Warners to release 200 new classic titles in 2007 (1 Viewer)

John Hodson · Nov 1, 2006

From Barrie Maxwell at the Bits here, some exciting news for classic film fans:

...I begin this column's section on new announcements with some comments that George Feltenstein, Senior Vice President of Theatrical Catalog Marketing for Warner Bros., kindly passed on to me. I've already mentioned above the hiatus in Bogart titles for 2007, but that will be more than compensated by Warners' plans to release 200 or so titles new to DVD this coming year. Although no specific titles were mentioned, classic enthusiasts can look for at least one collection and usually two each month. These will include all new-to-DVD titles except where a previously released title has been substantially upgraded in terms of master quality and supplements (such as was the case with The Maltese Falcon recently). In addition, there will be some repackagings of previously-released titles into box sets, but that will be distinct from the 200 or so new titles. There will be no sets issued that include a mixture of old and new releases. It sounds like Warner Bros. is already staking out best studio of the year status for 2007. Classic fans can only rejoice in the continued commitment!

It's going to be another expensive year...

Bruce Morrison · Nov 2, 2006

That's great news - Warners are clearly keeping up their commitment to their back catalogue titles, unlike some of the other major studios. Among the titles I'm still waiting for from Warner are 'O Lucky Man' and 'Far From The Madding Crowd', so I hope these will both be included in their 2007 schedule.

Andrew Budgell · Nov 2, 2006

Great news!! Can't wait til we get a peak at some of the titles, like we did last year!

Eric Peterson · Nov 2, 2006

Awesome news!! Yet, Paramount still thinks there is no market. Amazing that the stockholders let them get away with it.

Any thoughts on what may be coming?

I know that we are most likely getting boxes for the following:
Cagney
Garland/Rooney
Esther Williams
Frank Sinatra
Jean Harlow

In addition, I'm hoping for:
Classic Silents: Greed, The Big Parade, The Crowd, etc....
Norma Shearer
Lon Chaney: Volume 2
Eleanor Powell
Mickey Rooney Signature Collection

RafaelPires · Nov 2, 2006

Joan Crawford Vol. 2
Bette Davis Vol. 3
Spencer Tracy
Errol Flynn Vol. 2
William Powell & Myrna Loy
Film Noir Vol. 4
Burt Lancaster
and (here's hoping) Ginger Rogers

Robert Crawford · Nov 2, 2006

I find it hard to believe that 2 or 3 of those Bogart titles won't make it out in 2007, because he's a supporting actor in those films and they would be part of a boxset involving the lead actor. As far as those other titles, I can see Warner holding them off until 2008. However, the following titles have a good chance to make it out on dvd in my opinion.

Invisible Stripes
Virginia City
The Oklahoma Kid

John Hodson · Nov 2, 2006

BTW, I'm willing to bet a dollar that the hiatus in Bogart titles for next year means that Warners will come roaring back with another box set '08, complete with a 2-disc The Big Sleep SE.

Note Barrie's comment: "Readers should be aware that Warner Bros. has no plans to release any of these Bogart titles on DVD in 2007; however, several are in the works (film element restoration work is imminent) for a 2008 release. Black Legion is almost a certainty to be one of them."

Robert Crawford · Nov 2, 2006

John,
Understood, but the titles I've specifically mentioned are not really Bogart titles even though, he appears in those films. IMO, they're Flynn, Cagney and Raft/Holden titles which should be a part of boxsets representing those actors work at Warner.

Crawdaddy

John Hodson · Nov 2, 2006

Didn't see your post before I wrote mine Robert, and I'm not only with you, I'll bet another dollar you're right on the money.

Sammy-G · Nov 2, 2006

I seriously thought the 200 was a typo...I can't imagine what goodies Warners has in store for us. Where's the option to have WHV automatically deduct a certain amount from my paycheck each pay period? It'd make things easier.

While I don't think we'll ever see a boxed set dedicated to him, I'd love to see some more Robert Montgomery titles on DVD, especially his films with Norma Shearer. I'd like more Garbo, and the few Astaire titles left (especially Yolanda and the Thief). Marion Davies is long overdue for some kind of DVD release. It's such a tease that we have a great documentary on her on DVD but no films yet. Any Welles films WHV owns would be adored, too.

Brandon Conway · Nov 2, 2006

Two titles I know have been in the pipeline for a while that I certainly want to see among those 200 next year are The Crowd (1928) and Bachelor Mother (1939).

Tory · Nov 2, 2006

I hope Wheeler & Woolsey films are included among those 200. Also I would like to see some Hildegarde Withers mysteries and some Joe E. Brown, but Wheeler & Woolsey most of all. I reckon that the Bowery Boys/East Side Kids and Andy Hardy sets will be coming in 2007 and there was some mentioning of more Abbott and Costello. I hope Jean Harlow's set comes early next year, at least before the summer.

Richard_Gregory · Nov 2, 2006

Excellent news; Warner continue to show that they are by far the best studio around for getting stuff out of their library and out onto disc, and have managed not to get side-tracked by all the HD/Blu-Ray stuff.

What a shame that Sony and Paramount can't follow suit - and to a lesser extent Universal.

I'm hoping very hard that the titles will include

Attack of the 50ft Woman
Frankenstein 1970
Behemoth, the Sea Monster (probably under its US title The Giant Behemoth)

All of these titles were mentioned as being due for release in the last Warner chat, alongside six others that duly appeared in the Legends of Horror set recently.

JPCinema · Nov 2, 2006

Hopefully a HOW THE WEST WAS WON (Restored and smileboxed)
NATALIE WOOD BOXSET incld "Inside Daisy Clover" and SE
"Splendor in the Grass"
RACHEL RACHEL
UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE
THE FOX
GOODBYE MR CHIPS 1969 version
Dare I say THE DEVILS?
ICE PALACE
More Delmer Daves?
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
THE MIRACLE

Bradley-E · Nov 2, 2006

Awesome. So I would guess many of these will be released on HD DVD also. Very nice!

Charles H · Nov 2, 2006

Have any of the WB chats mentioned the possibility of a Red Skelton set coming out? Even independent of the Esther Williams and Eleanor Powell pictures, Skelton was -- with Bob Hope -- one of the most successful comics of the forties. Suggestions: The "Whispering" trilogy (in the Dark, in Brooklyn, in Dixie), THE YELLOW CAB DRIVER, A SOUTHERN YANKEE, WATCH THE BIRDIE, MERTON OF THE MOVIES, EXCUSE MY DUST, and his more experimental (dramatic) films like THE CLOWN, THE SHOW-OFF, and HALF A HERO. Buster Keaton worked on gags for most of his MGM picfures.

AlexNoir · Nov 2, 2006

I'm pretty sure Greed will be coming out, I read it a while back in one of those chats (I think).

Steve...O · Nov 2, 2006

Warners has said that a collection of their dozen Charlie Chan films is in the works as are the Bowery Boys so hopefully some of those will get released in 2007.

I'd also like to see some Red Skelton and Jack Benny films get released as well.

Steve

ThomasTreasure · Nov 2, 2006

Here's hoping LISZTOMANIA makes the lis[z]t.

Corey · Nov 2, 2006

-Forbidden Hollywood V2
-Eleanor Powell
-Jimmy Stewart V2
-Glenn Ford
-June Allyson
-Greer Garson
-Doris Day V2
-Hedy Lamarr
-Frank Sinatra
-MacDonald & Eddy
-Lana Turner
-Mickey Rooney (Young Tom Edison, The Human Comedy, Summer Holiday, Huckleberry Finn, and Words and Music)

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