My Fair Lady (1964) goes digital on 11/24

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/21/20 at 10:08am

It seems the extremely complicated digital/streaming rights to the 1964 film, "My Fair Lady" starring Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn have been ironed out. The film will be released on all digital platforms (Amazon, Apple iTunes, Vudu, etc.) on Tuesday, November 24th. To date, the Best Picture Oscar winner has not been available to legally download or stream on any digital platform because of its complicated rights dating back to an agreement made by Warner Bros. with CBS when they originally purchased the film rights. 

Aside from DVR'ing it from TCM's numerous airings over the years (or accessing it illegally) the only way to see the film was to purchase a physical copy, which had a recent blu ray release to commemorate it's 50th anniversary.

The argument over digital v physical media is really a matter of personal preference. I personally own films in both formats so I do not have an issue with either.

So for those who don't own a physical copy of the film or do and prefer to also own a legal digital copy to download on their personal devices to view anywhere, this is extremely good news. 

If you have iTunes/Apple TV+ you can pre-order the film for $16.99

 

Updated On: 11/21/20 at 10:08 AM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/21/20 at 10:31am

While on the subject of musicals with complicated rights that were not previously available to legally own or download, Flower Drum Song, The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees are now available to legally own on this platform as well. 

I purchased the UHDX version of "Flower Drum Song" from VUDU and it is a gorgeous transfer! TCM has also recently been airing it frequently after not being readily available, again due to rights issues for many, many years.

One film that is mired in legal red tape is the 1969 film version of "Sweet Charity". Last year Kino Lorber released a 2 Disc edition on blu-ray. The first disc promised the complete roadshow version but it only included the Overture but did not include the Intermission or Exit Music, so it really wasn't the complete roadshow version. The second disc contains the entire film with the alternate ending. 

UK's Indicator label announced earlier this year that they were going to release a Region B locked special edition of the film that touted a complete roadshow version of the film with the Overture, Intermission, and Exit Music intact only to later announce that due to rights issues they were unable to and would be releasing the same version Kino Lorber released without the Intermission and Exit Music. I suspect that Kino Lorber may have paid out of pocket for the restoration and transfer of the film and balked at the idea that Indicator would release a more complete version that would threaten sales of their version and effectively put a stop to it via Universal Pictures who owns the film. 

To date, "Sweet Charity" is still not available to be legally owned/downloaded digitally. 

 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/21/20 at 10:45am

I have all these on DVD. I probably may put one on every 5-10 years. I’m good. Hahaha.  I’ve got a lot of other pertinent things going on to worry about these digital streaming legalities.  

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 11/21/20 at 11:55am

CarlosAlberto said: "I purchased the UHDX version of "Flower Drum Song" from VUDU and it is a gorgeous transfer! TCM has also recently been airing it frequently after not being readily available, again due to rights issues for many, many years."

 

Thanks for the posts!  My husband and I recorded the film when it recently was shown on TCM.  To the best of our memories, we have seen it only once (when it was originally released in the early 1960's).  We plan to enjoy watching it during the holidays.

We did, however, watch the introductory interview with Nancy Kwan by Ben Mankiewicz.  Most interesting, perhaps, was her story of the day they were rehearsing one of the dance numbers and Fred Astaire appeared unannounced to observe from the sidelines.

 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/21/20 at 12:14pm

Highland Guy said: "CarlosAlberto said: "I purchased the UHDX version of "Flower Drum Song" from VUDU and it is a gorgeous transfer! TCM has also recently been airing it frequently after not being readily available, again due to rights issues for many, many years."

Thanks for the posts! My husband and I recorded the film when it recently was shown on TCM. To the best of our memories, we have seen it only once (when it was originally released in the early 1960s). We plan to enjoy watching it during the holidays.

We did, however, watch the introductory interview with Nancy Kwan by Ben Mankiewicz. Most interesting, perhaps, was her story of the day they were rehearsing one of the dance numbers and Fred Astaire appeared unannounced to observe from the sidelines."

 

You're welcome Highland Guy. I did catch the airing on TCM with the introduction/interview with Nancy Kwan, that airing is what prompted me to seek it out digitally and was happy to find that it was finally available. I do own the 2006 DVD release but I like to have the availability to actually download the film to any of my devices to watch whenever I want, especially when I am traveling. 

As BrodyFosse123 mentioned, many of the films I mentioned are available on DVD but the films have since been remastered and restored since then so these digital versions and their blu ray counterparts are great improvements over them. In the case of "Sweet Charity," the DVD does include the Intermission and Exit Music but it's flawed because there's about a minute of dialogue missing from the scene of Oscar's conversation with Charity at the courthouse before they are about to get married which has since been restored to the most recent blu-ray releases.

By the way, Fred Astaire was invited to the set of "Flower Drum Song" by choreographer Hermes Pan, who was a longtime collaborator of his. 

 



 

 

Updated On: 11/21/20 at 12:14 PM

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 11/21/20 at 3:28pm

Thanks for posting! The most recent MY FAIR LADY Blu-ray is magnificent. It's great that it will finally be available on the digital platforms.

I find a lot of older classics available on VUDU, etc. in high definition. Many of these films have been transferred in HD or UHD for traditional broadcast licensing and the digital platforms produce some good revenue as well. I wish more of the titles were available physically (Blu-ray), but just having them available to stream digitally is great.

The most recent Blu-ray of SWEET CHARITY from Kino is outstanding...even without the entr'acte and exit music. I was familiar with the DVD, but the Blu-ray absolutely blows that out of the water. Hoping for a THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE Blu-ray...

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/21/20 at 3:57pm

MichelleCraig said: "Thanks for posting! The most recent MY FAIR LADY Blu-ray is magnificent. It's great that it will finally be available on the digital platforms.

I find a lot of older classics available on VUDU, etc. in high definition. Manyof these films have been transferred inHD or UHD for traditional broadcast licensing and the digital platforms produce some good revenue as well. I wish more of the titles were available physically (Blu-ray), but just having them available to stream digitally is great.

The most recent Blu-ray of SWEET CHARITY from Kino is outstanding...even without the entr'acte and exit music. I was familiar with the DVD, but the Blu-ray absolutely blows that out of the water. Hoping for a THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE Blu-ray..."

You're welcome MichelleCraig. Universal treats their deep catalog titles like crap unless it's of course "Jaws" or "E.T." They license most of their older titles to niche labels like Kino and the now-defunct Twilight Time. If "Thoroughly Modern Millie" is ever released on blu ray I suspect that it will not be done by Universal themselves, they will most certainly license it out. "Millie" isn't even available on any digital platforms, at least not legally. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 11/21/20 at 5:03pm

As far as I know, the only older musicals that are currently available to stream in 4K UHD are Funny Girl and West Side Story, and neither has been released in 4K on disc. I already had the West Side Story Blu-ray, but I purchased the 4K with Dolby Vision digital copy on Vudu, and it looks spectacular. I haven't bought the UHD Funny Girl yet, but it's available to stream for free with Amazon Prime, and it also looks amazing. 

Update: The digital My Fair Lady is also in 4K UHD with HDR, and I'm sure it'll be a gorgeous transfer.

 

Updated On: 11/24/20 at 05:03 PM

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/24/20 at 9:20pm

I wonder if these rights complications had something to also do with Emma Thompson's remake from 2012 being scrapped. I remember something about legal issues with that. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 12/22/20 at 5:32pm

FYI, My Fair Lady is currently $7.99 to purchase on iTunes. I'm watching it now, and it looks astounding.

Updated On: 12/22/20 at 05:32 PM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 12/23/20 at 9:30am

Apart from star-dubbing on vocals - yes, some don't mind it but I much prefer a singer-actor or at least an actor who sings performance in musicals (Marion Cotillard is exception proving rule) - it's an excellent movie.