Let's speculate about the rumored Universal boxed set of musicals (1 Viewer)

[CineKarine]

Does anyone want to speculate what might be included in a Universal Musical boxset???? There were vague rumors they were doing one which would feature Walking My Baby Back Home (53), such a tuneful, bouncy musical that I have always loved (it's been playing on the late night movie for years over here).

Supposing they include 4 more titles, what would your choices be?

Of course, we still don't know if they ever intend to do a Deanna Durbin vol. 2 in R1, but if not, I hope some would show up in a musical boxset, especially His Butler's Sister (43), One Hundred Men and a Girl (37) and Three Smart Girls Grow Up (39).

If I don't count the Durbins, I would love to see any of the following on DVD:

So This Is Paris (54) - Sailors on leave in Paris - Sounds familiar? Maybe, but the fun is really contagious with Tony Curtis (better at dancing than at singing), Gene Nelson, Gloria De Haven and some extremely entertaining song and dance numbers.

She Loves Me Not (34) (Paramount, but belongs to Universal) - Probably of the funniest comedies of the 30s with superb songs by Crosby and a dynamic performance by Miriam Hopkins.

The Fleet's In (1942) (Paramount, but belongs to Universal) The Jimmy Dorsey band, Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Betty Hutton and some of the best-known songs of the 40s.

The Second Greatest Sex (55) - Obviously inspired by Seven Brides,hardly in the same league, but a really noteworthy musical just the same with plenty of great dancing, dubbed leads (Crain and Nader) and fabulous supporting roles (Kitty Kallen in her film debut and Keith Andes doing his own great singing among many others.)

What would your choices be?

 

[Charles H]

Is it literally Universal or is it a Universal/Paramount hybrid? If Universal: MEET ME AT THE FAIR, THE MERRY MONOHANS, FOLLOW THE BOYS, CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY (I know it's a noir, but it needs to be released on dvd if only for Loesser's "Spring will be a Littlle Late This Year"), BOWREY TO BROADWAY, BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, KING OF JAZZ, SEE MY LAWYER, and MEET DANNY WILSON. From PARAMOUNT: WELCOME STRANGER, DIXIE, SING YOU SINNERS, DR. RHYTHM, VARIETY GIRL, TOP O' THE MORNING, and anything and everything with Betty Hutton.

 

[Matt Hough]

If they give us any Deanna, I'll bet it'll be ONE HUNDRED MEN AND A GIRL, one of her most popular pictures. (I'd rather have CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY or UP IN CENTRAL PARK myself).

THE MERRY MONAHANS seems certain to be included and FOLLOW THE BOYS with its variety of acts would also seem certain.

 

[Charles Ellis]

The Merry Monahans? Peggy Ryan and Donald O'Connor finally together on DVD? I'm there! And what about Lady In The Dark and Star-Spangled Rhythm?

 

[Greg_M]

The only title I'm waiting for from Universal is the 1983 "Pirates of Penzance" but I doubt that will ever come out

 

[Joe Caps]

Yikes - we now have on this site rumors of maybe longer versions of films, rumors of unpgraded transfers that no one really knows about and now apecualtion on what will be in the rumored Universal musical box. Where has this been rumored except in this thread?

 

[Charles H]

STAR SPANGLED RHYTHM is available on the Bob Hope dvd with MY FAVORITE BLONDE. With Betty Hutton's death, it would be great if Universal brought out her films as a "Screen Legends" collection--they own 95% of her films via Paramount--and found a way of including the Robert Osborne TCM interview. It is--bar none--the best and most memorable of all the TCM interviews!

 

[Greg_M]

Charles, I don't think Betty HUtton has died, She lives in Palm Springs California (unless this just happened)

 

[Charles H]

I got an alert from TCM an hour ago that Betty Hutton had passed away, and they had cancelled much of the regular programming to show some Hutton Movies (THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, the TCM interview, the pd PERILS OF PAULINE and THE STORK CLUB). I'd love it if they showed her rarer films (e.g., CROSS MY HEART, DREAM GIRL, AND THE ANGELS SING, as well as rerun her own favorite INCENDIARY BLONDE). She really did wear "her heart on her sleeve

 

[WadeM]

I don't know about what else, but I'd like another Deanna Durbin set first!

That's too bad about Hutton...:frowning:

 

[Corey]

Aww, that's too bad about Betty Hutton. I seriously hope that that Paramount considers releasing a set for her.

 

[Matt Hough]

A dear friend sent me a copy of Betty's DREAM GIRL. It's not a very good film, but her performance is priceless, and it's always been a guilty pleasure of mine. I'd love to see a sparkling DVD of it.

And great if PERILS OF PAULINE could be rescued from PD hell.

 

[serenapowell]

Oh no...that's so sad about Betty Hutton. :frowning: I wish (as I often do when a classic star dies) more of her memories had been preserved in the form of interviews & audio commentaries... but even though it's too late for that, I wish for more of her films on DVD. I haven't seen many - they're so out of circulation.

I hope Universal releases more Betty, Bing, Deanna, Donald O'Connor and Gloria Jean musicals. I'd love boxsets, although I think some (especially Deanna's) are big enough to be released individually as part of the Universal Cinema Classics line...

 

[CineKarine]

This rumor was on the MoviesUnlimited website a few months ago with regards to Walking My Baby Back Home (53) being included in such a set. So there is certainly nothing wrong with listing our wishes I think I would not start a thread if there was no purpose.

No clue if it would include both Universal and Paramount films of course.

But I would LOVE to see the B musicals with Donald O'Connor, Gloria Jean, Grace McDonald and so many others see the light on DVD. Bowery to Broadway (44) is a fabulous film, ditto The Merry Monahans (44), My Gal Loves Music (45), Penthouse Rhythm (44), Gals Inc. (43) and my favorite of all That Night with You (45) with Susanna Foster.

Would LOVE to see a beautiful-looking transfer of Lady in the Dark (44) - it's practically a non-musical as so very few songs remain, but I have always loved it even though it's an old yellowish copy taped off TV Ontario years ago! What a great channel - I had all the Durbins on tape in 1985 thanks to them.

So very sorry to hear about Betty Hutton - what a talent she was, so enthusiastic and yet so vulnerable. Her interview with Robert Osborne a few years back really touched me.

 

[Art_AD]

Maybe they can put together a Maurice Chevalier set and can include a the restored Paramount on Parade.

 

[Roger Rollins]

Has Paramount on Parade been restored? I hadn't heard that. I thought portions were gone forever. It would be great if this is true.

 

[CineKarine]

From MoviesUnlimited update:


(My)Question: ...Lastly, do you think we will be lucky enough to get a second Deanna Durbin collection from Universal before too long? Thank you very much!!!
-- (via email)

Answer: Universal is considering going to the Deanna Durbin well again, probably in early 2008.

 

[serenapowell]

More Deanna Durbin! Yessssss! Shouldn't have taken so long since the last boxset though, and it shouldn't be something they're only "considering". Am I really naive or isn't she still remembered and beloved by many? Didn't her movies sell like hotcakes on VHS? I don't know about the first DVD collection, but the store I bought mine at (2 copies, to support future releases ) sold out in a few days. I just assumed it was doing well and was shocked to read rumours online that Universal was disappointed in the sales... Well, anyway, great news that more is (probably) coming. I finally bought an all-region DVD player just so I could get that huge, pricey region 2 Deanna Durbin collection. But I don't mind buying them all again in region 1, really.

 

[Bob Graham]

Maybe they could throw in NEVER STEAL ANYTHING SMALL (James Cagney & Shirley Jones)

 

[Richard M S]

These suggestions all sound great, what ever happened to this box set? Was it indeed just a rumor?