Press Release Warner Archive Press Release: A Star is Born (1937) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

COMING SOON!
NEW 2022 1080p HD Master from 4K scan of its original Nitrate Technicolor Camera Negatives!
A STAR IS BORN (1937)-RESTORED EDITION
BD50
Color
Aspect Ratio 16x9 1.37 with Side Mattes
Audio Specs DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 MONO
111 Minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES: Two Lux Radio Theater broadcasts; Janet Gaynor and Robert Montgomery (9/13/37) Judy Garland and Walter Pidgeon (12/28/42) [audio only]; Classic WB cartoon- "A STAR IS HATCHED" (1938) (HD); Classic WB shorts: "MAL HALLETT & HIS ORCHESTRA" (1937) (HD); "TAKING THE COUNT" (1937) (HD); "ALIBI MARK" (1937) (HD); Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)
Producer David O. Selznick turned his attention to Hollywood with this 1937 original classic directed by William A. Wellman. Its Academy Award-winning screenplay co-written by Dorothy Parker tells the story of hopeful, young would-be actress Esther Blodgett (Academy Award winner Janet Gaynor) whose career is launched by movie star Norman Maine (Academy Award winner Fredric March), who also wins the young actress' heart. Esther becomes leading lady Vicki Lester and Mrs. Norman Maine, but as Maine's career flounders, he sinks into an abyss of alcoholism. Esther chooses to sacrifice her stardom to care for her husband, but he will not allow Esther to abandon her dreams for him. Remade three times in years ahead, this original version has finally undergone a meticulous restoration and has been remastered from its original nitrate Technicolor camera negatives, especially for this Warner Archive Blu-ray release. The result is a sterling presentation of a landmark in film history for this new restored edition.

 

[Robert Crawford]

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[Robert Crawford]

This is a surprise considering it's been released by another label back in 2012. This will definitely be a significant upgrade to the Kino Blu-ray because Warner had the OCN to work from.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Wow.! This has been a problematic title for years. I really commend Warner Archive for diving into it. It's not really a genre I follow, but I think I need this. I think it's a big deal.

 

[Thomas T]

Something told me to pass on the previous blu ray versions and now I know why. Sometimes it pays to listen to your gut instincts.

 

[battlebeast]

I'm excited to see this again. Should look STUNNING ala IVANHOE and ROBIN HOOD..

 

[RobertMG]

View attachment 125974

COMING SOON!
NEW 2022 1080p HD Master from 4K scan of its original Nitrate Technicolor Camera Negatives!
A STAR IS BORN (1937)-RESTORED EDITION
BD50
Color
Aspect Ratio 16x9 1.37 with Side Mattes
Audio Specs DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 MONO
111 Minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES: Two Lux Radio Theater broadcasts; Janet Gaynor and Robert Montgomery (9/13/37) Judy Garland and Walter Pidgeon (12/28/42) [audio only]; Classic WB cartoon- "A STAR IS HATCHED" (1938) (HD); Classic WB shorts: "MAL HALLETT & HIS ORCHESTRA" (1937) (HD); "TAKING THE COUNT" (1937) (HD); "ALIBI MARK" (1937) (HD); Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)
Producer David O. Selznick turned his attention to Hollywood with this 1937 original classic directed by William A. Wellman. Its Academy Award-winning screenplay co-written by Dorothy Parker tells the story of hopeful, young would-be actress Esther Blodgett (Academy Award winner Janet Gaynor) whose career is launched by movie star Norman Maine (Academy Award winner Fredric March), who also wins the young actress' heart. Esther becomes leading lady Vicki Lester and Mrs. Norman Maine, but as Maine's career flounders, he sinks into an abyss of alcoholism. Esther chooses to sacrifice her stardom to care for her husband, but he will not allow Esther to abandon her dreams for him. Remade three times in years ahead, this original version has finally undergone a meticulous restoration and has been remastered from its original nitrate Technicolor camera negatives, especially for this Warner Archive Blu-ray release. The result is a sterling presentation of a landmark in film history for this new restored edition.

WOW - so tired of the YUCK prints out there on this classic, DAY one pre-order! Now wish Mr F reads this and graces us with a restoration clip on this here title would increase pre-orders BIG time PLEASE PLEASE give us some eye candy!

 

[darkrock17]

Interesting to see that Judy Garland was in the 1942 radio broadcast, a bit of foreshadowing of what would come 12 years later in 1954.

 

[Matt Hough]

Interesting to see that Judy Garland was in the 1942 radio broadcast, a bit of foreshadowing of what would come 12 years later in 1954.

She begged Arthur Freed and L.B. Mayer to buy the rights for her to make a film of it when she was under contract to MGM, but despite her wonderful performance in the radio version, they thought the role was too grown-up for her!

 

[Garysb]

Finally we are going to get a version made from the Technicolor 3 strip negative. Question is will Warner go with saturated colors that we think of as Technicolor from 1940's films or will they be true to how the film originally looked in 1937, which was more muted . Odd that they uses a Black and White still for the cover.

 

[GerardoHP]

Couldn't come a second too soon. I've been waiting for this since the trailer restoration back in the 80's or 90's. This should be a stunner.

 

[GerardoHP]

Finally we are going to get a version made from the Technicolor 3 strip negative. Question is will Warner go with saturated colors that we think of as Technicolor from 1940's films or will they be true to how the film originally looked in 1937, which was more muted . Odd that they uses a Black and White still for the cover.

From the two brief bits they've been showing on the TCM Film Festival announcements, it looks like the answer is "muted". But there should be scenes where the color pops like the Academy Awards scene for instance.

 

[Robert Harris]

Finally we are going to get a version made from the Technicolor 3 strip negative. Question is will Warner go with saturated colors that we think of as Technicolor from 1940's films or will they be true to how the film originally looked in 1937, which was more muted . Odd that they uses a Black and White still for the cover.

The overall design of Tech in it’s infancy was generally muted. Expect something between the print scan and what the records actually hold.

Regardless, it will be magnificent.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It looks like March 29th is the release date.

 

[jayembee]

This is a surprise considering it's been released by another label back in 2012. This will definitely be a significant upgrade to the Kino Blu-ray because Warner had the OCN to work from.

I'm curious about how that happened to be. I know that this film has been in the Public Domain, but that doesn't explain why the OCN was available to Warner (and wasn't to Kino, who released it back in 2012). It's not like the film was originally distributed by them and they happened to have the OCN around (it was distributed by United Artists).

 

[Robert Harris]

I'm curious about how that happened to be. I know that this film has been in the Public Domain, but that doesn't explain why the OCN was available to Warner (and wasn't to Kino, who released it back in 2012). It's not like the film was originally distributed by them and they happened to have the OCN around (it was distributed by United Artists).

Warner acquired all rights to the 1937 production, toward potentially doing a re-make c. 1954. All elements travel with rights.

Kino was able to only access a PD print.

 

[jayembee]

Ah. Of course. I should've thought of that. It's odd that it then fell into P.D.

 

[Robert Harris]

Ah. Of course. I should've thought of that. It's odd that it then fell into P.D.

A legal oversight, but a step away from Nothing Sacred, another Selznick 1937 production. Keep in mind that Mr. Selznick passed away in 1965, the renewal year.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Warner acquired all rights to the 1937 production, toward potentially doing a re-make c. 1954. All elements travel with rights.

Kino was able to only access a PD print.

Warner probably has the rights to the source materials as they released the two later remakes 1976 and 2018.

 

[McCrutchy]

I think the cover for this release needs to be changed. It's a nice image, but given that most people associate the 1930s with black and white films, it seems in incredibly poor taste to advertise an early Technicolor production as though it is a black and white film. I know, for myself, I had forgotten that the film was in color when I saw the announcement, because I saw the cover and immediately assumed it was for a black and white film.

There's been some speculation that this cover has been chosen to associate the film with the latest 2018 version (or possibly even the 1976 version), but that's not evoked here, in my opinion, in part because the title text for the 2018 version was gold and not red. While both the 1976 and 2018 versions have a black and white image, the releases of Warner's own 1954 version use color imagery, in part to show off that it is a color film. However, WACs upcoming release doesn't even mention that the 1937 film is in Technicolor on the cover.

It's a shame that it may be too late to fix this.