Anniversary tie-ins you expect and/or hope for in 2006 (1 Viewer)

[Paul_Scott]

from studio chats a year or two back it seems that in 2006 we should be getting a 25 th Ann. Body Heat SE.
that same year (1981) also saw the release of WB holdings like Outland (which desperately needs a decent remastering anyway) and Excalibur (which has a decent edition out already, but has some people complaining about framing issues and a lack of extras beyond a commentary) and Altered States among others.
From Paramount, Reds(also from 81) has never been released before and seems to be a likely candidate in '06
Forbidden Planet from 1956 also seems to be a sure bet.

so what else could or should be coming next year, giving the studios (mostly) silly preoccupation with anniversary promotions?

 

[Beau]

How about a 20th Anniversary Edition for Three Amigos? I'd buy any new DVD of that, since I hear the DVD out now is total crap (I don't own the current DVD). Even if they don't have a "plethora" () of special features, I'd buy any improved DVD edition of that. Next year's 20th Anniversary is the perfect oppurtunity.

 

[ZackR]

Song of the South - 60th Anniversary...

 

[Jing_B]

The Searchers 50th Anniversary along of course with newly-restored Stagecoach

The Maltese Falcon 65th Anniversary along with Big Sleep and To Have and Have Not

Forbidden Planet 50th Anniversary

 

[Steve Tannehill]

How about an It's a Wonderful Life 60th anniversary edition / restoration?

- Steve

 

[Dale MA]

Giant - 50th Anniversary Edition with a new transfer that is free of EE.

 

[Eric Peterson]

55th Anniversary of "Ace in the Hole" aka "The Big Carnival". Billy Wilder's lost masterpiece. Come on Paramount!!

 

[DouglasBr]

Jean de Florette
Manon of the Spring

20th Anniversary Special Editions please!

(Oh wait, they're owned by Sony now. Never mind. . . .)

 

[Charles Ellis]

OK, this stretches things a bit, but 1966 saw the birth of three TV shows that had relatively brief life spans in their original network airings but have become cult classics that endure with loyal fandoms today: Star Trek, Dark Shadows, and The Monkees. All three have had feature films spun off from their shows and since all of the Star Trek films are already out in deluxe editions, I think something should be done for the two Dark Shadows films and The Monkees' 1968 film Head, which is already out in a fullscreen DVD by Rhino in mono sound.

Head should be remastered with a stereo soundtrack (by the way, the soundtrack is on CD in stereo!) and in widescreen with extras.

As for House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows, Warner Bros./Turner should release both in their original widescreen format and in the case of Night, a fully-restored Director's Cut which restores the pre-release 129-minute version which was forcibly cut by MGM against director Dan Curtis' wishes. There is an ongoing movement to restore this cult horror classic. You can be sure that MPI Home Video (which has the 1966-71 TV series on DVD) is planning something big for the 40th Anniversary. Let's hope Warner Bros. does the same.....

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

I'd love to see the following Anniversary SEs in 2006:


1946

The Stranger (New transfer from the restored negative)

Great Expectations (Criterion? MGM? A new transfer is needed, either way)

The Best Years of Our Lives (New, hi-def, cleaner transfer from the negative)

It's a Wonderful Life (New, restored hi-def transfer; commentary; documentary)

A Matter of Life and Death (New, restored, hi-def transfer from the restored elements; the alleged Scorsese commentary)


1956

Bigger Than Life (Anamorphic transfer; extras?)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (New transfer in the true aspect ratio of 1.33:1; extras?)

The Searchers (2-disc; new hi-def anamorphic transfer from VistaVision negative; commentaries; documentary; more)


1966

The Naked Prey (Uncut; anamorphic transfer)

King of Hearts (New, hi-def anamorphic transfer)

Grand Prix (New hi-def transfer from the 65mm negative; extras?)

The Sand Pebbles (New transfer with NO edge-enhancement; same extras as before)

Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment (New anamorphic transfer; interview with David Warner)

Kill, Baby... Kill! (Uncut; hi-def anamorphic transfer; Tim Lucas commentary; alternate credits, etc)

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (New, hi-def, anamorphic transfer; the previous Haskell Wexler commentary, plus a new one by Mike Nichols; making-of documentary)


1976

In the Realm of the Senses (Uncut; hi-def transfer from the negative; various extras)

Cross of Iron (Uncut 128-minute European version; hi-def anamorphic transfer; commentary by Garner Simmons, etc; interviews)

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (New, anamorphic transfer; commentary by screenwriter Nicholas Meyer and/or Alan Arkin)

1900 (Uncut 315-minute version; Superior transfer than the German/Australian MGM set; interviews with De Niro, Depardieu;, Sutherland and Bertolucci)

Taxi Driver (New hi-def, Superbit transfer; Criterion Laserdisc commentary by Schrader and Scorsese; the existing documentary on disc 2)


But, we'll be damn lucky to see three of those released.

 

[Jing_B]

Or The African Queen 55th Anniversary Edition

 

[Haden]

Logan's Run has been rumored for an SE for a long time now, and next year is its 30th anniversary.

I also wouldn't mind seeing a more comprehensive feature-laden Highlander 20th anniversary edition to make up for the disappointing lackluster version Anchor Bay released a couple years ago.

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior - 25th anniversary edition. This film is long overdue for a special edition.

Bugsy - 15th anniversary edition. I've been eagerly waiting for a special edition of this movie.

Bottle Rocket - 10th anniversary edition. I'm tired of waiting/hoping for a Criterion edition. Just give me something better than the barebones release please.

King Kong (1976) - It sucks that this didn't get a special edition to tie-in with the new movie's release this year. It's probably not likely that we'll get an SE next year for its 30th anniversary. I was really hoping for an SE this year with the extended TV cut or at least the deleted scenes as a supplement.

 

[Bradley-E]

REDS , BODY HEAT 25TH ANIV.

BAD NEWS BEARS, MARATHON MAN - 30TH ANIV.

 

[Scott Temple]

Arthur (1981) 25th Anniversary (16x9 transfer, commentary track, tributes to Dudley Moore, John Gielgud, etc.) *I didn't realize that so many members of the cast are dead. (Dudley Moore, John Gielgud, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Stephen Elliott, Ted Ross, Barney Martin, and the director, Steve Gordon)
Escape From L.A. (1996) 10th Anniversary (16x9 transfer, commentary w/ Carpenter and Russell, etc.)
Halloween II (1981) 25th Anniversary (commentary track, deleted scenes, etc.)
Ms. 45 (1981) 25th Anniversary (Uncut, 16x9 transfer, commentary track with Joe Bob Briggs (since Abel Ferrara always seems to be wasted), tribute to Zoe Tamerlis, deleted scenes (?), trailers and TV and radio spots)

 

[PaulaJ]

Bound for Glory 30th anniversary special edition -- new anamorphic transfer, commentary, extras on Woody Guthrie and Hal Ashby.

Released very late in the year -- December, I think.

Not holding out one iota of hope for it, though.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Yes, a new, remastered Bound for Glory would be most appreciated. Cinematographer Haskell Wexler and/or Carradine could record a commentary.

 

[Colby]

How about a Pure Luck 15th Anniversary Edition from Universal. It'd be nice to finally have this film on DVD.

 

[Anthony Thorne]

Gordon, KILL BABY KILL is getting a re-release from Anchor Bay next year, with Tim Lucas involved. You probably already know this.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Actually, Anthony, I don't know about this! It doesn't seem like Tim Lucas knows this either, as he has hasn't mentioned this recently in Video Watchdog, the Mobius Forums or anywhere else, to the best of my knowledge.

Troy Howarth - the other Bava expert and biographer - hasn't said anything, either. All he has said - at the DVD Maniacs Forum - is that an audio commentary by Tim Lucas was recorded for the film and a new DVD was to be released by Image Entertainment in 2002, but something broke down - either a good 35mm film element couldn't be obtained or the rights couldn't be negotiated satisfactorily.

There was a rumour that Anchor Bay had acquired the rights to many Bava film, but they haven't said much themselves in a press release or on their website and Anchor Bay UK webmaster, Marc Morris hasn't such much, either.

Tartan Video in the UK also announced that they would be releasing some Bava (and also a boxed set) but they haven't materialised yet.

There's an anamorphic Australian DVD of Kill, Baby, Kill transfered from a bad print, dubbed in English. There's a German DVD with a beautiful non-anamorphic transfer but with the German dub and no subtitles. There's a similar French DVD dubbed in French and, again, with no subtitles. Paradoxically, there isn't an Italian DVD.

Very, very frustrating. I'd love to see a definitive release of this amazing horror film, but things - at present - don't look good.

Cheers.

 

[Chuck Stephens]

I would love to see a 10th anniversary release of Scream with a new anamorphic transfer preferably with the director's cut of the film.