Paramount's "The Buccaneer" (1958) on Blu-Ray/DVD February 28, 2012! (1 Viewer)

[Joe_Pinney]

I just learned this today, and although I'm sure it's been mentioned elsewhere here, I wanted to let everyone who may not have heard that the 1958 remake of Cecil B. Demille's 1938 classic The Buccaneer, directed by Anthony Quinn, is finally coming to Blu-Ray & DVD on 2/28/12! http://www.olivefilms.com/films/the-buccaneer-blu-ray/ Personally, I've loved this film since I saw it back in the late 70s after reading the Classics Illustrated adaptation of the movie in junior high school. Flawed though it may be, it's a fun film for a Saturday afternoon! Highly recommended!

 

[Matt Hough]

I'm looking forward to it. I saw it first on NBC's "Saturday Night at the Movies," and have always enjoyed it every time I've seen it since.

 

[Richard M S]

I pre-ordered it but I was surprised I could find no mention of the 1938 version being released either simultaneously and/or as an extra on this vesion.

 

[Matt Hough]

Originally Posted by Richard M S

I pre-ordered it but I was surprised I could find no mention of the 1938 version being released either simultaneously and/or as an extra on this vesion.

I thought I read somewhere that Olive was releasing the 1938 version separately on DVD, but maybe they're holding back because they don't want it to compete with this Blu version for sales upon release.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Richard M S

I pre-ordered it but I was surprised I could find no mention of the 1938 version being released either simultaneously and/or as an extra on this vesion.

Olive said it was coming later in the year due to Paramount working on a better transfer.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by MattH.

I'm looking forward to it. I saw it first on NBC's "Saturday Night at the Movies," and have always enjoyed it every time I've seen it since.

Saw film as a kid on TV also and thought the British were crazy for just standing in line marching forward with no cover and getting killed, while the Americans were using cover and hiding before attacking. It was not until much later in school that I learned those were both different text book cases of fighting. The British in the offense position and the Americans in the defense position. Depending on the way each was executed brought success. Living in New Orleans for years, I have certainly visited the battlefields that at the time of the battle, was nothing but river swamp. Now it is surrounded by oil refiners and Wal-Marts.

 

[HarleyDog]

I, too, vividly remember watching this as a kid on NBC's Saturday Night at the Movies and falling in love with Inger Stevens. Such a beautiful woman who died tragically young. I am surprised she is not on the cover along with Claire Bloom. I, for one, cannot wait for this release. There was an HD version of this showing on one of the old Voom HD channels that, as I recall, didn't look half bad. I just hope they use the stereo soundtrack that was on the old laserdisc.

 

[Joe_Pinney]

Inger Stevens. Such a beautiful woman who died tragically young. I am surprised she is not on the cover along with Claire Bloom.

Well, she wasn't on the original poster artwork either, and that's what this release's artwork is based upon.

 

[HarleyDog]

Actually, is that supposed to be her under Yul Brynner's left elbow on the original poster?

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by HarleyDog

I, too, vividly remember watching this as a kid on NBC's Saturday Night at the Movies and falling in love with Inger Stevens. Such a beautiful woman who died tragically young. I am surprised she is not on the cover along with Claire Bloom.

Inger Stevens had only appeared in two films prior to THE BUCCANEER, MAN ON FIRE and CRY TERROR! With MAN ON FIRE being released in October 1957 and CRY TERROR in May of 1958. THE BUCCANEER was released in December 1958. Knowing of how C. B. DeMille worked I would almost think that THE BUCCANEER was filmed before the first two or at least between them. Previous to these three films Ms Stevens was in many many TV episodes starting in 1954. As gorgeous as she was, she was just starting out in the business and was not as well known as the other stars of the film. Claire Bloom's body of work at that time was also short, but she had appeared as the female star in Charlie Chaplin's LIMELIGHT in 1952 and starred with Richard Burton in ALEXANDER THE GREAT along with 8 other films. I am sure it was billing contracts that left her off.

It's interesting in that the next year Ms. Stevens went from THE BUCCANEER to THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL, which in my mind is the film that made her a star.

 

[Greg_D_R]

Speaking of lesser-known swashbucklers, how about Swashbuckler, from 1976? Anyone think it will ever see blu-ray?