Missing Musicals (1 Viewer)

[Joe Caps]

Rodgers nad Hammerstein puts up a newsletter on thier site. Several months ago, they asked readers to NOT contqact them about a dvd release but to contact MCA Universal as they are the rights holders.

 

[Peter Kline]

I think the film version would have been released on DVD if the revised theatrical presentation of the show was a success. It was not. (They took out my favorite song, "Grant Avenue" from the re-worked stage version.)

 

[RobertSiegel]

Peter, I agree with you that Grant Avenue is an awesome song and should have been left in. To me the best recording of Flower Drum Song is the remastered Columbia Broadway cast. I was writing Universal for over a year before the revival on Broadway.

I think the reason it failed on Broadway is that they went and changed the whole concept and story. You don't fool with Rogers and Hammerstein's basic concepts, and they changed it completely.

I believe there's no reason for Universal to hold this back. But we can all do something, and that's go to Universalstudios.com and click on CONTACT in the upper right corner, then on the next page click on HOME VIDEO AND DVD, and send them a request. Sometimes they will answer and say "this is not scheduled for a dvd release." but I have yet to get anything more personal than that.

 

[Jamin Fowler]

This has been very interesting reading about the "lost" films and different soundtracks - just wondering has there been any new word (since 1983) of a complete print of "A Star is Born" (1954) being in existance?? Ron Haver's book was very fascinating to read, and although I love the re-issued version, the stills are somewhat distracting!! Also does anyone know if Columbia still owns "Pepe" (1960) I have never seen this film pop up anywhere, and although it flopped it still has a huge selection of famous names in it and seeing it on DVD would be fantastic!!

 

[TedD]

The "Pepe" question has been brought up in HTF before. Never had a response from anyone, though.

This was one of the few Columbia releases that had a wide distribution of 4 track mag prints. It was released in IB Technicolor. I also wish that Columbia would restore and release this title in OAR.

Ted

 

[Bob Graham]

I was just thinking that there are 3 film versions of THE THREEPENNY OPERA and none of them are on DVD.

The best known version was the German 1931 version directed by GW Pabst and with the participation of both Brecht and Weil.

Wolgang Staudte directed another version in 1962 with Curt Juergens and Mack, Hildegarde Kneff as Jenny and Sammy Davis Jr as the Street Singer. I saw the German version of the film and though it had some interesting touches (the "Song of Solomon" is sung in a wax museum). All songs were in German except for those sung by Sammy Davis Jr. but they were using the Eric Bently translations (which are, frankly horrible) instead of the Mark Blitzstein versions that we've come to know and love. I have no idea what the English language version would be like (but I'm curious).

Finally there was MACK THE KNIFE with Raul Julia in the 80s. I saw it once and remeber that some parts of it were really good and some were really bad.

 

[JPCinema]

"PEPE" is one of my favorite guilty pleasures and its hard to see. Last year though it was shown at the American Cinemateque Egyptian theater in LA in a restored UNCUT version with 4 track stereo sound! I'm sorry I live in Chicago and missed it. I do hope since it has been restored in an uncut version in stereo that it will be released on DVD by Columbia in a Widescreen version soon.
I think I am hoping too much?

 

[Jamin Fowler]

Yeah, I really liked the music to PEPE, and even bought the CD soundtrack (released by Collector's Choice) earlier this year - Shirley Jones' title song is fun, and I love Judy Garland's haunting rendition of "The Faraway Part of Town" - that's amazing that Pepe got a re-issue in a theatre!! I really hope this get's to DVD - I was almost tempted to buy a copy taped off the TV from ebay - but I might hang off a bit now!!

 

[Drew Salzan]

It's great that the Egyption Theater in L.A. shows these films. We have revival houses in NYC, but they never show these restored musicals on a giant screen :frowning: .

 

[RobertSiegel]

After doing some research on what other films are not out on dvd, I came up with the following titles which would make nice musical dvd releases:

CAN CAN
MAME
LOST HORIZON
THE BOYFRIEND
SONG OF NORWAY
DARLING LILI
FINIAN'S RAINBOW
THE SINGING NUN
SUMMER MAGIC (Disney)
JUMBO
STATE FAIR (1962)
PEPE
BELLS ARE RINGING
LI'L ABNER
THE FIVE PENNIES
SAY ONE FOR ME (Crosby, Fox Cinemascope)
SING BOY SING (Fox, Tommy Steele)
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE (Fox Cinemascope)
FLOWER DRUM SONG
THE OPPOSITE SEX
ANYTHING GOES (1956)
AIN'T MISBEHAVIN (Universal 1955)
LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME
IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER
THREE FOR THE SHOW (Columbia '56 Cinemascope)
JUPITER'S DARLING
DADDY LONG LEGS

 

[RobertSiegel]

Here's an updated list of what's coming on DVD as far as musicals:

FINIAN'S RAINBOW (late 2004 early 2005)
TOM SAWYER and HUCKLEBERRY FINN (the Sherman Brother's MGM musicals),
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (remastered special edition out now)
CINDERELLA (tv version with Julie Andrews 50's) late 2004 from Image
BROADWAY'S LOST TREASURES 2 (nominated musicals direct from the Tony Awards shows of the past) October 2004
ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND (Sept.7,2004)
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (film version, appr.May 2005)
ALADDIN (Disney, Oct 5)
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (2 disc remastered special edition MGM/Warner October 12)
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT 1,2,3 (October 12)separate or box set
LES MISERABLES IN CONCERT (Superbit Columbia, delayed twice now)
MARY POPPINS (2 disc special edition,remastered, finally 16x9, December 7, 2004)
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (special edition-no release date yet)
THE BAND WAGON (2 disc special edition-no rel.date yet)
THE BELLS ARE RINGING (Mgm/Warner 2005)
BRIGADOON (special edition remastered 2005)
BUSBY BERKELY BOXED SET (no firm date yet)
HEY MR. PRODUCER (Huge broadway concert, no date)
IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER (Mgm/Warner, probably 2005)
LADY SINGS THE BLUES (Paramount, special edition, no date yet)
DAMN YANKEES (October 12)
MULAN (October 26)

 

[John Hodson]

Re: The Band Wagon, look here

 

[Bob Graham]

SING, BOY SING stars Tommy Sands, not Tommy Steele (i.e. the American Elvis clone, not the British one)

 

[AlanP]

FLOWER DRUM SONG ?????????
ANYTIME SOON ?????????????????????????????????

 

[Nick Eden]

According to a contributor on DVDAnswers, the release on 7 December 2004 of 4 George Stevens titles will also include the Astaire/Rogers musical "Swing Time".
While this is good news and in fact is somewhat of a relief to finally get one of the 10 Astaire/Rogers films on DVD in Region 1, I can't help but say I am surprised that the 10 musicals wern't released in either 1 or 2 boxsets, as the Marx Bros were and the first 6 Tarzan films were.

 

[Roger Rollins]

DVDAnswers had the wrong answer. According to the Warner website the George Stevens releases on 12/7 do not include SWINGTIME.

Warner would be foolish to spoil the exclusivity of their long-in-works Fred & Ginger collection to take one of the best titles and release it before the others.

Happily Warner isn't foolish, and has been leaving others in the dust this year when it comes to the classics.

I'm terribly excited about GUNGA DIN and will also buy I REMEMBER MAMA (not for me but as a Xmas gift for my mother).

 

[Nick Eden]

Thanks for that Roger.
That information makes much more sense. As you quite rightly say, to release "Swing Time" as part of a director's package instead of an Astaire/Rogers boxset(s) just doesn't make any sense at all.

 

[Dave Jessup]

Skimming the thread, haven't seen these mentioned yet -

The Gang's All Here (20th Fox, 1943, Technicolor) - Benny Goodman's band, Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda (and bunches of bananas!);

Sun Valley Serenade (1941), Orchestra Wives (1942), also TCF, with Glenn Miller. Synchronization problems with the "dual track" "stereo" soundtrack on the first title need to be looked at, though (viz VHS/laserdisc release).

 

[Joe Caps]

I and a friend of mine at fixed mixed the two Glenn Miller films for stereo. I could never convince him that the first track (I Know Why) was out of sync. It would be an easy thing to fix. It was amazing the number of tracks it took to put those songs together - especially the songs It Happened in sun Valley and The kiss Polka - ( the kiss sounds were on separate tracks and had to be synched up).

 

[Ryan Bottoms]

I have tried to give you a link to the article that led the DVDAnswers contributor to be possibly misled about the inclusion of "Swing Time" in the Dec. 7th George Stevens DVD releases, but the forum's strict posting restrictions prohibit posting links. It was in the NY Post's entertainment section.