Warner Night at the Movies (1 Viewer)

[NY2LA]

I've liked this feature since it started on VHS 30 years ago. They recreate a full show at a movie theatre by preceding the movie with a newsreel, short subject, cartoons, and trailers from the year the movie came out.
This is such a great idea that I think more DVD and Blu Ray releases should do it more often. Particularly Warners, who own a huge catalog of shorts, cartoons and featurettes. I see no reason they can't do it with every film. I'm not adamant that the extra bits be absolutely from the year the movie came out, or even the same studio (MGM or WB) I'd be happy if the cartoons and shorts just matched the theme of the film. In fact, why not make that an option? A year specific set of co-features and another set that matches the theme.
For this thread I call on our fellow home theatre enthusiasts to post an entry for each DVD/BRD title that has this feature, naming the extra bits in the order they appear...
AND... I encourage our more creative cohorts to suggest movies they'd like to see with this Night at the Movies feature, listing some specific shorts, cartoons, etc. that they think would match the feature to make a good complete show.
Now before some overzealous naysayer scampers in here anxious to lift his hind leg on the idea... NO I'm not suggesting that this thread will miraculously convince any studios to start doing this all the time. HOWEVER, a good idea is a good idea, this stuff is fun to play around with and use our imagination on, and, (as we hear that some studio people might look in on this site occasionally) if SOME of this HAPPENS to spark some more creativity in building added value features in the future, so much the better. We can at least have some fun talking about it.

 

[Rick Thompson]

Please, no.
What we'd get is more of what frequently happens now: "Coming soon to DVD" and "Coming soon to theaters" of films that, before too long, will be way outdated. They'll be long since arrived on DVD and long since come to and gone from theaters (and probably long since released on DVD as well).
And who will want that recent addition to movie night -- commercials? It was hard enough to get them out; don't let them back in!

 

[Alan Tully]

There's been some very effective little films made (some B, some not), that don't stand any chance of a release. I love this, night out at the pictures idea - support feature, newsreel, cartoon, trailers for next week (I love old trailers), main feature.

 

[NY2LA]

Please, no.
What we'd get is more of what frequently happens now: "Coming soon to DVD" and "Coming soon to theaters" of films that, before too long, will be way outdated. They'll be long since arrived on DVD and long since come to and gone from theaters (and probably long since released on DVD as well).
And who will want that recent addition to movie night -- commercials? It was hard enough to get them out; don't let them back in!

And there we have the first raised leg!
By that logic, why have DVDs or supplements at all, if they're so easy to mess up? And why have forums like this if people are only going to treat them like a fire hydrant? ; )
The Warner Night at the Movies feature is a playback OPTION, not forced/locked into playing every time. It's not all trailers.

 

[NY2LA]

There's been some very effective little films made (some B, some not), that don't stand any chance of a release. I love this, night out at the pictures idea - support feature, newsreel, cartoon, trailers for next week (I love old trailers), main feature.

Ah, I agree - and I was going to include Double Features here, but decided to give it a separate thread. I welcome your input there as well.

 

[Charles Smith]

Yikes. With all due respect, the point and content of the original post was totally misunderstood or misinterpreted up there.

Love the idea. Absolutely, totally, love it. There's so much along these lines that could have been done over the years on DVD, and now on BLU, and it seems there's practically zero interest or imagination or incentive on the part of those in the position to put these things out there. Kudos to WB for having taken a stab at it. Yes, more, please!

 

[bigshot]

It's getting close to the day where movies and shorts can be individual digital files and we can make playlists like this ourselves. I would love to have a movie and tv show library that I could mix and match like I do with music in iTunes.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

It's getting close to the day where movies and shorts can be individual digital files and we can make playlists like this ourselves. I would love to have a movie and tv show library that I could mix and match like I do with music in iTunes.

Back when DVD was still relatively new, I used to burn DVDs with trailers I got off Apple's trailer website to recreate some of the experience when I'd have people over to watch movies.
With Blu-Ray, there's no reason the trailers, news, etc. would necessarily have to become out-of-date. Many recent releases already connect to the internet in order to present trailers not available when the disc was pressed. That same philosophy could be applied to the whole of any pre-screening presentation.
Perhaps a menu when the discs first load, presenting the user with the option to either watch the pre-show presentation or skip directly to the disc menu, would alleviate Rick's concerns.

 

[bigshot]

Except I wouldn't want modern trailers. I want trailers and shorts contemporary with the classic movies I prefer.
We're talking about the supplements on Casablanca and Robin Hood, not current stuff.

 

[NY2LA]

Except I wouldn't want modern trailers. I want trailers and shorts contemporary with the classic movies I prefer.
We're talking about the supplements on Casablanca and Robin Hood, not current stuff.

Fair enough.

 

[ahollis]

I show the following has the Warner Night At the Movies feature:

Blu-Ray
Casablanca
Maltese Falcon, The
Robin Hood

DVD
Hollywood Canteen
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Dawn Patrol
All Through The Night
This Is The Army
Action In The North Atlantic
Passage To Marseille
Across The Pacific
Charge of the Light Brigade
Adventures of Don Juan, The
Gentleman Jim
Torrid Zone
Bride Came C.O.D., The
West Point Story
Captain of the Clouds
Fighting 69th, The
Lady Killer
Smart Money
Mayor of Hell
Brother Orchard
Black Legion
Picture Snatcher
Old Maid, The
Great Lie, The
All This and Heaven Too
In This Our Life
Deception
Watch on the Rhine
Virginia City
San Antonio
Rocky Mountain
Montana
Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, The
Invisible Stripes
Little Giant
Kid Galahad (37)
Larceny Inc.
Desperate Journey
Edge Of Darkness
Northern Pursuit
Uncertain Glory

There may be a few more, but I do not have those discs.

I am all for Night at the Movies and I wish Warner had put it on some of the older MGM titles also. Nothing sitting back and watching a short, couple of cartoons, a newsreel or two, and coming attractions. Of course drinking a glass of wine or a bourbon a Coke is a must.

 

[NY2LA]

I show the following has the Warner Night At the Movies feature:
Blu-Ray
Casablanca
Maltese Falcon, The
Robin Hood
DVD
Hollywood Canteen
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Dawn Patrol
All Through The Night
This Is The Army
Action In The North Atlantic
Passage To Marseille
Across The Pacific
Charge of the Light Brigade
Adventures of Don Juan, The
Gentleman Jim
Torrid Zone
Bride Came C.O.D., The
West Point Story
Captain of the Clouds
Fighting 69th, The
Lady Killer
Smart Money
Mayor of Hell
Brother Orchard
Black Legion
Picture Snatcher
Old Maid, The
Great Lie, The
All This and Heaven Too
In This Our Life
Deception
Watch on the Rhine
Virginia City
San Antonio
Rocky Mountain
Montana
Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, The
Invisible Stripes
Little Giant
Kid Galahad (37)
Larceny Inc.
Desperate Journey
Edge Of Darkness
Northern Pursuit
Uncertain Glory
There may be a few more, but I do not have those discs. 
I am all for Night at the Movies and I wish Warner had put it on some of the older MGM titles also.  Nothing sitting back and watching a short, couple of cartoons, a newsreel or two, and coming attractions.  Of course drinking a glass of wine or a bourbon a Coke is a must. 

Wow, nice! Thank you for that!
Had no idea they did it on so many titles. I'm not really familiar with 99% of them, so that's probably why I missed them. Can't figure why they haven't bothered to do it with more of the popular or higher profile movies.
Did you happen to have that laserdisc box set of MGM short subjects? There were two or three fun ones (Pete Smith, Robert Benchley) about going to the movies. Some have been randomly thrown onto DVDs.

 

[Charles Smith]

Got the three BDs, but I'm not familiar with most of those DVD titles, either. Had no idea all that was out there! It IS nice to know they gave them the treatment, so I'll look through those in detail later and maybe pick a few.

 

I'm showing "Casablanca" on my outdoor cinema screen this Friday night. I am showing the Warner Night at the Movies version. Hope it goes over well!

 

[Charles Smith]

Are those three the ONLY "big" titles that got the Warner Night at the Movies?

 

[JoeDoakes]

Are those three the ONLY "big" titles that got the Warner Night at the Movies?

WHV has not released many classic WB films on Blu Ray. Generally, they have not done new special featuers (Casablanca is the exception). As for Night at the Movies, whether the blu has it seems to depend entirely upon whether the DVD had it.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by NY2LA /t/321002/warner-night-at-the-movies#post_3930961
.
Did you happen to have that laserdisc box set of MGM short subjects? There were two or three fun ones (Pete Smith, Robert Benchley) about going to the movies. Some have been randomly thrown onto DVDs.

I got every short subject laserdisc box set from MGM and Warners along with the Kino sets of Paramount shorts they released and still have them. Since then I have been collecting the short subject collections that WAC released. I have a real passion for short subjects and looking forward to the WAC Pete Smith Specialties and James Fitzpatrick's Traveltalks.

Most of the Warner Night at the Movies were included on the films that made up the Errol Flynn, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, and Humphrey Bogart Collections. Huge fan of those actors and of all films of the 30's, 40's,50's and 60's. Also a lot of the 70's. After that it is a hit or miss for me.

And as I said, nothing better than a glass of wine or a Jack and Coke and a night with Warner Brothers.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Chas in CT /t/321002/warner-night-at-the-movies#post_3931198
Are those three the ONLY "big" titles that got the Warner Night at the Movies?

They only ported the Night at the Movies for they were on the original DVD's. I am very thankful that they did.

 

[Charles Smith]

I definitely am, and look forward to exploring some of those others. And make mine bourbon and soda.

 

[NY2LA]

 I got every short subject laserdisc box set from MGM and Warners along with the Kino sets of Paramount shorts they released and still have them.  Since then I have been collecting the short subject collections that WAC released.  I have a real passion for short subjects and looking forward to the WAC Pete Smith Specialties and James Fitzpatrick's Traveltalks.

I didn't know these shorts were available together on DVD. A big favorite is Pete Smith's Movie Pests and Benchley's Night at the Movies (or something like that) Guess I'll have to look at WAC more closely.
Have you ever collected theatre concession trailers and drive-in intermission films? I keep hoping Filmack will put out all their classics ("Let's all Go to the Lobby" parade of snack foods and Freudian fun as the dancing weiner leaps into a spread opened bun, etc.) on one disc for Home Theatre fans.