- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 17,044
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
My initial thought regarding Shout Factory's new Anne Bancroft Collection was "why?"
Over the decades Ms Bancroft appeared in over fifty films.
This is a pleasant, but incomplete survey of her career, and there's very little new.
Here's the breakdown.
Eight films.
Don't Bother to Knock - 1952
A Fox film, in which Ms Bancroft (only 21 at the time) receives third billing, but beneath extraordinary headliners - Richard Widmark and Marilyn Monroe.
It appears to be the same fine Fox transfer used by Twilight Time, and inclusive of the isolated score, but not the Widmark doc.
You can currently purchase the Twilight Time release for $33.
Image - 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
The Miracle Worker - 1962
One of the great films, but the same Olive release, down to the Olive logos. I wasn't a fan of the look or sound of this one. Needs to be redone.
Currently available for $19.
Image - 4.25
Audio – 2.5
Pass / Fail – Fail
The Pumpkin Eater - 1964
An older transfer, but fine. I'm presuming this is the same transfer as the Indicator release, which was region free. Main title sequence is 1.66, which opens to 1.78 for the body of the film. Nice black & white imagery, of Oswald Morris' work. Directed by Jack Clayton. $30 on Amazon.
Image - 4
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
The Graduate - 1967
This is the Criterion release, along with all extras. Currently, $23 on Amazon.
Image - 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Very Highly Recommended
Fatso - 1980
Fittingly, the Shout Factory release.
An older transfer, with a slightly electronic appearance.
$25
Image - 3.5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
To Be or Not to Be - 1983
The remake of the wonderful Lubitch production.
From the Mel Brooks Collection of nine films, currently $30 for the set.
Image - 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
Agnes of God - 1985
A Columbia film, starring Jane Fonda. Directed by Norman Jewison, and photographed by Sven Nykvist.
An older transfer, with a slightly electronic appearance. Fine if you don't look closely.
Available in a UK release for $12.
Image - 3.5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
84 Charing Cross Road - 1985
An older transfer, which is very much okay. I'm not seeing it on Blu. There's an out of print DVD.
Image - 4
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
What's the bottom line?
To me, it's whether Agnes of God, Pumpkin Eater and 84 Charing Cross are worth the price of admission, which is $60.
At $20 each for the three films, you get the other five thrown in as a bonus. So even if you already have the majority of them, and I'd presume that any self-respecting cinephile does, it's a bargain. The only problem, a bit akin to finding extra copies of Abbott & Costello films in multiple sets, or errant copies of the colorized Wonderful Life everywhere, it's not a great thing for the Earth.
If one doesn't have any, or many of these films, then the set is a wonderful way to learn about Ms Bancroft's work. If you do, I'm not certain of why the set makes good sense in the first place.
I'm pleased to have the three films that have not been in my library, so overall...
Recommended.
RAH
Over the decades Ms Bancroft appeared in over fifty films.
This is a pleasant, but incomplete survey of her career, and there's very little new.
Here's the breakdown.
Eight films.
Don't Bother to Knock - 1952
A Fox film, in which Ms Bancroft (only 21 at the time) receives third billing, but beneath extraordinary headliners - Richard Widmark and Marilyn Monroe.
It appears to be the same fine Fox transfer used by Twilight Time, and inclusive of the isolated score, but not the Widmark doc.
You can currently purchase the Twilight Time release for $33.
Image - 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
The Miracle Worker - 1962
One of the great films, but the same Olive release, down to the Olive logos. I wasn't a fan of the look or sound of this one. Needs to be redone.
Currently available for $19.
Image - 4.25
Audio – 2.5
Pass / Fail – Fail
The Pumpkin Eater - 1964
An older transfer, but fine. I'm presuming this is the same transfer as the Indicator release, which was region free. Main title sequence is 1.66, which opens to 1.78 for the body of the film. Nice black & white imagery, of Oswald Morris' work. Directed by Jack Clayton. $30 on Amazon.
Image - 4
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
The Graduate - 1967
This is the Criterion release, along with all extras. Currently, $23 on Amazon.
Image - 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Very Highly Recommended
Fatso - 1980
Fittingly, the Shout Factory release.
An older transfer, with a slightly electronic appearance.
$25
Image - 3.5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
To Be or Not to Be - 1983
The remake of the wonderful Lubitch production.
From the Mel Brooks Collection of nine films, currently $30 for the set.
Image - 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
Agnes of God - 1985
A Columbia film, starring Jane Fonda. Directed by Norman Jewison, and photographed by Sven Nykvist.
An older transfer, with a slightly electronic appearance. Fine if you don't look closely.
Available in a UK release for $12.
Image - 3.5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
84 Charing Cross Road - 1985
An older transfer, which is very much okay. I'm not seeing it on Blu. There's an out of print DVD.
Image - 4
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
What's the bottom line?
To me, it's whether Agnes of God, Pumpkin Eater and 84 Charing Cross are worth the price of admission, which is $60.
At $20 each for the three films, you get the other five thrown in as a bonus. So even if you already have the majority of them, and I'd presume that any self-respecting cinephile does, it's a bargain. The only problem, a bit akin to finding extra copies of Abbott & Costello films in multiple sets, or errant copies of the colorized Wonderful Life everywhere, it's not a great thing for the Earth.
If one doesn't have any, or many of these films, then the set is a wonderful way to learn about Ms Bancroft's work. If you do, I'm not certain of why the set makes good sense in the first place.
I'm pleased to have the three films that have not been in my library, so overall...
Recommended.
RAH
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