Charles H
Screenwriter
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2004
- Messages
- 1,526
Fox has always been innovative in producing --if not marketing--their dvds, and frequently their commentaries have been quite astonishing in securing actual veterens of the productions, rather than academic scholars (e.g., Robert Wagner on LET'S MAKE IT LEGAL; "Good Sport" Raquel Welch on MYRA BRECKINRIDGE; Darryl Hickman on LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (one of the best commentaries I've ever heard); Ann Rutherford and Fayard Nicholas on ORCHESTRA WIVES; Millie Perkins on THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK; Rona Jaffe on THE BEST OF EVERYTHING; Stanley Donen on TWO FOR THE ROAD. TCF has always been very self-effacing in their documentaries (MARILYN: THE LAST DAYS and the extended documentary on the CLEOPATRA debacle.
Between 1955 and 1960, Joan Collins made 10 films for TCF (all in Cinemascope). Two of them (THE BRAVADOS, ISLAND IN THE SUN) are already out on dvd, but could be ressurected and enlivened by a Collins commentary. The remaining 8 are all fascinating films that feature the best movie opportunities ever afforded Ms. Collins and since has hosted some documentaries for TCF, she could probably be prevailed upon to offer commentaries on THE VIRGIN QUEEN--an opportunity to dish on Bette Davis; THE GIRL ON THE RED VELVET SWING (undoubtedly her best film role as Evelyn Nesbitt Thaw); SEA WIFE (opposite Richard Burton); THE WAYWARD BUS (Jayne Mansfield); STOPOVER TOKYO (Robert Wagner); 'RALLY ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS! (The Newmans, Tuesday Weld); SEVEN THIEVES (Rod Steiger, Edward G. Robinson); and ESTHER AND THE KING (Richard Egan).
The Steinbeck rights might be tricky on THE WAYWARD BUS (which was why it was pulled from the Mansfield Boxset), but could be negotiated with another audio commentary by a Steinbeck scholar. These pictures represent ain important chapter in both Ms Collin's history as well as TCF's history, and while these are are more than a half-century old, they are still marketable because of the stars (Paul Newman, Richard Burton, Bette Davis, etc.) Great letterbox stuff also!
Between 1955 and 1960, Joan Collins made 10 films for TCF (all in Cinemascope). Two of them (THE BRAVADOS, ISLAND IN THE SUN) are already out on dvd, but could be ressurected and enlivened by a Collins commentary. The remaining 8 are all fascinating films that feature the best movie opportunities ever afforded Ms. Collins and since has hosted some documentaries for TCF, she could probably be prevailed upon to offer commentaries on THE VIRGIN QUEEN--an opportunity to dish on Bette Davis; THE GIRL ON THE RED VELVET SWING (undoubtedly her best film role as Evelyn Nesbitt Thaw); SEA WIFE (opposite Richard Burton); THE WAYWARD BUS (Jayne Mansfield); STOPOVER TOKYO (Robert Wagner); 'RALLY ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS! (The Newmans, Tuesday Weld); SEVEN THIEVES (Rod Steiger, Edward G. Robinson); and ESTHER AND THE KING (Richard Egan).
The Steinbeck rights might be tricky on THE WAYWARD BUS (which was why it was pulled from the Mansfield Boxset), but could be negotiated with another audio commentary by a Steinbeck scholar. These pictures represent ain important chapter in both Ms Collin's history as well as TCF's history, and while these are are more than a half-century old, they are still marketable because of the stars (Paul Newman, Richard Burton, Bette Davis, etc.) Great letterbox stuff also!
