COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

On Video is listing the following boxset titles and details: BRANDO (TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON, JULIUS CAESAR, REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE, 2-disc MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY, THE FORMULA) on November 7; GARY COOPER (2-disc SERGEANT YORK, DALLAS, THE FOUNTAINHEAD, WRECK OF THE MARY DEARE, SPRINGFIELD RIFLE, THE HANGING TREE) on November 7); NEWMAN (THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS, HARPER, THE DROWNING POOL, POCKET MONEY, THE LEFT HANDED GUN, THE MACKINTOSH MAN, and SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME) on 11/14. Newman fans will be pleased with the commentaries on THE LEFT-HANDED GUN and SOMEBODY...but they are not using a Robert Wise commentary which was recorded many years ago.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Here's the link.

The Paul Newman Collection Seven-disc set with new-to-DVD "Harper," "The Drowning Pool," "The Left Handed Gun," "Mackintosh Man," "Pocket Money," "Somebody Up There Likes Me" and "The Young Philadelphians"; $59.92. "Harper" will be available separately for $19.97. (Warner).

* Harper(1966)
Commentary by screenwriter William Goldman, introduction by TCM host Robert Osborne.

* Drowning Pool (1975)
Vintage featurette "Harper Days Are Here Again."

* The Left Handed Gun (1958)
Commentary by Penn.

* The Mackintosh Man (1973)
Vintage featurette "John Huston: The Man, the Myth, the Moviemaker."

* Pocket Money (1972)

* Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)
Commentary by Newman, Robert Loggia, Wise, Martin Scorsese and film historian Richard Schickel.

* The Young Philadelphians (1959)
Commentary by Sherman and film historian Drew Casper.


The Marlon Brando Collection Six-disc set with "Mutiny on the Bounty" (two-disc set) and four Brando films new-to-DVD: "Julius Caesar," "The Formula," "Reflections in a Golden Eye" and "Teahouse of the August Moon"; $59.92. "Bounty" is available separately for $26.99; "Julius Caesar" is available for $19.97. (Warner).

* Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
New digital transfer from restored Ultra-Panavision 65mm elements with the soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1.

Alternate prologue and epilogue sequences not seen theatrically; two vintage featurettes: "1964 New York World's Fair Promo" and "Story of the HMS Bounty"; Marlon Brando movies trailer gallery; new featurette "After the Cameras Stopped Rolling: The Journey of the Bounty"; two vintage featurettes: "Voyage of the Bounty to St. Petersburg" and "Tour of the Bounty."

* Julius Caesar(1953)
Introduction by TCM host Robert Osborne, new featurette "The Rise of Two Legends."

* The Formulas (1980)
Commentary by director John G. Avildsen and screenwriter Steve Shagan.

* Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967)
Vintage behind-the-scenes featurette.

* The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)
Vintage featurette "Operation Teahouse."


Gary Cooper: The Signature Collection Six-disc set with new-to-DVD "Sergeant York" (two-disc Special Edition), "The Fountainhead," "Springfield Rifle," "The Wreck of Mary Deare" and "Dallas"; $49.92. "Sergeant York" is available separately for $26.99; "The Fountainhead" for $19.97. (Warner).

* Sergeant York (1941)
Commentary by Jeannine Basinger, classic cartoon "Porky's Preview," vintage short "Lions for Sale," Cooper trailer gallery, new making-of featurette "Sergeant York: Of God and Country," vintage biographical profile "Gary Cooper: American Life, American Legend."

* The Fountainhead (1949)
New featurette "The Making of The Fountainhead."

* Springfield Rifle (1952)

* The Wreck of Mary Deare (1959)

* Dallas (1950)

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Wow!!!!

An unbelievable trio of boxsets!!!

All will be mine!!!!!!!!!

Thank You Warner!!!!!!!!!!!

...I'll add a few more exclamation points:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

sergeant york!

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

All of these are mine! Warner keep them coming. Also, don't forget "Cool Hand Luke" next year for it's 40th Anniversary.





Crawdaddy

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

I'm not quite straight about the Cooper set. Is "The Hanging Tree" part of this group or not? There seem to be conflicting reports as to that one ...

http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Excellent! But why is The Hanging Tree no longer in the Cooper set?

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Great news, but where's Natalie Wood? She was a longtime Warners player and multiple Oscar nominee!!

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Great News about the boxsets. Sad News for me: No "PRIZE" or "HELEN MORGAN STORY" in the Newman set.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

I'll get the Newman box and will get SERGEANT YORK, MUTINTY ON THE BOUNTY and REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYES seprately. And yes! Where is Natalie Wood's box set? INSIDE DAISY CLOVER, GYPSY, PENELOPE, a SE: or SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL and THE GREAT RACE.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

aside of the Newman set, which has a couple I'm familiar with, SERGEANT YORK and MUTINTY ON THE BOUNTY are the only ones I'm interested in in the others, unless someone can convince me other wise.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

According to the information posted earlier, of the titles in the Brando box, only 'Mutiny On The Bounty' will be available separately, not 'Reflections In A Golden Eye'. Like you, I would prefer to buy Reflections separately (as well as Mutiny) and pass on the others, but it looks like I'll have to buy the box.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

It's really great that these are coming out on DVD, just too much at the moment for me.

The Marlon Brando set is my fav

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Teahouse of the August Moon

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Great news about the Penn commentary on LEFT HANDED GUN. I imagine he's also doing one for the BONNIE AND CLYDE SE due next year (40th anniversary). Wonder if he'll do any more.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

I think I have died and gone to Heaven!!!

The Newman boxset I have been hanging out for!

Pocket Money is one out of out left field. It wasn't very well received. I really like it. Co-incidently I was watching it last night and it is quite funny. Newman plays a nice (if extremely dopey, but endearing) comic part and Lee Marvin as his sidekick is hysterical. An unfairly maligned movie.

A Newman commentary for Somebody Up There Likes Me!!! Awesome! In fact I am stunned at the number of commentaries available.

Gary Cooper's boxset is mine as well.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Is touted for 2007 - I can't wait for this set either!!!

BTW - Natalie Wood refused the role of Joan Dickenson in The Young Philadelphians with Paul Newman. She was placed on studio suspension as a result.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

i'll be getting all 3 of these sets. where's the spencer tracy set though???
hope it includes:
-the actress
-northwest passage
-tortilla flat
-edward, my son
-test pilot

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

This is a little annoying. I want REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE (being an Elizabeth Taylor fan) but don't really want to buy the entire set. I don't really see why they're doing this, other than to make the customer shell out money for films they may not want.

Andy

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

It's simple to maximize unit sales! Warner probably feels some of those titles won't sell enough individually to make a profit. Also, it makes the retailers happy by using less shelf space and fewer UPCs.

Anyhow, at least Warner is releasing classic titles which is more than you can say about many of the other studios.




Crawdaddy

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Great news all around.

You'd think THE FORMULA would be the one in the box only. I always thought REFLECTION had a pretty good cult following.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Yikes! 3 more half-baked Box Sets from Warners....

A few years ago, I relished the idea of getting DVDs of films I wasn't that interested in as part of a Box Set which included some essential titles but, man, am I growing wary of the idea nowadays!

Don't get me wrong: I love Cooper, Brando and Newman and I knew these were coming out so it's not like these sets have been sprung on me. But, there's no denying that the overall quality of the films is merely good rather than outstanding.

But let's tackle the sets individually:


GARY COOPER: The two clear winners in this set are Howard Hawks' SERGEANT YORK (1941) and King Vidor's THE FOUNTAINHEAD (1949). It's great that YORK is a 2-discer but I bemoan the omission of Delmer Daves' THE HANGING TREE (1959) if that is truly the case. Of the others, I'm only familiar with THE WRECK OF THE MARY DEARE (1959) and, even if I'm interested in watching SPRINGFIELD RIFLE (1952) because it's an Andre` De Toth film, the inclusion of DALLAS (1950; which I've never watched myself) is quite baffling...unless they're counting on people mistaking it for a precursor of the Ewing family saga (which, as it happens, is getting a big-screen revamping as we speak! Sure there can be any number of Cooper sets in the future but several other Cooper films would have been preferable for me: Howard Hawks' TODAY WE LIVE (1933), SARATOGA TRUNK (1945; a notorious failure but, thus, even more intriguing for it), Leo McCarey's GOOD SAM (1948; ditto), Raoul Walsh's DISTANT DRUMS (1951), BLOWING WILD (1953), etc. I'm not sure whether all these are actually Warners properties but I got the information from the IMDB. Actually, they're not that much better than what has been included but at least they're more interesting...


MARLON BRANDO: Despite Brando's irritating performance, I've always liked MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1962) and am pleased that it's getting Warners' lavish 2-Disc treatment. Admittedly, the only poor choice here is THE FORMULA (1980) which, having watched several years ago, is just a haze in my memory but it's telling that despite having been shown many times on TV over the years (the latest, incidentally, last Sunday), I've never had the inclination to reacquaint myself with it - despite the casting coup of George C. Scott and Marlon Brando. Frankly, I've become a little wary of Shakespeare lately so, even if JULIUS CAESAR (1953) is among the best cinematic adaptations, my own over-familiarity with it doesn't make me leap for joy for its inclusion. THE TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON (1956) is a charming film but a minor one and, in any case, what went on behind the scenes is so much more interesting that what's being shown on the screen (unsurprisingly Glenn Ford and Brando didn't get along, Louis Calhern died in mid-production, etc). The other essential one here is John Huston's REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE (1967) but, unfortunately, once more nothing is provided on the DVD except for a vintage featurette.


PAUL NEWMAN: This is probably the best box set of the bunch not only because it has the most movies but also the most supplements and, above all, shows the star at his best rather than being released just because they're in Warners' library. The only one I've never watched here is POCKET MONEY (1972) and, even if THE MACKINTOSH MAN (1973; which was partly shot in Malta) and THE DROWNING POOL (1975) are lower-tier Newman fare, at least they're watchable thrillers. The rest of the choices are all commendable and I'm especially pleased to learn of Arthur Penn's contribution to THE LEFT-HANDED GUN (1958) - which, alas, makes his absence from last year's DVD of one of his best films, NIGHT MOVES (1975), something of a head-scratcher! - but the omission of the Robert Wise commentary form SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME (1956) - it's already recorded for Christ's sake! - and, especially, one of Newman's all-time gems, THE PRIZE (1963), from this collection loses Warners some major points with me as well...(!


The bottom line is that one has only limited space where to store his DVDs and, more importantly, limited time in which to watch them! So, I'd rather have been given the opportunity to get the films that really stand a chance of getting revisited by me in the future rather than being saddled with inferior titles which are practically bare-bones to begin with! Which is exactly why I have 80(!!) box sets yet to purchase. Dream on...

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Warners doesn't own "Good Sam", "Distant Drums" (already available on DVD), or "Blowing Wild." "Saratoga Trunk" was anything but a "notorious failure" --- with a final profit of $3.4 million, it was the third most profitable film Warners had in the decades of the 30's and 40's ("This Is The Army" and "Casablanca" were in first and second position). As for "Dallas", some of us are thrilled to see this coming out. It's a highly unconventional, almost-spoof western, and a very enjoyable departure for Cooper at the time. I do keep hoping that Warner's official announcement of these will add "The Hanging Tree", as I've looked forward to this one for several years.

http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

I'll echo that sentiment. Pocket Money is a personal favorite of mine, as much as for anything as that it was mostly filmed in my hometown of Tucson. It is one the great unsung comedy anti-westerns of the 1970's (see the terrific Rancho Deluxe and Bad Company for other examples of this quirky sub-genre).

I will also chime in and say that as much as I love that WB is releasing such underappreciated titles in their box set series, I do wish they would make more of them available as single releases. Of all the announced titles, there are only a few that I really want and I would much prefer to be able to buy only those and save the expense and space required for the less desired titles.

Hence, I will probably end up going for the Newman box, which at least has three must-have disks for me, but only Sergeant York and possibly Julius Ceasar from the other two sets.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

It is very quirky and those used to Newman's tough-guy anti heroes were slightly disappointed at the 'simple mindedness' of his character, Jim Kane. I really loved this movie though, and have watched it a few times. Marvin and Newman bounced off each other very well. And not forgetting, Strother Martin.

Just a few words on the The Left Handed Gun. I think Newman really wanted to branch out and create a western that was revolutionary. In 1957, The Left Handed Gun wasn't well received, as many people didn't really understand it. Nowadays, it is seen as a very important western. The shoot 'em ups weren't the crutch of the film. It is the psyche of Billy the Kid that Newman wanted to explore. Writer, Gore Vidal has actually fobbed the movie off as one that didn't work. I disagree. Today it has quite a good following.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Yay! 3 boxsets I can pass up! My wallet sobs with relief.

I feel sorry for you folks who want to buy individual titles and can't... I do believe Warner's trying to force people to pay extra for the whole set... as with the Doris Day & Ginger Rogers fans having no other option but to buy the entire Ronald Reagan box, like it or not. I'm glad I'm not a fan of these stars, but I know my time of consumer coercion will come.

Seems there's been an emphasis on male stars lately...Gable, Stewart, Reagan, Wayne, Bogie, Fonda, Cooper, Brando, Newman... with Glenn Ford and Spencer Tracy apparently on the horizon. And representing the ladies: Bette Davis. She's great, but let's see more actresses' Signature Collections, eh Warner? Still waiting/hoping for Barbara Stanwyck, Norma Shearer, June Allyson, Jane Powell, Esther Williams, Jean Harlow, Greer Garson, Katharine Hepburn (if Spencer's getting his own box, she should too)...

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

I think this was the year of male star sets and that next year we'll be seeing more female sets with Ginger Rogers, Joan Crawford V2, Bette V3, Doris Day V2, Stanwyck, de Havilland, and Shearer.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

John PM,


Thanks for the DVD update on DISTANT DRUMS (1951) which, however, is currently OOP and, being a Republic title, should now be in the hands of Paramount or Lion's Gate.

What about BLOWING WILD (1953) - do you happen to know who owns that? It's not very well-known but it's certainly enjoyable in its offbeat way, it boasts a strong cast (Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Anthony Quinn, Ruth Roman and Ward Bond) and is even highly-regarded in some critical circles.

As for SARATOGA TRUNK (1945), I didn't mean it was a box-office bomb but that it was a troubled production (it was shot in 1943 but was shelved for 2 years) and was critically lambasted when eventually released.


Chris Rose,


Although you agreed with my sentiments, I think it's amusing that you're passing on the Cooper, Brando and Newman sets and instead are pining for June Allyson, Jane Powell and Esther Williams! Having said that, one of my personal favorites, Barbara Stanwyck, definitely merits her own Box Set and, in fact, already has one available on R2 (which, again, I don't own yet)!

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

WB said they were looking at doing Stanwyck sets since they own so many of her movies. I want June Allyson!!!! I love her voice...it sounds like a female Jimmy Durante. lol, but Esther Willams is the #1 set I want.

Re: COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER

Just out of interest, Corey, Mario and Chris, did you boys see Stanwyck's performance in The Thornbirds?