WHV Announcement: Guys and Dolls and Hans Christian Andersen (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[dana martin]

Rick thanks for pointing out my mistake and actualy i enjoy Paint your wagon more for the comedy

 

[GMpasqua]

Originally Posted by Escapay /t/322533/whv-announcement-guys-and-dolls-and-hans-christian-andersen-blu-ray/30#post_3953571
If we look at all the pre-1970 titles that Warner's released to Blu-Ray (or announced as forthcoming), musicals only represent 12 of the 52 titles.

That's 20% - pretty good percentage for musicals pre-1970 (when they were popluar)

"Guys and Dolls" was the top grossing film of 1955

Prior to the 70's musical films of Broadway shows were big business. "South Pacific", "West Side Story", "The Sound of Music" and "Funny Girl" was the top grossing films of 59, 62, 65-66 and 69
"Fiddler on the Roof" ranked near the top in 1972 and "Grease" was number one in 1978. "My Fair Lady" "Mary Poppins" and "Oliver" were also big money makers. Elvis films were big and he made many so they must have been popular too

(as someone pointed out, If only the gay audience went to see those films they wouldn't have ranked so high - what that would have been about 10% of the population?)
Going back to the past - MGM employees were known to say "they had to keep the windows shut (or Vincent Minnelli would fly right out) this was in the 1940s



True musicals have become embarrassing on film since "Grease", with the few exceptions like "Chicago" and "Hairspray" maybe "Les Miserables" will be a hit - you never can tell

I will admit the musical films prior to 1950 are silly going and I find them hard to sit through (except for Cagney's "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Footlight Parade" which are really non musical - people only sing when their characters are performing on stage)

 

[Will Krupp]

Originally Posted by JoeDoakes /t/322533/whv-announcement-guys-and-dolls-and-hans-christian-andersen-blu-ray/30#post_3953711
Perhaps WHV is contractually obligated to release certain or a certain number of the Goldwyn titles on blu ray?

To be honest, this is would be my guess. They would want to get as much mileage out of the Goldwyn titles while the contract is in effect (any ideas as to how long it is?) while they can and, I would assume that, if that means putting titles they own in perpetuity on the back burner then so be it.

It's hard to fathom why they make certain decisions (some are easy) but I have to imagine it has to do with contracts and availability.

I'm not sure about the other Kaye titles (which I would snap up in a heartbeat) but I would expect an announcement regarding PRINCESS & THE PIRATE soon (it's one of Hope's best known titles and the prior DVD releases are well know for problematic transfers) as well as the "classy" titles like WUTHERING HEIGHTS, LITTLE FOXES, and BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.

 

[ajabrams]

I would be happy if WB released ALL their Goldwyn acquisitions on Blu-ray. Most of the extant Goldwyn films seem to have elements that been well cared for
over the years and I would buy any of them on BD in a heartbeat. And if anyone from WB is listening, here's another vote for all the Eddie Cantor films and, if possible, Porgy and Bess.

 

[JoHud]

Also, the WB license of the Samuel Goldwyn is temporary, so there is likely a greater push to get the more marketable Goldwyn titles on store shelves and profit from them sooner in case they aren't able to keep the license as long as they hope.
While the Goldwyn silent films will almost certainly only be made available through the WAC or some other MOD avenue, I wonder if the Goldwyn estate created scores for those films or if The Winning of Barbara Worth is an exception. Because the best likelihood they will ever be made available is through WB, but only if they have been scored.
Another possibility for blu-ray would be a double feature of Ball of Fire and A Song is Born. Howard Hawks directed both of them after all and the latter is obviously a Technicolor musical remake. The silent Stella Dallas would also make a good pairing with the Academy Award winning Barbara Stanwyck remake.
I would love an Eddie Cantor collection, assuming WB releases the films with a disclaimer. However, I think it would be a bit of a longshot.

 

[Oliver Siegel]

Escapay,true,but bear in mind that WHV just this year alone releases 5-6 musicals (counted Cabaret too,as i believe it will be released for it 40th Anniversary).It seems that WHV is leaning towards more family/cheerful stuff,when it comes what to put out on Blu-ray as of late.Hopefully,i'll be proven wrong,as i'm fan of more heavy stuff (e.g.McCabe & Mrs.Miller,Klute,Point Blank,Straight Time etc).I'd also love to see all titles Ratko has mentioned on Blu too + to add many more of them (Arsenic and Old Lace,To Have and Have Not,Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf,Adam's Rib..to name a few) but i also enjoy ed watching Singing in the Rain and Guys and Dolls too.I've faith in WHV,therefore i believe all sides will be satisfied with their forthcoming catalogue offer.

 

[Escapay]

Escapay,true,but bear in mind that WHV just this year alone releases 5-6 musicals (counted Cabaret too,as i believe it will be released for it 40th Anniversary).

Oh right, I forgot to consider the releases based on years. I had no idea about Cabaret, so I'm excited for that now!

 

[lukejosephchung]

In case anybody cares, "Hans Christian Andersen" is now available for pre-order on Amazon for $24.49...link please, Ron???

 

[GMpasqua]

Surprisingly "Gypsy" (which turns 50 this year and has been revived on Broadway recently) has not been considered

 

[Moe Dickstein]

Surprisingly "Gypsy" (which turns 50 this year and has been revived on Broadway recently) has not been considered

Warners has no clock on how long they can sell Gypsy

 

[Ejanss]

I'm also tired of that "if you like musicals you must be homosexual" statement.

Namely, because it must come from a guy who's NEVER seen "Guys & Dolls".
Look with any magnifying glass you choose, you won't find a single X chromosome in this musical. It's got Sinatra in it, YOU do the math.

PS. Paint Your Wagon is a Paramount flick, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It's another Joshua Logan bomb, maybe his worst.

(The musical itself is...passable, but the Paramount movie, in simple terms, grabbed the songs and made crap up for the story.
I've never seen the stage version, but having Wiki'ed the plot, I watch the movie to try and guess how the songs were "really" supposed to fit in, because they sure don't make any danged sense here.)

Also, the WB license of the Samuel Goldwyn is temporary, so there is likely a greater push to get the more marketable Goldwyn titles on store shelves and profit from them sooner in case they aren't able to keep the license as long as they hope.

There are five titles that are considered the "Money" titles for Sam Goldwyn, and even if we got only three, G&D, Hans, and "Secret Life of Walter Mitty" would be at the top.
Warner obviously thought the arrangement would be temporary too, and cut to the chase, hoping for enough sales to see the deal extended.
(And even though Danny Kaye never did much good work for Goldwyn, apart from "Wonder Man", as he did for Paramount, it's nice to see how many people remember HCA--
I remember years ago, when it was a big local deal that Boston Ballet was going to do their own first Swan Lake production, one of the newspapers reviewed it with the headline, "A Swan? Me, a Swan? Eh, Go On!")

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Hans Christian Anderson available for preorder
http://www.amazon.com/Hans-Christian-Andersen-Blu-ray/dp/B008OBQGSC/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343296878&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=hans+christian+anderson+blu-ray

 

[DeeF]

Sadly, I'd be very surprised to see Porgy and Bess, on BD or DVD. Goldwyn's last film, but I'm not sure the rights are with the Goldwyn library. Porgy and Bess is my personal "holy grail" movie, to see it properly represented on home video.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by DeeF /t/322533/whv-announcement-guys-and-dolls-and-hans-christian-andersen-blu-ray/30#post_3955274
Sadly, I'd be very surprised to see Porgy and Bess, on BD or DVD. Goldwyn's last film, but I'm not sure the rights are with the Goldwyn library. Porgy and Bess is my personal "holy grail" movie, to see it properly represented on home video.

The Porgy and Bess rights are held by the Goldwyn library, now licensed to Warners. The hold up for so many years was the Gershwin estate and both them and the Goldwyn estate made an agreement two years ago to allow the picture to be seen again. And there is still some discussion that this title was not in the Warner agreement.

The question is what is the condition of the elements and how much will it cost to get it to a very presentable state. It the Goldwyn estate was worth their salt, they would have been protecting it all along, just as Warners did with Annie Get Your Gun and others.

The title is also one of my "holy grails" too. I do hope we will see it done right.

 

[dana martin]

Originally Posted by ahollis /t/322533/whv-announcement-guys-and-dolls-and-hans-christian-andersen-blu-ray/30#post_3955308
The title is also one of my "holy grails" too. I do hope we will see it done right.

i think it is that way for a goup of us

 

[Brandon Conway]

Originally Posted by Moe Dickstein /t/322533/whv-announcement-guys-and-dolls-and-hans-christian-andersen-blu-ray#post_3953503
Actually, what we should be asking in this particular thread is, What will the next movie WB will release from the Samuel Goldwyn collection?
My vote would be for "The Best Years Of Our Lives". Can't go wrong with a Best Picture winner. Generally.

I wouldn't be surprised to see The Pride of the Yankees next year, probably timed with some baseball event like opening the new season (early April) or the All-Star Game (mid July).

 

[rsmithjr]

Porgy and Bess is, in my opinion, the single most important title from the sound era totally missing on all formats and channels. We need to make a special effort to get this film into display.
Many films have been seriously mistreated but are still watchable somehow. Porgy and Bess is a hidden treasure.
What can be done to make this available?

 

[JohnMor]

Would like to see The Bishop's Wife in time for Christmas this year. And, of course, another "vote" for Porgy and Bess.

 

[MatthewA]

I'll throw in my support for a restored Blu-Ray of Porgy and Bess, as well as The Pride of the Yankees, The Best Years of Our Lives and Stella Dallas.

 

[Radioman970]

Wonderful surprise. HCA. Can't wait to read a review on that... I'll most likely get it anyway since all I have is a VHS recorded off TCM.