well as Warners' own library of films), and they still have a long way to go before they hit the bottom of the barrel on catalog titles. Several long-awaited films are coming out this year a next, and I'd thought I'd post a link to a transcript of the announcements. This info is "hot off the press."

Here are a few of the highlights of what's to come:

Pete Kelly Blues and Kismet coming next year with I Died a Thousand Times under consideration. Also, Hit the Deck is coming soon.

Moonfleet coming next year. Warner no longer has rights to Drum Beat.

A television chat with Warner will be coming later this year.

Also, "Caged" is on the way along with another Joan Crawford Collection in which some mastering issues have to be addressed, an announcement will be forth coming very soon for the latter.

Abe Lincoln in Illinois might be coming in 2009 or sooner.

Bowery Boys is still in the works, but unfortunately, not this year due to Warner searching for better elements.

Dark Shadows films are being released this year.

Blade Runner with all the trimmings, hopefully before the Christmas Holidays.

North by Northwest has to be remastered again before a release on a HD format. Warner is looking towards 2009 for the 50th Anniversary.

Warner no longer owns the rights to Fanny starring Leslie Caron.

Warner working on Abbott and Costello films like Jack and the Beanstalk, A&C meet Captain Kidd and Rio Rita for 2008.

The films The Emigrants and The New Land had their rights renewed by Warner and are under consideration for release.

A Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland Boxset coming this summer with plenty of extras.

Another Forbidden Hollywood boxset coming this year with six films and a brand new documentary on pre-code films. Also, two Forbdden Hollywood films per year starting in 2008.

A Burt Lancaster promotion is happening later this year with perhaps Twilight's Last Gleaming in the promotion.

Warner discussing Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Freebie and the Bean. No plans for Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins.

Warner refusing to discuss anything related to HD formats! Warner admended their comment with the following: we will discuss titles and content as related to HD Media, but nothing else.

Quo Vadis on the way for both SD and HD formats, probably in 2008 with the ultra resolution process.

Northwest Passage is part of the Spencer Tracy boxset, not yet announced.

Warner waiting on Nancy Drew units sold numbers before continuing to Torchy Blaine films.

No plans for Until the End of the World.

Mad Max 2: Road Warrior SE coming, but no set date.

John Wayne's 100th Birthday will be observed by Warner which means more Wayne releases as he was born in 1907. Also, Rio Bravo coming with a 2 disc SE. Six brand new Wayne features coming to dvd.

Elements for The Magnificent Ambersons has been found and that film and Journey into Fear will be released in 2008. Alternate European cuts will be included for Journey into Fear. Also, the Merry Widow is on the way.

More classic horror films coming in 2007 and 2008.

Carbine Williams will be part of the next Jimmy Stewart collection with no set date.

More Cagney, Bogart, Garfield and Edward G. Robinson coming in 2008.

Warner doesn't know when their sister company New Line is releasing the LOTR films onto HD DVD/Blu-ray.

No plans to revisit The Avengers for a DC.

No plans to revisit True Stories.

Kubrick promotion coming before Christmas

Twilight Zone: The Movie coming before Halloween.

LA Confidential coming on it's 10th Anniversary this year, also in HD DVD and Blu-ray.

Trog, a Joan Crawford favorite is on the way.

Greed is coming with the 1923 theatrical cut and reconstructed scenes. Release date not set.

Some more Harrison Ford films being discussed in conjunction with Blade Runner SE release.

The Candidate is coming with a Redford commentary.

Also, Deliverance is coming on SD, HD DVD and Blu-ray later this year.

The Man that would be King coming soon.

More Greer Garson and Norma Shearer films coming in the next 18 months including some Shearer in the Forbidden Hollywood films.

Warner's rights to Electric Dreams has expired. No plans for Reckless or Impulse. Also, no plans to revisit 9 1/2 Weeks.

Philo Vance, Perry Mason, The Saint and The Falcon coming to SD DVD in 2008.

Monogram Charlie Chan films being discussed.

No definite plans for Nothing Lasts Forever.

Busby Berkeley Vol 2 coming in 2008. Golddiggers of 1937, Golddiggers in Paris, Varsity Show and Hollywood Hotel.

O' Lucky Man coming this year.

Captain Nemo and the Underwater City under consideration.

Brewster McCloud next year. No SE for McCabe and Mrs. Miller. No plans for Countdown.

Wheeler and Woolsey films being discussed, but are in bad shape film element-wise.

Alex in Wonderland and The Legend of Lylah Clare being discussed.

Cool Hand Luke 40th Anniversay SE coming this year. Also, The Prize is coming in 2008.

A John Garfield boxset with six films coming in 2008.

Next Lon Chaney boxset coming in 2008 with a Tod Browning documentary. Also, some more silent films coming soon.

Poltergiest coming out on SD DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray this year.

The Hand coming this year. Currently, working on Cruising with Friedkin. Zabriskie Point and The Devils still in the works.

Warner planning on doing 2 disc SE for the Grumpy films with new anamorphic transfers and rare Lemmon and Matthau interviews.

Also, Chevy Chase films in widescreen releases. The Ace Ventura collection is an example of what they have plan for Grumpy and Chase films.

New HD DVD and Blu-ray product announcements coming in the next few weeks.

Also, Blade Runner will have the same material as the SD DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray.

Up the Down Staircase coming later this year before school reopens in September. A new transfer.

Ann Sheridan films coming next year.

Wait Until Dark not being revisited for its 40th Anniversary.

There will be more than one Andy Hardy volumes with the first one next year with plenty of bonus material.

Warner will discuss Little Shop of Horrors with altenate ending, especially with HD on the scene. No set plans just yet.

Questions as to the poor quality of the SD DVD releases of Lost in a Harem and A & C in Hollywood was brought up. Warner had no good answers except to say the negatives for both films were lost during the Eastman fire and if they have poor film elements they have nothing to go back to so you do the best you can with what you got. They thought it best to release them at a very affordable price instead of leaving them on the shelve. Also, sometimes it isn't possible to obtain perfection and their technical people do the best job they can with what they have to work with.

Warner has stated they're hesitent to give release dates because circumstances changes due to a number of reasons which is why The Crowd and The Big Parade have not been released in 2006. The last restorations for both of those films were done in 1980s which means that process needs to done from scratch again before a SD DVD release. Warner hates to disappoint consumers, but some times that happens.

No plans for The Boyfriend, Savage Messiah and Lisztomania.

The roadshow version with restored footage of Raintree County coming in 2008. No plans for National Velvet revisited.

Warner still has plans to release every HD DVD title onto Blu-ray including Forbidden Planet.

Warner plans to release plenty of films under the cloud of PD outfits with titles from Monogram, Allied Artists and National General.

Mame is coming, but not in stereo after years of failing to do so. No plans for Hotel.

Mr. Chips (1969) coming in 2008.

A restored How the West Was Won coming in 2008.

Warner discussing Man in the Wilderness, Dark of the Sun and The Cool Ones.

Prince of the City and Straight Time coming out this May.

More Kubrick coming out on HD DVD and Blu-ray later this year.

Warner discussing redoing Hammer films for SD and HD releases.

Also, both, Dark Shadow movies are 16x9 with newly restored film elements.

Warner working on restoring The Phantom Tollbooth witin the next couple of years.

Warner having active discussions about Golden Harvest films.

Warner doesn't own the original The Hitcher.

Warner has big plans for Elvis Presley and his films. Some announcements will come very soon.

Warner working with Clint Eastwood's production company on revisiting some of his titles for 2008.

Guilty pleasure horror films coming including Deadly Friend.

A big MGM Musical Promo coming soon. Eleanor Powell boxset, hopefully, this year. Lana Turner boxset in 2008. No plans for Hedy Lamarr.

Heat coming to HD DVD and Blu-ray in 2008.

Looking at SE for Beetlejuice next year. No plans for Hey, Good Lookin.

SE for Falling Down in 2008.

Lot's of plans for 1970s films, but nothing for They Came to Rob Las Vegas.

Light in the Piazza plan for next Valentine's Day. No plans for Mary, Mary or The Chapman Report and Madwoman of Chaillot.

No plans for a SE of The Specialist.

No Time for Sergeants in the works by special request from Andy Griffith.

Warner recognizes that the audio issue with Camelot needs to be addressed, but has no firm plans at this time.

Show Boat films of 1929, 1936 and 1951 wil be released, but not this year, maybe in 2008.

Also, no MacDonald/Eddy films any time soon, they need extensive restoration and they want to do them right.

Natalie Wood boxset coming in 2008 with a restored new version of Splendor in the Grass. Boxset will include Daisy Clover and Sex and the Single Girl.

Music Man needs to be redone for HD, perhaps next year.

No plans for The Fox and Not with my Wife.

Royal Wedding is being rescued from PD Hell.

The Jazz Singer coming out for it's 80th Anniversary. Also, Branagh's Hamlet before the summer in SD, HD and BR.

LINK

Updated On: 2/27/07 at 06:54 PM

[NCGuy]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 9:20pm

Caged, the ’36 Show Boat, and No Time For Sergeants? It’s like Christmas!

And I’ve been frothing at the mouth to hear something else about the Blade Runner set since it was first announced last May (*wipes froth away and sits down to patiently wait for the holiday season*).

Thanks for posting this, best12bars!

Updated On: 2/27/07 at 09:20 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 9:50pm

You're welcome.

I'm sure people here will be interested in "The Light in the Piazza" and the Mickey & Judy Box Set, among others. A second Joan Crawford box set, restoring the Phantom Tollbooth and Royal Wedding (thank GOD, because the public domain releases look like CRAP)... plus Greed, The Magnificent Ambersons...

Lots to look forward to in the coming months and year.

[Glebb]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 9:50pm

Yay! Thanks Best12!
I'm looking forward to CAGED, Pete Kelly Blues (Is that a Peggy Lee?), Abe in Illinois, Judy and Mickey (GIRL CRAZY - Yay!), The Bowery Boys, The Emigrants and The New Land, Andy Hardy, Up The Down Staircase and FANNY!

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:02pm

Yes, Glebby, Pete Kelly's Blues is Peggy Lee's Oscar-nominated turn. She's terrific and gives a haunting performance in it. Ella Fitzgerald is in it too. It stars Jack Webb and Janet Leigh. The jazz score is first rate!

Abe Lincoln in Illinois is wonderful too. Raymond Massey and Ruth Gordon will ALWAYS be the Lincolns for me.

Updated On: 2/27/07 at 10:02 PM

[Patronus]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 10:11pm

Do you happen to know if the Mickey and Judy box set will be in HD-DVD? That would be joyous!

[fflagg]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 11:35pm

They should do another Bette Davis boxed set to include:

THE CORN IS GREEN
JUNE BRIDE
TO EACH HIS OWN
WATCH ON THE RHINE
ALL THIS AND HEAVEN, TOO

[Marquise]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 3:57am

NATALIE WOOD is FINALLY getting a boxed set!!!! It's about time!!! Such an overlooked and underappreciated actress! Can't wait for that set.

Would love to know who now owns the rights to FANNY because that's one of my ALL TIME favorites. It needs a DVD release, my old VHS copy is fading!!!!
Updated On: 2/28/07 at 03:57 AM

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 12:02pm

Wow--that's quite a list!

GREED and O LUCKY MAN got me excited...

Can't wait to see the new Joanie C Collection either

[tazber]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 12:26pm

B12B,

I am a dvd freak! Thank you so much for your post!

I am psyched for both the 3rd Bette Davis box set and the 2nd Joan Crawford box set.

[chicolini]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 1:24pm

My mom will be so excited about the Elvis news. She has a big birthday coming up next year, so depending on timing it could be a great present.

b12b, this is a longshot, but do you know of any plans to release Remember Last Night? on DVD anytime soon? It's a sort of screwball murder mystery where a bunch of drunken socialites run around and stars Robert Young and Constance Cummings. I caught it on TCM a couple of times, but it has no listing for a home video copy.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 1:35pm

chicolini---I don't know of any plans myself. It's owned by Universal, and they are one of our clients. We've been working on several "collections" of older movies with them, usually boxed together by a star (Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, Mae West), or by theme (like the forthcoming pirate movie set).

It's likely that if it turns up, Universal will release it as part of a collection set. They've been digging pretty deeply into their vaults lately for real gems, some of which were never even released on VHS. So it's not out of the realm of possibility that it would show up.

Unfortunately, until information like that goes "public" with an official announcement from the studio, I'm not allowed to discuss things like that.

"Gag order," don'tcha know.

* waits for the catty innuendos to fly *

[chicolini]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 1:40pm

Thanks! At least I'll know to keep an eye on future Universal releases. Maybe it'll be in the 'Perils of Alcohol Use' collection, teamed up with Lost Weekend.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 1:45pm

Chico,
I had forgotten about that movie! They should do a James Whale set and include it.
B12B,
does Universal listen to customer requests?

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 1:54pm

chico---LOL! That would be quite the "theme" release.

tazber---All studios listen to customer requests, absolutely. Not particularly individual ones... but "collective" responses to what people want to see (or have issues with). If any of you are hoping for certain films to be released on DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-ray, you should request it from the proper studio that controls the distrubution. The more responses they get, the more they'll listen and act on it.

Keep in mind there are other factors that play into it... the condition of the source elements is a huge one... The studios have been slammed too many times for releasing older movies that look like crap... and reputations of quality are definitely at stake... Also, any issues with legal clearances (music rights are big with that) could stop a film from being released indefinitely.

But believe me, they're in the business to sell discs... and the more demand they have for a film, the quicker it will be greenlit for restoration and future production.

I sound like I'm on a panel discussion! Maybe I've done one too many of those...

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 5:00pm

Do you know of a website that lets you put in your two cents? I know that the TV DVD releases have a site...

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 5:03pm

The best thing would be to go to the individual studio's "home entertainment" web site and contact them there.

You'll probably not get a reply... but they do read them.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 5:05pm

That's ok--I'm used to that.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 5:09pm

* hugs lildogs *

You could also send them a pie or cookies.

They would probably respond to that!

[chicolini]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 12:21pm

lildogs - There's a place on TCM's website where you can vote for movies to be released on DVD. It appears on the right hand side of individual movie pages if the film is unavailable on home video. I'll link the Remember Last Night? page to show you what I mean.

The site says they send results to appropriate distributors. Not sure how much it would help, but it can't hurt.
Remember Last Night?

[lildogs]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 12:25pm

Poifect! Thanks!

I haved "Saved" a few titles on netflix too--do you thinkthat has any bearing at all? I know I've got The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne and The Whisperers on mine....

[tazber]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 12:30pm

Also, if you try to order an unavailable title on Amazon, they'll e-mail the studio. This has happened twice with me, and both times the title was released.
I know this is no garauntee, but do what you can!

[chicolini]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 12:33pm

You're just crying out for the "English Spinsters" collection, lil.

My guess is the studios will listen to any potential revenue source out there. These are the types of movies that won't have a huge ad budget - people who want them will go looking for them.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 1:32pm

lildogs---chicolini is absolutely right, and I'm a bonehead for not suggesting that.

TCM runs a contest every year where viewers get to vote for what they want to see, and then they pick the top 5 for release on DVD.

But! They have to be TCM movies (which means Warner Home Video releases... which means the old Warner, MGM or RKO libraries only... not Universal, Columbia, Paramount, etc.) And they often limit the list to titles that actually could be released. Later this year, you'll see a list of "nominees" to chose from. They'll promote it on their Web site, and on TCM. They have already weeded out anything that can't currently be released (usually due to terrible source elements more than anything else).

The top five will come out late this year (or even early next).

Good suggestion, chicolini!

[NCGuy]

Posted: 3/5/07 at 2:44pm

For what it’s worth, a June 19th release date has been announced for Mame (along with some other Lucy titles...excited to see Dance Girl Dance get a DVD release!).
DVDTimes.co.uk - Lucille Ball Collection