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4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

post #1 of 30
4/2/09 at 2:44pm
Thread Starter 
Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves (1944), Lonely Are The Brave (1962), Trail Of The Lonesome Pine (1936) and Beau Geste (1939) (previously released on the Gary Cooper set).
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post #2 of 30
4/2/09 at 3:36pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Happy to see TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE--particularly since I was about to pull the switch and order it from amazon.uk, but I don't know why Universal wants to revisit BEAU GESTE, particularly since SOULS AT SEA, CITY STREETS, DESIRE, BLUEBEARD'S EIGHTH WIFE, NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE, and THE STORY OF DR. WASSELL have yet to make their way to DVD.
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post #3 of 30
4/2/09 at 3:51pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Terrific news!!!

Another fan of Trail of the Lonesome Pine here!
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post #4 of 30
4/2/09 at 4:02pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Lonely Are the Brave is long overdue and most welcome. A contemporary western that has a lot in common with Hud and Junior Bonner. Western buffs have been screaming for it for a decade. Some people think it's Kirk Douglas's best film.

What prompted this sudden generosity from Universal?
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post #5 of 30
4/2/09 at 4:10pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
Lonely Are the Brave is long overdue and most welcome. A contemporary western that has a lot in common with Hud and Junior Bonner. Western buffs have been screaming for it for a decade. Some people think it's Kirk Douglas's best film.

What prompted this sudden generosity from Universal?

Maybe pre-orders for the first backlot (pre-code) series are going really well.
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post #6 of 30
4/2/09 at 4:27pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas T
Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves (1944), Lonely Are The Brave (1962), Trail Of The Lonesome Pine (1936) and Beau Geste (1939) (previously released on the Gary Cooper set).
Since I already have "Beau Geste", I'll add these other three titles to my collection. I've been waiting on "Lonely are the Brave" for years and it's too bad such a fine film had to wait so long before it gets a DVD release. I can finallly retire my non-anamorphic DVD-R of it from a recording off the dish.





Crawdaddy
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post #7 of 30
4/2/09 at 4:50pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

I'll get 'em all(except BEAU GESTE, which I already have), but I'm especially tickled about ALI BABA. I love the Jon Hall/Maria Montez films, and this one is the best IMHO. And, if the transfer is done right, the Technicolor should look stunning.
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post #8 of 30
4/2/09 at 8:47pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Is it too much to hope that the 1926 silent version of Beau Geste would be included as an extra? (Ronald Coleman, William Powell and Neil Hamilton!) Of course I am not sure who actually owns the rights to the film. It could be Paramount or Universal.
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post #9 of 30
4/2/09 at 9:57pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

I was thinking the same thing, Steven.

After all, this being the 70th anniversary of Beau Geste's release, it would be splendid if they released a special edition containing both the silent and sound versions ala Ten Commandments (Paramount) or Ben-Hur (WHV).

However since this is Universal, and if Cleopatra is any indication, it would appear that we might only expect some documentaries.
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post #10 of 30
4/2/09 at 10:22pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by ColbyCo82
Is it too much to hope that the 1926 silent version of Beau Geste would be included as an extra? (Ronald Coleman, William Powell and Neil Hamilton!) Of course I am not sure who actually owns the rights to the film. It could be Paramount or Universal.

Unfortunately....yes, it's too much to hope. Paramount owns it. I've heard that there is an underlying rights problem but don't know more. It would be great if Criterion could get it straightened out and release it as they're doing with other selected Paramount films. It's really a shame since it's such a good film; personally I prefer it to the 1939 version.
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post #11 of 30
4/2/09 at 10:52pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny Burk
It would be great if Criterion could get it straightened out and release it as they're doing with other selected Paramount films.
have you a definite indication which Paramount films Criterion is considering / working on?
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post #12 of 30
4/3/09 at 4:17am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Great news about Lonely Are the Brave!!!

I can now retire my laserdisc.
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post #13 of 30
4/3/09 at 5:54am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

I just preordered the precode collection yesterday and this is more great news! With their holdings of the Paramount catalog from ’29-’49, Universal has more films I want than any other studio.

I am a little disappointed though that instead of releasing a Cooper film new to dvd, they are just separately reissuing Beau Geste. If it turns out to have any interesting bonus features then I will double dip on that one. I hope this does bode well for future releases of the many wonderful Paramount stars from their catalog, not to mention the great Universal films as well.

FYI about Lonely are the Brave; Kirk Douglas wanted Cooper to play the lead but he was too sick with cancer at the time and shortly passed away. Kirk, who was a big fan, wrote a long and very touching letter to Gary about how he was going to play the part and how he would try to do it like Coop would. It is a good film and I’m glad it’s finally getting a proper release.
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post #14 of 30
4/3/09 at 6:30am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

LONELY ARE THE BRAVE... FINALLY!!!
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post #15 of 30
4/3/09 at 6:33am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Hooray! for Ali Baba
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post #16 of 30
4/3/09 at 7:11am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
have you a definite indication which Paramount films Criterion is considering / working on?

THE WEDDING MARCH has been confirmed by Criterion per posts on criterionforum.org. Same for von Sternberg silents, but exactly which titles are coming hasn't been confirmed. Hopefully there will be a set of all 3 extant titles (DOCKS OF NY, UNDERWORLD, LAST COMMAND), which would make much sense.
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post #17 of 30
4/3/09 at 9:45am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Well, I was hoping for a nice set of all the technicolo Montez-Hall films, but I guess that ain't going to happen.

I also believe that the 1939 BEAU GESTE is in a shorter, reissue length. Perhaps in Europe or somewhere, they can find the missing footage and put it back in. That should allow me to double dip without any reservations.
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post #18 of 30
4/4/09 at 7:57am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

The artwork is up here on ClassicFlix.
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post #19 of 30
4/4/09 at 7:59am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

EDIT: double post
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post #20 of 30
4/4/09 at 8:20am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Lonely Are The Brave will be a purchase

Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves and Trail Of The Lonesome Pine rentals

and while Beau Geste is a favorite of mine it'll have to be a huge upgrade as I have a rule against double dipping for standard DVD.
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post #21 of 30
4/4/09 at 10:26am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

I can honestly say, the artwork is horrid. haha
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post #22 of 30
4/4/09 at 10:36am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

I hope this means that October will bring ISLAND OF LOST SOULS and THE UNIVITED along with a few other Paramount/Universal horror/mysteries. I guess we will know in July.
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post #23 of 30
4/4/09 at 12:47pm
Thread Starter 

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

I like the artwork just fine. Very evocative of the original poster artwork. I can see how someone with a "contemporary" sensiblity might be underwhelmed however. But very much in keeping with their respective periods.
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post #24 of 30
4/4/09 at 3:02pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Loved the artwork, much better than those of the Universal Classics series.

For future waves, I hope Universal releases some of the following titles:

To Each His Own
Bluebeard 8th Wife
Remember the Night
The Uninvited
100 Men and a Girl
Lady in the Dark
The Gilded Lily
The Glass Key
Christmas Holiday (in fact, anything starring D. Durbin)
A Foreing Affair
Kitty
Desire
Angel
North West Mounted Police
Ministry of Fear
The Cat and the Canary
Phantom Lady
You and Me
I Walk Alone
Desert Fury
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post #25 of 30
4/4/09 at 5:55pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

I like the cover art. I will pick up the 3 i don't have. I still hope they get up off of The Uninvited and some of the Ladd films they are sitting on.
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post #26 of 30
4/5/09 at 7:47am

JON HALL AND MARIA MONTEZ!!!!!

Oh, ALI BABA AND FORTY THIEVES (1944) is the best of the lot by far!

I sincerely hope that it is a newly fully restored and digitally remastered edition from the 35mm print negative source elements with the inclusion of the original theatrical trailer.

Now how about the other outstanding technicolour Jon Hall-Maria Montez cinema screen wonders WHITE SAVAGE (1943), COBRA WOMAN (1944), GYPSY WILDCAT (1944) and SUDAN (1945)?

It is certainly always nice to have something to look forward to. Thank you Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Thomas the author of this discussion thread.

Jeff T.
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post #27 of 30
4/5/09 at 8:50am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

It's comforting to know, while waiting for the Warner Archive to open to us Europeans, that some films just getting their DVD release in the States, have already been issued here.

Lonely Are the Brave is one such film (a fine French release), while all the films on the upcoming Jack Lemmon box have been (or will shortly be) released as single discs in Spain...
525x525px-LL-vbattach1391.jpg
525x525px-LL-vbattach1390.jpg
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post #28 of 30
4/5/09 at 10:25am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Hello everybody, first post here.

Aki K, does that French release of Lonely Are The Brave have forced subs on the English track?
There's a number of titles in that line that interested me but I held off buying since I think I heard somewhere about forced subs.
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post #29 of 30
4/5/09 at 11:45am

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Livius
Hello everybody, first post here.

Aki K, does that French release of Lonely Are The Brave have forced subs on the English track?
There's a number of titles in that line that interested me but I held off buying since I think I heard somewhere about forced subs.

Well, yes, it does...living in a country where a lot of people won't buy dvds unless they have subtitles, I didn't even notice them as I watched that initially...but yes, they were forced :-(
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post #30 of 30
4/5/09 at 12:24pm

Re: 4 more Universal "backlot" titles on July 7, 2009

Thanks for that. Universal and Warner DVDs from France usually have removable subs, but I thought there was an issue with those Sony(?) ones.
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