      **20th Century Fox** has announced a June 17th release date for The Carmen Miranda Collection. The 5 disc DVD set will include:
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ARTWORK UPDATE: Singles from Carmen Miranda Collection
Huge Tyrone Power Set in July - 3 DAY SPECIAL PRICE
**Fox ** has announced a July 29th release date for The Tyrone Power Collection, Vol. 2. This spectacular five disc DVD set will feature 10 NEW TO DVD films and is a great bargain too retailing at $49.98. It is available at Classicflix.com for only $37.99, however, for 3 days only (until March 30th), we'll have it for the SPECIAL PRE-ORDER PRICE of $33.99. More details to follow...
Titles (Not Available as Singles):
Tyrone Power, Loretta Young, Herbert Marshall, Don Ameche, Gene Tierney, Lloyd Nolan, Linda Darnell, George Sanders, Ann Blyth, Thomas Mitchell, Adolphe Menjou, Ruth Chatterton, Simone Simon, Warren William, Dorothy Lamour, Edward Arnold, Lionel Atwill, Joan Davis, Lee J. Cobb, Jayne Meadows, Joan Fontaine, Claire Trevor and Gladys Cooper.
Titles (Not Available as Singles):
- Cafe Metropole (1937)
- Girls Dormitory (1936)
- Johnny Apollo (1940)
- Daytime Wife (1939)
- Luck of the Irish (1948)
- I'll Never Forget You (1951)
- That Wonderful Urge (1948)
- Love is News (1937)
- This Above All (1942)
- Second Honeymoon (1937)
Tyrone Power, Loretta Young, Herbert Marshall, Don Ameche, Gene Tierney, Lloyd Nolan, Linda Darnell, George Sanders, Ann Blyth, Thomas Mitchell, Adolphe Menjou, Ruth Chatterton, Simone Simon, Warren William, Dorothy Lamour, Edward Arnold, Lionel Atwill, Joan Davis, Lee J. Cobb, Jayne Meadows, Joan Fontaine, Claire Trevor and Gladys Cooper.
Blues in the Night, Pete Kelly's Blues in July
**Warner** has announced a July 22nd release date for two musical dramas: Blues in the Night (1941) and Pete Kelly's Blues (1955). Each will retail for $19.98, but are available at Classicflix.com for only $14.49.
Bonus features are not yet known, but stars include Priscilla Lane, Betty Field, Richard Whorf, Lloyd Nolan, Jack Carson, Wallace Ford, Billy Halop, Jack Webb, Janet Leigh, Edmond O'Brien, Andy Devine, Lee Marvin, Ella Fitzgerald, Jayne Mansfield and a pre-directorial Elia Kazan.
Bonus features are not yet known, but stars include Priscilla Lane, Betty Field, Richard Whorf, Lloyd Nolan, Jack Carson, Wallace Ford, Billy Halop, Jack Webb, Janet Leigh, Edmond O'Brien, Andy Devine, Lee Marvin, Ella Fitzgerald, Jayne Mansfield and a pre-directorial Elia Kazan.
ARTWORK UPDATE: Man of a Thousand Faces
 Ten years to the month Image Entertainment released Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), **Universal** will come out with the long awaited re-release. Scarcity has kept the collector price at about $100 for the 1998 release, but the upcoming June 24th release will retail for $19.98. It will be available at Classicflix.com for only $14.99. No additional specs at this time. |
Batman: The Movie (Blu-Ray) in July
**20th Century Fox** has announced a July 1st release date for the Blu-Ray debut of Batman: The Movie - Special Edition. Tons of bonus features will be part of this Hi-Def DVD including some new Hi-Def featurettes. It will retail for $39.98, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $30.99. Details below.
The four greatest super-criminals of The United Underworld - The Catwoman, The Joker, The Riddler and The Penguin – combine forces to dispose of Batman and Robin as they launch their fantastic plot to control the entire world. Can the dynamic duo stop The United Underworld before it’s too late?
BONUS FEATURES:
The four greatest super-criminals of The United Underworld - The Catwoman, The Joker, The Riddler and The Penguin – combine forces to dispose of Batman and Robin as they launch their fantastic plot to control the entire world. Can the dynamic duo stop The United Underworld before it’s too late?
BONUS FEATURES:
- Commentary by actors Adam West and Burt Ward
- Commentary by screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr.
- Isolated Score Track 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio (Lossless)
- All-new high-definition featurettes:
- Batman: A Dynamic Legacy
- Caped Crusaders: A Heroes Tribute
- Gotham City’s Most Wanted
- 35th Anniversary Piece Featuring Interviews with Adam West and Burt Ward
- The Batmobile Revealed with George Barris
- The Batmobile Interactive Tour
- A 360 Degree Navigational Tour
- Batman on Location: Mapping the Movie
- Holy Pop-Up Trivia Track, Batman!
- Original Teaser and Theatrical Trailers
- Galleries:
- From the Vaults of Adam West
- Interactive Pressbook
- Posters
- Production Stills
- Behind the Scenes
- Premiere
- From the Vaults of Adam West
ARTWORK UPDATE: Carmen Miranda Collection
--Artwork added to previous announcement--
**20th Century Fox** has announced a June 17th release date for The Carmen Miranda Collection.
The 5 disc DVD set will include:
**20th Century Fox** has announced a June 17th release date for The Carmen Miranda Collection.
The 5 disc DVD set will include:
- Greenwich Village (1944) - NEW TO DVD
- If I'm Lucky (1946) - NEW TO DVD
- Something For the Boys (1944) - NEW TO DVD
- Doll Face (1944) - Former Alpha release
- The Gang's All Here (1943) - Released last year and remastered for this set.
High Noon - Ultimate Collector's Edition in June
**Lionsgate** has announced a June 10th release date for High Noon (1952) - Ultimate Collector's Edition. The 2 Disc DVD set will retail for $19.98, but is available at Classicflix.com $14.99.
No word on restoration, but the bonus features on this Ultimate Collector's Edition don't look too different than 2002's single disc release. The additional bonus feature is a “Behind High Noon” featurette. And unlike the previous release, this set does include English and Spanish subtitles. Details below.
for only
No word on restoration, but the bonus features on this Ultimate Collector's Edition don't look too different than 2002's single disc release. The additional bonus feature is a “Behind High Noon” featurette. And unlike the previous release, this set does include English and Spanish subtitles. Details below.
for only
In the greatest showdown in the history of cinema, lawman Will Kane (Gary Cooper) stands to lose not only the town but his new wife (Grace Kelly). On the day he gets married and hangs up his badge, Kane is told that a man he sent to prison years before, Frank Miller, is returning on the noon train to exact his revenge. Having initially decided to leave with his new spouse, Kane realizes he must go back and face Miller. However, when he seeks the help of the townspeople he has protected for so long, they turn their backs on him. Now, Kane must stand alone in his fight for justice.
BONUS FEATURES:
BONUS FEATURES:
- Audio Commentary with Maria Cooper-Janis, Jonathan Foreman , Tim Zinnemann and John Ritter
- “Inside High Noon” – 50-Minute Documentary on the Making of High Noon
- “Tex Ritter: A Visit to Carthage, Texas” – Portrait Piece on the Tex Ritter Museum
- Full-Length Tex Ritter Performance of Oscar-Winning Original Song “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’” on the Jimmy Dean TV Show
- “The Making of High Noon” Featurette
- “Behind High Noon” Featurette
- Radio Broadcast with Tex Ritter
A Date with Judy, Merrill's Marauders in April
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Man of a Thousand Faces in June
Ten years to the month Image Entertainment released Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), **Universal** will come out with the long awaited re-release. Scarcity has kept the collector price at about $100 for the 1998 release, but the upcoming June 24th release will retail for $19.98. It will be available at Classicflix.com for only $14.99. No additional specs at this time.
Route 66 - Season 2, Vol. 1 in May
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The Three Stooges, Vol. 2 (1937-1939) in May! - SPECIAL 3 DAY PRICE
**Sony** has announced a May 27th release date for The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 2 (1937 - 1939). Volume 2 will continue the chronological format in what may be the best of all sets released in this series with shorts like Cash and Carry, Healthy, Wealthy and Dumb, Tassels in the Air, Termites of 1938 and Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise to name a few. It will retail for $24.96, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $19.99. However, for 3 days only (until March 20th), we'll have it for the SPECIAL PRE-ORDER PRICE of $17.99. Details below.
Disc 1:
Disc 1:
- Back to the Woods
- Cash and Carry
- Dizzy Doctors
- Goofs and Saddles
- Healthy, Wealthy and Dumb
- Playing the Ponies
- The Sitter-Downers
- Tassels in the Air
- Three Dumb Clucks
- Violent is the Word For Curly
- Wee Wee Monsieur
- Grips, Grunts and Groans
- Termites of 1938
- A Ducking They Did Go
- Calling All Curs
- Flat Foot Stooges
- Mutts to You
- Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise
- Saved by the Belle
- Three Little Sew and Sews
- Three Missing Links
- Three Sappy People
- We Want Our Mummy
- Yes, We Have No Bonanza
The Real McCoys: Season 3 - SPECIAL 3 DAY PRICE
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The Furies (1950) from Criterion in June - 3 DAY SPECIAL PRICE
**Criterion** has announced a June (exact date yet unknown) release date for The Furies - Criterion Collection. It will retail for $39.95, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $29.99. However, for 3 days only (until March 18th), we'll have it for the SPECIAL PRE-ORDER PRICE of $25.99. The usual plethora of bonus features accompany this Criterion release and stars Barbara Stanwyck, Walter Huston (his last film), Wendell Corey, Judith Anderson, Gilbert Roland, Thomas Gomez, Beulah Bondi, Wallace Ford and was directed by Anthony Mann. Details below.
Barbara Stanwyck and Walter Huston are at their fierce finest in master Hollywood craftsman Anthony Mann’s crackling western melodrama The Furies. In 1870s New Mexico Territory, megalomaniacal widowed ranch owner T. C. Jeffords (Huston, in his final role) butts heads with his daughter, Vance (Stanwyck), a firebrand with serious daddy issues, over her dowry, choice of husband, and, finally, ownership of the land itself. Both sophisticated in its view of frontier settlement and ablaze with searing domestic drama, The Furies is a hidden treasure of American filmmaking, boasting Oscar–nominated cinematography and vivid supporting turns from Judith Anderson, Wendell Corey, and Gilbert Roland.
BONUS FEATURES:
BONUS FEATURES:
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Audio commentary featuring film historian Jim Kitses (Horizons West)
- A rare, 1931 on-camera interview with Walter Huston, made for the movie theater series Intimate Interviews
- New video interview with Nina Mann, daughter of director Anthony Mann
- Stills gallery of rare behind-the-scenes photos
- Theatrical trailer
- PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by critic Robin Wood ans a 1957 Cahiers du cinéma interview with Mann, as well as a new printing of Niven Busch's original novel
Hiya, Kids!! 50's Saturday Morning Fun in May
 What were some of your favorite Saturday morning rituals when you were growing up? Some dreamed of a chance to be in the “Peanut Gallery” of Howdy Doody. Some begged their parents for a dog just like Lassie. Many wore cowboy hats to watch The Roy Rogers Show. In the 1950s, television was new and exciting, full of imaginative shows for children. Looking back, these shows had a significant impact on the children of the first TV generation and helped to shape the medium as it increasingly became a part of our culture. Shout! Factory will bring a sumptuous collection of the best kids’ TV programs from the infancy of the genre to every home through the DVD release of Hiya, Kids!! A ‘50s Saturday Morning. The 4-DVD box set is packed with 21 complete episodes culled from some of America’s iconic television classics, including Kukla, Fran And Ollie, Howdy Doody, Lassie, Annie Oakley, Flash Gordon, Time for Beany, The Paul Winchell Show, The Roy Rogers Show, Captain Z-RO, The Rootie Kazootie Club, Winky Dink And You, Super Circus, Andy’s Gang, The Cisco Kid, Sky King, The Magic Clown, Kids And Company, Junvenile Jury, The Pinky Lee Show, and Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. Each DVD from Hiya, Kids!! is designed like a Saturday morning programming block from the era, with shows for the very young first on the menu. As the older siblings “wake up,” the programs become more and more “sophisticated. DISC 1: Episode from Kukla, Fran And Ollie 1948 – 1957 Kukla, Fran And Ollie debuted as a local Chicago show entitled Junior Jamboree and was renamed in 1948 when the installation of a coaxial cable linking the East Coast to the Midwest expanded its broadcast range. Established radio star Fran Allison played herself on the show as the perfect counterbalance to the antics of the puppets, and her uncanny ability to ad-lib allowed the show to run completely unscripted and unrehearsed. Kukla, Fran And Ollie featured the creations of Burr Tillstrom, considered one of the greats in puppet history. He voiced and performed all of the puppet characters on the show and is credited with creating the puppeteering technique of watching the action on a small monitor while performing the characters, a practice still in use today. Episode from Howdy Doody 1947 – 1960 Howdy Doody evolved from The Triple B Ranch, a radio program that featured the voice of “Buffalo” Bob Smith as himself and a character named Elmer who opened the show by saying “Howdy Doody.” When Howdy Doody premiered on television it was an hour-long series that aired on Saturdays, but in 1948 it became the first network children’s show to run five days a week, and eventually was broadcast in color in 1955. “Buffalo” Bob Smith created and hosted the show, as well as providing the voice of Howdy Doody. For the show’s final episode, Clarabelle the Clown—who never uttered a word throughout the program run—finally spoke the series’ very last two words, saying, “Goodbye, kids.” Episode from Lassie 1954 – 1974 Originally created in 1938 by Eric Knight for a short story published in the Saturday Evening Post, Lassie became an immediate sensation that spawned a full-length novel, a feature film starring an 11-year-old named Elizabeth Taylor, a radio show and, in 1954, the Lassie television series. The series—which ran for an amazing 20 years and won two of six Emmy Awards for which it was nominated—originally starred 13-year-old film veteran Tommy Rettig as Jeff Miller, Lassie’s faithful owner and best friend for 110 episodes. Episode from Annie Oakley 1954 – 1957 The real Annie Oakley, on whom this character was loosely based, was a sharpshooter with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in the late 1800s. As a television series, Annie Oakley hit the entertainment bull’s-eye every week for three years in the mid-1950s. Having appeared in dozens of both big- and small-screen Westerns, including 14 features with Gene Autry, Gail Davis was a natural to play the title role in the television series. In fact, Autry’s own Flying ‘A’ Productions coproduced Annie Oakley’s syndicated 81-episode run. Episode from Flash Gordon 1954 Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon comic strip, which debuted in 1934, has been translated into radio serials, animated television series, numerous feature films, comic books and novels over the past 50 years. This incarnation—filmed in Germany less than a decade after the end of World War II—was the first, and only, live-action television series up until 2007 and starred chiseled Steve Holland as Flash Gordon, operative of the Galaxy Bureau of Investigation. DISC 2: Episode from Ding Dong School 1952 – 1959 Dr. Frances R. Horwich, known simply to audiences as Miss Frances, took a leave of absence from her position as chairman of the education department at Chicago’s Roosevelt College to host Ding Dong School, which became monumental in paving the way for preschool television. Originally filmed in Chicago, and later in New York, Ding Dong School was so popular that after just six weeks it was picked up by NBC and was soon seen by millions of children throughout the United States. Episode from Time For Beany 1949 – 1954 While viewers may be more familiar with Bob Clampett’s Beany And Cecil in their cartoon incarnations, the public was first introduced to the silly, seasick serpent and his beanie-topped companion when they premiered as puppets, voiced by the talented Daws Butler and Stan Freberg. Though the series began as a local show in Los Angeles in 1949, by the following year Time For Beany had gone national and continued with much success through 1954. One of the most famous fans of Time For Beany was none other than Albert Einstein. Episode from The Paul Winchell Show 1956 – 1960 In 1956 self-taught ventriloquist Paul Winchell starred in Circus Time, only one of his many television series. After a year Circus Time was revamped and renamed The Paul Winchell Show, a moniker it retained until the show ended in 1960. Giving voice to his own Jerry Mahoney puppet, Gargamel on The Smurfs and Tigger of Disney’s Winnie The Pooh animated films, Paul Winchell brought heart to the characters he created. A true renaissance man, Winchell was also an inventor who held 30 patents, including one for an early model of an artificial heart he built in 1963. He also studied and practiced acupuncture and hypnosis and wrote widely on theology. Episode from The Roy Rogers Show 1951 – 1957 The “King of Cowboys,” Roy Rogers was no stranger to America by the time he starred in The Roy Rogers Show, having already appeared in over a hundred movies by 1951. In 1947 Rogers married Dale Evans, who became the “Queen of the West.” Together they were one of America’s most beloved couples. Along with many honors, they have the distinction of being the only married couple to serve as Grand Marshals of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. You can’t think of The Roy Rogers Show, which ran from 1951 to 1957, without remembering “his golden palomino” Trigger and Bullet “the wonder dog.” Visitors to the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Missouri, can actually see a taxidermist-prepared Trigger, stuffed and mounted, rearing up on his back legs, as one of the museum’s most popular exhibits. Episode from Captain Z-RO 1951 – 1956 Captain Z-RO came to us from a remote, uncharted region of a planet called Earth. When Captain Z-RO debuted in 1951, it was a 15-minute local show from San Francisco. In 1954, however, the show became syndicated and went national, switching to a 30-minute format and continuing with original episodes until 1956. It stayed on in reruns through 1960. Captain Z-RO received much praise for its outstanding educational value, including honorable mention at the Twentieth American Exhibition of Educational Radio-Television Programs in 1956. Roy Steffens, who also created and wrote the show, portrayed the title role of Captain Z-RO. DISC 3: Episode from The Rootie Kazootie Club 1950 – 1954 Created by Steve Carlin, who at the time was in charge of RCA’s children’s phonograph records, The Rootie Kazootie Club met over the airwaves from 1950 to 1954 with “Big Todd” Russell, Mr. Deetle Doodle and, of course, Rootie Kazootie! “Big Todd” Russell wasn’t just comfortable with the juvenile members of The Rootie Kazootie Club, nosirootie. He also hosted quiz shows on radio such as Double Or Nothing and Strike It Rich and is perhaps best remembered as the creator and producer of The $64,000 Question. Rootie Kazootie was extremely popular and led to a series of Rootie Kazootie Golden Books. Episode from Winky Dink And You 1953 – 1957 Get out your Winky Dink kit, because it’s time for Winky Dink And You—a show you didn’t just watch . . . you actually got to play! Winky Dink And You was the first interactive television show, allowing children the opportunity to be a part of the show by placing a clear “magic window” on the television and drawing on it with crayons. Jack Barry, who already had a successful run with Juvenile Jury, hosted the show. Barry later went on to emcee the 1970s game show Joker’s Wild, but is perhaps most famous as the host and coproducer of the wildly popular Twenty-One, which created a great scandal by providing answers to contestants, nearly ruining Barry’s career and prompting Congress to develop new laws that prohibited the fixing of quiz shows. Winky Dink And You ran from 1953 to 1957, and if Winky Dink sounds a bit familiar, it’s because the voice was provided by Mae Questel—best known as the voice of Olive Oyl and Betty Boop. Episode from Super Circus 1949 – 1955 From 1949 to 1955, the small screen was transformed into the big top during Super Circus featuring Ringmaster (and former radio announcer) Claude Kirchner. Ringmaster Kirchner, clowns Cliffy, Nicky and Scampy, and the various circus acts thrilled the kids. But it was bandleader Mary Hartline who became the real attraction. Mary Hartline had a certain appeal, and suddenly fathers were happy to watch television alongside their kids. Hartline wasn’t just popular with the dads, however. Kids adored her, which led to an abundance of merchandise such as Mary Hartline dolls, paper figures, apparel and books—even comic books titled Super Circus Featuring Mary Hartline. Episode from Andy’s Gang 1955 – 1960 “Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!” Andy’s Gang was an immensly popular variety show for kids starring Andy Devine (“Cookie” in over 400 Roy Rogers Westerns, and “Jingles” in The Adventures Of Wild Bill Hickock). Along with Froggy the Gremlin, Midnight the Cat, Squeaky the Mouse and some other oddball regulars, there were skits, book-readings and weekly serials such as Little Fox (included in this episode) and Rhama Of The Jungle. The show, the format, even Froggy the Gremlin all derived from Ed McConnell, who had been a children’s radio host since the 1920s, and his 1943 program Smilin’ Ed McConnell And The Buster Brown Shoe Gang. In 1950 Smilin’ Ed brought the show to television under the title Smilin’ Ed’s Gang. When Ed died unexpectedly in 1955, Andy Devine took his place, and the show became Andy’s Gang. Episode from The Cisco Kid 1950 – 1956 “Here’s adventure! Here’s romance! Here’s O. Henry’s famous Robin Hood of the Old West—The Cisco Kid!” While each episode of The Cisco Kid began with those words, very little about the television Cisco Kid harkened back to O. Henry’s version. In his 1907 book of short stories, The Heart Of The West, O. Henry introduced the Cisco Kid in “The Caballero’s Way.” The character was not Hispanic, he had no sidekick and, according to O. Henry, the Cisco Kid “ . . . killed for the love of it—because he was quick-tempered—to avoid arrest—for his own amusement—any reason that came to his mind would suffice.” There were numerous films about the Cisco Kid as early as 1914 and even a radio series, but in the 1945 film The Cisco Kid Returns, Duncan Renaldo was introduced to audiences in the title role. He continued to make Cisco Kid films and was paired with Leo Carrillo as Pancho in his last five features. In 1950 Renaldo and Carrillo reprised their roles for the Cisco Kid television series, ending each episode with the exclamations: “Oh, Pancho!” “Oh, Cisco!” Episode from Sky King 1951 – 1959 “Out of the clear blue of the Western sky comes Sky King,” a ’50s television series about an Arizona rancher and pilot who stumbles upon danger in every episode and then saves the day. Kirby Grant, who played as Schuyler “Sky” King, had appeared in dozens of films and was an accomplished aviator, which contributed to the believability of the show. The plane Sky flew was the Songbird and his ranch was called The Flying Crown. Gloria Winters played Sky’s niece, Penny. Winters was a well-rounded actress who appeared in many films and onstage. In 1964 her book Penny’s Guide To Teen-age Charm And Popularity was published as an etiquette guide for teenage girls. DISC 4: 2 Episodes from The Magic Clown 1949 – 1954 The Magic Clown was definitely sponsored by Bonamo’s Turkish Taffy. The live and at-home audience sang the Bonamo’s theme song, they said the magic word (“Bonamo”), and if they wanted the magic face kit, they could send in 20 cents . . . plus a wrapper from Bonamo’s Turkish Taffy (which everyone in the studio seemed to be chewing). The Magic Clown might even make Turkish Taffy appear as part of his magic tricks. The two ostensibly Turkish men making taffy on the wrapper of Bonamo’s Turkish Taffy wore fezzes, so everyone on the program donned the headgear as well: from the Magic Clown—portrayed by several actors throughout the program’s run—the audience, and even the puppet, Laffy (rhymes with “taffy”). Ironically, in 1925, the fez was banned in Turkey and to this day is not usually worn. In 1971 internationally renowned magician James Randi revived the series as The Magic Clown, but while the clowns may have changed, Bonamo’s Turkish Taffy certainly did not. Episode from Kids And Company 1951 – 1952 Originating in New York, this 1950s American Idol of the moppet world showcased kids with various abilities, but if you didn’t have a great talent it was no matter. If you rescued a kid from quicksand or from the jaws of an alligator, there was a good chance you’d get your few minutes of fame on Kids And Company as well. Kids And Company was hosted by Johnny Olson, who went on to become the announcer for successful game shows such as Match Game, To Tell The Truth and What’s My Line? and, in 1972, went on to popularize one of the greatest catchphrases in game show history: The Price Is Right’s “Come on down!” Episode from Juvenile Jury 1947 – 1954 Before Joker’s Wild, and even before Winky Dink And You, Jack Barry hosted Juvenile Jury. Beginning on radio, the jury made their first televised deliberation in 1947 and continued offering their unpredictable verdicts until 1954. A panel of five children between the ages of three and 12 appeared on the program every week to make pronouncements on dilemmas posed by viewers and audience members. Questions ranged from simple matters of opinion to advice on everyday problems of interest to children, with Barry skillfully managing to keep the participants at ease. Aside from the obvious entertainment value of the cast’s candid responses, Juvenile Jury is also notable as the first commercially sponsored network television series (in this case, by General Foods). Juvenile Jury was revived twice, in the 1970s (with Jack Barry returning) and again for a short time in 1983 with host Nipsey Russell. Episode from The Pinky Lee Show 1954 – 1956 Pinky Lee was doing a show with Vivian Blaine called Those Two when producer Lawrence White found himself in need of a new host for a children’s show after The Gabby Hayes Show was dropped. White’s son begged him to hire Pinky Lee, and thus Lee was able to add “children’s show host” to his résumé. The fast pace of The Pinky Lee Show, which aired from 1954 to 1956, was quite ahead of its time, more comparable with the shows of today. A former burlesque performer, Pinky Lee brought a squeaky clean version of burlesque to his children’s show. Although the show ran until 1956, an illness caused Lee’s absence from 1955 until the end of the show’s run. Episode from Sheena, Queen Of The Jungle 1955 – 1956 Sheena, Queen Of The Jungle first swung onto television screens in 1955, but Sheena’s history jumps back to 1937 where the character was introduced in Wags, a British tabloid magazine. The following year Sheena appeared in Jumbo Comics, and that’s when her popularity started to grow. She appeared in each issue and was even spun off into her own comic book, making her the first female to be a title character, three months ahead of DC’s Wonder Woman. Former model Irish McCalla played Sheena, despite never having done any acting before she was asked to audition for the part while pregnant with her second child. |
Before the Nickelodeon & More Melies in April
More early cinema has been announced by **Kino** for release on April 22nd. The DVD's are: Before the Nickelodeon - The Early Cinema of Edwin S. Porter & The Magic of Melies. Before the Nickelodeon is a 1982 documentary narrated by silent-movie actress Blanche Sweet that has three additional shorts. The Magic of Melies is a good compilation set of previously released shorts, but doesn't hold a candle to the exhaustive and just streeted Georges Melies - First Wizard of Cinema from Flicker Alley. Each single disc release will retail for $24.95, but can be purchased here at Classicflix.com for only $17.99. Details below.   Before the Nickelodeon - The Early Cinema of Edwin S. Porter Noted film historian Charles Musser (The Emergence of Cinema) co-wrote and directed this definitive tribute to Edwin S. Porter, Thomas Edison’s mechanic and cameraman. From the time of his hugely successful The Great Train Robbery (1903) until Griffith started at Biograph (1908), Porter held center stage in early American cinema. Sadly, however, Edison quickly discarded Porter once his approach to filmmaking seemed to have become old-fashioned. Narrated by silent-movie actress Blanche Sweet, Before the Nickelodeon is a treasure trove of rarely seen material, including hand-colored photographs and sixteen complete Porter films, among them The May Irwin Kiss (1896), The Sunken Battleship ‘Maine’ (1898), Jack and the Beanstalk (1902) and Life of an American Fireman (1902-3). Three additional Porter shorts / Music composed and performed by Ben Model:
Fifteen Fantastic Works by the Cinema’s First Special Effects Wizard, including the documentary Georges Méliès: Cinema Magician. Decades before the term “special effects” was coined, audiences of the newborn cinema were witnessing spectacular screen illusions, courtesy of the medium’s first master magician: Georges Méliès. Such films as The Eclipse (1907) and Long Distance Wireless Photograph (1908) not only demonstrate Méliès’s astounding employment of double exposure, makeup, editing and theatrical trickery but provide mesmerizing insight into the social context of his work, which blended Victorian approaches to astronomy, superstition and feminine beauty with the unnatural wonders of 20th-century technology and heavy doses of slapstick. The centerpiece of the collection is The Impossible Voyage (1904), presented with the authentic frame-by-frame hand-coloring and narration penned by Méliès himself. In addition to the aforementioned short films, this Kino DVD also brings the 20-minute documentary Georges Méliès: Cinema Magician directed by Patrick Montgomery and Luciano Martinengo. Music Composed and Performed by Alexander Rannie List of Short Films include:
KINO RELEASES TWO NEW DVDS COMBINING SHORT WORKS AND EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENTARIES ON CINEMA PIONEERS EDWIN S. PORTER AND GEORGES MÉLIÈS Kino International is proud to release two unprecedented DVDs collecting seminal and in some cases, previously unreleased works, from two masters of the silent cinema era: Edwin S. Porter, the director of The Great Train Robbery, and Georges Méliès, the first special effects maven in the history of world cinema. Both DVDs come with an SRP of $24.95 (each) and a prebook date of March 25. Their street date is April 22. The first DVD, BEFORE THE NICKELODEON: THE EARLY CINEMA OF EDWIN S. PORTER, brings a 60-minute documentary co-written and directed by film scholar and Yale Professor Charles Musser, who also wrote the extensive historical notes included in Kino’s landmark 4-DVD collection Edison: The Invention of the Movies. This definitive tribute to Edwin S. Porter, Thomas Edison’s mechanic and cameraman, explains how Porter became the first U.S. filmmaker to successfully make films with continuous action from shot to shot, instead of following the formula of single-scene films common at the time. Moreover, Charles Musser’s documentary highlights the biographical keystones of this movie industry pioneer while also illuminating the foundational steps of the very structure of North American narrative cinema. Additionally, BEFORE THE NICKELODEON brings three previously unavailable (on DVD) Porter shorts: “Waiting at the Church” (1906), “Life of a Cowboy” (1906) and “Uncle Josh at the Moving Picture Show” (1902). All three shorts feature music composed and performed by acclaimed silent film musician Ben Model. The second DVD from this series, THE MAGIC OF MÉLIÈS, also collects in one DVD an illuminating short documentary with 15 exclusive films directed by Méliès himself. Focusing on the filmmaker’s life and integrating rare photographs, early drawings and numerous clips from his most admired works, GEORGES MÉLIÈS: CINEMA MAGICIAN charts Méliès’ rise from shoe factory worker to proprietor of Paris’s mystical Theatre Robert-Houdin, where he learned the skills to become a cinematic illusionist and developed an interest in the supernatural – exquisitely represented in films like The Mysterious Retort (1906) and The Black Imp (1905). |
The Count of Monte Cristo and The Ghost Goes West
Released a few weeks ago under the radar by some company named **FireCake Entertainment**, The Robert Donat Collection features three Donat films on one disc.
The Titles are:
The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) - NEW TO DVD
The Ghost Goes West (1935) - NEW TO DVD
The 39 Steps (1935) - Previously released by Criterion
We're just getting around to posting it to the site because we wanted to take a look at it first to make sure the prints are decent and that it is indeed a Region 1 pressed DVD and not a DVD-R. Well the prints aren't anything special and certainly haven't been restored, but are about what one can expect from public domain prints. The best of the three is The Ghost Goes West and all three have a "ghosting" effect which isn't too bothersome. And if you're like most classic film buffs, having films on DVD in any shape is usually better than not having them at all. It is an NTSC Region 0 pressed DVD which means it will play in any DVD player.
I must say however, when I played it in my region free player, the image tended to skip a few frames every 15 to 20 seconds, but when I put it in a region 1 player it played fine. The bonus features listed are 2 PDF books (The Count of Monte Cristo & The 39 Steps), 3 MP3 radio plays and a Robert Donat Bio. However, the only thing I could find on either side of the DVD was the pitiful bio.
Overall, certainly a must-see for Robert Donat and/or Jean Parker fans, fans of mid-30's cinema and completionists. More details below.
The Titles are:
The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) - NEW TO DVD
The Ghost Goes West (1935) - NEW TO DVD
The 39 Steps (1935) - Previously released by Criterion
We're just getting around to posting it to the site because we wanted to take a look at it first to make sure the prints are decent and that it is indeed a Region 1 pressed DVD and not a DVD-R. Well the prints aren't anything special and certainly haven't been restored, but are about what one can expect from public domain prints. The best of the three is The Ghost Goes West and all three have a "ghosting" effect which isn't too bothersome. And if you're like most classic film buffs, having films on DVD in any shape is usually better than not having them at all. It is an NTSC Region 0 pressed DVD which means it will play in any DVD player.
I must say however, when I played it in my region free player, the image tended to skip a few frames every 15 to 20 seconds, but when I put it in a region 1 player it played fine. The bonus features listed are 2 PDF books (The Count of Monte Cristo & The 39 Steps), 3 MP3 radio plays and a Robert Donat Bio. However, the only thing I could find on either side of the DVD was the pitiful bio.
Overall, certainly a must-see for Robert Donat and/or Jean Parker fans, fans of mid-30's cinema and completionists. More details below.
The Ghost Goes West (1935, 85 min)
When an American family purchase an old Scottish castle from its struggling owner they get more than they bargained for when, shipping it stone-by-stone to Florida, they discover an unexpected resident... An eighteenth century ghost intent on avenging a family insult from a rival clan in Rene Clair's charming whimsical comedy.
The 39 Steps (1935, 86 min)
Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) meets a mysterious woman who confesses herself as a British spy escaping foreign agents. When she turns up dead at his apartment, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and the most wanted man in the country. On the run, he must not only prove his innocence but break the spy ring in a race against time in Alfred Hitchcock's fast paced romantic thriller.
The Count of Monte Cristo (1934, 113 min)
Restored to it's original length, for the first time on DVD, comes the legendary 1934 version of Alexandre Dumas' immortal novel... Snatched from his betrothed, convicted without trial and condemned to a living death... the soul of the simple sea captain died. In its place emerged a flaming figure of vengeance... The Count of Monte Cristo!
BONUS FEATURE:
When an American family purchase an old Scottish castle from its struggling owner they get more than they bargained for when, shipping it stone-by-stone to Florida, they discover an unexpected resident... An eighteenth century ghost intent on avenging a family insult from a rival clan in Rene Clair's charming whimsical comedy.
The 39 Steps (1935, 86 min)
Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) meets a mysterious woman who confesses herself as a British spy escaping foreign agents. When she turns up dead at his apartment, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and the most wanted man in the country. On the run, he must not only prove his innocence but break the spy ring in a race against time in Alfred Hitchcock's fast paced romantic thriller.
The Count of Monte Cristo (1934, 113 min)
Restored to it's original length, for the first time on DVD, comes the legendary 1934 version of Alexandre Dumas' immortal novel... Snatched from his betrothed, convicted without trial and condemned to a living death... the soul of the simple sea captain died. In its place emerged a flaming figure of vengeance... The Count of Monte Cristo!
BONUS FEATURE:
- Brief Robert Donat Bio
Fanny (1961) in June
**Image Entertainment** has announced a June 17th release date for Fanny (1961). It will retail for $24.98, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $18.99. Details below.
From legendary stage and screen director Joshua Logan (South Pacific, Picnic, Camelot) comes a timeless romance starring Leslie Caron (Gigi) as a young and beautiful girl in Marseille whose declaration of love for handsome Marius (Horst Buchholz) forces him to choose between a life with her and his father's plans to send him off to sea for five years. Also starring Maurice Chevalier (Love in the Afternoon) and Charles Boyer (Gaslight), this colorful classic features stunning cinematography by the legendary Jack Cardiff (The Red Shoes) and was nominated for five Academy Awards.
BONUS FEATURES NOT YET ANNOUNCED
BONUS FEATURES NOT YET ANNOUNCED
Sergeant's 3 as a Single and More Sinatra Artwork
Earlier this month, Warner Bros. announced four Frank Sinatra sets all to be released on May 13th. With the exception of the titles in The Rat Pack Ultimate Collector's Edition, each title is made available as singles. This upset some because as part of The Rat Pack Ultimate Collector's Edition, Sergeant's 3 was the only title that hadn't been previously released on DVD forcing a $45 purchase for essentially one movie. But now, **MGM** has announced a May 13th release date for Sergeant's 3 (1962). It will retail for $14.98, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $10.99.
Also below is the remaining cover art for the Sinatra Boom. The are from the Frank Sinatra - The Golden Years set.
Also below is the remaining cover art for the Sinatra Boom. The are from the Frank Sinatra - The Golden Years set.
Blu-Ray: The Sand Pebbles & The Longest Day in June
 The Sand Pebbles tells many stories. It's the story of China, a slumbering giant that rouses itself to the cries of it's people - and of the Americans who are caught in its blood awakening. It's the story of Frenchy (Richard Attenborough), a crewman on the U.S.S. San Pablo who kidnaps his Chinese bride from the auction block. It's the story of Shirley (Candice Bergen), a teacher and her first unforgettable taste of love. It's the story of Captain Collins (Richard Crenna), ready to defy anyone for his country's defense. Most of all, it's the story of Jake Holman (Steve McQueen), a sailor who has given up trying to make peace with anything - including himself. McQueen gives what is probably the best performance of his career. It's not surprising that he, Mako and the movie were up for Oscars. Portraying a character with conflicting loyalties to friend and flag, McQueen expertly conveys the confusion that leads into his final line: "What the hell happened?" It's to his credit that we already know. BONUS FEATURES:
 This special collector's commemorative edition has been issued in honor of the June 6, 1944 Allied invasion of France, which marked the beginning of the end of Nazi domination over Europe. The attack involved 3,000,000 men, 11,000 planes and 4,000 ships, comprising the largest armada the world has ever seen. The Longest Day is a vivid, hour-by-hour recreation of this historic event. Featuring a stellar international cast, and told from the perspectives of both sides, it is a fascinating look at the massive preparations, mistakes, and random events that determined the outcome of one of the biggest battles in history. Winner of two 1962 Oscars (Special Effects and Cinematography), The Longest Day ranks as one of Hollywood's truly great war films. BONUS FEATURES: Disc 1:
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ARTWORK UPDATE: MGM Westerns
     **MGM** is rolling out the Westerns in May! All are new to DVD except The Westerner (which was released by HBO 10 years ago and is very rare). More details to come...
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