"Raintree County" (1957) (1 Viewer)

Re: Raintree County (1957)

I see that back in 2007 commentaries were made for the movie and Warner was working with a private collector as well as their own elements to create a roadshow version. This was March 2008, now a full year past.

Anything new on when this movie will get a legit DVD release?

I second that, it was not mentioned in the Warner's chat last month and I am kind of worried about this title. This one I do not want to see in the Archive collection.

Yes, if this hits the Archives, then I know that Warner is giving up on it's regular catalog releases and I will be very disappointed.

This is my number one most requested title and after hearing that the roadshow version would be getting the Warner special edition treatment a few years ago, I, too, would be disappointed if it was made available through the Warner Archive.

HDNet broadcast Raintree County last year in HD 1080i and it looked very good. The audio was 2 channel stereo. Even though I recorded a copy I dubbed to a DVD-R I would gladly purchase a commercial version if one ever become available.

Ernest, do you think that would be the one WB would issue on DVD? Last I heard they were still trying to come up with better elements...

It's too big a title to get the Archive treatment. Ideally, Warner Bros. should get Miss Taylor (health permitting) to do a commentary on the disc, along with Eva Marie Saint and Rod Taylor. Actually, I should say 'discs' as this obviously deserves a deluxe multi-disc set!

It's 2010 and still no Raintree. Hopefully we'll see it this year.

BTW, if you're interested. please sign Elizabeth Taylor's birthday card! http://www.dameelizabethtaylor.com/birthday_card.html

[SIZE= larger][COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]Amazing this was coming a few years ago, and now nothing .............
Wonder what gives ??
It garnered many oscar noms in 57 or was it 58 ??
Taylor was nominated and wasn't it considered the "GWTW of the 50's ??[/COLOR][/SIZE]

1957

I thought they were doing restoration, or were they still looking for better roadshow version elements? How long can they keep looking for better elements for films like Raintree and The Magnificent Ambersons? The market isn't growing...we know it's getting smaller... Anyway, I fear the worse...

Maybe they stumbled into a problem restoring it to the roadshow length?

Maybe they are just waiting until 2012 when they can release it as the 55th Anniversary Edition?

Personally I think they should just release it ASAP on Blu-ray and as a 2 disc DVD set.

What makes "Raintree County" an important MGM film anyway?

Elizabeth Taylor at her most beautiful (and giving quite a unique performance)

Montgomery Clift

Very expensive "MGM" production values (even incorporating actual GWTW footage)

A fascinating backstory (including Clift's tragic car crash)

All of the above contribute to it being an important MGM film.

Hmmm..... just where is GWTW footage incorporated into RAINTREE COUNTY? I had heard that some of the footage from RAINTREE COUNTY was used in HOW THE WEST WAS WON, but never GWTW footage in RAINTREE COUNTY. Can you be more specific?

I don't think this is a great film even though it has some intriguing elements. It was the first MGM film to be shot in their Camera 65 (later known as Ultra Panavision) 70mm process, though all release prints were in 35mm. It also has a truly great score by Johnny Green. Taylor is good in a poorly written role and there is the dubious pleasure of trying to determine which scenes were shot before and after Clift's disfiguring accident. Otherwise the direction is pretty deadly and the script kinda rambles. Eva Maria Saint, Rod Taylor, Agnes Moorehead, and Lee Marvin are wasted in secondary roles.

Despite all this I do hope it gets a bang up dvd.... hopefully with a good commentary track and a doc on its troubled production.

I sold my RAINTREE COUNTY laser disc on ebay a few years ago, so I can't tell you exactly where the footage is, but if my memory is correct, it was brief stock footage of Atlanta crowd scenes.

Other unused GWTW footage of the riverboat shown prior to the Scarlet and Rhett honeymoon sequence I believe ended up in the MGM remake of SHOWBOAT, which is also long overdue on DVD but that is for another thread.

I know I read the RAINTREE COUNTY-GWTW connection someplace, but I cannot find the exact book, but I can tell you that in trying to find the exact quote I learned from Ron Haver's essential book "David O'Selznick's Hollywood" that the river footage used for that brief sequence in GWTW came from unused footage from the Selznick Studio production of THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER, made the year before.

Originally Posted by Richard M S
. . . the MGM remake of SHOWBOAT, which is also long overdue on DVD . . .

Click to expand...

The MGM remake with Keel, Grayson and Gardner was one of the first DVDs I bought.

I find it very difficult to believe that footage from GWTW was ever used . Given the wide AR used for the 35mm prints, it would have to have been cropped so severely it would have stood out like"dog's balls". I also had the laser which I screened several times for my film buff friends who know GWTW really well and nothing wasnoticed.I would have thought I would have noticed as well.

I know, I meant the Showboat box set.

And if I ever find the source of the GWTW-footage quote I will post it.

This aired last night as part of TCM's "Summer Under the Stars" tribute marathon to Elizabeth.

 

Still longing for it to be released on DVD and Blu...