Top 10 Favourite 70s films that haven't been released in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[ZachS]

The 70s is actually my least favorite decade for filmmaking since the invention of talkies, but there are still several unreleased titles that I would love to own. As someone else said, it's great to no longer have Bedknobs and Broomsticks on these lists, as of this year.

I’m patiently waiting for these to make their U.S. blu-ray debuts:

Disney:
Apple Dumpling Gang, The (1975) / Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979)
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
Return from Witch Mountain (1978)

Columbia/TriStar:
Cheap Detective, The (1978) {Peter Falk}
Monty Python's And Now for Something Completely Different (1971)
Murder By Death (1976) {Peter Falk}

Paramount:
Shootist, The (1976) {John Wayne}

Warner Bros:
Chisum (1970) {John Wayne}
Train Robbers, The (1973) {John Wayne}
Cahill, United States Marshal (1973) {John Wayne}

***FYI for those who don’t mind imports***
And for Something Completely Different: Released in Japan (June ’12).
Chisum: Coming out in France (Dec ’14).

 

[ZachS]

Pretty Baby - 1978

Is this a remake? I love a movie with the same title starring Betsy Drake.

DEFINITELY NOT! It's about as opposite as it could be from the Betsy Drake movie. It's a somewhat infamous film that includes Brooke Shields playing a 12-year-old prostitute. I might be mistaken, but I believe that it is still banned in Ontario and a few other places because of the content involving her. It's basically the sort of film that could only have been made in the 70s...

It'd be awesome to see the romantic comedy Pretty Baby (1950) on blu-ray, but I'm not holding my breath for that one or most of the other pre-1960s B&W Warner Bros films on blu-ray. Drake's Room for One More (1951) and Every Girl Should Be Married (1948) would also be nice while I'm dreaming...

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

Pretty Baby - 1978



Is this a remake? I love a movie with the same title starring Betsy Drake.

Like one fellow here stated definitely not. Here's a quick copy of my brief write-up :

Pretty Baby (1978) (Thanks Walter Kittel): Brooke Shields rookie role and quite a controversial one due mostly to (non-sexual) nudity on her part (at age 12). That and the portrayal of her character's virginity being auctioned off. But this film was a very deep look into the New Orleans brothel scene in the early 20th century. Available on DVD but a well-produced Blu would do this film justice. Note that Brooke Shields next two movies (Wanda Nevada and The Blue Lagoon) are out on Blu, though in limited availability. Wanda Nevada is available from Germany and The Blue Lagoon is currently a Twilight Time release for as long as the supply holds up (I have all three movies, one DVD and two Blus).

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

Oh how could I neglect these three for Blus? Two of them nobody else mentioned to date (though I do have a thread for Summer of 42 on here somewhere).

Summer of 42 (1971): This coming-of-age movie was as intense & emotionally powerful as they come, at least from a teenage boy's point of view.
From Amazon.com: It is the summer after Pearl Harbor. The world is at war, and America is sending her best, strongest and healthiest men to fight overseas. Meanwhile, those too young, old, or physically disabled to serve stay behind, as well as wives and sweethearts. Among these are Hermie, Oscy, and Benjie (Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser and Oliver Conant). Together, this "terrible trio" raids the Coast Guard station, frolics on the beach on Packett Island, and sneaks looks at "dirty pictures" from a medical book.
But even as the three friends goof around on lazy summer days, the war's effects will soon touch the more serious and sensitive 15-year-old Hermie. He finds himself falling in love with the beautiful Dorothy (Jennifer O'Neill), who is seven years older and married. He worships her from afar, enduring both his friends' merciless teasing and his own confusion about his feelings.
But when Dorothy's husband Pete goes overseas to enter the fray, Hermie befriends Dorothy, helping her with chores such as carrying her groceries to her house on the beach and placing boxes in the attic.
At the same time, the more rambunctious Oscy (and Hermie's best friend) is trying very hard to pick up girls and lose his virginity, and he makes it his mission in life to help Hermie do the same. So he copies information from a medical book that Benjie says "belongs to the house" where he spends the summer. Oscy also attempts to set up a date for the "terrible trio" at the movies, but that almost falls apart when Benjie and the third girl don't want to go. I don't want to give away what happens next, but it's pretty funny.
But the heart of the movie revolves, as many reviewers have said, around Hermie's love for Dorothy, and how he comes to manhood unexpectedly when Dorothy finds out that her husband has been killed in action. It's a beautiful, discreet and bittersweet sequence, and will leave the viewer with indelible memories of a haunting, timeless experience.
(by Betty June Moore)


Foul Play (1978): Now who could forget this somewhat comedic detective movie featuring the lovely (still lovely to this day) Goldie Hawn. Surprising that it has not yet seen a blu-ray release as it was one of the top movies from 1978.

From Amazon.com: After his meteoric rise in popularity from starring in the inaugural season of the ongoing, late-night TV comedy variety show "Saturday Night Live" (1975-), now veteran film actor Chevy Chase effectively began his big-screen career along side veteran big-screen comedic actress Goldie Hawn in the hilarious 1978 film "Foul Play". Taking place in the beautiful city of San Francisco, the single librarian Gloria Mundy (Goldie Hawn) becomes unwittingly entangled in a mysterious terrorist plot to kill Pope Pius XIII (Cyril Magnin, 1899-1988) when (while visiting San Francisco) he attends a performance of the 1885 opera "The Mikado" by William S. Gilbert (1836-1911) and Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900). After Gloria witnesses a brutal killing and escapes an attempt on her own life, she is interviewed by bumbling San Francisco police detective Lt. Tony Carlson (Chevy Chase). Not totally convinced about her seemingly outlandish story of being attacked by an albino (William Frankfather, 1944-1998, in his big-screen debut) or the warnings she received about a dwarf, Tony nonetheless keeps a watchful eye upon Gloria whom he is attracted to. As Gloria continues to evade the killers, she meets the satyrical musical conductor Stanley Tibbets (the hilarious Dudley Moore, 1935-2002) and mistakenly confuses a short & innocent bible-salesman, J.J. MacKuen (Billy Barty, 1924-2000), to be the infamous dwarf. With a myriad of chase scenes, wistful dialog, unusual characters, Hitchcockian mystery and 1970's nostalgia, "Foul Play" is sure to bring a smile to most viewer's faces.

Memorable scenes in the film include Gloria meeting Stanley for the first time, Stanley's apartment, J.J. MacKuen at Gloria's front door, Gloria visiting J.J. at the hospital, the "massage" club, Gloria's friend & landlord Mr. Hennessey (Burgess Meredith, 1908-1997) taking on Delia Darrow (Rachel Roberts, 1927-1980), trying to get to the opera house, the Japanese couple (Rollin Moriyama, 1907-1992, and Mitsu Yashima) and the "Mikado" performance. Other memorable characters include Gloria's friend Stella (Marilyn Sokol), Archbishop Thorncrest/Archbishop's brother (Eugene Roche, 1928-2004), Rupert Stiltskin (Marc Lawrence), The Turk (Ion Teodorescu, 1934-1985), the truck driver (M. James Arnett) and Esme the snake (Shirley Python). Overall, I rate "Foul Play" with 5 out of 5 stars and am very happy to see it finally released on DVD. In an interesting bit of trivia, the name "Gloria Mundy" was derived from the Latin phrase, "Sic transit gloria mundi," which means, "So passes the glory of the world."
(by M. Hart)

Private Benjamin (1979): Well while we're on Goldie Hawn movies, how bout this late 70s era gem of a movie which also featured the late Robert Webber and the dearly missed Eileen Brennan.

From Amazon.com: Devastated when her brand-new husband (Albert Brooks) drops dead on their wedding night, Jewish-American princess Judy Benjamin (Goldie Hawn) is receptive to the pitch delivered by a duplicitous recruiter for the Women's Army Corps. Quickly advised by topkick Captain Lewis (Eileen Brennan) that she should not look forward to the private room, fancy clothes and sauna bath that she'd been promised, Judy is forced to go through basic training like any other "grunt". This turns out to be a real growth experience for the pampered Private Benjamin who, for the first time in her life, has to work for her privileges. A brief misadventure with a lascivious paratroop officer (Robert Webber) nearly sours Judy on army life, but she turns out to be a darned good soldier and a woman with a highly developed sense of self-esteem that enables her to weather a further disappointing romantic fling with French physician Henri Tremont (Armand Assante). Private Benjamin turned out to be one of Goldie Hawn's most profitable vehicles.

 

[LeoA]

It'd be awesome to see the romantic comedy Pretty Baby (1950) on blu-ray, but I'm not holding my breath for that one or most of the other pre-1960s B&W Warner Bros films on blu-ray. Drake's Room for One More (1951) and Every Girl Should Be Married (1948) would also be nice while I'm dreaming...

I'd love to get all three on Blu-Ray. I loved Betsy Drake in all three and of course Cary Grant co-stars in two of them.

Wish she had been in Houseboat alongside Cary Grant a few years later like she originally was supposed to have been. Very good movie, but it would've been even better with Betsy Drake instead of Sophia Loren I bet.

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

DEFINITELY NOT! It's about as opposite as it could be from the Betsy Drake movie. It's a somewhat infamous film that includes Brooke Shields playing a 12-year-old prostitute. I might be mistaken, but I believe that it is still banned in Ontario and a few other places because of the content involving her. It's basically the sort of film that could only have been made in the 70s...

I don't know. The 12-year old prostitute plot line was rehashed (somewhat) in Hounddog (featuring Dakota Fanning in the feature role), at least from what I've seen of the review as I've never seen it. This one has yet to come out on Blu but is available as a DVD. Funny thing, Amazon show their Amazon Instant Download as unavailable for this movie.

 

[schan1269]

I don't know. The 12-year old prostitute plot line was rehashed (somewhat) in Hounddog (featuring Dakota Fanning in the feature role), at least from what I've seen of the review as I've never seen it. This one has yet to come out on Blu but is available as a DVD. Funny thing, Amazon show their Amazon Instant Download as unavailable for this movie.

????

There is zero, none, prostitution in Hounddog.

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

OK, guess we can now remove Audrey Rose (1977) off this list. TT is releasing it come Oct 14th.

 

[battlebeast]

By the way, this film is available on Blu-ray in scandinavian countries:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Turning-Point-Blu-ray/62372/

Is this region free?

I'd like to have a Region 1 release, seing as how they haven't released it in years...

 

[ROclockCK]

In alphabetical order:

[*]1776
[*]1941
[*]The Andromeda Strain
[*]The Creeping Flesh
[*]Cross of Iron
[*]The Day of the Locust
[*]The Devils
[*]Don't Look Now
[*]Farewell, My Lovely
[*]Freebie and the Bean
[*]Hardcore
[*]The Hindenburg
[*]Mon oncle Antoine
[*]Murder by Decree
[*]Night Moves
[*]The Night Stalker/Strangler (Made-for-TV movies)
[*]The Parallax View
[*]Phase IV
[*]Savage Messiah
[*]Slaughterhouse-Five
[*]Sleuth
[*]The Tenant
[*]Time After Time
[*]Winter Kills
[*]Women in Love
[*]Zardoz
[/list]
...lots of others I haven't seen since 1st run and would love to see again, and I've probably forgotten a few here, but these are pretty much my top still MIA 70s titles.

 

[Bob_S.]

JAWS 2

Bad News Bears

Wilderness Family

Bless the Beasts and the Children

The Other Side of the Mountain

Midnight Express

Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

????

There is zero, none, prostitution in Hounddog.

Guess thats what I get for not actually seeing the movie and reading reviews. I stand corrected.

 

[Yorkshire]

Okay, a left-field list coming up:

Asylum
The Day of the Locust
From Beyond the Grave
The House That Driped Blood
Lust for a Vampire
Melody (a.k.a. S.W.A.L.K.)
Play it Again, Sam
Rabid
Whose Life Is It Anyway?

Steve W

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

Add to 70s Wish List:

Love At First Bite (1979):
From Wiki: The infamous vampire Count Dracula is expelled from his castle by the Communist government of Romania, which plans to convert the structure into a training facility for gymnasts (the head trainer declares that it will include Nadia Comăneci). The world-weary Count travels to New York City with his bug-eating manservant, Renfield, and establishes himself in a hotel, but only after a mix-up at the airport causes his coffin to be accidentally sent to be the centerpiece in a funeral at a black church in Harlem. While Dracula learns that America contains such wonders as blood banks, he also proceeds to suffer the general ego-crushing that comes from modern life in the Big Apple as he romantically pursues flaky fashion model Cindy Sondheim, whom he has admired from afar and believes to be the current reincarnation of his true love (an earlier being named Mina Harker).

 

[brioni]

Awesome news:

U.S. distributors Kino Lorber have confirmed that they will release on Blu-ray director Michael Crichton's adventure film The Great Train Robbery (1978), starring Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland, Lesley-Anne Down, Alan Webb, Robert Lang, Michael Elphick, and Pamela Salem. The release is scheduled to arrive on the U.S. market in September.

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

"Meteor" (1979 ) can be checked off. Kino Lorber is releasing a Blu in September 2014. Now how could a film featuring Sean Connery, Natalie Wood and Brian Keith been such a BO flop (but now a cult classic?

 

[BRAD1963]

Shampoo
Klute
Day for Night
Night Moves
Black Sunday
Julia
An Unmarried Woman
Next Stop, Greenwich Village
The Late Show
Islands in the Stream

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

An Update on an entry on my OP original list, Arnold (1974).

I posted an inquiry about this movie over on Scream Factory's FB page and actually got a few responses (but none from Scream Factory's admin). Apparently according to George Reis, Arnold is caught up in some legal tangles with the Bing Crosby estate. Of course I had no idea Bing Crosby had anything to do with this movie but he was still alive when Arnold was released.
Furthermore Mr. Reis mentioned that Scorpion Releasing confirmed this information as they have been releasing other "Cinerama" films for some time. Oh well, another fun film bogged down in rights issues.
Here's hoping Scorpion Releasing can get something done with Arnold along with other Cinerama titles and bring them to Blu-ray. I provided to Scorpion Releasing's web page and here's Scorpion Releasing's FB Page.

 

[ahollis]

MURDER BY DEATH? I would love to visit Two Two Twain place on Blu-ray.

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

MURDER BY DEATH? I would love to visit Two Two Twain place on Blu-ray.

The movie now has its own Murder By Death FB Page.

Apologies to Ronald, Robert & company for all the dust on this thread bringing it back up.