MGM MOD: Fox Bows On Demand MGM Movies for Retailers - Page 19

That IS big news... and a smart move on MGM's part, IMHO. Maybe they've been reading my posts here...

Hello, Universal.... ?

good news indeed.

 Ask Adam Gregorich about that.

Break for the holiday season?

No surprise there.

Perhaps MGM is holding releases to give people a chance to catch up, especially with Titles now available through Warners.

i don't believe the mgm program is over. maybe they want warner to handle it.

Oddly enough there are at least two new MGM Mods listed on Amazon USA

They have been on there for over a week now!

Screen Archives used to be a good place to track these but maybe with Warners
on board this will not be the case in future!

There may be other titles but I have not found them yet.

TIMBUKTU
SOUTHWEST PASSAGE

What you say makes some sense but again, they only list 147 of the 270, so before they start getting new releases you'd think they would have to get the remaining 133 that were released. I'm wondering if WAC will be the first place to announce the new MGM's or will it still be Screen Archives.

The missing titles seem to be the ones that were released after The File of The Golden Goose through the latest batch. 
 

 

I was supposed to get the MGM MOD of BUSTING this week, finally--and now it's been pushed back to next week. I don't know what's happened to VICE SQUAD (53).

I have Vice Squad as one of the MGM MODs that has arrived for review. Hopefully I can get to it later in the week.
 

 

i remember reading that mgm supposedly owns the rights to the siege of firebase gloria.

I've watched two MGM mods so far: A Cold Wind in August (1960) with Lola Albright and A Rage to Live (1965) with Suzanne Pleshette. The visuals are serviceable but not up to the standards of Sony or recent Warner releases. I doubt any digital remastering has taken place. A Cold Wind in August looks like a transfer of a high-end video master; it's slightly fuzzy and unclear. A Rage to Live looks a little better, but is still not entirely sharp, and there is some minor ghosting around edges. The audio track on both was also problematic, with hisses and pops. The stereo track on A Rage to Live is an especially "poppy," "hissy" mess. I never had these sort of audio problems with MODs from Warner, Sony, Universal, or TCM/Universal.

All in all, with the ho-hum visuals and the annoying audio issues, I'm not impressed. I wonder if there is anyone out there associated with this program who will take action on these technical issues, or if this is it.

Maybe the ones you got, because they're either older or obscure films may not have looked good enough but I would have to disagree with anyone who knocks the MGM Mod's as a whole. All the late 60's, 70's & the few 80's titles I've bought look very good and I'm very happy with them. The color and clarity have been outstanding. I own about 40-50 with no complaints. Even Burn Witch Burn (1962) looked good.

New MGM MODs up for preorder at Screen Archives (thanks for the tip, Paul Pisano):

THE AMERICAN SNITCH (1983)
THE BIG NIGHT (1951)--Joseph Losey noir
COOL BLUE (1990)
HELL BOATS (1970)
HORNETS' NEST (1970)
NUMBER ONE WITH A BULLET (1987)
SAVAGE SISTERS (1974)--looks like fun exploitation
SINFUL DAVEY (1969)--for John Huston/John Hurt completists
SOUTHWEST PASSAGE (1954)
SPELLBINDER (1988)
SUMMER HEAT (1987)
THREE BAD SISTERS (1956)--looks like fun based on the IMDb description
TIMBUKTU (1959)--for Jacques Tourneur completists
WANDA NEVADA (1979)--a cable perennial, Peter Fonda directing himself, Brooke Shields, and a Henry Fonda cameo
THE WONDERFUL COUNTRY (1959)--a welcome Western release, with Robert Mitchum

Amazon was unreliable with the last lot (maybe it's going to stop releasing them?) so I'll place an order with SAE, Movies Unlimited, or the Warner Archive if they show up there.
Edited by Bob Cashill - 2/14/12 at 3:24pm

nice to see hornet's nest and hell boats.

Finally, we get one of MGM's yet-unreleased Robert Mitchum films. The Big Night is also a welcome release.

I'll be very interested to read a review of the DVD of The Wonderful Country which is a wonderful movie. I have a Spanish DVD and I might double-dip if this MGM MOD is exceptionally good.

Yes, Losey, Tourneur, Huston, and Phil Karlson (HORNET'S NEST) - a nice selection this month. Screen Archives now has these listed in thieir New DVD Releases area on the home page -Twilight, plus the MOD programs of MGM, Columbia, VCI, and American POP (whatever that one is) all have their own area and they list the new titles pretty early. I do hope THE WONDERFUL COUNTRY looks better than an imported disc I watched a couple of months ago. It would also be nice if the MGM program joined the rest of the modern world and put all of these out in their proper anamorphic aspect ratio.

There's a trailer for THREE BAD SISTERS on the dvd-r, "CRIME WAVE USA GANGSTERAMA SHOW" from Something Weird video. Has a great pulpy, melodramatic feel.

two other mgm releases that would be nice are wild geese 2 and the siege of firebase gloria.

Some very good sounding titles in the list of MGM MOD titles for March. Am interested in the titles The Big Night (1951) (film noir, so that's instantly interesting), Hornets' Nest (1970) (the film's plot reminds me of Force Ten from Navarone (1978), Number One with a Bullet (1987), Spellbinder (1988) and Three Bad Sisters (1956) (plot sounds quite good).

 

Thanks Bob (and Kingfish) for posting the list of March titles.

I have heard that UNHOLY ROLLERS has made its widescreen debut on DirecTV On Demand. I don't have access to that, but perhaps the film will be released as a MOD someday.

THREE BAD SISTERS looks like fun to me. I suspect that the MOD will be fullframe, not 1:85-1. The Bel Air pictures have been fullframe on MOD.

Three Bad Sisters on Netflix is fullframe.

More MGM MOD-ness in March:

1950’s and 1960's

Pharaoh’s Curse (1957) - Archaeologists in Egypt discover one of their crew has been turned into a blood-sucking mummy after they unintentionally unleash a three thousand year curse by entering Pharaoh's tomb. Stars Mark Dana, Ziva Rodann, Diane Brewster. Directed by Lee Sholem.
Vice Raid (1959) –1950's "sex bomb" Mamie van Doren plays a hooker who is called to help frame a cop whose good work has been giving the mob a tough time. Things get more interesting when her younger sister is thrown into the mix. Stars Mamie Van Doren, Richard Coogan. Directed by Edward L. Cahn.
Sergeant Deadhead (1965) – Girl-shy/accident-prone Sgt. Deadhead (Frankie Avalon) accidentally goes into orbit with a chimp! When they return to Earth after their orbit, it is discovered that the chimp has the brains of the astronaut, and the astronaut has the brains of the chimp. Complications ensue. Stars Frankie Avalon, Deborah Walley, Cesar Romero, Fred Clark, Gale Gordon, Eve Arden, Reginald Gardiner, Buster Keaton. Directed by Norman Taurog.

1970’s

Pieces of Dreams (1970) – A young Catholic priest begins to have doubts about the Church when he meets a social worker and falls in love. Stars Robert Forster, Will Geer, Lauren Hutton. Directed by Daniel Haller.
Underground (1970) – An American intelligence agent attempts to kidnap a top Nazi general. Stars Robert Goulet, Daniele Gaubert, Lawrence Dobkin. Directed by Arthur H. Nadel.
The Million Dollar Rip-Off (1976) – Comedian Freddie Prinze plays an ex-con who happens to be an electronic genius. Along with four young women, he sets out to rob the Chicago Transit Authority payroll. Stars Brooke Mills, Freddie Prinze, Christine Bellford. Directed by Alexander Singer.

1980’s

Cocaine: One Man's Seduction (1983) – In a frightening portrait, Dennis Weaver plays the man-next-door who gets trapped in the insidious web of cocaine addiction. As his dependency takes over his entire life begins to crumble. Stars Dennis Weaver, Karen Grassle, Pamela Bellwood. Directed by Paul Wendkos.
Pray For Death (1985) – A gentle Japanese immigrant endeavors to quietly run a business in America. When gangsters refuse to leave him alone, he reveals that he is in reality, a highly skilled Ninja master. Stars Sho Kosugi, James Booth, Donna Kei Benz, Norman Burton, Parley Baer, Kane Kosugi, Shane Kosug. Directed by Gordon Hessler.
Modern Girls (1986) – Three young ladies who are looking for love begin to realize that their friendship is more important than romance. Stars Cynthia Gibb, Virginia Madsen, Clayton Rohner, Daphne Zuniga. Directed by Jerry Kramer.
Right of the People (1986) – When the wife and daughter of District Attorney Christopher Booth are among ten victims shot to death during an attempted robbery of a restaurant, the citizens are stunned and outraged. As a result, the town votes to allow a mass arming of the community. Stars Michael Ontkean, Jane Kaczmarek, Billy Dee Williams, John Randolph, M. Emmet Walsh, Jamie Smith Jackson. Directed by Jeffrey Bloom.
Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story (1986) - Mitch Snyder, portrayed by Martin Sheen, successfully convinces city officials to deal with the problems of the homeless. Stars Martin Sheen, Roxanne Hart, Cicely Tyson. Directed by Richard T Heffron.
Saving Grace (1986) - A down-to-earth Pope tries to balance bureaucratic duties of his position with the secular world. Frustrated with his lack of freedom he flees to the Italian countryside to get in touch with real people and get back to helping them out one-on-one. Stars Tom Conti, Fernando Rey, Edward James Olmos, Giancarlo Giannini, Erland Josephson. Directed by Robert M. Young.
Viper (1988) - A young woman's husband is murdered by a band of Middle Eastern terrorists. However, her investigation uncovers a CIA military plot against an Arab nation tied to his death. Stars Linda Purl, James Tolkan, Jeff Kober, Chris Robinson, Ken Foree, David Sterling. Directed by Peter Maris.
Lost Angels (1989) - Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz plays a troubled teen who is sent against his will to a psychiatric clinic which is filled with kids who are in much worse shape than he is. Donald Sutherland plays a compassionate psychiatrist who is the sole sympathetic voice in this teenage "snake pit." Stars Donald Sutherland, Adam Horovitz. Directed by Hugh Hudson.
The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989) - Sergeant Major Hafner leads his recon patrol on a hellish trek through enemy territory, encountering the Viet Cong and fighting for their lives as they wait for rescue from the army. Stars R. Lee Ermey, Wings Hauser, Robert Abevalo, Gary Hershberger, Albert Popwell. Directed by Brian Trenchard Smith.

1990’s and 2000's

Vietnam, Texas (1990) – Father Thomas McCain learns that he fathered a child during his tour of duty in Vietnam, and she’s in the custody of the most powerful gangster and drug runner in Houston's Little Saigon. The priest goes up against a brutal network of thugs, pushers and killers to reclaim his daughter. Stars Robert Ginty, Haing S. Ngor, Tamlyn Tomita, Tim Thomerson. Directed by Robert Ginty.
Fish Don't Blink (2002) - A young couple, on the run from the mob, take refuge in a run-down desert restaurant. However, they soon find out that the crazy dysfunctional family running the place is worse than the Mafia! Stars Lea Thompson, Richard Grieco, Wil Wheaton, Tonie Perensky, Dee Wallace-Stone. Directed by Chuck DeBus.

i wonder if the siege of firebase gloria will be in widescreen format?

SERGEANT DEADHEAD - Hope it OAR anamorphic.  I kind of put this as the red-headed stepchild of the Beach movies. Please no offense intended.  SIEGE OF FIREBASE GLORIA is one that I have longed for a long time, also hope for OAR anamorphic. 

Underground (1970) - as soon as I saw Robert Goulet mentioned, was immediately interested (thinking of his appearances in The Naked Gun 2 and 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991), and an episode each of Police Squad! and The Simpsons). Also, Roger Delgado is in the cast (he played The Master in the Jon Pertwee era of the original Doctor Who TV series).

It's the 50s movies where MGM runs into problems with OARs. The others should be OK.

I'll be picking up Pharaoh's Curse (when I find it at a decent price) which was once announced as part of the Midnite Movie line but never came out .

I thought it was Curse of the Faceless Man that was going to be part of the final wave of Midnite Doubles which got dropped? Although of course, Pharoahs Curse would be a nice companion for it...