Forbidden Hollywood, Vol. 3 in March SPECIAL 3 DAY PRICE

What: Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 3
When: March 24th
Studio: Warner
Price: Retail $49.92, Our: $37.99, $34.98

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The new year is coming in with a bang with a last minute announcement that **Warner** has scheduled their Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 3 for a March 24th release date. All 6 films are directed by William Wellman and like previous FH sets, titles will not be available as singles.

It will retail for $49.92, but is available at ClassicFlix.com for only $37.99. However, for 3 days only (until January 3rd), we'll have it for the SPECIAL LOW PRE-ORDER PRICE of $34.98. Details below.



Other Men's Women (1931)
This is the story of a love triangle between two burly railroad men and the one woman they both desire (Mary Astor). Jack, an engineer (Regis Toomey) and Lily's husband, is more solid and reliable. Bill (Grant Withers) is a carefree ladies' man with an irresponsible streak. Also featured in secondary roles in this melodrama are James Cagney and Joan Blondell as a wisecracking waitress. Directed with his signature virile style, Wellman balances scenes of fraying domesticity with vigorous vignettes of tough railroad life.

The Purchase Price (1932)
This film is a brisk Wellman mix of comedy and melodrama about torch singer Joan Gordon (Barbara Stanwyck), who tiring of her relationship with small-time hood Eddie Fields (Lyle Talbot), flees to North Dakota and becomes the mail-order bride of down-to-earth farmer Jim Gilson (George Brent). Their wedded bliss is threatened by Gilson's own stubbornness, a lecherous neighbor and the reappearance of Fields.

BONUS FEATURES:
  • Classic Cartoons:
    • You Don't Know What You're Doin'!
    • Moonlight for Two
  • The Wall Street Mystery Short
  • Theatrical Trailers
Frisco Jenny (1932)
Along with his films about men in dire straits, Wellman helmed a string of so-called women's pictures like this one. Ruth Chatterton plays the title role of Frisco Jenny, a woman orphaned by the 1906 earthquake who becomes the madam of a prosperous brothel. She puts her son up for adoption and as he rises to prominence as district attorney he becomes dedicated to closing down such houses. When her associate proposes killing the DA, she kills the associate and must face execution.

Midnight Mary (1933)
Working on loan-out for MGM, this crime melodrama very much in the Warner mode was based on a story by Anita Loos, about a young woman on trial for murder (Loretta Young). The story is told in flashback, as she awaits her verdict. Mary Martin recalls how her life of desperate poverty leads to involvement with gangsters. When she meets a young lawyer in a brothel, scion of a wealthy and prestigious family, he helps her turn around her life. But her past catches up with her, and she chooses to face the consequences rather than cause him scandal. By the writers of the pivotal Warner Bros. pre-code gems, Baby Face and Female.

BONUS FEATURES:
  • Commentary by Jeffrey Vance and Tony Maietta (Midnight Mary)
  • Shorts:
    • The Studio Murder Mystery
    • Goofy Movies #1
  • Classic Cartoon: Bosko's Parlor Pranks
  • Theatrical Trailers
Heroes for Sale (1933)
Heroes for Sale, filmed with raw, gritty immediacy by the no-nonsense Wellman, covers all the Depression-era bases, and puts the spotlight on the plight of veterans. This is the hard-hitting story of Tom Holmes (Richard Barthelmess), an unsung war hero left wounded and addicted to morphine whose struggles make him an American Everyman, a tough hero for a tough time.

Wild Boys of the Road (1933)
It's the depression, and Tom's mother has been out of work for months when Eddie's father loses his job. Not to burden their parents, the two high school sophomores decide to hop the freights and look for work. This socially conscience message film helped draw attention to wandering youths cut adrift by hard times. Frankie Darro, whose acting career stretched from the 1920s into the '70s, portrays Eddie. And the actress posing as a boy in the film is played by Dorothy Coonan, who became the real life Mrs. William Wellman.

BONUS FEATURES:
  • Commentary by John Gallagher (Heroes for Sale)
  • Commentary by William Wellman Jr. and Frank Thompson (Wild Boys of the Road)
  • Classic Cartoons:
    • Sittin' on a Backyard Fence
    • One Step Ahead of My Shadow
  • The Trans-Atlantic Mystery Short
  • Theatrical Trailers
Bonus disc with two full-length documentaries.

Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick
The documentary traces Wellman's life from his birth in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1896, through his distinguished World War I career as a flier (which later got him the job of directing the classic silent film Wings), his start as a mail boy at Goldwyn, his rise to director in the 20's, his five marriages and stormy career through the 30's to late 50's, with a total filmography of more than 80 films.

The Men Who Made the Movies
William Wellman, the Oscar-winning screenwriter-director of the original A Star Is Born (1937), was called "Wild Bill" during his World War I service as an aviator, a nickname that persisted in Hollywood due to his "larger-than-life" personality and lifestyle. A leap-year baby born in 1896 on the 29th of February to a stockbroker father in Brookline, Massachusetts, Wellman was the great-great-great grandson of Francis Lewis, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. His mother, the former Cecilia McCarthy, was born in Ireland. Despite an upper-middle class upbringing, the young Wellman was a hell-raiser. He excelled as an athlete and particularly enjoyed playing ice hockey, but he also enjoyed less savory pastimes, like joy-riding in stolen cars at night.

Three Stooges, Vol. 5 in March - SPECIAL 5 DAY PRICE


What: The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 5 (46 - 48)
When: March 17th
Studio: Sony
Price: Retail $26.99, Our: $19.99, $16.98
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LET THE ERA OF SHEMP BEGIN! Yes, I know, waiting months for this announcement has seemed like years since the previous sets were released so close together. But wait no more -- **Sony** has scheduled a March 17th release date for The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 5 (1946 - 1948). Like the previous chronological sets, it's expected to be across two discs without bonus features.

It will retail for $24.96, but is available at ClassicFlix.com for only $19.99. However, for 5 days only (until January 3rd), we'll have it for the SPECIAL LOW PRE-ORDER PRICE of $16.98.

Shorts expected in this set:

1946
  • Beer Barrel Polecats
  • A Bird in the Head
  • Uncivil War Birds
  • The Three Troubledoers
  • Monkey Businessmen
  • Three Loan Wolves
  • G.I. Wanna Home
  • Rhythm and Weep
  • Three Little Pirates
1947
  • Half-Wits Holiday (Last Curly Short)
  • Fright Night
  • Out West
  • Hold That Lion! (Curly in a cameo)
  • Brideless Groom
  • Sing a Song of Six Pants
  • All Gummed Up
1948
  • Shivering Sherlocks
  • Pardon My Clutch
  • Squareheads of the Round Table
  • Fiddlers Three
  • The Hot Scots
  • Heavenly Daze
  • I'm a Monkey's Uncle
  • Mummy's Dummies
  • Crime on Their Hands

ARTWORK ADDED: Max Fleischer's Superman


--Artwork added to previous announcement--



Original Announcement

What: Max Fleischer's Superman
When: April 7th
Studio:
Warner
Price: Retail $26.99, Our: 20.99
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**Warner** has announced an April 7th release date for Max Fleischer's Superman. The 2-disc set will retail for $26.99, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $20.99.

According to Jerry Beck at Cartoon Brew the new transfers are "truly breaktaking," because they were done with Warner and DC Comics own master negatives. He follows with advice to dump old versions of Fleisher's Superman.

We normally do remove older, inferior releases of the same material to reduce confusion on which version is superior, however, in this case, we'll keep on VCI's 2006 release because it has a few bonus features not contained in this new set, and because VCI's lower price may be more appealing to those not overly concerned with video quality.

DETAILS:

Includes all 17 Max Fleischer Cartoons with two bonus featurettes.
  1. Superman (Mad Scientist) - Sept 26 1941
  2. The Mechanical Monsters - Nov 28 1941
  3. Billion Dollar Limited - January 9, 1942
  4. Arctic Giant - February 27, 1942
  5. The Bulleteers - March 27, 1942
  6. The Magnetic Telescope - April 24, 1942
  7. Electric Earthquake - May 15, 1942
  8. Volcano - July 10, 1942
  9. Terror on the Midway - August 28, 1942
  10. The Japoteurs - Sept 18, 1942
  11. Showdown - Oct 16, 1942
  12. The Eleventh Hour - Nov 20, 1942
  13. Destruction , Inc. - Dec 25, 1943
  14. The Mummy Strikes - Feb 19, 1943
  15. Jungle Drums - March 25, 1943
  16. Underground World - June 18, 1943
  17. Secret Agent - July 30, 1943
BONUS FEATURES:
  • The Man, The Myth, Superman Featurette
  • First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series Featurette

Max Fleischer's Superman from Warner in April

What: Max Fleischer's Superman
When: April 7th
Studio:
Warner
Price: Retail $26.99, Our: 20.99
Buy Now Add Series to Queue

**Warner** has announced an April 7th release date for Max Fleischer's Superman. The 2-disc set will retail for $26.99, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $20.99.

According to Jerry Beck at Cartoon Brew the new transfers are "truly breaktaking," because they were done with Warner and DC Comics own master negatives. He follows with advice to dump old versions of Fleisher's Superman.

We normally do remove older, inferior releases of the same material to reduce confusion on which version is superior, however, in this case, we'll keep on VCI's 2006 release because it has a few bonus features not contained in this new set, and because VCI's lower price may be more appealing to those not overly concerned with video quality.

DETAILS:

Includes all 17 Max Fleischer Cartoons with two bonus featurettes.
  1. Superman (Mad Scientist) - Sept 26 1941
  2. The Mechanical Monsters - Nov 28 1941
  3. Billion Dollar Limited - January 9, 1942
  4. Arctic Giant - February 27, 1942
  5. The Bulleteers - March 27, 1942
  6. The Magnetic Telescope - April 24, 1942
  7. Electric Earthquake - May 15, 1942
  8. Volcano - July 10, 1942
  9. Terror on the Midway - August 28, 1942
  10. The Japoteurs - Sept 18, 1942
  11. Showdown - Oct 16, 1942
  12. The Eleventh Hour - Nov 20, 1942
  13. Destruction , Inc. - Dec 25, 1943
  14. The Mummy Strikes - Feb 19, 1943
  15. Jungle Drums - March 25, 1943
  16. Underground World - June 18, 1943
  17. Secret Agent - July 30, 1943
BONUS FEATURES:
  • The Man, The Myth, Superman Featurette
  • First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series Featurette

Route 66 - Producer's Picks in February

What: Route 66 - Producer's Picks
When: February 10th
Studio:
Infinity Entertainment
Price: Retail $19.98, Our: 14.99
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No, it's not Season 3 of Route 66 set for February 10th, but expect to see three episodes from Season 3 and one from Season 4 in **Infinity Entertainment's** upcoming Route 66 - Producer's Picks.

The 2 disc set will contain 11 episodes, in their original aspect ratio, and will retail for $19.98, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $14.99. No word on Bonus Features. More details below.


Route 66 (1960-64), an edgy anthology of downbeat character studies and psychological dramas, was one of the most brilliant and highly rated television series of the era. The original road trip adventure, shot entirely on location with top drawer writing, intriguing characters and stellar guest star appearances, it established the Corvette as an American icon.All In Route 66, Yale graduate Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) is an intellectual who has led a privileged life. Buz Murdock (George Maharis) is a tough young man, who has struggled his entire life just to survive. When his wealthy father dies, Tod finds himself unexpectedly penniless with just one possession, a powder-blue Chevrolet Corvette. On a quest to find adventure and themselves, Tod and Buz hit the open road in the ultimate American journey. Traversing the famed Route 66, stretching from Chicago, Ill., to Santa Monica, Calif., these two dreamers encounter a myriad of loners, dreamers and outsiders, portrayed by an array of Hollywood's biggest stars early in their careers.

DISC 1:
  • Play it Glissando
  • Eleven, The Hard Way
  • First Class Mouliak
  • The Strengthening Angels
  • Birdcage on My Foot
  • And the Cat Jumped over the Moon
DISC 2:
  • You Never Had it so Good
  • Lizard's Leg and Owlet's Wing (Season 3 - Guests: Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney, Jr.)
  • Poor Little Kangaroo Rat (Season 3 - Guests: Ron Howard, Leslie Nielsen)
  • Soda Pop and Paper Flags (Season 3 - Guests: Alan Alda, Tom Bosley, Joseph Campanella)
  • A Cage in Search of a Bird (Season 4 - Guests: Dan Duryea, Stefanie Powers)
*Titles in parentheses are new to DVD.

DETAILS ADDED: BD Exclusives for The Robe


--Bonus Features added to previous announcement for The Robe (Blu-Ray)--
--Bold Text Represents Blu-Ray Exclusives--

BONUS FEATURES

  • Introduction by Martin Scorsese
  • Commentary with Film Composer David Newman and Film Historians Jon Burlingame, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman
  • The Making of the Robe
  • Gallery
  • Interactive Pressbook
  • Vintage Celebrity Introductions by Richard Widmark, Susan Hayworth, Robert Wagner, Clifton Webb and Dan Dailey
  • The CinemaScope Story featurette
  • From Scripture to Script: The Bible and Hollywood featurette
  • BONUSVIEW picture-in-picture mode:
    • The Robe Times Two: A Comparison of Widescreen and Standard Versions
    • A Seamless Faith: The Real-Life Search for The Robe featurettes
      • Inspiration
      • The Clothes of Christ
      • Clothes in Biblical Times
      • Clothes of a King
      • A Seamless Garment
      • The Robe on Page & Screen
      • The Robe and Politics
      • The Robe in Our World
      • The Robe in France & Russia
      • History vs. Drama
  • Audio Interview with Screenwriter Philip Dunne (1969)
  • Movietone News
    • CinemaScope Hailed by Public and Press
    • Broadway Hails The Robe in CinemaScope
    • The Robe (Christian Herald Award)
    • Millionth Patron Sees The Robe
    • CinemaScope and The Robe Win Oscars
  • Trailers / TV Spots
  • Poster Gallery / Lobby Cards

Original Announcement
No word on the other upcoming **Fox** titles previously mentioned (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Man Hunt & Stars and Stripes Forever), but we've just learned about a solid March 17th release date for the Historical Epic The Robe - Special Edition (1953) in Standard & Blu-Ray format.

No additional details are available except that the SD version should have both the CinemaScope and Flat version. And although we list the SD version as a 2-Disc set and the BD as a single disc, those details have not yet been verified.

Prices below with more details to follow.

The Robe - Special Edition Retail: $19.98, Our: $14.99
Add Series to QueueBuy Now

The Robe (Blu-Ray) Retail: $34.98, Our: $27.99
Rent Now Buy Now

SYNOPSIS:
The first movie ever filmed in CinemaScope, The Robe was nominated for five Academy Awards in 1953, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Richard Burton. Burton stars as Marcellus Gallio, the Roman centurion charged with overseeing the crucifixion of Christ. But when he wins Christ's robe in a gambling game at the foot of the cross, his life is forever changed.

Its inspired story set to a spectacular score, and featuring an all-star cast, including Victor Mature and Jean Simmons, The Robe remains one of the screen's greatest biblical epics.

ARTWORK & DETAILS ADDED: The Robe


--Artwork for Standard Version and Bonus Features added to previous announcement--
--Also, it appears both versions will be single disc--



BONUS FEATURES:
  • Introduction by Martin Scorsesse
  • Commentary with Film Composer David Newman and Film Historians Jon Burlingame, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman
  • The Making of the Robe
  • Gallery
  • Interactive Pressbook
Original Announcement
No word on the other upcoming **Fox** titles previously mentioned (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Man Hunt & Stars and Stripes Forever), but we've just learned about a solid March 17th release date for the Historical Epic The Robe - Special Edition (1953) in Standard & Blu-Ray format.

No additional details are available except that the SD version should have both the CinemaScope and Flat version. And although we list the SD version as a 2-Disc set and the BD as a single disc, those details have not yet been verified.

Prices below with more details to follow.

The Robe - Special Edition Retail: $19.98, Our: $14.99
Add Series to QueueBuy Now

The Robe (Blu-Ray) Retail: $34.98, Our: $27.99
Rent Now Buy Now

SYNOPSIS:
The first movie ever filmed in CinemaScope, The Robe was nominated for five Academy Awards in 1953, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Richard Burton. Burton stars as Marcellus Gallio, the Roman centurion charged with overseeing the crucifixion of Christ. But when he wins Christ's robe in a gambling game at the foot of the cross, his life is forever changed.

Its inspired story set to a spectacular score, and featuring an all-star cast, including Victor Mature and Jean Simmons, The Robe remains one of the screen's greatest biblical epics.

Top 20 Actresses Meme

I picked up on the Siren's list a week ago, and viewed, among others, J.C. Loophole's and Laura's. So I thought I might chime in with my own top 20 actresses list. The list represents those who came to mind that I would watch just because they're in it, regardless of the quality of film.

Looking at other lists, some got no mention (Betty Hutton, Paulette Goddard and Eleanor Powell), while others got surprisingly very few (Jean Arthur and Jeanne Crain).

The Top 10 are in order with the rest in no particular order. Favorites are listed as well.
  1. Barbara Stanwyck (Ball of Fire, Meet John Doe, The Lady Eve & Many Others)
  2. Jean Arthur (The More the Merrier, Mr. Smith..., Talk of the Town & Many Others)
  3. Bette Davis (Mr. Skeffington, Now, Voyager, It's Love I'm After & Many Others)
  4. Grace Kelly (The Country Girl, Dial M..., High Noon [Okay, ALL of Grace's Films])
  5. Eleanor Powell (All Too)
  6. Betty Hutton (The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, Star Spangled Rhythm, The Stork Club)
  7. Jeanne Crain (Pinky, Margie, Apartment for Peggy)
  8. Carole Lombard (To Be or Not to Be, They Knew What They Wanted)
  9. Maureen O'Hara (How Green Was My Valley, The Quiet Man, Miracle on...)
  10. Loretta Young (The Bishop's Wife, Key to the City)
  11. June Allyson (Good News, Little Women)
  12. Myrna Loy (The Thin Man, Libeled Lady)
  13. Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca, Gaslight, Notorious)
  14. Rosalind Russell (The Women, His Girl Friday, Night Must Fall)
  15. Teresa Wright (Shadow of a Doubt, Pride of the Yankees, The Best Years...)
  16. Paulette Goddard (Ghost Breakers, The Cat and the Canary, Reap the Wild Wind)
  17. Virginia Mayo (The Princess and the Pirate, ...Walter Mitty, White Heat)
  18. Greer Garson (Pride and Prejudice, Random Harvest, Mrs. Miniver)
  19. Dorothy McGuire (A Tree Grow in Brooklyn, Friendly Persuasion, Old Yeller)
  20. Katharine Hepburn (Adam's Rib, The Philadelphia Story, A Bill of Divorcement)
Didn't quite make the cut, but others that were in the mix:
  • Doris Day
  • Irene Dunne
  • Claudette Colbert
  • Ida Lupino
  • Lana Turner
  • Gene Tierney
  • Joan Bennett

TCM Spotlight - Doris Day Collection in April

What: TCM Spotlight: Doris Day Collection
When: April 7th
Studio:
Warner
Titles: It’s a Great Feeling (1949), Tea for Two (1950), Starlift (1951), April in Paris (1952) & The Tunnel of Love (1958)
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**Warner** has announced an April 7th release date for TCM Spotlight: Doris Day Collection. The much-anticipated set will cover Day's earlier work such as the hilarious comedy It's a Great Feeling and the first-time home video release of Starlift.

Like all TCM Spotlight sets, and unlike previous Doris Day sets, titles will not be available individually. The 5 disc set will retail for $49.92, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $37.99. Details below.


It’s a Great Feeling (1949)
No director? No leading lady? No problem! If no one will work with actor Jack Carson (who plays himself), he’ll just pull his own movie together. Good buddy Dennis Morgan can be hoodwinked into co-starring. And there’s a talented kid in the studio commissary (Day) eager for her big break.

In her third film (and third with Carson), Doris Day plays that up-and-comer in a bright filmmaking spoof featuring melodic toe-tappers, real Hollywood and Warner Bros. back lot locales, star cameos (Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford, Edward G. Robinson, among others) and a surprise comedy finale.

NO BONUS FEATURES

Tea for Two (1950)
Wealthy, stagestruck Nan Carter strikes a bet that she can say “no” to everything for 48 hours. If she wins, she gets the $25,000 to back a Broadway musical vehicle for herself. She’s determined, even if it means saying “no” when the guy she loves pops the question. Nan doesn’t know it yet, but her fortune has been wiped out in the Crash of ’29.

Doris Day is a sunny sensation in this flapper-era musical romp, with co-stars Gordon MacRae and Gene Nelson on hand to help provide songs, dance and romance. Eve Arden, Billy DeWolfe and S.Z “Cuddles” Sakall deliver lots of laughs, and the Gershwins, Vincent Youmans, Harry Warren and other Tin Pan Alley greats supply wonderful melodies, including the title tune, Do, Do, Do, I Only Have Eyes for You, I Want to Be Happy and lots more.

BONUS FEATURES:
  • Vintage Short So You Want to Hold Your Husband
  • Classic Cartoon Tee for Two
  • No, No Nanette Radio Show - From the 1949 "Railroad Hour" series, with Doris Day and Gordon MacRae
  • No, No Nanette Overture - From the surviving Vitaphone disc from lost 1930 Warner Bros. film
  • Theatrical Trailer
Starlift (1951)
The charming tale of a serviceman with a crush on a movie ingénue is the backdrop for this spirited flag-waver featuring screen greats such as Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, James Cagney, Gary Cooper, Ruth Roman, Gene Nelson, Virginia Mayo, Jane Wyman, Randolph Scott and more Hollywood celebrities performing for – or just shooting the breeze with – star-struck flyboys in uniform. Songs by the Gershwins, Cole Porter and more legendary composers plus a hilarious Western production number with Cooper whoopin’ it up as a steely Texas Ranger add to the patriotic fun.

BONUS FEATURES:
  • Vintage Short Musical Memories
  • Classic Cartoon Sleepy Time Possum
  • Theatrical Trailer
April in Paris (1952)
The State Department wants Ethel Barrymore to represent the American theater at an arts exposition in Paris. But Miss Barrymore’s invitation is sent by mistake to Miss Ethel “Dynamite” Jackson, a very blonde, very brassy chorus girl.

Doris Day and Ray Bolger star in this musical bonbon highlighted by the Vernon Duke/E.Y. Harburg title tune and a high-kicking, bell-ringing rendition of the Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn I’m Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight. Day is pure TNT as Dynamite Jackson and Bolger’s rubbery comic artistry ideally complements her. He’s the stuffy bureaucrat who mismailed the Barrymore missive – and now has a stateroom full of explosives on his hands for a Paris-bound ocean voyage.

BONUS FEATURES:
  • Vintage Short So You Want to Wear the Pants
  • Classic Cartoon Terrier Stricken
  • Theatrical Trailer
The Tunnel of Love (1958)
Isolde (Doris Day) and Augie (Richard Widmark) Poole are trying to adopt a baby. Dick (Gig Young), the Poole’s neighbor, has advice for Augie during these challenging times: have an affair. (Of course, that’s Dick’s solution for everything). No way, says Augie. Then he wakes up in a motel room with no memory of the night before – and finds a thank-you note from the curvy caseworker who’s handling the Poole adoption! Gene Kelly’s lively direction, the stars’ comedy chops and the popular title tune highlight this sexy romp of the kind that made Day one of the world’s biggest movie stars of the ’50s and ’60s.

BONUS FEATURES:
  • Classic Cartoon Tot Watchers
  • Theatrical trailer

South Pacific (Blu-Ray) in March

What: South Pacific (Blu-Ray)
When: March 31st
Studio:
Fox
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**Fox** has announced a March 31st release date for South Pacific (Blu-Ray) - 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition. The 2-disc set will retail for $34.99, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $27.99.

It will match the 2006 SD set with "General Release" and "Road Show" versions and all the same bonus features with the addition of a new full-length documentary: Passion, Prejudice and South Pacific: Creating An American Masterpiece. Details below.



SYNOPSIS:
It all starts "Some Enchanted Evening," when a young American nurse from Little Rock (Mitzi Gaynor) meets the handsome and mysterious French planter (Rossano Brazzi) on a South Pacific island during World War II. Seeking respite from the battles around them, they find refuge in each other as their romance blooms in the lush tropical paradise. The natural beauty of the islands, the hijinks of the sailors, the danger of war, the passion of young love and the strength of true love are joined by a sensational Rodgers Hammerstein score.

Surrounding this Oscar-winning classic are special features as a behind-the-scenes making-of featurette, a songs-only option, Sinalong subtitles, vintage stage excerpts with the original Broadway stars, insightful commentary, and much, much more!

BONUS FEATURES:

DISC 1 (157 Minute General Release Version):
  • Audio Commentary by Rogers & Hammerstein Organization President Ted Chapin and Musical Theater Writer Geard Alessandrini
  • Sinalong Karaoke Subtitles (English)
  • Songs-Only Option
DISC 2 (172 Minute Road Show Version):
  • Extended "Road Show" Version of South Pacific
  • Commentary by Film Historian Richard Barrios
  • Blu-Ray Exclusive: Passion, Prejudice and South Pacific: Creating An American Masterpiece Documentary
  • The Making of South Pacific Featurette
  • Diane Sawyer takes James Michener Back to the Islands where his Tales of the South Pacific were born
  • Vintage Stage Excerpts:
    • Some Enchanted Evening
    • A Wonderful Guy
  • Fox Movietone News: South Pacific on the Screen - A Perfect Hit, State Department Confers High Honor on South Pacific
  • Mitzi Gaynor Screen Test
  • Original Theatrical Trailer

The Robe - Special Edition and Blu-Ray in March

No word on the other upcoming **Fox** titles previously mentioned (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Man Hunt & Stars and Stripes Forever), but we've just learned about a solid March 17th release date for the Historical Epic The Robe - Special Edition (1953) in Standard & Blu-Ray format.

No additional details are available except that the SD version should have both the CinemaScope and Flat version. And although we list the SD version as a 2-Disc set and the BD as a single disc, those details have not yet been verified.

Prices below with more details to follow.

The Robe - Special Edition Retail: $19.98, Our: $14.99
Add Series to QueueBuy Now

The Robe (Blu-Ray) Retail: $34.98, Our: $27.99
Rent Now Buy Now

SYNOPSIS:
The first movie ever filmed in CinemaScope, The Robe was nominated for five Academy Awards in 1953, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Richard Burton. Burton stars as Marcellus Gallio, the Roman centurion charged with overseeing the crucifixion of Christ. But when he wins Christ's robe in a gambling game at the foot of the cross, his life is forever changed.

Its inspired story set to a spectacular score, and featuring an all-star cast, including Victor Mature and Jean Simmons, The Robe remains one of the screen's greatest biblical epics.

ARTWORK ADDED: Hitchcock Singles

--Artwork added to previous announcement--









Previous Announcement

Taking a page from the "How to Irritate Customers and Still Hope They'll Buy Your Product" handbook, **MGM** has announced the release of four singles that were just released as exclusives to the Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection.

The four singles below will street on February 10th. Each will retail for $19.98, but can be purchased at ClassicFlix.com for only $14.99.

VCI: Gasoline Alley and Friends in February

**VCI** has announced a February 24th release date for Gasoline Alley and Friends. The two disc set will contain the 2 Scotty Beckett/Jimmy Lydon Gasoline Alley features, plus four programmers from around the same period.

The features are Gasoline Alley (1951) and Corky, of Gasoline Alley (1951). The programmers (the friends) are the last two Joe Sawyer/William Tracy service comedies, As You Were (1951) and Mr. Walkie Talkie (1952) and two Sid Melton comedies, Stop That Cab (1951) and Leave it to the Marines (1951). It will retail for $29.99, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $19.99. Details below.

Add Series to QueueBuy Now

Gasoline Alley (1951)
The popular Frank O. King comic strip characters go from newspaper page to screen in this 1951 feature from legendary comedy director Edward Bernds (of Three Stooges and Bowery Boys fame). Scotty Beckett and Jimmy Lydon are Corky and Skeezix, half-brothers who find themselves in the restaurant business until complications and some family conflicts arise.

As You Were (1951)
Oh, those Army daze--and nights! An infusion of WAC beauties adds to the fun when ex-G.I. "Dodo" Doubleday (William Tracy), now a hotel clerk, impresses Army brass with his memory, and considers going back into the military. But recruiting station sergeant Bill Ames (Joe Sawyer), remembering how Tracy jinxed him back in WWII days, begs him not to re-enlist!

Mr. Walkie Talkie (1952)
Joe Sawyer and William Tracy return in another wacky service comedy, Sawyer as the exasperated sergeant of a GI trainee (Tracy) who remembers everything he has ever heard. Their misadventures include reassignment to Korea, an enemy spy and the offer of a Congressional Medal of Honor for Sawyer—if he can control his temper long enough to get it!

Corky, of Gasoline Alley (1951)
How long can a cousin visit? That's the question for Corky (Scotty Beckett) when his wife's cousin (Gordon Jones) makes himself an unwanted houseguest, begins telling Wallet family members how to run their businesses, and blows up one of Corky's restaurant's ranges and one of Skeezix's (Jimmy Lydon) cars! Another entertaining comedy-drama for fans of the classic Frank O. King comic strip.

Stop That Cab
(1951)
Babies and bandits spell trouble for Sid Melton, a bumbling Hollywood cabby whose night is filled with constant harassment from his wife (Iris Adrian), and whose fares include a radio quiz show contestant in search of a movie star, an expectant mother who is no longer expectant when she LEAVES his cab—and a gunman!

Leave it to the Marines (1951)
Quintessential schnook Sid Melton, looking for the license bureau so that he can marry his girl (Mara Lynn), instead stumbles upon a Marine recruiting office and ends up in uniform. Lynn reacts by joining the Women's Marine Corps. Between the two of them, they're the Howls of Montezuma and the Roars of Tripoli in this frantic service comedy.

Martin Luther (1953) in February

*VCI** has announced Martin Luther (1953) for release on February 24th. It will retail for $14.99, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $10.99. VCI's print is expected to be an upgrade from the many PD prints out there. No bonus features are anticipated. Details below.

Rent Now Buy Now


Based on the life of the 16th century monk who defied excommunication and the stake in his demand for religious reform, "Martin Luther" provides the first motion picture portrayal of the incendiary beginnings of the Protestant Reformation. This dramatic motion picture, which was nominated for two "Oscars" – for photography and art direction, was produced in cooperation with the Lutheran Church on location in the towns, castles, and churches of West Germany. Careful research of European and American documents of Roman Catholic and Protestant writers formed the basis for the script and much of the dialogue was culled from actual historic documents. Luther fought against the sale of indulgences. He demanded that the church of his day be cleansed of secular abuse and that the authority for doctrine and practice be scripture rather than Popes or Council. To bring up the abuse of indulgences for debate, he nailed a 95-points of argument- on the church door. This argument split the Roman Catholic Church and The Holy Roman Empire. Labeled a heretic, Luther was excommunicated by the Pope and banished and condemned by the Empire. Luther's beliefs gave birth to an evangelical movement that quickly spread throughout Europe and the world.

VCI: More British Cinema in February

**VCI** has announced a February 24th release date for British Cinema - Renown Pictures Literary Classics Collection. The titles are below and will be available as a set and individually. They are:

The Pickwick Papers (1952) Rent Now Buy Now
Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951) Rent Now Buy Now
Svengali (1954) Rent Now Buy Now
The 3 disc set will retail for $39.99, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $27.99. Individual titles will retail for $19.99, and are available at Classicflix for $14.99. However, for 3 days only (until December 14th), we'll have the set for the SPECIAL PRE-ORDER PRICE of $21.98.

Details below with no bonus features expected. NOTE: This is not Volume 2 of VCi's "Classic B's" British Cinema Collection.

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The Pickwick Papers (1952)
In 1836 young Charles Dickens was commissioned to write a series of humorous stories about the misadventures of the members of a fictional English social club. Dickens called this organization the Pickwick Club, named after his central character, one Samuel Pickwick. He and his friends set out on a cross-country journey, and through a series of innocent misunderstandings, they wind up entangled in a comedy of errors that builds to monumental proportions. The tone of the tale turns serious when Pickwick is briefly consigned to a debtor's prison, a place which only Dickens could describe in the full measure of its hopelessness and horror. And only this picture could capture the flavor of this literary classic so tellingly. Pickwick and his friends Snodgrass, Winkle, Mr. Jingle and all the others come vividly to life, enacted by a peerless British cast. Received Academy Award Nomination for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White.

Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951)
Thomas Hughes' novel of life in a boys' boarding school in the 1800's comes boldly to life on the screen. At the age of eleven Tom Brown is sent off to Rugby where, as his father tells him, he likely will "see a great many blackguard things." He does indeed. Young Tom receives a good deal of hazing from his classmates, but he takes it all in stride until he runs afoul of the school bully, the sadistic Flashman. A more despicable villain doesn't exist in English literature--or in English movies, for that matter. Tom learns the hard way that rebelling against Flashman carries a painful penalty. Robert Newton gives a moving performance as the school's reform-minded headmaster. Some of the filming took place on location at Rugby, giving the picture its strong flavor of authenticity.

Svengali (1954)
Trilby O'Ferral is drawn to a group in the next apartment listening to the music of Svengali. She meets the men and is attracted to two: Billy, a shy, sensitive, young man who obviously adores her on sight, and the dark, sinister hypnotist, Svengali. Trilby, who poses for young artists, comes to know and like Billy, but fails to understand his primness and modesty. Yet, their relationship grows under the watchful, jealous eye of the hypnotist. Finally, he comes forward, bringing Trilby under his spell completely. Billy is unable to comprehend the change in Trilby. She and Svengali develop a concert act and tour successfully, forsaking Trilby's former friends. Yet, Billy's love is unwavering and wins out at last over the dark power of Svengali.