Martin And Lewis Vol. 2 on 6/6/07 (1 Viewer)

[Jaime_Weinman]

Here's the aspect-ratio info from Paramount:


So all the VistaVision movies are widescreen. That's good news.

 

[CineKarine]

Very glad about this collection, but disappointed, like everyone else, about the missing films. I will treasure my TV-taped copies of Three Ring Circus (a very good film in my opinion, taped off TCM a few years ago) and Money from Home.

Glad the 1955-56 titles will be in widescreen - this had me quite worried too in previous announcements.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Any word on the reason why "Three Ring Circus" is being left off. "Money from Home" makes sense because of the Damon Runyun issue but whats up with Three Ring Circus?

 

[Charles Ellis]

At least I was very lucky to see Money From Home in its 3-D incarnation a few years ago at Film Forum here in NYC! If Paramount figures out a way to release the 3-D version with glasses, I'll be first on line!

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Too bad they screwed up the aspect ratio on LIVING IT UP. I've run it in 35mm and it is definitely composed for 1.85 presentation.

 

[CineKarine]

No clue what's keeping 3 Rings Circus from being released. None of the 3 songs seems to have problematic copyrights issues, the film was made by Paramount who still owns it....and (although it's not relevant) it has been shown on TV everywhere from Superstations to TCM for years. I sure wish someone had the answer for us.

 

[Drew Salzan]

Any reviews yet?

 

[CineKarine]

I am not familiar with this source, but here is a review:

http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/release/...review2461.php

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

The New York Times has a review:


Artists and Models is one of my favorite movies and I've been so glad to see it in its proper aspect ratio (with more information on the sides and less useless information on the top and bottom) and with the real colors back. As the review says, Hollywood or Bust doesn't look as good but still looks a whole lot better than the P&S VHS.

I wish there had been some extras -- or that Paramount could have given Criterion the a crack at the two Tashlin movies -- but the set is very recommendable just the same.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I'm very glad to hear that Paramount went the extra mile with the picture on those two titles. It would have been nice to see LIVING IT UP in its proper widescreen version. Paramount started filming and framing for widescreen in the summer of 1953.

It would have also been nice to hear the original (though rather limited) 3-channel Perspecta stereo tracks that accompanied the VistaVision titles.

Oh well, you can't have everything. I'm just amazed these were finally released, and I sure wish I knew what happened to MONEY FROM HOME and THREE RING CIRCUS.

 

[FrancisP]

Why does Money From Home have issues when the other Martin-Lewis films released by Paramount does not? How does Damon Runyon figure into this?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

It's the same reason that has kept Abbott and Costello's IT AIN'T HAY from getting an official video or DVD release: they are based on stories by Damon Runyon, and apparently his Estate wants too much money to release rights for home video.

 

[William Miller]

I guess we should be grateful to Paramount for finally releasing more Martin & Lewis movies especially considering they have basically stopped releasing any classic movies at all. But they sure did a sloppy job on Volume 2.

The New York Times review is basically accurate.

Artists and Models looks stunning. Pardners also looks great.

Living It Up looks very nice.

Now, things start to go downhill.

You're Never Too Young looks O.K. but could have been a lot better.

But the real weak one here is Hollywood or Bust. The image is always shifting from scene to scene. At times it is blurry and out of focus. And the colors are faded and hazy. But some scenes look better.

Paramount Technicolor films of the 50's are vivid and beautiful and all 5 films should look like Artists and Models & Pardners.

All 5 movies suffer from mild to not-so-mild flickering.

How can they issue a set with 5 movies with such varying quality? It makes no sense.

Martin & Lewis were the biggest act in the history of show business. They had a run like no else has ever had. They were on top during a period when there were so many outlets for entertainers and they made the most of it. Movies, Radio, TV, Nightclubs, Records, etc.

Paramount has shown them no respect. Not even a trailer for any of the films. Each Martin & Lewis film should have been issued in a special edition. And it would have been nice if they would have included maybe just a couple of sentences explaining why Three Ring Circus and Money from Home are missing in action.

I'm disappointed but I am a rabid Martin & Lewis fan and I was just hoping for a home run in every department.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

The real shame about not including any trailers is the fact that nearly all of the black and white titles have special footage of Dean and Jerry talking to the audience.

We did use a few clips in the two Disney Channel documentaries and the A&E Biography of Jerry, but this rare footage has not been seen anywhere else.

There's a great one with Dean and Jerry promoting THE STOOGE. They bring out Hal Wallis and they thank him for all he's done for their career. But then they start complaining about all the bills, lawsuits and alimony payments. Before long, they ask Wallis why he didn't leave them alone and they wrestle him to the ground. The entire crew breaks out laughing!

 

[TonyD]

his is really cheap with the deepdiscount sale.

i also still need the first para set.


-steve

 

[William Miller]

I have a theory.

Paramount was releasing classic movies every month with nice transfers until about December, 2005. Then everything stopped cold.

I am guessing they were in the process of remastering all the Martin & Lewis movies when the plug was pulled on the classic era. They had done Artists and Models and Pardners but the other titles were left in limbo and now they just slapped on what they had for the remaining titles without even caring about how they looked.

I'm just trying to come up with a reason for the erratic quality of the new set.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

But his estate seems to have no problem allowing "Guys and Dolls" to be on home video and be produced on stage all over the world, year after year.

I have a feeling the estate's real complaint is that they don't like what "It Ain't Hay" and "Money From Home" did to Runyon's reputation. I wish someone could come up with the definitive answer to this. I've Googled for it, but got nowhere.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

Best of all, they even had their own DC comic book!

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Joe; please explain further. What did those films do to Runyon's reputation?

 

[Shawn Cornwell]

I'm very happy Artists and Models is reported to look great. It's my favorite M&L, and I'd buy the set on the strength of this news alone. Too bad my second favorite, Hollywood or Bust, failed to make it to DVD in tip-top shape.