Suggestions for a Commecially Viable Warner Musical Box Set (1 Viewer)

[Corey]

That's disappointing news. It would've been nice if they had included it as a bonus on the dvd of The Women. They also should've put Weekend At the Waldorf on the Grand Hotel dvd. If they own the remakes and sequels to a movie, they should include them all.

 

[Doug Bull]

I overlooked "THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER" in my Operetta list.

 

[Edward Weinman]

Just like the laser disc set re: Composers Collection..."Deep In My Heart" would be great in anamorphic widescreen and using the multichannel sound elements.

 

[Matt Hough]

How about a SHOW BOAT boxed set like the old laserdisc set with the 1929, 1936, and 1951 versions!

The 1951 version in the laserdisc box had a stereo soundtrack (also allowed you to choose either Ava Gardner's or Annette Warren's vocals), but the DVD issue was strictly mono.

 

[Garysb]

I thought a new Showboat set as you describe it was coming in 2007.
I don't remember where I read this. I know it was not asked about in the last Warner Chat.

 

[Mark B]

I read about it, too, and there was a mention of some of the missing sound discs for the 1929 version being found. Let me try to find it....

 

[Doug Bull]

I read about the SHOWBOAT box set as well, that is why I left the most loved Operetta? Musical off my initial list.

 

[Jack Theakston]

The Eddy/MacDonald operettas are great films and totally worthy of a release, but I don't think have ever really been "commercially viable". They're prestige pics, all the way.

And my final word on the topic: Edward G. Robinson.

 

[JohnPM]

They did a pretty ambitious laser disc set on the various "Showboat" versions some years ago. I would think they could upgrade that quite a bit now, what with the stereo 1951 tracks someone mentioned and those additional sound discs for the 1929 version that have turned up in the interim.

http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/

 

[Corey]

1929 SHOWBOAT DISCS FOUND

The 1929 version of SHOWBOAT was partially reconstructed with most, but not all, of the soundtrack discs for a 1990's laserdisc set. Several reels had no surviving sound, and excerpts from existing discs were used to fill in the gap. Among the missing were discs for reels 9 and 11. Both were found this summer and are now held by the Project. We will make them available to Warner Home Video when they assemble their planned 2007 DVD set of all three versions of SHOWBOAT (1929, 1936 and 1951) to commemorate the Broadway show's 80th anniversary. The newly discovered discs include dialogue, music and singing throughout, so are a significant find.

Got this from The Vitaphone Project Website. We probably wouldn't get this Show Boat collection until November 2007 since that would mark the 80th anniversary.

 

[Corey]

i think if wb found a good way to promote them then they would sell. they came up with a good marketing strategy when they released that's entertainment. this is why they haven't released "when the lion roars." they said it's ready for release, but just haven't found a way to promote it well. i think the eddy/macdonald operettas would be more commercially viable than the maisie or dr. kildare sets.

 

[Jack Theakston]

"Dr. Kildare" at least has a generation of baby boomers that still remember and are interested in the show (it also ran for five years). And while I don't know this for a fact, I'd be pretty certain that some TV show sets sell far more than most classic film units, just from personal experience.

 

[Matt Hough]

The previous poster was obviously referring to the MGM film series of DR. KILDARE with Lew Ayres as Kildare which is what Warners is considering releasing in a boxed set.

The TV series with RIchard Chamberlain is a different animal entirely.

 

[Art_AD]

Someone mentioned on another thread:

"I still want to know who they think is going to buy box sets of Maisie and Dr. Kildare films, and why on earth they would think that they would be commercially viable".

These are good films and they have never been released to home video before.They deserve a release. In each series some are better than others but the same can be aid of Andy Hardy & the Thin Man films. I would also like to see the TV show on DVD too. I think each "Signature Collection Set" come with some films that were never released on video (like the Bette Davis Collection).

Now to commercially viable box sets:

I have to say with the press release of the Stewart & Reagan Box I was disappointed because I was hoping for the Esther Williams box this summer. That would be a winner.

 

[Corey]

I look forward to purchasing the Andy Hardy, Dr. Kildare, and Maisie sets. I'm glad to know that they'll be in the slim amaray cases because it sure will save a lot of space. There are many sets I would've like to see before these Reagan and Stewart sets. A lot of them, WB probably already has in the can: Jean Harlow, Spencer Tracy, Rooney/Garland, Esther Williams. Now those would sell like hot cakes. They've been holding back on them for so long, people are craving them.

 

[RafaelPires]

Yes, Maisie, Andy Hardy and Dr. Kildare boxes are must buy for me. I love Ann Sothern and I think she deserves this collection.
And Corey I completely agree with you about those other box sets you mentioned.
In fact I'll get everything WB releases. Also expeting James Cagney Collection and Joan Crawford Vol. 2.
Does anyone knows if Nora Prentiss and The Unfaithful, both starring Ann Sheridan and directed by Vincent Sherman are on the pipilne? Maybe in the future Noir set?

 

[Corey]

I read that since Vincent Sherman is 99 years old, they interviewd him for all the movies he directed, so I'm sure Nora Prentiss and The Unfaithful are down the pipe line. He looks very good for his age and he has a photographic memory.

 

[JohnPM]

Assuming Vincent Sherman did a commentary for "Adventures Of Don Juan", perhaps we can look forward to that title being included in the next Errol Flynn box set.

http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/

 

[Garysb]

How about a Saved From Public Domain Box set.
This could include Royal Wedding, a couple of the Dr. Kildare and Andy Hardy films Till The Clouds Roll By and many others.

I liked the Maisie films but it was odd that there was no continuity between
films. If she was about to marry someone at the end of one film, there was no mention of this in the next film. Also Maisie had no continuing characters other than Maisie from one film to the next. I think this was unique for a film series.

 

[RafaelPires]

Corey, I'm not sure if Vincent Sherman provided commentary for ALL of his movies, I remember reading that he did for some of them. Anyway, I hope I'm wrong, since it would be awesome to have all of his WB movies on dvd.
Besides The Unfaithful and Nora Prentiss, I would love to have The Adventures of Don Juan, The Hard Way, All Through the Night, Lone Star and Goodbye mey fancy. And, though I have never seen them, I would also pick Pillow to Post and Back Fire, just because of their casts.