Billy Rose's Jumbo Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

It's a fine, funny, tuneful musical, Steve. The music is by Rodgers and Hart and contains standards like "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World," "Little Girl Blue," "This Can't Be Love," and "My Romance." Busby Berkeley helped to stage the spectacular production number "Over and Over Again" involving trapeze and high wire artists. You've got vet MGM folks like Charles Walters directing and Joe Pasternack producing (assisted by another MGM stalwart Roger Edens). And you've got the magnificent singing of Doris Day, the clowning of Jimmy Durante and Martha Raye, and a splendid production. This was not done on the cheap.

 

[ROclockCK]

Okay, then it's back in the cart guys. Thanks John, Doug, Matt!

FTR, I just finished Easter Parade, and really enjoyed that one. So October is looking like 'musical month' around here.

 

[rsmithjr]

I first saw this in a trade screening in 1962, with a bunch of old-timers who knew the business and the movies. We watched a stereo print.

We all recognized that the film was a throw-back, at least to the 50's and CinemaScope musicals like Brigadoon, but in some ways even earlier.

There was a sense of nostalgia in the room, a feeling that this really was the last of this sort of thing. So many greats made their final musical appearance here.

I have seen it many times since and it holds up. There is an overly-long number at the end, reminiscent of the ballets at the end of An American in Paris and The Bandwagon; it does not work as well as the rest of the picture.

The earlier numbers are great, the cast (including the overly-maligned Stephen Boyd) do a great job, and the humor is corny enough that it still works.

Shortly afterwards, I saw a trade screening of Fellini's great 8 1/2. What a sense of passage the juxtaposition of those two movies makes!


I look forward to the Blu-ray and thank Warner Archive for moving forward with its Blu-ray plans.

 

[David Weicker]

Apparently the Archives have also released The Mentalist Season 1 on Blu.Two releases with little to no advance press

 

[Brandon Conway]

Apparently the Archives have also released The Mentalist Season 1 on Blu.Two releases with little to no advance press

That's how they always are. Gypsy and Deathtrap had a press release just days before they were released.

 

[ahollis]

While the date seems to be the 8th, do we have any real idea if that is correct? I ordered through Amazon specifically because it was listed cheaper than the Warner's listing. I have not received any notices from Amazon as others have so I am in question.

 

[Brandon Conway]

While the date seems to be the 8th, do we have any real idea if that is correct? I ordered through Amazon specifically because it was listed cheaper than the Warner's listing. I have not received any notices from Amazon as others have so I am in question.

Oct. 8th is the release date via warnerarchive.com. Amazon.com typically get their copies within a couple weeks after that.

 

[ahollis]

Oct. 8th is the release date via warnerarchive.com. Amazon.com typically get their copies within a couple weeks after that.

Thanks kinda what I thought. But after the Greystoke problems I am cautious.

 

[JoHud]

Conisdering the WAC uploaded a teaser Youtube video including the finished retail product of Jumbo at the same time they put up a similar video for The Mentalist blu-ray (which is out now) I think it's safe to say it'll be out next week.

 

[Mark-W]

The enthusiasm in this thread is infectious. I vaguely remember this film from childhood, but I am sold, particularly based on what we assume will be great picture quality. I blame Matt Hough, JohnMor and rsmithjr!

Ordered.

 

[classicmovieguy]

 

[Matt Hough]

Thanks, Byron. I really loved those stills and studio portraits.

 

[Garysb]

Even some extras per the weekly Warner Archive New Release e-mail:

On Blu-ray! Billy Rose’s mammoth Broadway musical extravaganza took nearly three decades to journey from New York’s fabled Hippodrome to the Panavision movie screen. By the time it arrived however, the film would prove to be the swan song for the grand movie musical. But it certainly went out with a bravura bang now captured in this sparkling Blu-ray Disc presentation. Jimmy Durante (who also appeared in the ’30s stage version) stars with Doris Day (in her last movie musical) as the father-daughter owners of a family circus that see their sideshow become the target of a hostile takeover. Charles Walters directs Sidney Sheldon’s adaptation of the Ben Hecht/ Charles MacArthur book with music by master songsmiths Rodgers and Hart. Also stars Martha Raye and Stephen Boyd. 16x9, 2.40 Letterbox 1080p HD, 5.1 DTS Master HD Audio

Special Features: Musical Short “Yours Sincerely” the Tom and Jerry Cartoon, “Jerry and Jumbo” (presented in 1080p HD); Original Overture; Theatrical Trailer.

The short “Yours Sincerely” is from 1933 and includes music by Rodgers and Hart including " Spring Is Here" per IMDb.


Apparently this release is excluded from the discount codes when ordered from the WBSHOP instead of the Warner Archive. When I had this and another item which combined totaled over $25 an error message came up saying the items in the cart do not yet meet the conditions of the coupon.

ANYCODES5: $5 off $25
WBAFSAVE10: $10 off $50

 

[Garysb]

While the date seems to be the 8th, do we have any real idea if that is correct? I ordered through Amazon specifically because it was listed cheaper than the Warner's listing. I have not received any notices from Amazon as others have so I am in question.

Amazon removed the film from its site. Amazon currently says the film is available from 3rd parties only. They did not cancel orders already placed . These orders say they need more time to determine when the film will ship. If I remember correctly Warner and maybe Movies Unlimited have exclusive rights to these releases before they become available at other sites such as Amazon. I would assume Amazon jumped the gun when they listed this film before the Archive did.

 

[Mark-P]

Has anyone's Amazon pre-order shipped yet? ImportCDs now has it for $14.27 (plus shipping) and an October 22nd release date.

 

[Doug Bull]

Amazon must be changing their information day by day.

As of today Amazon quotes, "Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we will ship it when available. Ships from and Sold by Amazon.com."

So no mention of third parties.
Price has now gone up to $17.59 and it's still showing as an 8th of October release.

 

[ahollis]

Has anyone's Amazon pre-order shipped yet? ImportCDs now has it for $14.27 (plus shipping) and an October 22nd release date.

I cancelled my Amazon order and got it through WAC. As I thought Amazon is usually Four weeks behind WAC. I thought that perhaps Amazon had an exclusive for a while.

 

[JoHud]

I cancelled my Amazon order and got it through WAC. As I thought Amazon is usually Four weeks behind WAC. I thought that perhaps Amazon had an exclusive for a while.

Did the same. The Amazon price was enticing but it looks like it will get the usual WAC 1 month delay.

 

[Doug Bull]

I was also going to cancel from Amazon, until I remembered that, as an international buyer, WAC won't do business with me.

In the end I'll just have to stick with Amazon.(at least I got their cheap price and their freight costs are better)

I'll let everyone know when Amazon ships.

 

[rsmithjr]

Well, it has been over 50 years since I first saw this (summer of 1962 at a screening, it was released around Christmas), and I have the LD of the title. So I suppose I can wait a few more weeks to get the Blu-ray.