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

#121
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

If Sony put out the Boston Blackie films (which are superior to the Lone Wolf films in my opinion) and also released the even better Whistler (Richard Dix) & Crime Doctor (Warner Baxter) films they'd be top of the heap in my book for retail classic film releases in 2009/2010.

The prints aired on TCM were quite decent and certainly much better than some of the garbage that has circulated amongst collectors in the past. With Fox and Warners taking a break from retail classic film releases Sony has an opportunity here to sell some highly anticipated and much desired box sets. Double features would work and the original poster art is quite good for these films.
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#122
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BOSTON BLACKIE IS THE MAN!!!!!


Well if it comes to first choice then it's certainly the BOSTON BLACKIE film series for me!

Chester Morris is just fantastic in this role and I also hugely enjoy Richard Lane as the obtusely singleminded Police Inspector Farraday who is forever trying to pin the latest criminal outrage on the smoothly unflappable Boston Blackie. Together these two fine acting talents really played off one another beautifully and made an excellent screen team.

There are actually 14 delightful treasures in this splendid crime-mystery B-film doublebill programmer film series which would probably require two volume set releases likely translating into one set of 7 films a year.

01) MEET BOSTON BLACKIE (1941)
02) CONFESSIONS OF BOSTON BLACKIE (1941)
03) ALIAS BOSTON BLACKIE (1942)
04) BOSTON BLACKIE GOES HOLLYWOOD (1942)
05) AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH BOSTON BLACKIE (1943)
06) THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME (1943)
07) ONE MYSTERIOUS NIGHT (1943)
08) BOSTON BLACKIE BOOKED ON SUSPICION (1945)
09) BOSTON BLACKIE'S RENDEZVOUS (1945)
10) A CLOSE CALL FOR BOSTON BLACKIE (1946)
11) THE PHANTOM THIEF (1946)
12) BOSTON BLACKIE AND THE LAW (1947)
13) TRAPPED BY BOSTON BLACKIE (1948)
14) BOSTON BLACKIE'S CHINESE ADVENTURE (1949)

Frankly I think that BOSTON BLACKIE would play much better in retail sales with today's DVD consumer than all the others recently mentioned albeit I am very partial to the Gerald Mohr THE LONE WOLF films and I wish this charismatic actor could have done more of them.

Come on Sony bring on the BOSTON BLACKIE film series on DVD in 2009!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!
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#123
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BOSTON BLACKIE IS THE MAN!!!!!


Well if it comes to first choice then it's certainly the BOSTON BLACKIE film series for me!

Chester Morris is just fantastic in this role and I also hugely enjoy Richard Lane as the obtusely singleminded Police Inspector Farraday who is forever trying to pin the latest criminal outrage on the smoothly unflappable Boston Blackie. Together these two fine acting talents really played off one another beautifully and made an excellent screen team.

There are actually 14 delightful treasures in this splendid crime-mystery B-film doublebill programmer film series which would probably require two volume set releases likely translating into one set of 7 films a year.

01) MEET BOSTON BLACKIE (1941)
02) CONFESSIONS OF BOSTON BLACKIE (1941)
03) ALIAS BOSTON BLACKIE (1942)
04) BOSTON BLACKIE GOES HOLLYWOOD (1942)
05) AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH BOSTON BLACKIE (1943)
06) THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME (1943)
07) ONE MYSTERIOUS NIGHT (1943)
08) BOSTON BLACKIE BOOKED ON SUSPICION (1945)
09) BOSTON BLACKIE'S RENDEZVOUS (1945)
10) A CLOSE CALL FOR BOSTON BLACKIE (1946)
11) THE PHANTOM THIEF (1946)
12) BOSTON BLACKIE AND THE LAW (1947)
13) TRAPPED BY BOSTON BLACKIE (1948)
14) BOSTON BLACKIE'S CHINESE ADVENTURE (1949)

Frankly I think that BOSTON BLACKIE would play much better in retail sales with today's DVD consumer than all the others recently mentioned albeit I am very partial to the Gerald Mohr THE LONE WOLF films and I wish this charismatic actor could have done more of them.

Come on Sony bring on the BOSTON BLACKIE film series on DVD in 2009!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!
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#124
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

It's been said elsewhere, IIRC, that if Sony do release any of these series detective sets The Lone Wolf films are first in line.
Riding the High Country - My Movie Blog
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#125
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Hodson
well done Mike S and Sony; keep it up chaps. Please.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Livius
I was very happy with last years offerings (Boetticher and the two Hammer sets) which were well presented and good value for money. Keep 'em coming please.

Hear! Hear!
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#126
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Over at Criterionforum.org they compiled a list of Sony catalog titles that were already announced or that can be found through Amazon and DeepDiscount. Don't know whether these days are fix or just placeholder until they are officially announced:

06/09/2009 - The Jack Lemmon Film Collection
06/16/2009 - The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 6
06/16/2009 - The Strange One
07/14/2009 - Film Noir Classics: The Collector's Choice
08/18/2009 - Toho Collection: Icons of Sci-Fi (Mothra, The H-Man, Battle in Outer Space)
08/18/2009 - Husbands
09/15/2009 - The New Hollywood Box Set
09/29/2009 - The Sam Fuller Film Collection (The Crimson Kimono, Underworld USA and Scandal Sheet) - seems to have a SRP of 80 bucks - may be more titles are included
10/20/2009 - Night Of The Creeps
10/20/2009 - The William Castle Film Collection
11/03/2009 - The Film Noir Collection V.01
11/03/2009 - The Film Noir Collection V.02
11/03/2009 - The Rita Hayworth Film Collection
11/10/2009 - A Study in Terror
Recently bought: Seven Men from Now
Pre-Order:  Film Noir Collection Vol. 2, Rita Hayworth Coll., Desert Fury (German DVD), The Dark Mirror (German DVD)
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#127
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

If that schedule is accurate, I'm a happer camper.

It's amazing to think that Sony could win studio of the year this year. They've been a bottom dweller for years!!

Keep it up!!
"Shoot a few scenes out of focus. I want to win the foreign film award."
Billy Wilder

"This business has come a long way in the last 30 years, but why should I depress you"
I.A.L. Diamond on the Movie Business (1986)
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#128
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Does Sony own Samuel Fuller's VERBOTEN? And Rita Hayworth is pretty well represented on DVD except for TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT (My favorite Hayworth), MISS SADIE THOMPSON, and maybe THE LADY IN QUESTION. Does anyone have any idea what the Hayworth Collection will contain?

Charles Hoyt

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#129
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Charles, do not forget Salome.
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#130
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by RafaelPires
Charles, do not forget Salome.


I read that Salome and Tonight and Every Night would be included in the announced Rita hayworth collection. Only one of those would be worth the price of the set, but both together for the first time is a dream.

It is those Film Noir Volumes that now have my mouth watering. I can not wait to see what is included. Also I hope the William Castle Collection will have Zotz! and The Old Dark House included along with re-mastering of his Ballyhoo films.
“For God's sake don't say yes until I've finished talking.” - Daryl F. Zanuck  
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#131
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles H
Does Sony own Samuel Fuller's VERBOTEN? And Rita Hayworth is pretty well represented on DVD except for TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT (My favorite Hayworth), MISS SADIE THOMPSON, and maybe THE LADY IN QUESTION. Does anyone have any idea what the Hayworth Collection will contain?

Well Sony controls LADY IN QUESTION, SALOME, and those two havent been on DVD yet, so those might be in the set.
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#132
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcel H.
Over at Criterionforum.org they compiled a list of Sony catalog titles that were already announced or that can be found through Amazon and DeepDiscount. Don't know whether these days are fix or just placeholder until they are officially announced:

06/09/2009 - The Jack Lemmon Film Collection
06/16/2009 - The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 6
06/16/2009 - The Strange One
07/14/2009 - Film Noir Classics: The Collector's Choice
08/18/2009 - Toho Collection: Icons of Sci-Fi (Mothra, The H-Man, Battle in Outer Space)
08/18/2009 - Husbands
09/15/2009 - The New Hollywood Box Set
09/29/2009 - The Sam Fuller Film Collection (The Crimson Kimono, Underworld USA and Scandal Sheet) - seems to have a SRP of 80 bucks - may be more titles are included
10/20/2009 - Night Of The Creeps
10/20/2009 - The William Castle Film Collection
11/03/2009 - The Film Noir Collection V.01
11/03/2009 - The Film Noir Collection V.02
11/03/2009 - The Rita Hayworth Film Collection
11/10/2009 - A Study in Terror

Whoa! Nice lineup. Brings back memories of the grand old days back when Warner would release movies like these on pressed discs.

Several must owns for me in there such as the Toho set, the Fuller Collection, ALL the Film Noir collections and A Study in Terror. Interested in finding out what titles will be in the Lemmon, Hayworth and Castle collections.
The Movie Library
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#133
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Wow, that list did not even mention the Screwball Comedy sets!
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#134
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K
Interested in finding out what titles will be in the Lemmon, Hayworth and Castle collections.

The titles fot the Jack Lemmon set have already been announced here.
Riding the High Country - My Movie Blog
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#135
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

I'll second ahollis on hopes for Zotz! and the remake of The Old Dark House to be released : I have not seen either in decades, but I loved them when I did see them.
On the other hand, my tastes have changed: so it would be nice to see how accurately I remember the flicks, and if I'll laugh as much now as I did back then.
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#136
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Livius
The titles fot the Jack Lemmon set have already been announced here.

Thanks, I must have missed that announcement.
The Movie Library
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#137
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

I have no idea how accurate MoviesUnlimited is but they have the titles for:

The Film Noir Collection Vol. 2 - I posted this in the Film Noir thread.

The Rita Hayworth Collection:

Quote:
A British theatrical troupe continues to perform during the London blitz, in "Tonight and Every Night" (1945), a sprightly, song-filled drama that features Rita Hayworth as an American singer who falls for an RAF pilot. With Leslie Brooks, Janet Blair; songs include the title tune, "The Boy I Left Behind," "Cry and You Cry Alone." Next, "Salome" (1953) is a revisionist retelling of the Biblical story, starring Hayworth as the princess who performs the seductive Dance of the Seven Veils in an effort to save the life of John the Baptist. With Judith Anderson, Stewart Granger, and Charles Laughton as Herod. And, Hayworth stars as a bawdy playgirl on a Pacific island after WWII whose encounters with a hypocritical minister (Jose Ferrer) lead to violence, in "Miss Sadie Thompson" (1953), a musical vers ion of a short story by Somerset Maugham. Songs include "The Heat Is On," "Hear No Evil, Seek No Evil," "Blue Pacific Blues." Also includes "Cover Girl" and "Gilda."

- Tonight and Every Night (1945)
- Salome (1953)
- Miss Sadie Thompson (1953)
- Cover Girl (1944)
- Gilda (1946)

For the The William Castle Film Collection

Quote:
Gimmick king William Castle added a "Fear Break" before the climax of "Homicidal" (1961), a gender-bending horror tale about a woman who pays a hotel bellhop to marry her, then murders the justice of the peace before fleeing to a sinister mansion where she plots to gain a family inheritance. Jean Arless (aka actress Joan Marshall), Glenn Corbett star. Next, "Mr. Sardonicus" (1961) tells of a greedy 19th-century count whose face froze in a grotesque grimace after he defiled his father's grave to retrieve a winning lottery ticket. Guy Rolfe, Audrey Dalton, Ronald Lewis star. A mild-mannered college professor finds an ancient amulet that can make people move in slow motion, and when enemy spies learn about it, a hilarious chase ensues, in "Zotz!" (1962). Tom Poston, Julia Meade, Jim Backus, Margaret Dumont star. And, "The Old Dark House" (1963), Castle's spin on the J.B. Priestley novel, follows an American car salesman to a spooky old Welsh estate where the members of an eccentric family begin to get picked off one by one. Poston, Robert Morley, Janette Scott star. Also includes "The Tingler," "13 Ghosts" (1960), "13 Frightened Girls!," and "Strait-Jacket" (1964).

- Homicidal (1961)
- Mr. Sardonicus (1961)
- Zotz! (1962)
- The Old Dark House (1963)
- The Tingler (1959)
- 13 Ghosts (1960)
- 13 Frightened Girls! (1963)
- Strait-Jacket (1964)

Again, no guarantee, whether the listings are correct. No word on the Film Noir: Collector's Choice Set and the Sam Fuller Collection.
Recently bought: Seven Men from Now
Pre-Order:  Film Noir Collection Vol. 2, Rita Hayworth Coll., Desert Fury (German DVD), The Dark Mirror (German DVD)
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#138
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcel H.
Again, no guarantee, whether the listings are correct. No word on the Film Noir: Collector's Choice Set and the Sam Fuller Collection.
Is it possible that Film Noir: The Collector's Choice IS the Volume 1 Film Noir set?

Two 5 disc Noir sets on the same day would be astonishing.
Red Hot Chili Peppers CD Re-Mastering Petition
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#139
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

I just wish they wouldn't put so many titles that have already been released in the sets. I have more than half the Castle set. That's going to be a tough buy. I want the set,but to rebuy 4-5 movies just to get three new titles kinda sucks.I hope the titles are wrong.
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#140
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Howson
Is it possible that Film Noir: The Collector's Choice IS the Volume 1 Film Noir set?

Two 5 disc Noir sets on the same day would be astonishing.

Could possibly be a pairing of Vol. 1 and 2 in a "collector package"?


(Are the above titles all speculative btw?)
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#141
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by borisfw
I just wish they wouldn't put so many titles that have already been released in the sets. I have more than half the Castle set. That's going to be a tough buy. I want the set,but to rebuy 4-5 movies just to get three new titles kinda sucks. I hope the titles are wrong.
I know what you mean.
But I do welcome Zotz!, Hammer's The Old Dark House, and 13 Frightened Girls.

The title I was hoping for is I Saw What You Did (1965), but this turns out to be a Universal / Anchor Bay, now out of print and pricey.

Still, Columbia has enough William Castle films in their vaults for at least two or three more sets, perhaps categorized by genre:

1956 Uranium Boom
1956 The Houston Story

1955 New Orleans Uncensored
1955 The Gun That Won the West
1955 Duel On the Mississippi

1954 The Saracen Blade
1954 Masterson of Kansas -- a personal favorite
1954 The Law vs Billy the Kid
1954 Jesse James vs the Daltons
1954 The Iron Glove
1954 Drums of Tahiti
1954 Charge of the Lancers
1954 Battle of Rogue River

1953 Slaves of Babylon
1953 Serpent of the Nile
1953 Conquest of Cochise
1953 Fort Ti

1948 The Gentleman From Nowhere
1947 Crime Doctor's Gamble

1946 The Return of Rusty
1946 The Mysterious Intruder
1946 Just Before Dawn
1946 Crime Doctor's Man Hunt

1945 Voice of the Whistler
1945 Crime Doctor's Warning

1944 She's a Soldier Too
1944 Mark of the Whistler

Some of these are minor works and programmers that might best be presented as double / triple-feature discs in a box-set. But most of Castle's 1950s films are better quality B films in rich bright color and very entertaining.

Castle's 3-D films were enthusiastically received at the World 3-D Expos in 2003 and in 2006, especially Drums of Tahiti. They could be a hit again in a field-sequential 3-D box-set. Mike Schlesinger was there, perhaps he could advocate a 3-D release. Just put it out in field-sequential and don't stress over the tech. Plenty of fans will gobble it up.
http://www.3dfilmpf.org/
"... little by little the look of the country changes because of the people we admire."
dialog in HUD (1963)
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#142
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

I'd love to see Sony do a "Icons of the West" package on their B-western stars like Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, Bill Elliott, Charles Starrett and George Montgomery.
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#143
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Seems the Samuel Fuller set is going to be a 7 film set, not a 3 film set
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#144
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

GREAT!

Hopefully it includes the The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera documentary.
Red Hot Chili Peppers CD Re-Mastering Petition
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#145
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

A seven-disc/movie set of Sam Fuller titles = greatest release of 2009!!!

Mike, will we still see the Lorre and Hammer sets released later in the year or are these now slated for early 2010?
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#146
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Since Sony has been doing such a sensational job lately of getting so many movies out there I'd like to suggest another HORROR SET featuring CRY OF THE WEREWOLF (1944), SON OF DR. JEKYLL (1951), and whatever else they can think of that fails to come to mind right now!
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#147
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

While we're making suggestions, how about a b/w war set: Hammer's "The Camp On Blood Island" & "Yesterdays Enemy" supporting "The Victors". A very nice two disc set!
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#148
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by J Hall
I'd love to see Sony do a "Icons of the West" package on their B-western stars like Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, Bill Elliott, Charles Starrett and George Montgomery.




I'm hoping for some of Guy Madison's 'noir'-Westerns, such as 'Reprisal!' and 'The Hard Man'.
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#149
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave B Ferris
I'm hoping for some of Guy Madison's 'noir'-Westerns, such as 'Reprisal!' and 'The Hard Man'.

They could do a nice western box with Reprisal, Gunman's Walk and a few of the remaining Randolph Scott titles like 7th Cavalry, The Nevadan and The Walking Hills.
Riding the High Country - My Movie Blog
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#150
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Re: Sony's Mike Schlesinger talks; Boetticher/Scott, Toho, Hammer, Peter Lorre, more...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Livius
They could do a nice western box with Reprisal, Gunman's Walk and a few of the remaining Randolph Scott titles like 7th Cavalry, The Nevadan and The Walking Hills.


Sure! I'd buy that in a heartbeat! BTW, I'm glad "Hangman's Knot", at least, has already been released.
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