Unexpected Blu-Ray releases You've Been Delighted to See (1 Viewer)

[Suzanne.S]

I can't even begin to list all the titles, particularly from Kino that I thought wouldn't be released on Blu. They always continue to surprise me with films that I haven't even heard of, or at best only read about. While we don't get the quantity of releases that we did in the mid 2000s, we are getting more unusual releases and that's fine by me.

I think that any silent that gets a release, particularly on Blu is probably my favorite. Too many have been lost to not celebrate the ones we have left.

 

[skylark68]

So many to think about but one I watched recently that looked great was China (1943) with Alan Ladd. I hadn’t even heard of this film before Kino released it. I blind bought it and was really happy I did. What a good film. I usually am happily surprised by just about everything Kino releases from the silent age to the 1970s.

 

[Beckford]

one I watched recently that looked great was China (1943) with Alan Ladd. I hadn’t even heard of this film before Kino released it. I blind bought it and was really happy I did. What a good film. .

If you like "China" ( I did too), you may enjoy another Alan Ladd title called"Thunder in the East". It's set in India in the late 40's and co-stars Deborah Kerr, Charles Boyer and Corinne Calvet, all excellent. I'm an Alan Ladd fan and I'd count this one as one of my four favorites Ladd movies (the others being "Shane", "This Gun for Hire" and "Boy on a Dolphin"). Sad to say, Ladd's past his prime in "Boy on a Dolphin" but everything else about that picture (the story, the scenery, the music) is outstanding. And Ladd's co-stars, Clifton Webb and - above all - a superbly confident and fiery Sophia Loren - are sensational.
Unfortunately, "Thunder in the East" is a lesser known Paramount item from the 50's so it's unlikely to see Blu-Ray release. Not one of the pre-50's Paramount titles Kino has been able to bring us through their Universal deals. But it is available as an iTunes download.

 

[Capt D McMars]

If you like "China" ( I did too), you may enjoy another Alan Ladd title called"Thunder in the East". It's set in India in the late 40's and co-stars Deborah Kerr, Charles Boyer and Corinne Calvet, all excellent. I'm an Alan Ladd fan and I'd count this one as one of my four favorites Ladd movies (the others being "Shane", "This Gun for Hire" and "Boy on a Dolphin"). Sad to say, Ladd's past his prime in "Boy on a Dolphin" but everything else about that picture (the story, the scenery, the music) is outstanding. And Ladd's co-stars, Clifton Webb and - above all - a superbly confident and fiery Sophia Loren - are sensational.
Unfortunately, "Thunder in the East" is a lesser known Paramount item from the 50's so it's unlikely to see Blu-Ray release. Not one of the pre-50's Paramount titles Kino has been able to bring us through their Universal deals. But it is available as an iTunes download.

I too am an Alan Ladd fan, tracked down a German copy of his movie Black Knight, a hard one to track down, in fair condition for a dvd. But other than Shane, and some of the titles you mentioned I always loved the fictional account of Jim Bowie, co-staring Virginia Mayo in The Iron Mistress!!

 

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I too am an Alan Ladd fan, tracked down a German copy of his movie Black Knight, a hard one to track down, in fair condition for a dvd. But other than Shane, and some of the titles you mentioned I always loved the fictional account of Jim Bowie, co-staring Virginia Mayo in The Iron Mistress!!

FYI, The Black Knight was released last year by Mill Creek on an Alan Ladd three-movie DVD along with Hell Below Zero and 13 West Street. Haven't watched the last two, but The Black Knight looked better than expected considering it's Mill Creek and all three movies are on one disc.

 

[Capt D McMars]

FYI, The Black Knight was released last year by Mill Creek on an Alan Ladd three-movie DVD along with Hell Below Zero and 13 West Street. Haven't watched the last two, but The Black Knight looked better than expected considering it's Mill Creek and all three movies are on one disc.

Yeah I saw that but I know Mill Creek, and only wanted the Black Knight so went for the Euro version. I have a multi region player so ain't no thing, LOL!!!

 

[Brian W.]

"Scream Pretty Peggy," a cheesy early '70s TV movie that I remember from my childhood.

 

[noel aguirre]

TWWOTBGrimm and the upcoming Invaders From Mars.
Also Liquid Sky, Fade To Black, Lust in the Dust, and Flesh For Frankenstein 3D all from Vinegar Syndrome. Never thought I ever see them again and definitely not in the quality VS released them in.

 

[Dick]

There are many older movies I would love to have on Blu-ray such as

"At Play in the Fields of the Lord" shot in the Amazon with Tom Berenger, John Lithgow, Daryl Hanna, Adrian Quinn and Kathy bates.

So glad to see someone else interested in this fine, neglected film. Kino???

 

[Mark Mayes]

These are 2 films that I love and had no idea they would be given any release on Blu-ray ever. The first one is the wonderful Congress Dances which was filmed in 3 different languages and was the big budgeted UFA musical Of 1931. Only the German version appears on disc. It starred Conrad Veidt and Lilian Harvey and is a remarkable film for many reasons: including it's camera work, it's remarkable sets, and most of all its charming performances. The other one is 1940's Waterloo Bridge, which was Vivien Leigh's favorite among her own films. The transfer is great for this haunting romantic take on a WWI romance.

 

[Robin9]

These are 2 films that I love and had no idea they would be given any release on Blu-ray ever. The first one is the wonderful Congress Dances which was filmed in 3 different languages and was the big budgeted UFA musical Of 1931. Only the German version appears on disc. It starred Conrad Veidt and Lilian Harvey and is a remarkable film for many reasons: including it's camera work, it's remarkable sets, and most of all its charming performances. The other one is 1940's Waterloo Bridge, which was Vivien Leigh's favorite among her own films. The transfer is great for this haunting romantic take on a WWI romance.

Waterloo Bridge has been released on Blu-ray disc by Warner Archive.

 

[cinemel1]

Some of these Warners are big surprises. Things like The Glass Bottom Boat and Penelope which didn't even make it to DVD. I don't even know if it made it to VHS. Anyway outside of me who wants these films? I imagine I'm the only person in the world who wants a bluray of Half a Sixpence(Yes I know Paramount which makes it all the more unlikely.)

I’m also a fan of Half a Sixpence. It has a terrific score with memorable tunes. Saw it in its roadshow run at the Criterion in NY. Both soundtrack and Broadway cast albums are quite good.

 

[Beckford]

the wonderful Congress Dances which was filmed in 3 different languages and was the big budgeted UFA musical Of 1931. Only the German version appears on disc. It starred Conrad Veidt and Lilian Harvey and is a remarkable film for many reasons: including it's camera work, it's remarkable sets, and most of all its charming performances.

I too would snap this one up if we could get an English subtitled Blu. Even more enticing for me would be an earlier film starring the same romantic pair Lilian Harvey and Willy Fritsch, "Die Drei von der Tankstelle"(roughly The Filling Station Trio). It's a groundbreaking early talkie - breezy, creative fun and a critical step in the development of movie musicals. This one's already available on Blu in Germany (sans subtitles) as part of a four film Heinz Ruhmann collection (he costars with Harvey and Fritsch in the film). Kino's already brought out one of the four (The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes) as a subtitled North American Blu. Would love to see them follow it with the filling station musical. And - of course - "Congress Dances".

 

[David_B_K]

Especially nice to see this one on your list. I purchased it as a blind buy. And was absolutely delighted. Always liked Brian Aherne; hadn't realized he'd initially attained film prominence in silents. Cyril McLaglen was terrific in the movie as well. Never knew Victor McLaglen had a talented brother who also acted. Was so impressed by Anthony Asquith's direction that I sought out "Shooting Stars" from '28 (which also featured Aherne). Another winner. Most exciting of all Asquiths for me turned out to be "A Cottage on Dartmoor"(1929), which for some reason has only made it to DVD. It's a knockout of a picture that deserves to be much more widely seen.
All three are from Kino.

I've never heard of this film. I think I'll order it before the Kino sale ends. Thanks, Bert & Ken for bringing it to my attention.

 

[Capt D McMars]

I’m also a fan of Half a Sixpence. It has a terrific score with memorable tunes. Saw it in its roadshow run at the Criterion in NY. Both soundtrack and Broadway cast albums are quite good.

Thanks Mel for mentioning Penelope, I remember seeing it in the local theater and I'm a big Natale Wood fan, it was a nice vehicle for her, and it should have been given the love it deserved. It was a nice suprise to have WAC step up and release it for all of the Natalie Wood fans. Is it prefect, no but it is fum and she's great in the part as always!! Again thanks Mel for that addition!!

 

[Denham]

I guess because of Paramounts "issues" over the years, I was startled, and very happy, when Shout unexpectedly announced Prophecy for the last quarter of 2019- along with another huge out-of-nowhere surprise, the '79 Dracula featuring the original theatrical color grading.

In keeping with the recent Natalie Wood love, I was also very happy get Love With The Proper Stranger a few years earlier.
The fact it had never had a basic DVD release prior made it all the more satisfying.
Another one that I longed pined for, which never showed up on DVD was Universal's Hold Back The Dawn. Never expected to see that come from Arrow of all labels, but they did a fine job, and I'm very thankful to have it.

It's funny, but most of the time my reaction is the opposite of this thread's premise. I'm constantly surprised at how long it's taking to get (what used to be) some basic home video staples released in relatively bare bones presentations.

Something like Foul Play took 15 years into the format to get a sole, perfunctory release using a decades old master?
Good grief.

 

[roxy1927]

I’m also a fan of Half a Sixpence. It has a terrific score with memorable tunes. Saw it in its roadshow run at the Criterion in NY. Both soundtrack and Broadway cast albums are quite good.

Wow am I jealous. As I've written I watched the Criterion premiere on TV far away in the Jersey suburbs and there was no way my parents were going to bring me into the city to see it let alone pay roadshow prices when I could pay 75 cents for a saturday matinee by the time it made its way out there.

When Penelope played the family friendly Music Hall there were some slight adjustments to the poster art.

 

[timk1041]

I guess because of Paramounts "issues" over the years, I was startled, and very happy, when Shout unexpectedly announced Prophecy for the last quarter of 2019- along with another huge out-of-nowhere surprise, the '79 Dracula featuring the original theatrical color grading.

In keeping with the recent Natalie Wood love, I was also very happy get Love With The Proper Stranger a few years earlier.
The fact it had never had a basic DVD release prior made it all the more satisfying.
Another one that I longed pined for, which never showed up on DVD was Universal's Hold Back The Dawn. Never expected to see that come from Arrow of all labels, but they did a fine job, and I'm very thankful to have it.

It's funny, but most of the time my reaction is the opposite of this thread's premise. I'm constantly surprised at how long it's taking to get (what used to be) some basic home video staples released in relatively bare bones presentations.

Something like Foul Play took 15 years into the format to get a sole, perfunctory release using a decades old master?
Good grief.

I was delighted to see Hold Back The Dawn get released. It should have been out sooner.

 

[Beckford]

In my initial post, the one that kicked off this thread a while back, I mentioned a few of the titles I was especially pleased (and surprised) to see getting a Blu-ray release. I see now that I forgot to include a film that particularly fits that category for me. It's "Manon", Henri-Georges Clouzot's powerful tale of an unusual romance - brief but intense - that rises from the rubble and chaos of WW2 and its aftermath.
I suppose Clouzot's lingering reputation is based mainly on "Diabolique" and "Wages of Fear" But I've always thought "Manon" was his masterpiece. It was much acclaimed in Europe when it emerged in 1949 but I don't believe it ever made the impression it should have in North America.
The film's stars are all marvelous. Michel Auclair had previously distinguished himself in Cocteau's "Beauty and the Beast" and Rene Clement's "Les Maudits"/The Damned. The charismatic Serge Reggiani was already on his way to legendary status in the French film scene (he had a parallel - and equally successful career as a singer). And then there's fascinating Cecile Aubry, barely twenty when she made it, a kind of kittenish precursor to Bardot with suggestions of Alice in Wonderland and Lolita.
The film's European success instantly made Aubry a red hot commodity. Orson Welles unofficially engaged her as Desdemona in his projected "Othello". But - what with the fitful progress of Welles self-financed venture - Aubry and her mother/adviser decided to decamp and accept a solid big money offer from Hollywood instead (the lead opposite Tyrone Power in Fox's "The Black Rose"). That proved to be her sole American venture (filmed mainly on location in Morocco with - as it turned out - Orson Welles in the cast).
A few years later she married the son of the Pasha of Marrakesh (whom she'd met while filming "The Black Rose") and left acting behind. That marriage had ended by the 60's and when Aubry returned to France she started a whole new and very successful career as an author of children's books; eventually the lady created an immensely popular children's television series called "Belle et Sebastien" starring her young son.
But "Manon" stands as the great highlight of her brief but heady career in movies.
As the film's never been much discussed (or even seen) on this side of the Atlantic, I was knocked for a happy loop when Arrow Academy released "Manon" on Blu-ray early in 2020. I grabbed it as soon as I could and wasn't disappointed. It turned out to be every bit as good and as emotionally affecting as I'd remembered. If you have a liking for classic French films and haven't seen "Manon", I definitely advise you to check it out.

 

[dana martin]

I Haven't heard a single complaint yet about a little Hal Roach property, that Classicflix took it upon themselves, to restore and release, to the point that they have gone back and are doing what remains of the silents to give them an official release.

Honestly I never thought these would get past that last DVD release, I am so glad I was wrong, these are a revelation.