Old musicals: Busby Berkley, Fred Astaire, etc. (1 Viewer)

[george kaplan]

Of course Fred Astaire is also available on dvd in The Towering Inferno. Well, that's not a musical, but Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is.
But I'm with you guys. I want Top Hat, and Easter Parade, and Meet Me in St. Louis.

 

[Doug Bull]

Image have announced "Stagedoor Canteen".

While I consider it a poor man's version of "Hollywood Canteen" it still has a great number of stars performing memorable musical numbers.

The upcoming DVD release has been restored from the original camera negative.

Doris Day's fabulous "Calamity Jane" is also on the way.

Please somebody confirm that the supposed and rumoured Lesbian subtext is a lot of nonsense, and that the song "Secret Love" does not contain a hidden meaning.

The upcoming "Hidden Hollywood" parts 1 and 2 contain rare Fox Musical outtakes and will be a must for collectors.

Lastly, Anchor Bay will be releasing at least 3 of Cliff Richard's colorful British teenage musicals from the early 60's

"The Young Ones", Summer Holiday" and "Wonderful Life"

These are all very entertaining and contain a curious mixture of early rock n roll and older style hollywood musical song and dance numbers.

The films, while not masterpieces, are full of innocent enthusiasm, tuneful songs, energetic dancing and are highly recommended.

The strange thing is, they were probably intended for Teenagers at the time, but the producers obviously thought that they should encourage adults as well by adding Hollywood style musical numbers, but in doing this they unintentionally turned a lot of Teenagers away, as they considered the films to be TOO SQUARE.

 

[Steve_AA]

Brendon,
I will investigate the LD route. I never got into LD before, because I just never had the finances to justify those expensive LD's when LD was in its heyday.
I'm grateful for all the info generated by this thread, but at the same time am disheartened by the glacial pace of getting these musicals to DVD. It seems every week there is a rerelease of some DVD title. Too bad these efforts at rereleasing current DVD's can't be funneled to getting the classic titles out more quickly....sigh!
I really want the Busby Berkley extravaganzas. And I want Fred Astaire & Eleanor Powell in 'Broadway Melody of 1940'...my personal favorite.
I....will....try....to....be....patient. Sniff!:frowning:

 

[John Kilduff]

I second the motion of getting "Pennies From Heaven" on DVD. A restored print ran in California last year...maybe that's a portent of an upcoming DVD release? Also, for Warner-owned musicals...

-A release of "Fame". I think this might be a good release. There could be retrospective interviews and an Alan Parker commentary. With "Pink Floyd: The Wall" (a Turner title released through Sony) already out, all we need now are DVD releases of "Bugsy Malone" and "The Commitments".

-"Krush Groove"-Warner title. Video commentary with the living castmembers (a la "Goonies"), deleted scenes, music videos...this would make a good SE.

MGM-"Absolute Beginners" needs to be released soon.

Sincerely,

John "Has his own set of classics" Kilduff

 

[Greg_M]

Truth be told, musicals are expensive to clear for DVD - especially if the songs are by more than one composer. Also the market for DVD doesn't support musicals, most stores no longer have a "Musicals" section, they seem to place them in with "Classics". I'm all for releasing musical films, but there are really only about five or so which haven't been released which will be big sellers. i.e. "Grease", "Saturday Night Fever"

 

[MikeAW]

Doug, you should check out "Expresso Bongo" on KINO...great classic Rock and Roll story, and acting by Cliff and Lawrence Harvey! New Wave British film meets "Sweet Smell of Success" !

 

[Brendon]

John Kilduff,
Stop tormenting me!
I would sell several elderly relatives and forgo usage of key limbs for a restored copy of Fame on DVD.
And whilst we're on the Alan Parker thing, I'd sell the rest of my family to get Disney to relicense Evita to Criterion for DVD - I haven't been able to track down the LD anywhere...
A Criterion Evita with a good anamorphic transfer, higher bitrate DD or DTS and the LD extras would make my year!
Cheers,
Bren

 

[IvanT]

A few more Astaire movies are available in region 2...
Follow the Fleet - http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=2394
Shall We Dance - http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=2429
Swing Time - http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=2431
Top Hat - http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=2433
Still no sign of "Band Wagon" or "Broadway Melody of 1940" which I would definitely buy the moment I see them. No "Pennies From Heaven" either...
I

 

[Brian W.]

My #1 most-wanted musical is "Meet Me In St. Louis," which in my opinion is Judy Garland's best film next to "Wizard of Oz." Great news about "Swing Time" and "Top Hat" -- I hope it's true.

And if you want an EARLY musical, and don't mind one in French, check out Criterion's 1931 "Le Million."

 

[Mark Zimmer]

For those interested in vintage movie musicals, check out Kino's two volumes of Hollywood Rhythm, featuring musical short subjects. There is some fabulous material there (I first discovered the amazing Boswell Sisters on one of these shorts, making it well worth the price all by itsel).

 

[Brook K]

Meet Me In St. Louis is also undergoing restoration at Warners.

But even more I'd like Yankee Doodle Dandy.

 

[John Beavers]

One movie I've been waiting for on DVD is "That's Entertainment". According to Amazon it's a coming soon title. This would be great as it has some of the best numbers from all those old musicals.

 

[Doug Bull]

John,

In my opinion, there are big problems with "That's Entertainment" and "That's Entertaiment2".

The movie clips look awful now, particularly after a lot of the musicals featured have since surfaced on beautiful looking restored Laserdiscs and DVDs.

Unless each featured clip gets a completely new color restoration you can count me out.

"That's Entertaiment 3" is the only one in the series to feature really nice looking clips and the one that features a lot of clips from films that have not found their way to video.

I suppose it's because I own a Laserdisc or DVD copy of most of those films featured, that I am not turned on by the shortened musical numbers and the annoying voice overs that are a part of the series.

 

[Alex Morrow]

About a year ago or more Warner Bros contacted me because I told them I had a 16mm reel of a short on the movie Dames. It was one of those behind the scene kinda things from back in the day. It's fun to watch. They called me and I talked to them about the film I had which they figured out they already had a copy of. So maybe they're looking into that one, but I doubt it. It's still an enjoyable Berkeley film like all his others. The only thing he mentioned was Annie Get Your Gun, which at the time, wasn't out yet. I've bought most every classic musical release from warners and I'll buy more when I can get my hands on em.

 

[Doug Bull]

Alex,

The short you are referring to is probably Vitaphone's "And She Learned About Dames" ( It is about the making of Dames)

If that is the one, then it has already been released.

It and another short "Hollywood Newsreel" are featured as extras on the "Dames" Laserdisc.

Another reason for investing in the Busby Berkley Laserdiscs, is that they all contain rare Musical Short Subjects, Cartoons and Trailers.

 

[Joel C]

The news about Top Hat is great. I'll have to re-watch the clip included in the Green Mile to celebrate.

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

So what else is new on this topic? Was going back over my old but interesting topics and thought I'd bounce this one back up.

 

[John Watson]

Good one to bring back!

Any progress on The Big Broadcast (Fields and Hope)?

Any one have any plans to restore Gigi? The "surface" noise in the background is terrible.

I believe I've read on another Board that Popeye is in the works for next year.

 

[BarryR]

Wasn't Warner going to release MGM's MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS this year? It seems to have been announced as in the works quite a while ago. I've heard rumors that Universal is prepping FLOWER DRUM SONG, SWEET CHARITY and THORUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. As for the classic musicals of the '30s, etc., I have heard little. Thank God for TCM!