What's new

HTF REVIEW: "The Thin Man" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

LarryDavenport

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 15, 1999
Messages
2,972
Fortunately I still have my laser disc box set of the Complete Thin Man.

Unfortunately my LD player broke down last year. I'll be picking up this disc on payday.

Hopefully Warner (and Turner) will release not only the other five Thin Man movies, but Powell and Loy's other great films (specifically, Libeled Lady, Double Wedding, and I Love You Again). Otherwise I will have to buy a DVD recorder and camp out in front of my TV and watch TCM.
 

Rob Willey

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 10, 2000
Messages
1,345
Real Name
Rob
Got my copy of one of my all-time faves yesterday but haven't had the chance to plop it into my player yet.
I think there was a significant drop-off in the rest of the series compared to the original. It just goes to show that inferior sequels are not a new phenomenon in Hollywood.
There have been a couple of mentions of all the drinking and the attitude toward it in this film. Do you think the country was happy and relieved to have Prohibition repealed? :)
The repartee between Powell and Loy here is as good as it gets.
"How is your father's side?"
Rob
 

Scott Leopold

Supporting Actor
Joined
Nov 21, 2001
Messages
711
Up until TCM aired all six a couple months ago, the only one I had ever seen was The Thin Man Goes Home. While I've read some reviews that claim this is about the worst of the lot, I still enjoyed it immensely. After seeing the other five, though, I was blown away by just how much better the others were. The original is not only the best, but is now one of my favorite movies, period. I'll be picking this up ASAP, and impatiently waiting for the rest of the series.
 

Rain

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2001
Messages
5,015
Real Name
Rain
Hey, Rob. I have a friend in Pleasanton CA. Do you bowl by any chance?
_______________
I'm afraid I have some bad news for Canadians. I've just been told that The Thin Man, as well as The Shop Around the Corner and Auntie Mame will be delayed until next week. I checked around and got the same story from all the major retailers.
I wish my fellow Canucks better luck.
Oh, the new Eastwood DVDs are in though.
 

Roger Rollins

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 19, 2001
Messages
931
I picked up THIN MAN, SHOP AROUND THE CORNER and AUNTIE MAME first thing this morning. What a banner day from WB, and only a week after the superb SINGIN' IN THE RAIN which I am still recovering from!

Just finished watching my copy of THE THIN MAN. I've never seen it look or sound anywhere near this good. No, it's not perfect...there are very minor flaws inherent in the source material, but the improvement over anything I've ever seen before (on VHS, LD or in a repertory theater)is tremendously significant. The film holds up beautifully, and the presentation is first class. The cover art is also a knockout.

Now onto THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER this afternoon...AUNTIE MAME tonight. Thanks, WB!
 

george kaplan

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2001
Messages
13,063
Just to put my two cents in on the series, I think the first 5 are great, with the only real drop coming with the last one, Song of the Thin Man.
 

Kurt N

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 2, 2001
Messages
210
I am embarassed to admit I've never seen this film. I will see it come payday.

Thanks again, Ron.
 

Dan Dimopoulos

Auditioning
Joined
Feb 2, 2002
Messages
10
Wow, I didn't even know this was in the works! Excellent!

What's strange is that we just screened The Thin Man in class today.

Keep it up WB!
 

Mark-W

Supporter
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 6, 1999
Messages
3,297
Real Name
Mark
Sadly- I called EVERY "brick and mortar" store in the
Portland area yesturday, even visited a few, and NO ONE
had this title!

(I really wanted to watch it ASAP, so I had forgone buying it
on-line.) Well, as it turns out, the only way for me
to get this title at the moment is to order it on-line.

Now, how well is this going to sell if no one is stocking it?

Personally, I think if does not do well enough for Warner
Bros to issue the rest of the series, maybe they should
license it out to Criterion, which I realize would be
new territory for them both.

Mark
 

Lew Crippen

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
12,060
Thanks for the review, Ron. And I echo the comments on the quality of films such as these, prior to being released on DVD.

Am I the only person who feels like they have a hangover after watching one of the early Thin Man movies? Either that, or I need to pound back a few while viewing the adventures of Nick & Nora...
‘Say listen: is he working on a case?’
‘Yes he is’
‘What Case?’
‘A case of scotch. Pitch in and help him’

Gladly. I’ve never been able to not break out the single malt when I hear that line. And one more: ‘A dry martini you shake to waltz time.’ And this calls for the gin…
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert

I thought Best Buy and Circuit City were advertising a price on this title? Also, what happens a lot is they don't order enough copies of these classic dvd releases and they're gone before you know it.





Crawdaddy
 

Mark-W

Supporter
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 6, 1999
Messages
3,297
Real Name
Mark
Crawdaddy-
And my order with deepdiscountdvd is now, offically,
"backorded" while the rest of my order, Auntie Mame
and The Philadephia Story, both shipped.
Well, if it is "back ordered" because this title has
sold better than expected, then I am happy.
However, I called most of my B&M stores first thing
in the morning before they would've run out of stock,
so I have to assume most just didn't get it in at all.
:frowning:
Mark
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert
Then it sounds like they didn't press enough copies of the disc for all distributors.



Crawdaddy
 

BrettB

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2001
Messages
3,019
Tuesday at noon I went to Best Buy (OKC) and didn't see it. Employee looked it up on the computer and said they had ordered 30 copies but hadn't received them. :thumbsdown:
Tuesday evening I called at least ten different places. Most said they didn't get any in. Three places said they had received copies but they had already sold them. When I asked how many copies they had ordered/received the answers were "one" & "two". :thumbsdown:
Ordered from Amazon Tuesday evening, still hasn't shipped. :thumbsdown:
Where's my martini? :D
 

Ken Stuart

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 31, 2000
Messages
468
Most of my youth was spent watching films
from the 50's and 60's. Anything further back was
mostly Cagney and Bogart films.
Ron, you did not specify the extent to which you have have rectified that situation, so although most of these seem obvious to me, just in case you (or other HTF readers) have not seen any of the following, you are in for a treat:
- The Philadelphia Story (one of my Top Ten Films)
- Life with Father (also with William Powell, rent this one since the only DVD release is mediocre)
- It Happened One Night
- Lost Horizon
- Gone with the Wind
- It's a Wonderful Life
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Some of the other great films in that 1930's have not yet been released on DVD, such as the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers dance films "Top Hat" and "Swing Time", and other great films like "San Francisco" (Gable, Tracy, Jeanette McDonald) and "Bringing Up Baby" (classic Cary Grant/Katherine Hepburn comedy).
I'm assuming everyone has seen the Marx Bros' "Duck Soup" and of course "The Wizard of Oz" (the latter being an excellent DVD transfer).
PS The Thin Man is #15 amongst 1930's films in voting at www.imdb.com .
 

Rob Willey

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 10, 2000
Messages
1,345
Real Name
Rob
Interesting line in the film: "What were you doing on the night of October 5th, 1902?" Almost exactly a hundred years ago...

The trailer for Another Thin Man makes a big deal of welcoming William Powell back to the screen after a two-year absence. I knew he took Jean Harlow's death hard, but I didn't know he had stopped making movies for two years as a result. Interesting.

Rob
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert

Rob,
The year of Harlow's death he made three films. In 1938, which was the following year of her death, he made one film then followed with just one film in 1939, which was "Another Thin Man". And yes, he took her death very hard.




Crawdaddy
 

SteveGon

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2000
Messages
12,250
Real Name
Steve Gonzales
My copies of The Thin Man and The Shop Around the Corner should arrive today. Can't wait!

While we're on the subject of films from the 30's, I'd like to recommend Frank Capra's Lady for a Day, available from Image. I've been meaning to post a review of the disc for several months now - I'll have to get to work on it!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top