Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1 Viewer)

[David Grove]

I recently posted concerning another Danny Kaye movie, "Wonder Man."
I now find a similar situation with "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." Out of print. New R1 editions available from Amazon Stores, etc., for >$100. Import editions for much less.
Are the imports bootlegs?
Is there a conspiracy against Danny Kaye?
DG

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

I would stay away from the "imports." They are most assuredly bootlegs. I believe that the rights to the OOP Goldwyn titles, with Danny Kaye, now reside with MGM. Hans Christian Anderson was an HBO release, which went OOP, and was then re-released by MGM. The Best Years of Our Lives, another Goldwyn title, was first issued by HBO and, after the rights reverted, released by MGM. I hope the same happens for some other OOP HBO/Goldwyn titles like Ball of Fire and The Westerner.

 

[GlennH]

It's been OOP for quite awhile now. I watched my original R1 version and then sold it exactly 2 years ago, 1/26/2003, for $105.

My thoughts at the time were that a reissue would probably occur within a year, so I might as well profit from it. That hasn't happened yet. Eventually it will.

As I recall, it doesn't have the best transfer, but it's certainly watchable. Hopefully a new version would be improved.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

It's high time for a remastered Danny Kaye Collector's Box, with all the extras they can pack in. How many Kaye titles are owned by MGM? Who owns THE COURT JESTER? How many Kaye titles could we expect to see in a box?

 

[GlennH]

Who owns THE COURT JESTER?

The current DVD is by Paramount.

 

[Jae_E]

How many Kaye titles are owned by MGM?

According to IMDB, the following are all MGM:

Merry Andrew (1958)

Hans Christian Andersen (1952)

A Song is Born (1948)

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)

The Kid From Brooklyn (1946)

Wonder Man (1945)

Up in Arms (1944)

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

Well there we go! I would definitely shell out for a boxed set containing all of those + extras!

 

[Jayson Wall]

Merry Andrew is now owned by Turner Entertainment / Warner Brothers.

JW

 

[David Grove]

Bring it on.

 

[GlennH]

Still waiting for a new DVD release of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
I guessed wrong on this one. I was confident that a newer better DVD would be out way before now, or I may not have been so willing to sell mine, even for a hundred bucks. I did record and watch it on TV awhile back. Guess that will have to do for now.

 

[Charles H]

Fox is bringing out one of Kaye's best (ON THE RIVIERA) on 5/22. Would be great to get a non-pd INSPECTOR GENERAL and THE MADWOMAN FROM CHAILLOT from WB, THE MAN FROM THE DINER'S CLUB and ME AND THE COLONEL from Sony, and ON THE DOUBLE from Paramount.

 

[CineKarine]

And don't forget his best and funniest film ever - the seldom-seen KNOCK ON WOOD (53) - a comedy masterpiece of the 50s, nothing less. I am hanging on to my TV-taped copy dating back 20 years as I have never seen it anywhere else since! Talk about a film that should be made available for all to see!!! Paramount owns this one...

 

[ChrisPearson]

Fox is handling the Goldwyn library (via MGM) these days, and are bringing out a few titles, such as Ball of Fire, so I'm hoping we'll see some of the Goldwyn Kayes, including Mitty. As they're releasing On the Riviera from their own library, I'm quite hopeful. The best thing would be a complete Kaye-Goldwyn box including Up in Arms, The Kid from Brooklyn, Wonder Man, Hans Christian Anderson and A Song Is Born, plus Mitty.

Would be great to get a non-pd INSPECTOR GENERAL and THE MADWOMAN FROM CHAILLOT from WB.

Warner could throw in a non-PD release of Merry Andrew, which they also own, and make a three-film Kaye set with Inspector General and Madwoman from Chaillot.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

So, this was just re-released...on DVD only. No Blu. :-(I bought the DVD, and it looks great...for a DVD. This remaster would look SPECTACULAR on Blu. Why not put it out on Blu through the Archive?

 

[JoHud]

Perhaps a blu-ray release will coincide with the new Will Farrel Walter Mitty movie when it comes to home video.

I mean, what better opportunity?

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

Well...that's why the DVD was just re-released. The remake will be released on Christmas Day. But, no Blu.

 

[Dave B Ferris]

Perhaps a blu-ray release will coincide with the new Will Farrel Walter Mitty movie when it comes to home video.

I mean, what better opportunity?

Actually, Ben Stiller.