Warner Archive Announcements Thread (6 Viewers)

[Bernard McNair]

Thank you all for your guidance on the Ron Haver’s books; I will certainly seek them out.

 

[RolandL]

A little side note: If you go on Amazon and read the comments, 6% give it only One Star. The reason?
"This is horrific! I didn't pay for stills. This is not a movie, it's part movie, part photo montage" etc. etc.
One has to wonder in what world these reviewers live.

I'm surprised it's only 6%. Most people don't know what work is in involved restoring a classic title where the complete roadshow does not exist.

 

[RetroGuy]

Haver's OTHER great book, DAVID O. SELZNICK'S HOLLYWOOD, is also an essential, by the way, and may very well be the cadillac of lavish, informative "coffee table" movie books you really don't see much anymore. That one covers Selznick's entire fascinating career (including the making of the 1937 STAR and Selznick's relationship with the Technicolor process) and is packed with an abundance of gorgeous photos. It's slightly less "cover to cover" readable due to its size and scope (the original 1980 edition, worthwhile tracking down if possible, was on heavy glossy paper and included a copper plate reproduction of the KING KONG premiere program) but every library should include BOTH

Thanks for the info, Will! I just placed an order for a first edition copy.

 

[Richard M S]

A little side note: If you go on Amazon and read the comments, 6% give it only One Star. The reason?
"This is horrific! I didn't pay for stills. This is not a movie, it's part movie, part photo montage" etc. etc.
One has to wonder in what world these reviewers live.

Wow, I had not been aware of that - virtually every One, Two, and Three Star reviews referenced the usage of the stills in disparaging terms.

I attended the world premiere of the restored version at Radio City Music Hall back in 1983. The original 1954 premiere footage was shown before the film. James Mason spoke as did Liza Minnelli. Literally every scene change and famous line was applauded; absolute pandemonium ensued during and after the rediscovered musical numbers. Personally I found the stills, interspersed with bits cut to be used in other films, fascinating. So did the audience!

So I realize this was all nearly 40 years ago (yikes!) but whoa, how audiences change!

 

[Alan Tully]

Haver's OTHER great book, DAVID O. SELZNICK'S HOLLYWOOD, is also an essential, by the way, and may very well be the cadillac of lavish, informative "coffee table" movie books you really don't see much anymore. That one covers Selznick's entire fascinating career (including the making of the 1937 STAR and Selznick's relationship with the Technicolor process) and is packed with an abundance of gorgeous photos. It's slightly less "cover to cover" readable due to its size and scope (the original 1980 edition, worthwhile tracking down if possible, was on heavy glossy paper and included a copper plate reproduction of the KING KONG premiere program) but every library should include BOTH

EDIT: The HOLLYWOOD book is SO big that the "Gone with the Wind" title referenced in the links Robert Crawford posted above is just the section on GWTW from the original book that has been re-published on its own.

Yup, that huge red Selznick book is a work of art. Some decades ago I saw a stack of them going for a song in a remainder bookshop (London), I bought three, & god they were so heavy I could hardly make it home. Two were given as presents & I kept the third, & still have it.

 

[RolandL]

Yup, that huge red Selznick book is a work of art. Some decades ago I saw a stack of them going for a song in a remainder bookshop (London), I bought three, & god they were so heavy I could hardly make it home. Two were given as presents & I kept the third, & still have it.

$6.50 and up on eBay.

 

[David_B_K]

$6.50 and up on eBay.

Thanks for the link. I just ordered a copy.

 

[benbess]

Perhaps everyone here already knows of this visual and chronological list of apparently all of the Warner Archive blu-ray titles, but just in case....

Warner Archive Blu-Ray Releases

Feature films and telemovies released by Warner Archive on Blu-ray, up to June 30, 2022.

letterboxd.com

Looking it over, there are still several titles on my wish list.

 

[RafaelPires]

In the latest Dvd Classics Corner podcast, George Feltenstein told Dick Dinman that the the technicolor negatives for Three Little Words are in the house, but they haven't started working on them yet. He also mentioned that it will possible have a late 2022 release.

By the way, anyone knows if the original negatives survive for any of these Jane Powell musicals?

- A Date with Judy
- Nancy goes to Rio
- Two weeks with love

I would love to see what miracle Warner's MPI can do with them.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

By the way, anyone knows if the original negatives survive for any of these Jane Powell musicals?

- A Date with Judy
- Nancy goes to Rio
- Two weeks with love

I would love to see what miracle Warner's MPI can do with them.

I don't know about the negative for A Date with Judy, but I do recall that title being included in a long list of films a viewer was asking about on the WAC Podcast, and Mr. Feltenstein replying that each of them was a likely candidate for release. So hopefully one day soon!

 

[Will Krupp]

I don't know about the negative for A Date with Judy, but I do recall that title being included in a long list of films a viewer was asking about on the WAC Podcast, and Mr. Feltenstein replying that each of them was a likely candidate for release. So hopefully one day soon!

I love everything about A Date with Judy and would snap the blu-ray up in a heartbeat! What a flawless cast and a great vintage CA atmosphere. It's one of those movies I'd love to live in, lol.

 

[SeanSKA]

What are the chances of WAC doing 4k disc upgrades of titles that have so-so blu-ray releases ? I'm thinking of titles like "Deliverance", "Dog Day Afternoon", "The Dirty Dozen". "Bullitt", and especially "The Wild Bunch"

 

[SeanSKA]

This is excellent news! And David, this will definitely be an upgrade. I own the Kino release, also, and the PQ is ok, but not great.

Since the Archive released Santa Fe Trail last year and now this possibly that bodes well for other PD titles such as Life With Father, Royal Wedding, Till the Clouds Roll By and Father's Little Dividend. We shall see and I'm looking forward to Grimm as well. Once a title they said could never be released on Blu-ray much less DVD due to the quality of the available film elements. Amazing how far advanced digital restoration tools have become.

Does WB have any claim on "Meet John Doe" ? That would be an ideal title for the Archive

 

[Stephen_J_H]

What are the chances of WAC doing 4k disc upgrades of titles that have so-so blu-ray releases ? I'm thinking of titles like "Deliverance", "Dog Day Afternoon", "The Dirty Dozen". "Bullitt", and especially "The Wild Bunch"

Of the titles you've listed, I could see them using The Dirty Dozen as a "trial balloon", as it's been fairly evergreen on home media, followed by Bullitt. Deliverance has always been a controversial title on home video, as the most recent master attempted to be faithful to the "flashed" look of the film. Dog Day Afternoon is a prestige title for the studio and could make a decent 4K disc, and The Wild Bunch could use a fresh harvest. It all comes down to dollars and cents, and I can't say with any certainty how titles other than TDD and Bullitt would be justified under the business model.

 

[richardburton84]

What are the chances of WAC doing 4k disc upgrades of titles that have so-so blu-ray releases ? I'm thinking of titles like "Deliverance", "Dog Day Afternoon", "The Dirty Dozen". "Bullitt", and especially "The Wild Bunch"

I don’t know if it will necessarily be released through the Archive, but on one of the podcasts he’s been on, Mr. Feltenstein has mentioned wanting to do a 4K release of Excalibur, which I believe had a mediocre transfer on Blu-Ray.

 

[RMajidi]

Dear WAC,

You keep putting out titles featuring the Incandescent Nightingale* and I’ll keep buying them.

Thanks, in anticipation.

* Doris Day, of course

 

[Nick*Z]

I love everything about A Date with Judy and would snap the blu-ray up in a heartbeat! What a flawless cast and a great vintage CA atmosphere. It's one of those movies I'd love to live in, lol.

Almost anything Jane Powell would be a day one purchase for me: Holiday in Mexico, A Date With Judy, Rich Young and Pretty, Two Weeks With Love, Small Town Girl. Would really like to see more Esther Williams coming down the pike too - especially, Bathing Beauty and Easy to Love! Mario Lanza too - That Midnight Kiss and The Toast of New Orleans...pretty please.

 

[Keith Cobby]

In the latest Dvd Classics Corner podcast, George Feltenstein told Dick Dinman that the the technicolor negatives for Three Little Words are in the house, but they haven't started working on them yet. He also mentioned that it will possible have a late 2022 release.

By the way, anyone knows if the original negatives survive for any of these Jane Powell musicals?

- A Date with Judy
- Nancy goes to Rio
- Two weeks with love

I would love to see what miracle Warner's MPI can do with them.

That's fantastic news, thanks. Three Little Words is my favourite Astaire film, and Vera-Ellen was his best dance partner. It's one of my three most wanted titles (others being High Society and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). Shall listen to the podcast.

 

[mskaye]

Of the titles you've listed, I could see them using The Dirty Dozen as a "trial balloon", as it's been fairly evergreen on home media, followed by Bullitt. Deliverance has always been a controversial title on home video, as the most recent master attempted to be faithful to the "flashed" look of the film. Dog Day Afternoon is a prestige title for the studio and could make a decent 4K disc, and The Wild Bunch could use a fresh harvest. It all comes down to dollars and cents, and I can't say with any certainty how titles other than TDD and Bullitt would be justified under the business model.

Of the films mentioned above, only THE WILD BUNCH is mentioned on Sight and Sound's 2012 list of The Greatest Films of All Time - both the overall poll and the poll taken from major directors.

Votes for The Wild Bunch (1969) | BFI

A gang of outlaws goes out in a blaze of violence and glory in Sam Peckinpah’s elegiac film about the dying days of the wild west.

www2.bfi.org.uk

It's deserving of an upgrade for its artistic significance as well as being one of the greatest action movies/westerns of all time. I think it's influence on modern cinema is profound. Peckinpah was a director of vision and complexity so for historical reasons alone, THE WILD BUNCH deserves a first class restoration and presentation. And I love DOG DAY and DELIVERANCE too...all the films deserve the Criterion Collection/Warner Archive level treatment.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Of the films mentioned above, only THE WILD BUNCH is mentioned on Sight and Sound's 2012 list of The Greatest Films of All Time - both the overall poll and the poll taken from major directors.

Votes for The Wild Bunch (1969) | BFI

A gang of outlaws goes out in a blaze of violence and glory in Sam Peckinpah’s elegiac film about the dying days of the wild west.

www2.bfi.org.uk

It's deserving of an upgrade for its artistic significance as well as being one of the greatest action movies/westerns of all time. I think it's influence on modern cinema is profound. Peckinpah was a director of vision and complexity so for historical reasons alone, THE WILD BUNCH deserves a first class restoration and presentation. And I love DOG DAY and DELIVERANCE too...all the films deserve the Criterion Collection/Warner Archive level treatment.

Never said The Wild Bunch wasn't deserving of a 4K UHD rescan and remastering. As the line goes from Unforgiven, "Deserve's got nothin' to do with it." Warner Archive is a business at the end of the day; if the numbers justify a 4K UHD release of The Wild Bunch, I'm all for it, but I have my doubts that they do.