The Greatest Show on Earth (1 Viewer)

[battlebeast]

Is this film comming to Blu? The DVD was a single disc bust with not even a trailer... does PAramount have plans to upgrade with some Bonus features? I mean, seeing as how it DID win the Oscar (Unfortunatly, over High Noon), surely it deserves some com mentary... Jimmy Stewart Played in clown make-up for the whole thing!

 

[Matt Hough]

After the release of Samson and Delilah, I would find it hard to understand if this wasn't their next project.

 

[Garysb]

Amazon Prime has an HD version available for streaming so I assume a HD master exists.

 

[philip*eric]

Paramount certainly has supplementary material if they are interested in releasing a SpEd - numerous trailers - one I saw that is a behind the scenes making of .. before that term was in use , poster art, pressbooks, etc. It would be great to see a documentary on DeMille --- maybe they could make a new one . I know that there is one made for TCM but probably not available to Paramount, although a lot of footage comes from them.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Back when Paramount released The Ten Commandments and HTF did an interview with the head of film preservation at Paramount (who is no longer there), he indicated that The Greatest Show on Earth was the next Demille title they planned to put on blu ray. Obviously, that hasn't happened. Perhaps Paramount doesn't think the market is right.

 

[Alan Tully]

I see this is on Film4 in HD next week (in the UK), I'm going to record it, it should look fantastic. If Paramount had the three very colourful DeMille's The Greatest Show On Earth, Samson & Delilah & The Ten Commandments all out on Blu, I think they'd sell a lot more, as you see one & it makes you want to see another one. And why we're at it, Universal should release Unconquered on Blu, their DVD of it looks fantastic. Wow, all that colour!

 

[battlebeast]

If they have a ton of material, it's a no brainier. And I think they could work with TCM for the making of thingy.
Of all the best pictures on DVD, this and Ordinary People were two of the worst, bonus feature/ presentation wise.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Just viewed it for the first time on HDNet channel and it's a nice looking print of the film. The film is ok and liked seeing Charlton Heston & James Stewart but High Noon or The Quiet Man should have won the Oscar for best film.

 

[Dick]

If they have a ton of material, it's a no brainier. And I think they could work with TCM for the making of thingy.
Of all the best pictures on DVD, this and Ordinary People were two of the worst, bonus feature/ presentation wise.

And they are the best you will probably ever get, seeing as they are from Paramount. The DVD of ORDINARY PEOPLE is a disgrace.

 

[Garysb]

For people complaining that "The Greatest Show On Earth" did not deserve to win Best Picture it was generally conceded that the picture won more as a tribute to lifetime achievement for Cecil B DeMille rather than the merits of this picture. The dialogue is certainly over the top as were many of DeMille's later pictures.such as "Samson and Delilah" and especially "The Ten Commandments ." Doesn't stop it from being an enjoyable film. As an actor DeMille was best in "Sunset Boulevard" rather than as the narrator of his own films such as in "Greatest" and "Commandments"

 

[Worth]

And they are the best you will probably ever get, seeing as they are from Paramount. The DVD of ORDINARY PEOPLE is a disgrace.

Given the way Paramount's been going of late, they may do a 4K release on digital platforms.

 

[Vic Pardo]

For people complaining that "The Greatest Show On Earth" did not deserve to win Best Picture it was generally conceded that the picture won more as a tribute to lifetime achievement for Cecil B DeMille rather than the merits of this picture. The dialogue is certainly over the top as were many of DeMille's later pictures.such as "Samson and Delilah" and especially "The Ten Commandments ." Doesn't stop it from being an enjoyable film. As an actor DeMille was best in "Sunset Boulevard" rather than as the narrator of his own films such as in "Greatest" and "Commandments"

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH was the worst Best Picture Oscar winner of the 20th century. (The 21st century has had worse.) If they were gonna honor DeMille, they should have given THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) Best Picture. It was certainly better than the other nominees that year and much, much better than the actual winner, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS.

At this point, I'm much more interested in "The Greatest Show on Earth" TV series with Jack Palance, whose centennial is coming up on Feb. 18. The series, which aired for one season from 1963-64, was one of the rare hour-long series produced in color at that time.

 

[Robert Crawford]

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH was the worst Best Picture Oscar winner of the 20th century. (The 21st century has had worse.) If they were gonna honor DeMille, they should have given THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) Best Picture. It was certainly better than the other nominees that year and much, much better than the actual winner, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS.

At this point, I'm much more interested in "The Greatest Show on Earth" TV series with Jack Palance, whose centennial is coming up on Feb. 18. The series, which aired for one season from 1963-64, was one of the rare hour-long series produced in color at that time.

Personally, I would have given it to "The King and I" or "Giant". We all know that "The Searchers"' got robbed that year as it was the best movie released in 1956, yet wasn't even nominated for any major awards

 

[Thomas T]

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH was the worst Best Picture Oscar winner of the 20th century.

Actually, it wasn't. That would be that sentimental piece of slop known as Going My Way. And as far as circus movies go, I'll take the 1959 The Big Circus with Victor Mature, Rhonda Fleming, Gilbert Roland and Peter Lorre. More entertaining and a lot less bloat.

 

[richardburton84]

Personally, I would have given it to "The King and I" or "Giant". We all know that "The Searchers"' got robbed that year as it was the best movie released in 1956, yet wasn't even nominated for any major awards

Personally, I think all the films you mentioned were worthier choices for Best Picture over 80 Days (even if I do think Ten Commandments should have won), though I have to give a special shout-out to Friendly Persuasion, a wonderful film that seems to get overlooked in regards to the Best Picture nominees of that year.

 

[Garysb]

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH was the worst Best Picture Oscar winner of the 20th century. (The 21st century has had worse.) If they were gonna honor DeMille, they should have given THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) Best Picture.

Obviously it was unknown in 1952 when "The Greatest Show On Earth" was released that DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" was going to be a better film that was going to be released in 1956. If "The Greatest Show On Earth" had not won Best Picture , "The Ten Commandments" might well have won for the same reason that "Greatest Show" won, to honor Demille.

 

[Arthur Powell]

I'll take The Greatest Show on Earth any day over Titanic. I'll leave it at that.

 

[OliverK]

Personally, I would have given it to "The King and I" or "Giant". We all know that "The Searchers"' got robbed that year as it was the best movie released in 1956, yet wasn't even nominated for any major awards

In the end the Ten Commandments won over all of them as it is the only one of these movies that has gotten a stellar Blu-ray release

 

[Robert Crawford]

In the end the Ten Commandments won over all of them as it is the only one of these movies that has gotten a stellar Blu-ray release

That's a matter of opinion.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Actually, it wasn't. That would be that sentimental piece of slop known as Going My Way. And as far as circus movies go, I'll take the 1959 The Big Circus with Victor Mature, Rhonda Fleming, Gilbert Roland and Peter Lorre. More entertaining and a lot less bloat.

Yeah, looking back at the 1944 films I can easily name off 10 films that were better than "Going My Way" in my opinion. Perhaps, the nation and film industry engulfed in war were in need of sentimentality.

Double Indemnity
Murder My Sweet
Meet Me in St. Louis
Laura
Phantom Lady
Henry V
Mr. Skeffington
The Lodger
Gaslight
The Seventh Cross