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SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS: 2-Disc OCTOBER 12TH (1 Viewer)

Andrew Budgell

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In addition to That's Entertainment on October 12th is:

WARNER HOME VIDEO CELEBRATES THE
50th Anniversary of SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS

Get ready for one of the liveliest, leaping-est, sassiest and happiest musicals
ever, as Warner Home Video presents the 50th Anniversary Two-Disc Special
Edition DVD release of the classic Seven Brides for Seven Brothers on October
12.

Directed by Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain), and starring Jane Powell (Royal
Wedding, Hit the Deck) and Howard Keel (Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate), Seven
Brides for Seven Brothers was nominated for four Academy Awards and won for Best
Scoring of a Musical Picture. This Western musical is distinguished by a
soaring score by Saul Chaplin (Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story) and Gene de Paul
(Alice in Wonderland) with lyrics by Johnny Mercer ("Moon River"), and
brilliant, acrobatic dancing scenes choreographed by Michael Kidd (Band Wagon,
Guys and Dolls).

Presented for the first time on DVD in new anamorphic 16x9 format transfer,
enhanced for widescreen and with new Dolby Digital 5.1 surround audio, the Seven
Brides for Seven Brothers Two-Disc Special Edition DVD has extras to please
every mountain man or woman, including the newly remastered original CinemaScope
(2.55:1) version as well as the rarely-seen alternate widescreen (1.75:1)
version, director Stanley Donen's commentary, a newly updated cast & crew
documentary, vintage featurettes and premiere newsreel, and a Donen musicals
trailer gallery, all for a $26.99 SRP.

"Seven Brides For Seven Brothers is a landmark in motion picture history. It was
a surprise smash at the box-office when it first opened in 1954, and its
popularity has only grown in the ensuing years," said George Feltenstein, WHV
Senior VP, Classic Catalog. "The sparkling performances, clever screenplay, and
ingenious choreography and direction of this film make it as fresh and vital
today as it was 50 years ago. Seven Brides is one of the top-selling MGM
musicals of all time and we are proud to add this enduring classic to our series
of prestigious Two-Disc Special Editions."

Of interest to press and consumers alike is that two versions of the film exist,
one in CinemaScope and the other in traditional widescreen, due to fact that
Cinemascope was brand new in 1953. MGM was concerned that if it was a fad they
would have an unusable film in the long-run, so for protection they shot the
film twice. Two different takes of each shot with different staging were
filmed, which reflect the different frame size of traditional widescreen (less
wide and more rectangular) and CinemaScope. By the time the film was released,
CinemaScope had proven a huge success and the alternate version has rarely been
seen.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers DVD extra content features include:

Disc One:
Audio Commentary by Stanley Donen
MGM Jubilee Overture (1954 MGM "30th Anniversary" Theatrical Short Subject shot
in CinemaScope and Technicolor, featuring the M-G-M Symphony Orchestra, led by
Johnny Green, playing a medley of eleven well-known songs used in some of the
studio's best-known musicals. Presented in a new 16x9 2.55 anamorphic transfer
with 5.1 digital audio)
Stanley Donen Trailer Gallery: On the Town 1949, Royal Wedding 1951, Singin' in
the Rain 1952, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 1954, It's Always Fair Weather
1955, The Pajama Game 1957, Damn Yankees! 1958

Disc Two:
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Rarely-seen 1.77:1 alternate Widescreen Version
Updated and revised cast and crew documentary Sobbin' Women: The Making of
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, hosted by Howard Keel and featuring new
interviews with Jane Powell and Jacques D'Amboise
Radio City Music Hall Premiere - July 22, 1954
MGM's 30th Anniversary (1954 MGM Newsreel)
 

Matt Czyz

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What's the story behind the two screen ratios? Where did this "rarely-seen" alternate version come from?
 

Damin J Toell

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The press release explains it:

"Of interest to press and consumers alike is that two versions of the film exist,
one in CinemaScope and the other in traditional widescreen, due to fact that
Cinemascope was brand new in 1953. MGM was concerned that if it was a fad they
would have an unusable film in the long-run, so for protection they shot the
film twice. Two different takes of each shot with different staging were
filmed, which reflect the different frame size of traditional widescreen (less
wide and more rectangular) and CinemaScope. By the time the film was released,
CinemaScope had proven a huge success and the alternate version has rarely been
seen."

DJ
 

Robert Crawford

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I couldn't imagine Warner going through all that trouble to show the alternate version of the film without it being anamorphic and having the same 5.1 sound. George Feltenstein is a big fan of musicals and he wouldn't release this Special Edition DVD without it being done correctly.






Crawdaddy
 

Al (alweho)

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The list of must-have titles grows yet again with this set. I just hope the home video companies understand that putting so much out there all at once can end up hurting sales.

I know all about holiday gift giving and fourth quarter release strategies, but why couldn't have a few of these titles been released during this summer? There have been more than a few Tuesdays these past few months where the selection has been rather sparse on the classic/nostalgic titles.

Here's my list for example (which in no way is represenative I'm sure). I'm just dreading the days with multiple box sets scheduled...

July 27, 2004
Thunderbirds Giftset | Pennies from Heaven

August 3, 2004
Black Hole | Shaggy Dog (45th Ann.) | Darby O'Gill and the Little People | Zorba the Greek | Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack

August 10, 2004
Freaks | The Bad Seed | Dead Ringer | Village of the Damned / Children of the Damned

August 17, 2004
Margaret Cho: Revolution

August 24, 2004
Munsters: 1st Season | Munsters: America's 1st Family of Fright | Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

August 31, 2004
Rocky & Bullwinkle: Season 2 | I Love Lucy: Season 2 | Star Trek Original Series: 1st Season

September 7, 2004
Island at the Top of the World (30th Ann.) | Third Man on the Mountain | Dial M for Murder | Strangers on a Train (SE) | Iron Giant (SE)

September 14, 2004
Home on the Range | My Favorite Martian: 1st Season | Lost in Space 2nd Season Pt. 1

September 21, 2004
Star Wars Trilogy

October 5, 2004
Monster Collection: Invisible Man, Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon | Aladdin (Gift Set) | Untouchables (SE)

October 12, 2004
That's Entertainment! Trilogy | The Bellboy (Lewis) | South Park: 5th Season

October 26, 2004
Mulan (Gift Set)

November 5, 2004
Shrek 2 | Gone with the Wind (4 disc SE)?

November 9, 2004
Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (6 disc) | W.C. Fields Comedy Collection (5 disc) | PeeWee's Playhouse Box Sets | PeeWee's Christmas Special

November 19, 2004
Spider-Man 2 | Tom & Jerry Collection

December 7, 2004
Mary Poppins (SE)

2004 ?
Looney Tunes Box II | Ed Wood | Top Cat | Two for the Road | Lost in Space 2nd Season Pt. 2

WD Treasures: Mickey Mouse in B&W Vol. 2 | Complete Pluto | Mickey Mouse Club | True Life Adventures

March 8, 2005
Bambi (SE)

October 4, 2005
Cinderella (SE)

2005 ?
Sea Hawk + Errol Flynn Box | Lost in Space: 3rd Season Pts. 1 & 2 | Band Wagon (SE) [w/Ultra-Resolution process] | Brigadoon | Bubsy Berkely box set | To Be or Not to Be (42) | East of Eden [Legal issues cleared; 50th Ann. release hoped] | Mighty Joe Young | It's Always Fair Weather | Ninotchka [Along w/100th Ann. Garbo "all beloved films"] | Pocahontas (SE) | Lilo & Stitch (SE) | Dumbo (SE) | Pinocchio (SE) | Destino | So Dear to My Heart

WD Treasures: Various Treasures [w/Donald in MathamagicLand]

2006/Beyond/Rumored ?
American in Paris (SE) [w/Ultra-Resolution process] | Searchers: 50th Ann. (SE) [w/other Wayne/Ford titles] | Body Heat: 25th Ann. | Lifeboat | Laura | Forbidden Planet (SE) | Cleopatra Jones (SE) | African Queen

WB being worked on, no date:
Bells are Ringing | Bringing Up Baby | Camille | Magnificent Ambersons | Jazz Singer (27) | Rebel Without a Cause (SE) | Streetcar Named Desire (SE) | Stagecoach (SE) [restoration planned] | Dinner at Eight | King Kong: 2-disc (SE) [restored; "Will blow you away"; "Kong will fall from the Empire State building without gaps"]

WB in discussion, no plans:
Blade Runner (SE) [Investigating options, still has legal issues] | Maltese Falcon (SE) | Poltergeist (SE) | Vincent Minnelli musicals

...and who knows what else will be released by the end of this year.

Sigh.
 

Peter Kline

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The "flat" alternate version has been shown on TNT many times. I once read that MGM decided to make two versions because CinemaScope projection equipment was still not available in England and other European countries which were a lucrative market for musicals. No matter. "Brigadoon" is another film that was photographed twice. "Kiss Me Kate" doesn't count because the cameras were side by side (for 3D)! :D

P.S. My only complaint about the film is that it is obviously stage-bound. All those fake flowers and backdrops. "Rose Marie" also suffered the same visual problems.
 

Joe Caps

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Not quite sure sbout this one, but I think the "flat versions" of seven Brides and Brigadoon were in mono. For the vid masters - the stereo music prerecords were loopped into the mono versions.
I've also been told that almost all of the early mgm scope films were double shot - right through the 1955 Jupiters Darling (one of my favorite tacky musicals).
 

Peter Kline

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On the non CinemaScope version, are there all 7 brothers and brides or did they reduce the number to, say, 5 of each to keep them all in the frame? :D
 

Brian W

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I'm sorry, there is just no end to Warners fabulous and highly antcipated releases. I can not wait! If it is all that we have been getting and expecting from WB, it will be done to perfection.
 

Brian W

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I meant to add, now if only FOX would release a set of this ambition for Oklahoma!, both the Cinemascope and Todd-AO versions, also shot twice to accommodate the two different formats...
 

chris*b

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Good news. I can hardly wait for this release. I am quickly losing movie titles not on DVD to complain about.:D
 

Joe_Pinney

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Outstanding news! Really looking forward to Stanely Donen's commentary. I've so far only seen snippets of this film. What a delight it will be to see both versions of this classic!

Oh, and psst, al (alweho)! The Shaggy Dog(45th Ann.) has been delayed, unfortunately, possibly until 2005.
 

Al (alweho)

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Thanks Joe for the heads up - there were already a few fixes I have to make on that list since it was first posted. Keeping track of all this is a real job I tell you.
 

Mark Philp

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WOW! I not one who keeps buying the same title over and over every time a company finds a few new frames or adds some additional extras, but in the case I' make an exception. :) :) :)
 

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