Warner Archive Discussion Thread (The Announcements/The Films)

Odd that they aren't also putting out STRANGE NEW WORLD, the third in the series.  It could have made a good 3-title value pack.

What is "The Twisted Terror Collection"?  I've never heard of that.  I am also hoping that Warner will release some horror and mystery titles this month.

The two more they added today kind of dashed my hopes some, but I don't think they are finished.

"Twisted Terror Collection" was a DVD set WB put out back in 2006 or 2007 consisting of Deadly Friend, Eyes of Stranger, Dr. Giggles, Terror Beyond the Grave, Someone is Watching Me and The Hand - the kind of titles that I suspect now would be have likely been designated to Archive placement.

Just finished watching CRIME SCHOOL this afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was a very easy picture with standard story plot and trying to pull at a couple of heart strings.  A true Dead End Kids film of Bogart trying to give tough guys a break to make something of themselves.  The transfer used a print that would go from excellent to passable.  There were a lot of speckles and a few scratches and a frame jump or two, but it was watchable and actually gave you the experience of watching a 35mm print in a revival house.  The sound was strong and clear.

While watching this entry into the "Dead End Kids" series, I wondered about the other four Warner films not released.  While I would have loved a pressed box collection of the six WB films (I would have doubled dipped for the two I have), with Crime School released as an Archive collection, I guess that will never happen.  So, I am asking WB to go ahead and release the remaining films THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL, HELL'S KITCHEN, ON DRESS PARADE, and ANGELS WASH THEIR FACES as an Archive release.  I know that that THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL is PD and out, but even a WA release would have a better transfer than what is out there now.

I also am still advocating the pressed release of the "Bowery Boys" films as collections as Warner has indicated they are planning to do.  And while I am at it, here is a shout out to Universal for the release of the "The Little Tough Guys" films.

So if you want a fun film without a lot of thought needed then take a chance on CRIME SCHOOL.

This is not an announcement per se, but just a list of titles once added or covers created for that never materialized yet on WB Archives web site. 

Titles added and pulled with no cover artwork:
Mammy (being restored to be added later per press release)
Midwinter's Tale, A
Deliberate Stranger, The (1986)
Man From Atlantis (1977)
Murder Is My Beat


Titles for which I was able to find artwork looking around WB Archive web site.  **Just in case, I saved most of them on my computer, so let me know if i should attach any of them...
Don Juan (1926)
Moonfleet (1955)
John Paul Jones (1959)**
Dust Be My Destiny (1939)**
Beau Brummell (1954)**
Viking, The (1928)**
City Beneath the Sea (1971)**
Comrade X (1940)**
Earth II (1971)**
Sea Gull, The (1968)**
Subject Was Roses, The (1968)**

I hope more titles will be announced this Tuesday...

Edited by GregoryMesh - 10/8/09 at 2:44am

POLITICS (1931) was on tap for tonight.  This Marie Dressler/Polly Moran film is a treat to watch.  The team of Dressler/Moran consisted of eight shorts and features (sound and silent) with POLITICS one of the final pairings.  This comedy film starts out with some good laughs then reaches down and grasps you with drama, then comes back with laughs and ends on a soft spot of love.  This is basically the story of a widow who is talked into running for mayor after a friends tragedy.  The comedy is the always continuing battle between husbands and wives, who this time support different candidates.  There is even a scene where the wives have a meeting to cut off the "boudoir" time with their husbands.  Besides Dressler and Moran another stand out is Roscoe Ates as Moran's husband.  While Dressler and Moran's scenes sparkle, whenever Ates enters, the scenes shine.  The banter between the three is great and I must track down some more of Ates performances.

The transfer is OK at best.  There is a lot of speckles and scratches through out the film, but does not distract too much from the viewing.  The sound is clear and crisp considering it's age. 

I would say this is what Warner Archives is really about, Getting some of the obscure films that have been sitting patiently in the dark catacombs of the vault out into the light for the enjoyment of people that want to experience them.  I just wish the transfer was better.

Newly added titles:

Barbarian, The (1933)
City Beneath the Sea (1971)
Comrade X (1940)
Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story (1981)
Deliberate Stranger, The (1986)
Every Girl Should Be Married (1948)
Haywire (2 DVD Set) (1980)
Jack the Ripper (2 DVD Set) (1988)
Love Among Thieves (1987)
Man From Atlantis (1977)
Nutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder (3 DVD Set) (1987)
Our Miss Brooks (1956)
Penthouse (1933)
Perfect Strangers (1950)
Pretty Baby (1950)
Robert Benchley Shorts
Stranger Within, The (1974)
Subject Was Roses, The (1968)
Thousand Bedrooms, The (1957)
The Adventures of One eskimo (?)
Top Secret Affair (1957)
Two Mrs. Grenvilles, The (2 DVD Set) (1987)

Edited by GregoryMesh - 10/6/09 at 7:40am

Wow, at least 13 titles there I'm seriously interested in. Glad to see Warners is tapping into its TV movie and mini-series vaults with stuff like NUTCRACKER, TWO MRS. GRENVILLES, JACK THE RIPPER and HAYWIRE.

Does anyone have comments on the "Biography" bundle? I'm interested in the Lincoln one but don't know anything about the others. Trying to see if it is worth getting the whole bundle.

I'm extremely disappointed to not see any classic horror or thriller titles on the latest list.  I gather that there will be one more list of titles announced later this month, perhaps the third week of October?  I remain hopeful of seeing some vintage horror titles then.  Warner, please don't disappoint me! 

THE BRIBE (1949) with Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner and Charles Laughton is also among the newly added pre-order titles this morning.

I agree with you.  This would have been a perfect time to dig deep for horror/mystery.  Even Sh, The Octopus! would have been welcomed addition.  We can only look forward to the next wave.

Is Eleventh Hour a British show? They use the word "Series" for "Season"

I'm very pleased to hear that a Benchley set has been added.
I did get the Biography set.I've watched Magnificent Yankee and Carbine Williams so far. Both look good to me. Carbine Williams is a pretty good James Stewart movie about the man who invented the carbine rifle. Magnificent Yankee is the story of the Supreme court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes..Louis Calhern does a nice job in the role,which he was nominated for Best actor.Both movies were very enjoyable.

It's American. The first season was the entire series.

Very disappointing. I had hoped this might have made it into the next noir set.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEVER BEFORE RELEASED GENE RODDENBERRY TV PILOTS, “JOE MCDOAKES” SHORTS AND CONTEMPORARY TV MINISERIES HIGHLIGHT THE WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION OCTOBER LINEUP

•       Trekkies will be Out of This World Over the Release of Gene Roddenberry’s Never Before Released TV Pilots “Planet Earth” and “Genesis II”
•       Richard Bare’s Legendary “Joe McDoakes” Shorts Starring George O’Hanlon Debut on DVD
•       Follow The ‘Yellow Brick Road’ to Films Starring the Cast of “The Wizard of Oz” That Include “Everybody Sing” and “Rosalie”

Burbank, Calif., October 6, 2009 – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group (WBHEG) announced today a wide-range of titles are being added to the Warner Archive Collection (www.WarnerArchive.com) this October that include a complete collection of the Oscar-nominated  JOE MCDOAKES comedy shorts directed by Hollywood legend Richard Bare, two never before released Gene Roddenberry TV pilots PLANET EARTH and GENESIS II and highly requested contemporary TV mini-series that include JACK THE RIPPER starring Michael Caine, THE DELIBERATE STRANGER starring Mark Harmon and HAYWIRE starring Lee Remick and Jason Robards.  Since its debut in March, The Warner Archive Collection has 338 titles available and it continues to grow monthly.

This month, the laughs continue with two more sets of comedic gems as we present a complete collection featuring all 30 of the wonderful M-G-M shorts starring ascorbic wit of the Algonquin Round Table, the ever-befuddled and fascinating Robert Benchley, and a six disc set of the marvelous mini mirth-filled adventures of JOE MCDOAKES, in the persona of his alter-ego, comic George O’Hanlon.

A satirist and humorist, Robert Benchley was part of the famous legendary group of writers that held court at New York’s legendary Algonquin Hotel in the 1920s, which also included  Dorothy Parker and Alexander Woolcott. Benchley eventually came out to Hollywood to do write screenplays,  but his persona was too irresistible not to be placed in front of the camera. He soon found his way into supporting roles in features, when almost on a whim,  MGM got the idea to give him his own series of short subjects. The first of these, entitled HOW TO SLEEP went on to win an Academy Award®.  Benchley continued appearing in both features and shorts until his untimely death in 1944. While he is fondly remembered as one of Hollywood’s great character actors, his MGM short subjects have earned him a special endearment among film fans.   With all 30 of the one reel shorts that Benchley made at Metro between 1935 and 1944 included in this Warner Archive collection release, fans will celebrate the first-ever comprehensive collection making their home video debut.

Created while he was a student at the University of Southern California, Richard L. Bare developed the character of Joe McDoakes within a student film title SO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP SMOKING.  He sold the film to Jack Warner who saw potential in this talented director.  Bare went on to create 63 different JOE MCDOAKES ten minute shorts, three of which earned Oscar nominations.  These laugh-out-loud comedies star George O’Hanlon (later the voice of TV’s George Jetson) as the loveable Joe McDoakes who’s always getting into some kind of jam that audiences can relate to.  This popular series ran for 14 years and most of them have never been released on DVD, until now in this unprecedented collection.

Gene Roddenberry fans will ‘tweet’ with delight this month as the Warner Archive offers two feature-length TV pilots that represented his first attempts to return to the world of series television following the demise of his groundbreaking creation STAR TREK.  GENESIS II (1973) starred Alex Cord in the role of Dylan Hunt; an astronaut from the 20th Century who awakes to find himself propelled forward 200 years into a post-apocalyptic society of the future called PAX. Roddenberry had completed almost an entire season’s worth of scripts before learning that CBS would not pick up the series. Roddenberry tried again the following year with PLANET EARTH, which appeared as a made-for-TV feature on ABC in 1974, portraying a similar theme, but with a different stylistic approach that had a swifter pacing and a decidedly different leading man (John Saxon) in the role of Hunt. Also this month, the archive offers  EARTH II, a 1971 telefilm from director Tom Gries, and starring Gary (2001: A Space Odyssey) Lockwood. Co-starring Mariette Hartley. EARTH II has become a cult favorite with sci-fi fans, as its visions for a future world reflect a notable influence from the ground-breaking achievements made by Roddenberry with STAR TREK.

Also this month from the Warner Archive Collection, sci-fi Producer Irwin Allen put his personal touch on every aspect of 1971’s CITY BENEATH THE SEA, an underwater spectacular starring Stuart Whitman, Robert Wagner and James Darren. Last but certainly not least is Patrick Duffy as the MAN FROM ATLANTIS, an underwater humanoid who is given the name of Mark Harris as he is inducted by the U.S. Navy to help the protect the nation. One of Hanna-Barbera Productions’ rare forays into live-action production, this was the first of four Man from Atlantis TV Movies to air on NBC in 1977. The response was so positive that NBC picked up the series for a fall season slot that year. This is the pilot movie that started it all

The Warner Archive Collection is heading down the “Yellow Brick Road” this month to offer four classic films featuring the cast of the “The Wizard of Oz” which is celebrating its 70th anniversary.  Before they were Dorothy and Glinda the good-witch, Judy Garland and Billie Burke co-starred as daughter and mother in the irresistible 1938 MGM musical EVERYBODY SING. Scarecrow Ray Bolger and Wizard Frank Morgan provide comedic antics galore supporting Eleanor Powell and Nelson Eddy who star in ROSALIE. Jack Haley stars in the rarely seen RKO musical GEORGE WHITE SCANDALS (1945) in which he plays the henpecked brother of a nasty fussbudget played by the Wicked Witch herself Margaret Hamilton, and lastly Bert Lahr re-creates his Broadway performance in the 1931 MGM musical FLYING HIGH, adapted from the stage musical hit originally produced by none other than George White himself.

The success of made-for-TV movies in the late ‘60s and early 70s led to another innovation, as impressive multi-night presentations (usually with major stars and/or based on famous books) became defined as the “mini-series”.  This month, the Warner Archive Collection heralds the DVD debut of these six highly-lauded productions:

•       THE DELIBERATE STRANGER - Mark Harmon eerily takes on the persona of Ted Bundy, in this highly-lauded docudrama chronicling the harrowing story behind the notorious serial killer

•       HAYWIRE -  Lee Remick earned an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of legendary actress Margaret Sullivan, and Jason Robards co-stars as her husband, famed Broadway producer Leland Hayward, in this brilliantly crafted adaptation of Brooke Hayward’s best-selling memoir

•       JACK THE RIPPER – Michael Caine won a Golden Globe award for his portrayal as the detective out to catch the murderous beast that terrorized London in the 1880s. Jane Seymour and Armand Assante co-star

•       NUTCRACKER: MONEY, MADNESS & MURDER -  Journalist Shana Alexander’s best-selling investigation into one of the most bizarre murder cases of recent years provided the fascinating basis for this fascinating three-part presentation,  which earned NINE Emmy Nominations! Lee Remick heads up in the all-star cast

•       THE TWO MRS. GRENVILLES -  Oscar-winning screen legend Claudette Colbert was lured in front of the cameras for one last appearance, joining co-star Ann Margret to make screen magic as they portrayed THE TWO MRS. GRENVILLES. Both actresses earned Emmy nominations for their scintillating performances in this elegant adaptation of Domenic Dunne’s famous novel

Also this month the Warner Archive Collection features the following DVD premieres:

•       Romantic Comedies from Hollywood’s Golden Age – Legendary Hollywood talents are on fine display this month.  First, EVERY GIRL SHOULD BE MARRIED stars the dashing Cary Grant and Betsy Drake who also stars in PRETTY BABY with Edmund Gwenn, PERFECT STRANGERS features the ever-lovely Ginger Rogers, Kirk Douglas and Susan Hayward  defy Washington D.C. politicos with their  TOP SECRET AFFAIR, the ever-cool Dean Martin stars in TEN THOUSAND BEDROOMS and OUR MISS BROOKS features Eve Arden in the big-screen adaptation of her hit radio and TV series.

•       Politics and Propaganda!  - Controversial in their day, these films utilized the power of cinema to convey political thinking.  Walter Huston stars as the mentally-impaired President in GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE, THEY WON’T FORGET is director Mervyn LeRoy’s attack on prejudice, and, Edward G. Robinson’s CONFESSIONS OF A NAZI SPY takes on the growing threat of Nazis in New York, Margaret Sullivan and James Stewart co-star in the MGM classic THE MORTAL STORM, Ambassador Joseph Davies 1943 pro-Soviet movie MISSION TO MOSCOW and Lloyd Bridges stars in Herbert Biberman’s warning of Nazi theology in THE MASTER RACE

•       Legendary Ladies of the Silver Screen – Some of the most requested MGM titles in our vault make their debut!  Myrna Loy charms Ramon Novarro in THE BARBARIAN, Spencer Tracy stars as a government agent in WHIPSAW, Warner Baxter falls for Myrna Loy in PENTHOUSE, Ava Gardner is the temptress who lures Robert Taylor in  THE BRIBE and THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES stars Oscar-winner Patricia Neal as the mother of a returning Vietnam vet, portrayed by a young Martin Sheen .

•       TV Movies released by Popular Demand! – These appeared for one night only but were some of the most memorable of all time including DEATH OF A CENTERFOLD: THE DOROTHY STRATTEN STORY featuring Jamie Lee Curtis, LOVE AMONG THIEVES stars Oscar® winner Audrey Hepburn and Robert Wagner and Barbara Eden is a woman possessed by her unborn baby in THE STRANGER WITHIN

•       1950s Western/Action Heroes – Fans of “Oater” can’t get enough of their favorite genre.  This month, Alan Ladd and Ernest Borgnine re-tell the story of THE ASPHALT JUNGLE in THE BADLANDERS, Robert Ryan and Walter Brennan star in the Technicolor hit BEST OF THE BAD MEN, Glenn Ford heads up a fine cast of favorites in THE FASTEST GUN ALIVE, Stewart Granger fights off enemies and wins the love of Rhonda Fleming in GUN GLORY, Fritz Lang directed Marlene Dietrich  in the RKO classic RANCHO NOTORIOUS, while Virginia Mayo stars opposite Alan Ladd (as Jim Bowie) in the 1952 fan favorite

 

•       THE IRON MISTRESS. Last but certainly not least are two comic westerns starring Glenn Ford:  THE SHEEPMAN with Shirley MacLaine and Burt Kennedy’s 1965 hit THE ROUNDERS, co-starring Henry Fonda.

For a complete list of release dates and titles included in the Warner Archive Collection visit www.WarnerArchive.com.

Spanning more than 60 years of filmmaking, the Warner Archive Collection offers movie fans access to Warner Bros. Entertainment’s unparalleled film library consisting of pre-1986 MGM, RKO Radio Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures films.  These timeless classics can be downloaded or purchased on DVDs that are made to order for the customer using a state-of-the-art manufacturing on Demand (MOD) process.

To order their movies, fans visit WarnerArchive.com, select their titles, and upon purchase, a state-of-the-art manufacturing on demand (MOD) system creates a made-to-order DVD.  The system places the DVD into a hard plastic Amaray case featuring custom artwork; and ships the finished package to the customer which arrives in approximately five days.  The cost per title is $19.95, plus shipping.  Alternatively, consumers can purchase digital downloads of these classic films to enjoy immediately on their PC or broadband connected TV.  The cost for a digital download is $14.95 per title.  Warner Archive Collection is currently available only to consumers in the United States.

... at least, until they actually see them.

Frank Borzage.... Fritz Lang... c'mon Warner....

Why was still harbouring hopes for some of these as DVD releases, is beyond me. Surely PENTHOUSE could have made it to a Forbidden Hollywood set (especially if it's one of the most requested MGM titles) and THE MORTAL STORM deserves be released somewhere... And I still can't buy them, even if I want to...

Rancho Notorious in the Archives?!!  I know I should be happy with an R1 release, but, really, what a shame...

shameful... all of these titles deserve so much better.

the sad part is that I'd be willing to pay what WHV is charging for proper pressed discs at this point. it's clear that in the current economic situation, the cost of producing classic catalog discs marketed to "niche" audiences liek ourselves has driven up msrps. but the fact that the studio is inflating their prices, cheapening their product and still not delivering retail quality standards is just pitiful. Universal and Sony are releasing higher priced catalog titles but at least they're proper dvd's. I would buy nearly every one of the above listed films at the prices asked if only Warners would do the same. Instead I'll tivo them and import from other regions. Disgraceful that they'll release a bunch of Esther Williams slop but under the radar classics by master directors above get slapped on dvd-r like this.

Apparently, there are now more classic blu-ray releaes on Warners' release schedule than standard DVDs. That pretty much says it all, doesn't it? If it weren't for the Archives, we classic film fans would be starving!

Based on the organization of today's lengthy press release - I see the outlines of some future "Value Packs."  

Most notably, packs that include:

1) the several TV miniseries;
2) Romantic Comedies from Hollywood's Golden Age;
3) Politics and Propaganda;
4) Legendary Ladies of the Silver Screen;
5) TV Movies released by Popular Demand!;
6) another 1950s Western/Action Heroes; 
7) another sci-fi grouping including GENESIS II, PLANET EARTH, EARTH II, CITY BENEATH THE SEA, and MAN FROM ATLANTIS. 
8) COMRADE X could be added to the recently released Hedy Lamar titles, and
9) BEAU BRUMMEL to the other early-50s Elizabeth Taylor titles.

It would be nice if they launched new value packs like they did with "Stars of The Wizard of Oz" pack, i.e., when the individual titles are first introduced.   On the other hand, it may well be a long wait, like it has been for many of the other packs.  

We are still waiting for a Katherine Hepburn pack and the Ladies of Warners (Lupino/Sheridan) pack.  Many of these groupings include what I suspect will be top sellers; hence new value packs that include them probably won't be announced till sales of popular individual titles slow down to a crawl.

Another mix of titles which gladdens and saddens me at the same time.

Rancho Notorious is out on DVD in the UK, so at least if you have a multi-region player, you can pick it up pressed.

 

You can also get The Fastest Gun Alive, The Badlanders and The Sheepman in France.

Someone really needs to put together a list of what titles are available on R2 (With English tracks) That arn't available in R1 when it comes to classic films!

I would buy these for $50.
I would NOT buy them for $100.  No way.