Esther Williams Collection??? (1 Viewer)

[Corey]

Any news on the Esther Williams Collection that is spposed to come out this year? I hope WB packages 10 of her movies in those slim amaray cases so we won't have to have 2 separate volumes. Hope it includes:

-Bathing Beauty
-Dangerous When Wet
-Jupiter's Darling
-Thrill of A Romance
-Million Dollar Mermaid
-Neptune's Daughter
-Easy to Love
-Duchess of Idaho
-This Time For Keeps
-On An Island With You

They should release all together to just get all out the way!

 

[Richard M S]

Few people may remember this but Warners announced an Esther Williams laser disc collection but that happened in the waning days of laser disc box sets, and it was cancelled. Pagan Love Song was one of the titles to be included as I recall.

(Bathing Beauty, Jupiter's Darling, Dangerous When Wet and a double disc set of Easy To Love and Texas Carnival were already released on laser disc.)

I heard a rumor over a year ago that Warners was going to release an Esther Williams box set in 2005. And now releases have been announced through the first half of 2006, and still no news!

Yes the plots are a bit dated, as Esther even said in her autobiography, but the entertainment value of those films is undeniable. Plus, quite a few of her films featured great work by Ann Miller, Marge and Gower Champion, Jimmy Durante, Howard Keel, Lena Horne, and Mel Torme among others.

Esther also was a major part of a one hour Busby Berkeley documentary that is curiously absent from his new box set, perhaps it will be inclued here. As I recall either PBS or TCM did it.

Anyway I hope they release the films soon, and get Esther to record a commentary track for at least some of them.

 

[Art_AD]

This Time for Keeps is also a great movie to include, I would take that over On an Island with You. Robert Osborne did a one hour talk with Esther a fews years back I would think that would be included. Also Dangerous When Wet & Neptunes Daughter contain musical outakes which have never been on video before. Here's hoping we see a box set this summer and maybe a commentary by Esther and maybe a few of her costars (Van Johnson, Tony Martin, Ricardo Montalban).

 

[Joe Caps]

Turner also has a LOT of filmed musical outtakes for Pagan Love Song that I've seen including two differently filmed verions of the song Tahiti, Music on the water and a few other bits.

 

[Doug Bull]

Let's not forget that Esther Williams was a Box Office megastar in the late Forties and early Fifties.

ON AN ISLAND WITH YOU was clearly the year's top Box Office Money taker when it was first released here in Australia.

She is certainly worthy of a DVD box set.

I think she still has a very big following, especially among the mature ladies and also those of us that still remember her with great affection.

George?

 

[Steve Armbrust]

I wish someone would have asked Warners about her during the last chat session. With almost all of the Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly musicals out or announced, Esther is number one on my DVD wish list.

I've been watching everything I can of hers on TCM. We all know the swimming scenes are what she's most known for. But man, that woman could wear a dress!

 

[Sammy-G]

My most-wanted Esther title is Thrill of a Romance. I hope it gets released eventually, though the fact that it's lacking any big water ballet spectacles might lessen its chances...

 

[Art_AD]

"With almost all of the Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly musicals out or announced, Esther is number one on my DVD wish list."

Mine too, Also there was a TV special she did in the early 60's at Cypress Gardens that is also deserving a video release.

Also there still are a lot of big films of both Astaire & kelly that still have to be released (I'm still hopeful)

Yolanda & The Thief
The Pirate
Words & Music
Deep In My Heart
The Belle Of New York

And my most wanted Gene Kelly film which I have on tape & CED but never made it to laserdisc "Invitation to the Dance"

 

[RafaelPires]

Art, you forgot Astaire's Royal Wedding, that though available in a lot of PD incarnations, deserves an official dvd release.

I'm another one who is really antecipating the Esther Williams box set.

 

[Corey]

this collection would be perfect for the summer!!!

 

[Joe Caps]

I know Warners likes creative marketing. They could combine this with another upcoming set and we could have the Esther and tennessee Williams collection !!

 

[Corey]

that's not possible. the tennessee williams set was announced way back in november. it was supposed to come out in march, but pushed back. WB usually announces their collections 3-6 months in advance, so we might get it in july or august. i do know that the astaire & rogers, volume 2 set comes out in august.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The Tennessee Williams Collection is coming out in 5-6 weeks on May 2nd.

Tennessee Williams Collection


Crawdaddy

 

[Joe Caps]

Holy LOrd !!! Obviously I was making a joke !!

 

[Robert Crawford]

That's good to hear because I was starting to get worry about you.





Crawdaddy

 

[Steve Armbrust]

Well, it would be better than the Esther Williams and Andy Williams collection

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

I was kinda hoping for an Esther Williams/Esther Rolle collection.

Regards,

 

[Corey]

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[Sammy-G]

Are those seven titles the rumored ones, or just your ideas? I was hoping for at least one of her films with Van Johnson to be included... :frowning:

 

[Corey]

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