WB Announces BURT LANCASTER Signature Collection (1 Viewer)

[JPCinema]

According to DVD Savant WB has announced "The Flame and the Arrow" "His Majesty O'Keefe" "Jim Thorpe All American" "Soth Sea Woman" and "Executive Action" in a Burt Lancaster Signature Collection on Oct 23rd!!!

 

[William Miller]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jeffrey:K]

I'm disappointed that Twilight's Last Gleaming isn't included. The last Warner HTF chat suggested that it would be. Aside from The Flame and the Arrow, it seems a rather lackluster set.

 

[walter o]

perhaps they are saving TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING for a different box set? Maybe a Robert Aldrich collection (ALL THE MARBLES, LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE, ANGRY HILL)?

 

[Charles Ellis]

South Sea Woman is an absolute hoot- imagine Burt and Chuck Connors fighting over Virginia Mayo as war wages in the Pacific- yes, it's that kind of movie. I haven't seen it since I saw it on the Late Show as a kid, so it will be a treat. Executive Action was one of the first "JFK assassination conspiracy" films, released just as actual Congressional hearings were going on, plus I believe it's Robert Ryan's last film. The two color adventure films will complement the already- out The Crimson Pirate. I wonder what extras will be offered- does anyone know?

 

[Mario Gauci]

The trouble with DVD collections of a star, director or genre is that only films owned by the studio or company issuing them can be released. We've had several such collections already by Warners, and most have brought together several excellent-to-satisfying films (though I've yet to pick the absolute majority of them myself - dammit!).

Both this and the Barbara Stanwyck set, however, show a severe drop in quality (of the films themselves) as Warners really seem to have scraped the bottom of their vaults to release what are, for the most part, lackluster - or, at best, inessential - vehicles featuring these two great stars. Mind you, Columbia and Universal did the same with last year's Boris Karloff Collections...

As others have commented, Lancaster's TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING (1976) is yet to be released - and many more of Stanwyck's - so, one would have hoped that the selection of titles for either set had been done more judiciously! Luckily, though, the discs will be available individually - so I can still purchase THE FLAME AND THE ARROW (1950; I've acquired and watched a DivX copy of this one only recently!) and EXECUTIVE ACTION (1973; which I recall liking quite a bit, but whose VHS copy taped off local TV I had subsequently erased) from the Lancaster Collection and EXECUTIVE SUITE (1954) from Stanwyck's...

 

[CineKarine]

I disagree there - I could not be happier about seeing some rarer films released, including some that have never made it to home video before. I think ANNIE OAKLEY is as essential a Stanwyck film as EXECUTIVE SUITE, ditto the superior soaper MY REPUTATION. The latter is not well-known perharps, not having been on home video before, but certainly not lackluster or run-of-the-mill in any way. What about EAST SIDE WEST SIDE - a superficial film for sure but talk about star-studded! The Lancaster set strikes me as excellent and diversified - JIM THORPE being a really fine biopic for one and HIS MAJESTY O'KEEFE striking me as superior to FLAME AND THE ARROW. SOUTH SEA WOMAN is a hoot - a definite change of pace - and I am glad to see it in this collection. No masterpieces, but wonderfully entertaining, each and every one.

To each his own I guess - to me, these sets are much more interesting than those that are just full of well-known and acclaimed titles. Go figure!

 

[Jeff_HR]

Come on WB, you have been sitting on "Twilight's Last Gleaming" for TOO LONG!!!!! Let's get it OUT THE DOOR!!! I don't see a reason for sitting on it any longer.

 

[Charles H]

Any word on the details/perks on the Lancaster boxset?

 

[Robert Crawford]

I usually don't post any negative comments about box sets coming out, but I think Warner made a huge mistake not including "Twilight's Last Gleaming" instead of "Executive Action". The former is a much better film in my opinion. I don't have a problem with any of the other titles as they're a good representation of Lancaster's work during the 1950s.

 

[David_B_K]

IMO, Executive Action is the dud of the lot. As there were a couple of tongue in cheek actioners here, I would have liked to have seen Ten Tall Men included.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Nobody here is more disappointed than I.

I have been begging WB for the past few years to
get this gem released.

Here's the situation....

Warner is planning to do something very special with this
title that is going to delay its release further. I am not at
liberty to talk about it, but I was assured that the studio
understands the demand for this release, apologizes
for not meeting your deadline, but feels it can do a better job
with this title by waiting a while longer.

Knowing the situation at hand I am in agreement what the studio
has done. If everyone is patient, I think Warner will have the
opportunity to deliver the definitive version you are all waiting for.

 

[Jeff_HR]

What kind of a "Ball Park" delay are we looking at?
1. 6 months +
2. 12 months +
3. 18 months +
4. 24 months +
5. indefinate delay of greater that 24 months

I "know" that I more than likely will NOT get an answer to the above question. :frowning:

Their plans for this title are going to have to be pretty incredible for any thing more that a 6 month delay to be "JUSTIFIED" IMO!

 

[Thomas T]

I'm with you, David. Executive Action is the dud of the lot. I plan on getting the Lancaster box set and selling off or giving away Executive Action.

I couldn't disagree with Mario more. Executive Suite and Annie Oakley bottom of the barrel? Flame And The Arrow is better than The Crimson Pirate! Ah well, one man's bottom is another man's top!

 

[Jeffrey:K]

A stand-alone release? OK, I can live with that. As long as we know it's coming.

 

[Thomas T]

The IMDb lists Vera Miles as Charles Durning's wife in Twilight's Last Gleaming. She's never been in any version I've ever seen. I wonder if the "special" TLG due out eventually will restore her footage?

 

[Joe Caps]

Warnershas just announced boxes for Burt Lancaster and Barbara Stanwyck - both very good, but theyhave had a Glenn Ford set on the backburner for a long time - what happned to it?
It was supposed to include Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse which I want very much.

 

[Corey]

Well my guess is that it'll be out in November or December. Still no Harlow. :frowning:

 

[Charles Ellis]

And no Natalie Wood, either! And while you're at it, Warner Bros., how about one for Jane Fonda?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Don't forget Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre.