Press Release SPHE Press Release: Columbia Classics 4k Ultra HD Collection Volume 3 (4k UHD) (1 Viewer)

[Mark Mayes]

I have been hoping and voting for Funny Girl ever since they started this series. Very discouraging. Well, I own Stripes and now it looks like I will own Annie.

 

[DarkVader]

I find the emotional reaction to the inclusion of "Annie" in this box set by some on this forum to be quite extreme. If you don't like the film that is entirely your prerogative, but there are many that don't share your sentiments and are not bothered by it. Continuing to complain about it isn't going to change the fact that it's been included.

 

[RMajidi]

Revisited To Sir With Love a couple of months ago, after many years since my last viewing.

Wonderful film, and the thing that surprised me was the subtle handling of the racial aspect. Far more undertone than overtly in-your-face.

Sidney Poitier plays a fish out of water, not so much for his skin colour, but for the fact that as a professional engineer without a teaching background he seems to be the only one on the staff who is determined not to give up on his troubled students. His colleagues have clearly done so to varying degrees. Direct references to race come up only a few times, mostly in the casually bigoted barbs of a world-weary teacher, who seems cynical of everyone and everything.

While I’m not blind to the environment, time and place in which the film was released, taken as a pure story, I think it is a timeless piece that works even without a racial angle. However, I can’t see it working remotely as well without Mr Poitier’s towering central performance, irrespective of skin colour.

And what a lulu of a theme song!

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Not whining just want more bang for my $100 plus buck. We’re in a recession you know?

 

[Noel Aguirre]

For many of those who were thoroughly familiar with the Broadway Annie, the movie is a giant letdown. Too many cherished songs and scenes lost, forgettable new songs, overblown ending. For those who came to Annie without knowing anything else, I can see why they might find it entertaining. I have the same feeling about the film version of A Chorus Line. If you know the stage show, the movie is sacrilege, but if you'd never seen the stage version before, the movie is an adequate (but nothing more than that) experience.

I went to see Annie on opening day here in NY w an actor friend of mine- we were both very excited as the cast listed was great and the enthusiasm was very high going into the theater. This was a time when very very few musicals were being made and any new were highly anticipated. We looked at each other like 2/3rds into it and we’re like what the blank is goin on? Talk about deflated. And Carol Burnett’s newly implanted chin didn’t help which at the time was hyped as much as the movie itself. Why John Huston was hired to direct a family fun musical still makes no sense at all.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

I have been hoping and voting for Funny Girl ever since they started this series. Very discouraging. Well, I own Stripes and now it looks like I will own Annie.

Stripes is probably more acclaimed than Annie. Not that I’m bashing it nor whining. Lol

 

[Garysb]

Gandhi turns 40 this year; A League of Their Own turns 30 and has a spin-off TV series premiering on Prime, so maybe it's not completely outside the realm of possibility 2022 could still see standalone releases in the US for those 2.

Sure why not ? Sony could make them limited edtion steelbooks like Lawrence, which is out of print again or they could be released like Dr. Strangelove which is a standard release and still available for purchase. Maybe Lawrence will get a standard release as this is it's 60th anniversary.

 

[DarkVader]

I went to see Annie on opening day here in NY w an actor friend of mine- we were both very excited as the cast listed was great and the enthusiasm was very high going into the theater. This was a time when very very few musicals were being made and any new were highly anticipated. We looked at each other like 2/3rds into it and we’re like what the blank is goin on? Talk about deflated. And Carol Burnett’s newly implanted chin didn’t help which at the time was hyped as much as the movie itself. Why John Huston was hired to direct a family fun musical still makes no sense at all.

I completely understand your disappointment. I saw the original production at the Uris when I was eleven years old back in 1979 and fell in love with the show. I saw the film version on its opening day at the Loews Orpheum. Back then the only objection I had to the film version was how they completely tossed away the song, "Tomorrow". They relegated it to the opening credits and then did that hackneyed reprise with Annie, Warbucks and the Roosevelts at the White House. I also didn't care for the new songs written for the film version with the exception of "We Got Annie" which served as marvelous showcase for the talents of the legendary Ann Reinking.

But, there are other things in the film that I really like so the experience wasn't completely ruined for me. Stage-to-screen adaptations - especially musicals are a very tricky thing.

I saw an interview with Ann Reinking that she did during a press junket for the film and she discussed that the musical number for "Let's Go To The Movies" was way more elaborate (if you can only imagine) than what actually made it into the finished film. Like "Easy Street" the original version filmed was scrapped and they had to go back and re-do the whole number because Huston wanted it toned down from Ray Stark's over-the-top original vision.

I do enjoy Burnett, Reinking, Curry, Finney and Peters' performances and Quinn was very good in the title role.

That being said, if I had a choice I would definitely prefer that "Funny Girl" were included in this set instead of "Annie".

 

[Colin Jacobson]

My mom loved musicals, so I had a lot of exposure to them as a kid. She and I saw "Annie" when it played DC in 1978 and I enjoyed it. I already knew the soundtrack album.

My dad saw it on Broadway prior to 1978 and frickin' hated it. I don't remember why, but he loathed it so much he walked out halfway into the show!

I was "over" musicals when the movie came out, and I'm not even sure if I saw it in 1982. I did read the Marvel adaptation - I bought literally everything Marvel and DC produced for a couple years there.

All I know now is that I think it's a terrible movie. John Huston was a great filmmaker but arguably the worst possible choice to direct that story.

Doesn't help that Aileen Quinn is both relentlessly annoying as a screen presence and untalented. I still can't get over the fact that they staged a massive talent search and settled on her as the best choice.

Actually, all the kids are awful. They're just cutesy showbiz types who mug for the camera.

The adults manage to bring a little life, but not enough to redeem that atrocity.

 

[Robert Crawford]

That's a surprise! Seriously, the MSRP is probably $164.99 like the previous two box sets.

Target dropped the preorder pricing for this Volume 3 to the same as Volume 2. Therefore, I just pre-ordered it.

 

[B-ROLL]

Target dropped the preorder pricing for this Volume 3 to the same as Volume 2. Therefore, I just pre-ordered it.

+1
I had a $25.00 off "coupon" mostly from the the prior B2G1 sale, so shipped it'll be $90.78 including 5% Red Card discount.

 

[Robert Crawford]

+1
I had a $25.00 off "coupon" mostly from the the prior B2G1 sale, so shipped it'll be $90.78 including 5% Red Card discount.

Yeah, my final cost was $85.37 after using some gift cards.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

My iTunes It Happened One Night has already upgraded to 4K.

 

[Robert Crawford]

My iTunes It Happened One Night has already upgraded to 4K.

It upgraded to 4K without HDR back in December, 2020.

 

[DeWilson]

My mom loved musicals, so I had a lot of exposure to them as a kid. She and I saw "Annie" when it played DC in 1978 and I enjoyed it. I already knew the soundtrack album.

My dad saw it on Broadway prior to 1978 and frickin' hated it. I don't remember why, but he loathed it so much he walked out halfway into the show!

I was "over" musicals when the movie came out, and I'm not even sure if I saw it in 1982. I did read the Marvel adaptation - I bought literally everything Marvel and DC produced for a couple years there.

All I know now is that I think it's a terrible movie. John Huston was a great filmmaker but arguably the worst possible choice to direct that story.

Doesn't help that Aileen Quinn is both relentlessly annoying as a screen presence and untalented. I still can't get over the fact that they staged a massive talent search and settled on her as the best choice.

Actually, all the kids are awful. They're just cutesy showbiz types who mug for the camera.

The adults manage to bring a little life, but not enough to redeem that atrocity.

Aileen did a fine job - and I've seen the screen tests of all 3 girls up for the part from the final 9. (The "Locket Scene" With Albert Finney who did the screen test with the girls) - Robin Inigo (Who ended up getting cast as Duffy) overplayed it, and Angela Lee (Who got a small part as a supporting background orphan) underplayed it.

Aileen has turned into a fine performer, leading her own Rockabilly/Swing/Blues band "The Leaping' Lizards",(Very popular on the west coast music scene, and she's got an even better singing voice now than ever) as well as having played the part of "Annette" in the touring company of the stage musical version of "Saturday Night Fever".

40 years later, and as a fan, I'm still SICK of all the negativity the film still gets...It may not have done what was expected at the box office (It's Ray Stark's fault, not John Huston - he salvaged the film) But it's made the studio A LOT of money as a strong library title.

Oh, let's not forget who the producer of "Funny Girl" is...RAY STARK! Why do you think he had a bit of hubris when producing "Annie" - He made the biggest modern musical for Columbia...and the sequel did just as well! He thought he knew better. In retrospect, he understood the comic strip and those characters as presented there. The films comic strip characters are MORE FAITHFUL to the originals in the film than in the stage musical.

Love to see Huston's longer cut after the reshoots before Columbia imposed "As Close to Two Hours As Possible" running time to get more showing in. (Longer scenes, and a sub-plot of Annie matchmaking Warbucks and Grace was mostly cut!)

Besides, I'd expect "Funny Girl" and "Funny Lady" released in a 2-film set at some point.

 

[benbess]

I put in a pre-order for this set today. The small books that come with these sets, which so far have been mostly by Julie Kirgo, are wonderfully written, enjoyable, and illuminating. This particular set comes with half a dozen extra movies as part of the bonus features, which means that the cost per movie is about ten dollars.

Here's hoping they do a fourth volume. Columbia titles I'd like to see in 4k include Little Women (1994), Funny Girl (1968), The China Syndrome (1979), Hope and Glory (1988), The Man from Laramie (1955), ...And Justice for All (1979), etc.

PS I wish Warner Archive would do some sets like this.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Here's hoping they do a fourth volume. Columbia titles I'd like to see in 4k include Little Women (1994), Funny Girl (1968), The China Syndrome (1979), Hope and Glory (1988), The Man from Laramie (1955), ...And Justice for All (1979), etc.

My vote would be for Silverado.

 

[Jeffrey D]

…And Justice For All is a good choice.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

SILVERADO is a great choice. Such a fun movie!

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL is sensational. Thanks for mentioning it as I need to watch this gem again. I don't know how much it would benefit from a 4k treatment, but agree that it has the credibility to belong in one of their boxed sets.

 

[Jeffrey D]

SILVERADO is a great choice. Such a fun movie!

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL is sensational. Thanks for mentioning it as I need to watch this gem again. I don't know how much it would benefit from a 4k treatment, but agree that it has the credibility to belong in one of their boxed sets.

Does it get any better than Warden taking Pacino on the helicopter ride? Great scene.