Warner Feb. Releases including My Fair Lady, Mutiny on the Bounty, Mrs. Miniver & more (1 Viewer)

[Herb Kane]

I just received this email:

February is Oscar month, and Warner Home Video is paying homage to some of the great winners of the past by giving them DVD debuts on February 3. My Fair Lady -- one of the most popular musicals of all time, nominated for
12 Academy Awards® and winning eight, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director -- will be released on a brand new two-disc DVD Special Edition. The long list of bonus features is detailed in the attached press
release. Additionally, four more Academy Award® Best Picture winners will debut on DVD February 3 including Grand Hotel, The Great Ziegfeld, Mutiny On The Bounty, and Mrs. Miniver along with Gaslight, the acclaimed psychological thriller featuring the Academy Award® -winning performance by Ingrid Bergman, and Goodbye Mr. Chips starring 1939 Best Actor winner, Robert Donat. The My Fair Lady Two-Disc DVD Special Edition, featuring a
high-definition widescreen (anamorphic) format transfer from restored film elements and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, will sell for $26.99 SRP. The other titles will each sell for $19.98 SRP.

A great month for fans of classics.

Herb.

 

[Herb Kane]

Here are the specific details cut & pasted from their press release...

BURBANK, Calif., November 12, 2003 – My Fair Lady -- one of the most popular musicals of all time, nominated for 12 Academy Awards® and winning eight, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director -- will be released on a brand new two-disc DVD Special Edition February 3 by Warner Home Video (WHV).

Additionally, four more Academy Award® Best Picture winners will debut on DVD February 3 including Grand Hotel, The Great Ziegfeld, Mutiny On The Bounty, and Mrs. Miniver along with Gaslight the acclaimed psychological thriller featuring the Academy Award® -winning performance by Ingrid Bergman and Goodbye Mr. Chips starring 1939 Best Actor, Robert Donat. The My Fair Lady Two-Disc DVD Special Edition, featuring a high-definition widescreen (anamorphic) format transfer from restored film elements and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, will sell for $26.99 SRP. The other titles will each sell for $19.98 SRP.

My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Wilfred Hyde-White and Stanley Holloway and directed by George Cukor, also won Oscars® for Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s classic play Pygmalion, the story chronicles an egotistical linguist’s attempt to win a bet with a friend by transforming a feisty, Cockney waif into an elegant lady in time for an important society ball.

The My Fair Lady Two-Disc DVD Special Edition sound bonus features include:
Disc One:
•Commentary by art director Gene Allen, singer Marni Nixon and restoration team Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz

[more]





Disc Two:
•More Loverly Than Ever: The Making of My Fair Lady - Then and Now
•The Production
-All-new 1963 Production kickoff dinner
-Audio of George Cukor directing Baroness Bina Rothschild
-Audrey Hepburn, Alternate vocals for “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “Show Me”
-Posters and Lobby Cards with Rex Harrison Radio Interview
-“The Fairest Fair Lady” making-of featurette
-LA Premiere Footage
-“Show Me” Galleries
•Key Set: Black and White Production Stills
•Production Documents
•Cecil Beaton Costume Sketches
•Architectural Drawings
•The Awards
-Rex Harrison’s Golden Globe Acceptance Speech
-37th Academy Awards®
•The Comments
-Martin Scorsese
-Andrew Lloyd Webber
•The Trailers of Lerner and Loewe
-Brigadoon 1954
-Camelot 1967
-Gigi 1958
-My Fair Lady 1964
-My Fair Lady 1994 Re-release Trailer


Grand Hotel –This 1932 MGM film which won the Oscar® for Best Picture features a 1930’s “A-list” cast including Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore and Wallace Beery. Set at the luxurious Grand Hotel, where “nothing ever happens,” a disfigured doctor (Lewis Stone) doles out cynical commentary as hotel patrons come and go. Edmund Goulding directed the ensemble cast in this stunning story of love, betrayal and despair.

The Grand Hotel DVD bonus features include:
•Checking Out: Grand Hotel (New “making-of” documentary)
•Hollywood Premiere of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Grand Hotel (1932 newsreel)
•Just a Word of Warning (1932 theatre announcement)
•Nothing Ever Happens (Newly-discovered 1933 Vitaphone Short, a Spoof on Grand Hotel)
•Theatrical trailers
-Grand Hotel 1932
-Week-end at the Waldorf 1945 re-make of Grand Hotel


The Great Ziegfeld –The immensely entertaining 1936 biographical film about flamboyant impresario Florenz Ziegfeld, starring William Powell in the title role, won three out of its seven Academy Award® nominations with Luise Rainer taking home the first of her two consecutive Best Actress Oscars® for her moving portrayal of Zeigfeld’s first wife. The scene in which she phones to congratulate Ziegfeld on his new wife is one of the most memorable in cinema history. Besides Best Picture, the film also won for Outstanding Dance Direction.

[more]



Directed by Robert Z. Leonard, the story follows Ziegfeld’s tumultuous climb from humble carny barker to the pinnacle of his career, when he became spectacularly famous as the producer of his legendary “Follies,” eventually triumphing with four simultaneous hits on Broadway. Playing the second Mrs. Ziegfeld (Bille Burke) is Powell’s perennial co-star, the lovely Myrna Loy (The Thin Man).

The Great Ziegfeld DVD bonus features include:
•Ziegfeld on Film (An all-new behind-the-scenes documentary)
•New York Hails The Great Ziegfeld (1936 newsreel)

Mutiny On The Bounty – This famous sea-going epic became one of MGM’s most successful box-office blockbusters, and won 1935’s Best Picture award. It earned a total of eight nominations, including directing, writing and film editing along with nods to its three top stars. Adapted from the Nordhoff-Hall book about the brutal 1789 mutiny on a return voyage from the South Seas, Charles Laughton turns in a brilliant performance as the cruel and tyrannical Bligh, pitted against the heroic and fair-minded Fletcher Christian (portrayed by Clark Gable), who leads the crew in mutiny.

The Mutiny on the Bounty bonus features include:
•Pitcairn Island Today – 1935 MGM Short
•Mutiny On The Bounty Wins 1935 Award (1936 newsreel)
•Theatrical trailers
-Mutiny On The Bounty 1935
-Mutiny On The Bounty 1962

Mrs. Miniver – Directed by multiple Academy Award® -winner William Wyler, this 1942 story of a British family’s struggles during World War II garnered 12 nominations, won six Oscars® including Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture, and did much to help rally American support for British allies during WWII. Director William Wyler battled with studio head Louis B. Mayer to include a fascist-spouting Nazi pilot. Only after Pearl Harbor was attacked, did Mayer let Wyler have his way with the character. Greer Garson’s Academy Award® -winning performance as Mrs. Miniver, the middle-class British housewife determined to keep her family together during the ravages of the German Blitzkrieg, has never lost its power to inspire audiences. The film also stars Walter Pidgeon and boasts a great supporting cast that includes Teresa Wright (who won the Oscar® for Best Supporting Actress), Dame May Whitty, Richard Ney, Reginald Owen and Henry Travers.

The Mrs. Miniver DVD bonus features include:
•Greer Garson Academy Awards® footage
•Photo Gallery (33 stills)
•Two Vintage MGM Wartime shorts
-Mr. Blabbermouth
-For the Common Defense
•Theatrical trailer

Gaslight – Ingrid Bergman captured 1944’s Oscar® for Best Actress with her role as a wealthy, beautiful but naïve socialite in this electrifying psychological thriller directed by George Cukor (My Fair Lady). The film also won the Academy Award® for Best Art Direction with Best Supporting Actor nominations going to Charles Boyer for his mesmerizing portrayal as the psychopathic husband who attempts to drive Bergman’s character insane and to Angela Lansbury (in her film debut) as the spirited maid unwittingly drawn into Boyer's master plan. The film also received nominations for Best Picture, Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay.

The Gaslight DVD bonus features include:
•The original 1940 British version of Gaslight starring Diana Wynyard (Full-length feature)
•Reflections on Gaslight (All-new “making-of” documentary)
•Oscars® for Movie Stars (archival newsreel)
•1944 Theatrical trailer

[more]

Goodbye, Mr. Chips – The recipient of seven nominations for Academy Awards® including Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture in 1939, the year of Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and Stagecoach, this film features Robert Donat’s Best Actor Oscar®- -winning performance as the old schoolmaster who looks back upon his life. Greer Garson made her screen debut in the film and became an overnight sensation. Directed by Sam Wood, the movie is a deeply stirring work about a shy professor (Donat) who teaches at a prestigious private school. Initially, his straight-laced ways don’t go over well with the students and he becomes discouraged and depressed. While traveling he meets Katherine Ellis (Garson), who not only becomes the love of his life but who helps him turn his fate around.

With the exception of the My Fair Lady Two-Disc DVD Special Edition, the other six films will be featured on DVD in regular 4x3 full-screen format (as shot) with mono sound.



My Fair Lady Two-Disc DVD Special Edition
$26.99 SRP
Rating: G
Street Date: February 3, 2004

Oscar® Winners DVDs
$ 19.98 SRP
Street Date: February 3, 2004
Gaslight
Not Rated
Run Time: 198 minutesGrand Hotel
Not Rated
Run Time: 112 minutes
The Great Ziegfeld
Not Rated
Run Time: 186 minutesMutiny on the Bounty
Not Rated
Run Time: 132 minutes
Mrs. Miniver
Not Rated
Run Time: 134 minutesGoodbye, Mr. Chips
Not Rated
Run Time: 114 minutes

 

[Patrick McCart]

Nice!

I'll probably pick up My Fair Lady (to make up for seeing it only in P&S before on VHS), Mutiny on the Bounty, and The Great Ziegfeld.

 

[Conrad_SSS]

Very exciting news indeed.. Count me in for all of them!

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Great.

I recently saw My Fair Lady while working through the AFI lists, and was astonished with how much I loved it. I'll definitely grab the 2-disc set.

I don't think I've seen the others, but I'll have a look at them.

 

[Adam_S]

excellent, I'll probably get My Fair Lady, Grand Hotel and Mutiny on the Bounty at those prices!

 

[Joshua Clinard]

It would be nice if they would put these two-disc editions in Keepcases, as they did with The Matrix Reloaded, and T3. I would definately pick up My Fair Lady if they did.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, I'm buying them all. Warner, I take back all of those bad things I said about you 2-3 years ago.

 

[Magnus T]

Still no sign of Goodfellas SE though.:frowning:

Oh well, I'm sure it's on it's way.

 

[Eric Peterson]

Warner sure knows how to treat it's classic catalog. I'll most likely be buying all of these.

Now, if we could get Universal off their ass, I'd be a happy man.

 

[Andy_G]

I'm sold on ALL OF THEM.

MGM, Paramount and Universal TAKE NOTE.

 

[MichaelGH]

Wot, no luv for gaslight? what a tragedy...I'm probably picking up gaslight, my fair lady, and mutiny on the bounty

Michael

 

[Agee Bassett]

Nice Gaslight package there--the original British production from 1940, and the (generally superior) American version from 1944. The '44 version alone would be worth picking up, what with Bergman's and Boyer's performances, not to mention superbly moody black-and-white by cinematographer Joseph Ruttenberg.

 

[Chuck L]

Gaslight is a sure purchase...

but...

Warner...

CAGED

 

[Robert Crawford]

People,
This is only February and combined with the other great releases coming out in January, the year of 2004 is going to be a special year for fans of Warner's catelogue films.





Crawdaddy

 

[Rob Willey]

Great movies all! Mutiny On The Bounty and Mrs. Miniver are must-haves for me.

Rob

 

[Patrick McCart]

This is only February and combined with the other great releases coming out in January, the year of 2004 is going to be a special year for fans of Warner's catelogue films.

Amen to that. I'm hoping Warner will make a certain 1956 Best Picture Oscar winner a spectacular 2-disc set in 2004

 

[Rain]

Yes, please. I'll take them all.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

OK, Warner, stop it. RIGHT NOW! I can't afford all of these great classics you're putting out, so slow it down, will ya?

 

[Walter Kittel]

First, thanks for the updates on the forthcoming titles Herb. Great news and an excellent lineup of films. Looks like it is time to retire a few more LDs.

In terms of purchases, I'll add my voice to those in this thread who are purchasing all of the announced February titles. January's releases aren't as interesting, for me, across the board but still contain some great releases that I'll be adding to my collection ( esp. The Postman Always Rings Twice & Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde )

I am eagerly looking forward to the rest of their releases for 2004. With titles such as the ones announced for February, Warner Bros. continues to impress. Great job!

- Walter.