Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more... (1 Viewer)

[ReggieW]

I would really be interested in seeing a Frank Capra vol-2 collection containing the remainder of his 1930's Columbia offerings like Lost Horizon, Forbidden, Platinum Blonde (Hopefully with a commentary track & featurette this time), etc; I am also surprised that Sony hasn't yet cobbled together a Rita Hayworth collection.

She certainly deserves one!

 

[John Hodson]

Mike Schlesinger was kind enough to reply to my email asking about John Ford's Gideon's Day:


So, Two Rode Together and The Whole Town's Talking are also on the cards for R1! (Hopefully...)

 

[Alan Tully]

Many months ago "The Go-Between" DVD was given away free in an English newspaper. I can't tell you what it's like, I did get it, but can't find it now.

 

[Charles H]

THE KING STEPS OUT was scheduled last year for a TCM showing, but it was abruptly cancelled. I thought that it must have been some problems with the quality of the print.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

If you haven't seen THE FACE BEHIND THE MASK, you haven't seen one of the best "B" noirs ever made. (Well, it might not exactly be a noir, but it feels enough like one to me.)

5 out of 5 stars from me. And, I seem to remember somebody around here pooh-poohing the idea of a Peter Lorre box set as too commercially unviable to see the light of day... :-D

Incredibly, we got Sam Katzman first, a marketable household name if there ever was one.

 

[Richard--W]

Peter Lorre is the star of not 1 but 2 Mr. Moto box sets.
That's as viable as an actor can get in the home video industry.

Rest assured a Peter Lorre collection will sell.

Crime and Punishment
The King Steps Out
Face Behind the Mask

and from other studios

The Beast With Face Fingers
The Strangers
The Mask of Dimitrios etc etc etc.

What was the name of that independent film Peter Lorre directed? The rights can probably be had for a song. Put that in the box-set. I crossed trails with his daughter Catherine not to long ago. She's still in L.A. and can contribute to the supplements.

 

[oscar_merkx]

Awesome news John

 

[CineKarine]

Mike Schlesinger was kind enough to reply to my queries, so I am certain this info can be shared:


I believe the 4 Capra/Stanwycks are Ladies of Leisure, Forbidden, The Bitter Tea of General Yen and The Miracle Woman, since Meet John Doe is not a Columbia property.

Thrilled about the above AND the screwball comedies

 

[John Hodson]

This just gets better and better...

 

[Darrell Bratz]

"Screwball Comedy" set would make Theodora Goes Wild fair game, yes?

 

[Bob Graham]

DER VERLORENE (The Lost One) directed by Lorre in Germany in the early 50's and considered by many to be one of the best German films of the period. Lorre wanted to do an English language version in Hollywood but couldn't get the funding. It's a great noir and I'd buy it on DVD in a heartbeat.

 

[RafaelPires]

Mike Schlesinger also answered my e-mail (how cool is that, having an insider telling you the news). Karine, I think my question was very similar to yours.

Here's his answer:

"Dear Rafael,

Thank you for the kind words. There will be a Capra/Stanwyck box sometime next year, as well as a screwball comedy set that will likely include some of the titles you mentioned (e.g., THEODORA GOES WILD, MY SISTER EILEEN, DOCTOR TAKES A WIFE, some Jean Arthur). More Hayworth and Glenn Ford will be coming too, though not necessarily the titles you cited. I'd love to do Miller's B-musicals as well, but that may take a while.

Best,
Mike"

I think that beguinning next year we will see a lot of Columbia classics out there on dvd.

 

[Mike*HTF]

Great news!

And thanks for asking CinéKarine

 

[Charles H]

A Joan Crawford Collection would be a huge success: THEY ALL KISSED THE BRIDE, Robert Aldrich's AUTUMN LEAVES, the quinessential HARRIET CRAIG, and the remarkable THE STORY OF ESTHER COSTELLO. The last three represent the pathology of Crawford better than even the WB choices....particularly HARRIET CRAIG. Would have loved a Vincent Sherman commentary on that one!!
No other studio is better equipped to do a Jack Lemmon box than Columbia, and I frankly prefer the early Lemmon when his talent was blossoming to even the Billy Wilder comedies: PHFFT!, YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM IT (Lbx), THE NOTORIOUS LANDLADY, UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE, GOOD NEIGHBOR SAM, THREE FOR THE SHOW (Lbx), and OPERATION MAD BALL. Lemmon even got along with Harry Cohn.

 

[Richard M S]

Charles, having just watched the first sound version of HARRIET CRAIG on TCM: CRAIG'S WIFE starring Rosalind Russell, I hope they release that film as well. in some sort of double set.

I had never seen it before, and it was better than I ever could have imagined. Now I want to see the Joan Crawford version, though I cannot imagine how she could have improved upon Rosalind Russell's very believable performance.

 

[Bob Graham]

I wrote Mike Schlessinger, too, to ask about the status of three titles and he was kind enough to reply. Here's what he told me:

MY SISTER EILEEN is coming next year as part of screwball comedy package (as mentioned above).
MICKEY ONE is on hold pending the participation of Warren Beatty (personally, I hope they don't wait too long, as I would like ot see Arthur Penn involved too.)
They are trying to locate the cut scenes from THE VICTORS, so it is on the radar screen.

Again, I think it's great that Mr Schlessinger takes the time to answer his e-mail!

 

[Frank M]

There is a great Arthaus Premium Edition available in Germany, but it has no english options.

 

[R-T-C Tim]

In reply to my e-mail, he said that they were looking into 'Camp on Blood Island' because a number of people had mentioned it.

The rights to 'Hysteria' (a Hammer thriller) are no longer with them, so it won't be coming if they do a Hammer Suspense set.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Did the rights for "Hysteria" go to them when they purchased MGM? I ask because MGM released Hysteria on VHS in the 80's. I still have a copy. I believe Fox owns MGM titles now so the rights are probably with them but I can't imagine them releasing this especially since they don't own many Hammers they haven't already released. Maybe they will license it out to Anchor Bay or Blue Underground.

 

[Danny Burk]

Interesting trivia department......Mike is the nephew of Leon Schlesinger of Looney Toons fame