Josh's Blind Buys: Watching The Unseen Collection (1 Viewer)

[Joel Arndt]

Patricia Ward Kelly (Gene's widow) posted a still on Facebook of Gene dancing with Vera-Ellen in the Slaughter on Tenth Avenue ballet in Words and Music recently and stated that he considered Vera-Ellen the best all-around dancer with whom he had worked.

 

[Nelson Au]

That’s a lot of holiday films you saw! White Christmas is a classic. I’ve not seen it either.

Valerian is a film I do want to see. Though I’m curious why so much trouble to see the 3D version? I didn’t read your whole review to avoid knowing too much. I figured the films failure at the box office made the Blu Ray release kind of messed up, it seems like there’s only one blu ray release in the US and it’s 2D I’ve noticed.

 

[Bernard McNair]

While I generally dislike colorized films I took a chance and watched the colorized version of this one. As much as anything due to its status in my "Top 5 Favorite Holiday Films." It's very well done. While it'll never be mistaken for a Technicolor film, if I didn't know it was originally BW I don't know that I'd have noticed anything "odd" about Legend's colorization of this one. The colors and pallet selected work very well. On occasion, flesh tones are slightly off, although they're generally pleasing. Crosby and Astaire's hair also looks a bit odd at times. But I was looking for issues.

I was surprised that there are many scenes that benefit from colorization as they take a very busy BW frame and make it somehow look less busy due to the colors chosen. I saw things I've never seen before, and I've seen this one at least 50 times. The two dance routines with sequined dresses, one with Reynolds and one with Dale, look stunning in color, especially the one with Dale as they made the sequins a golden color. I normally argue against watching a colorized film when people ask. I don't know that I'll do that with this one. I'll still, and always, prefer the original BW but won't groan if someone asks to watch the colorized version.

So... I recommend you give the colorized version at least one viewing. It won't change your mind about the process but is one of the best efforts I've seen, and I've seen quite a few as I purchase colorized films to get restored BW versions and almost always watch the colorized version at least once.

I need to watch the included Broadway version. I'll have to be goaded into it though as I'm generally not a fan of the stage.

For anyone on the fence - don't be. It's a great package and also includes a digital copy for those so inclined (mine will go to my son).

Give the Broadway show an opportunity Josh. It is good fun with some great dancing. The songs alone make it a good watch,

 

[benbess]

That’s a lot of holiday films you saw! White Christmas is a classic. I’ve not seen it either. ....

White Christmas is indeed a classic, and one of my favorite films of 1954. Filmed in VistaVision, it has amazing clarity. I really recommended the blu-ray of White Christmas, but actually it's also available on Netflix in case you don't get around to buying the disc.

 

[RMajidi]

Another holiday classic that I had somehow never seen, White Christmas...

White Christmas is a classic. I’ve not seen it either.

How’s that even possible?!

Just yanking your chain. I’ve seen White Christmas so many, many times over the years, that I take it as a given that so has everybody else. Clearly a daft assumption.

Maybe it’s just that I believe everyone should see White Christmas!

 

[Matt Hough]

Well, it was a Christmas perennial on NBC's Saturday Night at the Movies in the 1960s, and I waited for it each year just like I waited for The Wizard of Oz and Cinderella each year. Blissfully, now I can watch them any time I want.

 

[Joel Arndt]

Josh, only want to say that I'm in total agreement with you regarding your well-written recent assessments of Meet Me in St. Louis, Holiday Inn, Christmas in Connecticut and White Christmas. All excellent films with much to recommend! As Felix (S.Z. Sakall) from Christmas in Connecticut would say, they're "hunky dunky".

I've only seen part of Holiday Affair, but really enjoy Mitchum and Leigh, so I need to check this one out based upon your review.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Sisters...sisters...

 

[Matt Hough]

Phil: we've got some pointers for that "Sisters" number
Bob: I didn't care for the wardrobe.
Phil: But it was so purdy!

 

[Mike Frezon]

I always find myself anticipating the Crosby/Kaye reprise of "Sisters" simply because of the way Crosby cracks up at Kaye near the end of the number.

It genuinely seems like the two were having a grand old time in that moment.

 

[Joel Arndt]

"What did you do with that? Leave it in your snood? Here."

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/68bb2977-e711-4182-bcde-76f3dac415dc

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Valerian is a film I do want to see. Though I’m curious why so much trouble to see the 3D version?

It wasn't a huge amount of trouble, it's just that the studio that distributes it in the US, Lionsgate, no longer supports domestic 3D in the home. I imported the UK version which was available in 3D. Having to do that more and more these days as 3D support in the US is drying up across the board.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I deny everything but my wife may have noticed me watching very intently during the White Christmas sisters-driven musical numbers

 

[Mike Frezon]

I always find myself anticipating the Crosby/Kaye reprise of "Sisters" simply because of the way Crosby cracks up at Kaye near the end of the number.

It genuinely seems like the two were having a grand old time in that moment.

I did not know this before...but there are numerous reports on the internet (which I'm pretty sure guarantees it's veracity) that the Crosby/Kaye version of Sisters was a late add-on...and the best take of the bunch as they couldn't keep from laughing!

Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye's comedy act "dressed up like a dame" wasn't originally in the story. They were goofing around, though, and director Michael Curtiz found it so funny that he wrote it in. Apparently, the actors found it hilarious, too: The laughing during the number is real. The take in the film was the best one they could get of the two, who kept cracking each other up.

During this scene—in which Wallace & Davis perform the Haynes' act "Sisters"—actors Crosby and Kaye can both be seen laughing through their act. This was the best take they could get.
Kaye, who was also a comedian, reportedly cracked up the cast on many occasions during filming. Additionally, this scene was not originally written into the script; it was put in after the director saw Crosby and Kaye joking around on set.

The “Sisters” reprise where Kaye and Crosby do the dance with the blue fans wasn’t originally in the script. The two men were fooling around on set when director Michael Curtiz saw their antics and decided to film it. Crosby’s laughter in the scene was a genuine response to Kaye’s very, very silly dancing. They had a cleaner take, but that laugh was just too good to pass up.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'm going to choose to believe its true because it's just too good of a story to dismiss

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks Josh regarding the 3D Valerian. I’m interesting in collecting as many 3D titles as I can too. But I’m not sure I wanted to go that route. Is that U.K. version playable on a region 1 player?

I had seen the ads several years ago of the restored White Christmas. But I never got around to getting it.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The UK Valerian in Region B locked unfortunately. I believe that there's a Hong Kong import that plays in Region A but was more expensive. Check out the thread for the movie, I think some of the posters were exchanging links.

 

[RMajidi]

#160 - Holiday Affair (1949)
Viewed on: December 21st, 2017
Viewing Format: DVD (Warner)

I picked up Holiday Affair in a four-disc set from Warner called (appropriately enough) "4 Film Favorites: Classic Holiday Collection Vol. 2".

#161 - It Happened On 5th Avenue (1947)
Viewed on: December 22nd, 2017
Viewing Format: DVD (Warner)

From the same set as Holiday Affair, It Happened On 5th Avenue

Josh, I wanted to comment on the boxset from which you got these DVDs.

I bought it some time ago for its inclusion of the touching Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon pairing (again) in Mervyn Leroy’s Blossoms in the Dust as it was cheaper to buy the set than the single DVD. I didn’t know much about the other titles in that set going in, but greatly enjoyed all of them. The fourth DVD in that set was a bittersweet heart-tugger called All Mine to Give.

Really enjoyed Holiday Affair - not just for the feel-good story and the two star leads (Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh), but also the supporting role of Wendell Corey.

I’ve only seen Wendell Corey perform in half a dozen roles, but he’s been excellent in every one. I wouldn’t say that he is ‘underrated’, so much as ‘unsung’.

Great little boxset, that!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Josh,

Thanks for your thoughts on Valerian. I'm a fan of Besson's works, but have yet to see this one, as opinions are all over the place on the film. I may give it a rental first instead of a blind buy. Acquiring a 3D version is not an issue for me, as my display does not support the format.

Wow. Two people here admitting they had not seen White Christmas. I'm shocked!
(just kidding)

 

[BobO'Link]

#160 - Holiday Affair (1949)
Viewed on: December 21st, 2017
Viewing Format: DVD (Warner)
...
Holiday Affair is a warm film featuring a nice pairing of Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh, with a delightfully cute performance from child actor Gordon Gebert as Leigh's son. I enjoyed the picture greatly, and look forward to revisiting it during future holiday seasons.

Oddly, I never saw this one growing up (and I saw thousands of films by the time I was "grown!"). I stumbled upon a copy at Big Lots several years back and wondered how I'd never seen it before so made the purchase to cure that omission.

It took me a few viewings before I warmed up to Mitchum's character. The first few times I watched it I felt he was acting in a somewhat predatory, smarmy, fashion attempting to ingratiate himself to Leigh's character through her son. It was "the boyfriend" and his attitude that finally sold me on Mitchum's character.

I absolutely love the sequence where Gebert's character takes his train back and gives his argument to the store owner as to why he deserves a full refund.