FOX/MGM DVDS on 05-22-07 including westerns, musicals and Gary Cooper films. (1 Viewer)

[Mark B]

According to The DVD Forums:

PIGSKIN PARADE (1936)
Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; "making of" documentary; photo gallery; isolated music score; theatrical trailer

CAN CAN (1960)
Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; "making of" documentary; featurettes; isolated music score; photo gallery; theatrical trailer; more. 131m.

 

[Charles H]

Fox is releasing a Gary Cooper boxset (from the Goldwyn library via MGM/Sony): THE REAL GLORY, THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH, VERA CRUZ, THE COWBOY AND THE LADY) and seperate from the boxset: THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO). Would that they release THE GARDEN OF EVIL and TEN NORTH FREDERICK? From their own library, they are releasing CAN-CAN (listed by Movies Unlimited as the 131 minute version), ON THE RIVIERA, and PIGSKIN PARADE (Garland @ Grable).

 

[Matt Hough]

Will be happy to get CAN-CAN so I can retire an anciently recorded widescreen version on VHS from AMC in the days before they had commercials and when they actually programmed REAL classics.

 

[Greg_M]

Great news about CAN-CAN been waiting for this one a long time. The isolated score makes it even better as many of the Broadway show's songs were only used as background music.

The film was always 131 minutes. FOX cut the song "I Love Paris" sung but Sintra in act two before the film opened because it slowed down the film. Too bad since it's the show's best song. Apparently FOX can not find the footage and it is thought to be destroyed but the song was on the soundtrack Lp/CD

 

[Jim Bur]

Charles: This is fascinating news. It's great to see that they are releasing these old classic films from the Goldwyn library such as The Real Glory.

What a pleasant surprise that they are also issuing a 1926 silent film "The Winning of Barbara Worth", which was a giant box office hit back in the 1920's, and which has Ronald Colman in the leading role. It was written by Harold Bell Wright, the same person who wrote the John Wayne film, "The Shepherd of the Hills", and directed by the vastly underrated Henry King, who also directed the silent classic "Tol'able David" and later directed "Jesse James", "The Gunfighter", "Twelve O'Clock High", "The Bravados", "The Black Swan", "Captain from Castile", "I'd Climb the Highest Mountain", "Lloyds of London, "Stanley and Livingstone", "The Snows of Kilimanjaro", "Margie", "Untamed", "King of the Khyber Rifles", "In Old Chicago", "Prince of Foxes", etc.

This makes me hopeful that they will dig into the Goldwyn library and start releasing those vintage Ronald Colman films of the late 1920's and early 1930's such as "The Masquerader", "Bulldog Drummond", "Raffles", "Unhloy Garden", "Cynara", "Condemned", etc. They could also make an excellent box set from these films.

As you mentioned, I also hope that sometime soon Fox releases from its own library the outstanding Gary Cooper western/adventure film "Garden of Evil".

I do notice they are including "Vera Cruz" in the box set. "Vera Cruz" is from the United Artists library and had previously released on DVD. One of Gary Cooper's best westerns "Man of the West" is also in the United Artists library, and that film has never been released on DVD. It was directed by Anthony Mann who did all those great westerns in collaboration with Jimmy Stewart such as "Winchester 73", "The Man From Laramie", "The Naked Spur", "Bend of the River", and "The Far Country". "Man of the West" is of the same high quality, and a DVD release of that film is long overdue.

c Jim Bur

 

[Mike*HTF]

Jim, you took the words right out of my mouth - I would also add The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (20th?), Clive of India, and Under Two Flags - basically any Colman is good Colman.

 

[Charles Ellis]

Pigskin Parade is best known as Judy Garland's feature film debut, so historically this DVD release is a boon for Garland fans. Most of her films are already on DVD, though some of her MGM films are still awaiting release, along with A Child Is Waiting, which is in the Sony library.

 

[Art_AD]

I too am hopeful for a Colman-Goldwyn Box set. Fox also owns 4 Colman films themselves (I do not think any of the Fox films were ever released on VHS or laserdisc). That could be released as a second box set including Clive of India, Under Two Flags, Man who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, Late George Apley.

 

[Charles H]

Also, worthy of release from Fox as an MGM/UA/Sony second boxset of Cooper films: RETURN TO PARADISE and Cooper's final film THE NAKED EDGE. Can the perpetually delayed reissues of BALL OF FIRE and THE WESTERNER be far behind? Love to see some Danny Kaye and Eddie Cantor boxsets out on dvd.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I think that CAN-CAN running time is the general release, CinemaScope version, not the original Todd-AO roadshow. I don't think any footage was cut for the general release, but I know the roadshow had an Overture, Intermission, Entr'acte and Exit Music. I believe the original running time was 140 minutes, counting all that music.

 

[GregoryMesh]

Get ready to be excited. Some more titles released by MGM/Fox on 5/22.

Ball of Fire (Hell, Yeah! And list price is $19.98)
Casanova Brown (19.98)
Wedding Night, The (19.98)

Adiós, Sabata (14.98)
Gun the Man Down (14.98)
Gunfight (14.98)
Hills Run Red, The (14.98)
Return of Sabata (14.98)
Sabata (14.98)

Fox also has SPORTS GIFTSET and WAR GIFTSET on that day, but I'm not sure what's included in those.

 

[Mike*HTF]

Very glad to hear about Ball of Fire - and at that price it just might even have extras (or am I being too optimistic again?)
Say Charles - where did the info on the Cooper box (& Marco Polo) come from? (Not doubting you, just interested)

 

[Charles H]

my info on the Cooper box comes from DVDEmpire.com this morning.

 

[Mike*HTF]

excellent!

 

[DanMel]

Any info on where the fox/MGM titles Ball of Fire, Casanova Brown and The Wedding night?

I found info listed on the Cooper box set and the Marco polo release on DVDempire but can't seem to find a good web site listing Fox upcoming releases. On their main web site and MGM's web site they only list upcoming new movies. Anyone have a good official web site to hangout on for upcoming Fox/MGM/UA titles?

 

[R-T-C Tim]

I'm presuming that 'The Hills Run Red' is the 1966 Spaghetti Western Un Fiume di dollari, which would be a nice new addition, currently only available on a Japanese DVD. The Sabata films are re-releases from the boxset released last year (my review).

(Corrected) - I'm guessing that 'Gunfight' is the obscure 1961 American Western 'Gun Fight', while 'Gun the Man Down' is the 1956 film. Both new to US DVD.

Based on the Sabata discs, the prints should be nice looking and OAR, but don't expect any extras.

 

[RolandL]

Joe, did you see the original release? The Wide Screen Movies book has the running time as 131 minutes plus intermission. I know that book has a lot of mistakes see http://members.aol.com/filmteknik/wsmc20.pdf for a list of them, but they don't mention any mistakes for Can Can.

I would love for the DVD to have the Overture, Intermission, Entr'acte and Exit Music if they still exist and were in the original film.

 

[DanMel]

Ok I found Ball of Fire, Wedding Night and Casanova Brown all listed at Movies unlimited for 5-22 release date and for a little less as they are all listed at 15.99 price. Haven't seen them listed at dvdempire yet.

Casanova Brown:

http://www.moviesunlimited.com/musit...p?sku=D69809++

Ball of Fire:

http://www.moviesunlimited.com/musit...p?sku=D12440++

Wedding Night

http://www.moviesunlimited.com/musit...asp?sku=D69810

 

[Jefty]

this is pretty exciting news!

I love all three of these films, each for different reasons.

Ball of Fire is just an out-and-out masterpiece, in my opinion. One of the great Stawnwyck showcases.

But The Wedding Night really makes you wonder about those "Goldwyn's last Sten" jokes... I think the actress is marvelous in this film, and King Vidor could do WONDERFUL things with melodramatic plots...

Meanwhile, Casanova Brown is a splendid little treat for Teresa Wright fans--a film that gave her a rare chance to play for comedy (and she doesn't disappoint!)

the common denominator here, of course, is Gary Cooper--people always say Cooper just played himself in films--but if that's true (and I suppose it is, to some extent), just look at how DIVERSE that "self" is! Consider these films exhibits A,B, and C...

 

[Joe Lugoff]

Actually, I did see the original release, but I was 10 at the time and really don't remember much about it.

You really can't believe anything you read in books, which is a shame, because they get copied by other books and false information goes on forever. The original Variety review of CAN-CAN gives a running time of 134 minutes; the original New York Times review says 135 minutes.

I just think all roadshow movies in those days had at least an Overture, but maybe this one didn't. Both Variety and the Times point out that the movie wasn't really of roadshow stature.