Classicflix.com Blog: May 2009

ARTWORK ADDED: Here's Lucy - Season 1

--Artwork added to previous announcement--

ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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WHEN:
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Here's Lucy - Season 1
August 25th
MPI
Retail $29.99, Our: $21.99

One month after Paramount announced season of The Lucy Show, MPI has announced an August 25th release date for Here's Lucy - Season 1.

The four disc set will retail for $29.99, but it's available at ClassicFlix.com for only $21.99.

FLICKER ALLEY: The Lost Films of John Gilbert in July

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TITLES:

The Lost Films of John Gilbert
July 7th
Flicker Alley
Retail $39.99, Our: $29.99
Bardelys the Magnificent (1926), Monte Cristo (1922)

Flicker Alley has announced a July 7th release date for a The Lost Films of John Gilbert. The titles are the King Vidor directed Bardelys the Magnificent (1926) and Monte Cristo (1922).

The two-disc release will retail for $39.99, but it's available at ClassicFlix.com for only $29.99. Details below.

Bardelys the Magnificent (1926, 85 min.)
Based upon the novel by Rafael Sabatini and directed by King Vidor, who just one year before had directed Gilbert in the smash hit The Big Parade. In France “in an age of light loves and lively scandals,” the Marquis de Bardelys (Gilbert), casual womanizer and accomplished swashbuckler, is entranced by Roxalanne de Lavedan (Eleanor Boardman); and against a background of knavery and intrigue, he sets out to woo and win her. Lavishly mounted and superbly directed with spectacular action scenes, Bardelys is a hugely entertaining action romance given an A-plus MGM production.

The sole surviving print was found in France in 2006; the English titles are restored according to the original script. A gap in the recovered footage is bridged with stills, titles, and footage from the original trailer so the story is complete; the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra provides a lovely score of period photoplay music. This release is possible through the graciousness of Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures.

Monte Cristo (1922, 100 min.)
Adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, and directed by Emmett J. Flynn, Gilbert is Edmond Dantes, a sailor unjustly imprisoned for twenty years, time he spends acquiring education and finesse. Later the accidental heir to a vast fortune, Dantes reinvents himself as the Count of Monte Cristo, and wreaks revenge on those symbols of the decadent monarchy that wronged him.

Fox Film spared no expense on this prestige film with lavish sets and a distinguished supporting cast. The sole surviving copy of Monte Cristo is a worn and choppy print found in the Czech Republic, but nearly complete. English titles have been restored with the help of the original script. Pianist Neal Kurz arranged and performs a score of obscure yet beautiful French music of the period.

BONUS FEATURES:

Film historians Jeffrey Vance and Tony Maietta draw from their own extensive historical research into the life of John Gilbert to provide:
- A full-length audio essay on Bardelys the Magnificent
- An enclosed booklet
- A brand-new thirty-minute documentary Rediscovering John Gilbert, featuring an on-camera interview with John Gilbert’s daughter and biographer, Leatrice Gilbert Fountain
Plus a 200+ Image slide show

WARNER ARCHIVE: Four's a Crowd with Errol, Olivia & Rosalind

WBShop has just listed the romantic screwball comedy Four's a Crowd (1938). Another Errol Flynn & Olivia de Havilland teaming, it also stars Rosiland Russell and Patric Knowles. Plenty of great support too with Walter Connolly, Hugh Herbert, Melville Cooper, Franklin Pangborn, Joseph Crehan and Margaret Hamilton.

It's now up and available for rent.

SYNOPSIS:
Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland infuse Hollywood classics with romance, daring and legendary screen chemistry. That chemistry reaches giddy heights in the screwball romp Four's a Crowd, the only comedy the stars made together. Flynn plays a PR dynamo who rigs a toy train race to win a grumpy millionaire (Walter Connolly) as a client -- and tries to win the millionaire’s granddaughter (de Havilland) too. As big-city newspaper types, Rosalind Russell and Patric Knowles join Flynn and de Havilland to make a madcap love quadrangle. All four end up in front of a justice of the peace, but who’s with whom?

John Ford's Wagon Master (1950) in September

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Wagon Master (1950)
September 15th
Warner
Retail $19.97, Our: $14.49

Warner has announced a September 15th release date for John Ford's Wagon Master (1950). Bonus features are not yet known.

The single disc release will retail for $19.97, but it's available at ClassicFlix.com for only $14.49.

OFF THE SCHEDULE: The African Queen

Our original source regarding The African Queen was wrong and it is not on the schedule for this October. Our studio source also cannot confirm its impending release. Sorry for the hub bub.

--David

ARTWORK & DETAILS ADDED: Icons of Screwball Comedy

Below is a crop from a media ad with a glimpse of what the artwork will look like for Icons of Screwball Comedy, Vol. 1 & 2.

While they seem to be in line with the standard blah Sony artwork of late, they have added a surprise to the sets by including a couple of shorts (below).

Schilling and Lane Short: Ain't Love Cuckoo? (1946) - Icons of Screwball Comedy, Vol. 1
A Color Rhapsody Cartoon: The Mad Hatter (1940) - Icons of Screwball Comedy, Vol. 2

Also confirmed are the disc specs (which film is on which disc) and they are as originally posted.

The African Queen in October

No line on price or bonus features, but Paramount has scheduled an October 13th release date for The African Queen as part of their Paramount Centennial Collection series. Stay tuned for more details...

Here's Lucy - Season 1 in August

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WHEN:
STUDIO:
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Here's Lucy - Season 1
August 25th
MPI
Retail $29.99, Our: $21.99

VCI: The Green Hornet, The Green Hornet Strikes Again in July

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The Green Hornet (1940)
July 28th
VCI
Retail $29.99, Our: ~~$19.99~~ $15.98 (Until May 24th)

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PRICE:

The Green Hornet Strikes Again (1941)
July 28th
VCI
Retail $29.99, Our: ~~$19.99~~ $15.98 (Until May 24th)

VCI has announced the release of two long-anticipated serials: The Green Hornet (1940) and The Green Hornet Strikes Again (1941). The 2-disc sets are due out on July 28th and feature liner notes, radio shows and a photo gallery.

Retail for each is $29.99, but they are available they're available at ClassicFlix.com for only $19.99. However, for 3 days only (until May 24th), we'll have them for the SPECIAL LOW PRE-ORDER PRICE of $15.98. Details below.

The Green Hornet (1940)

SYNOPSIS:
The Green Hornet (also referred to as simply Green Hornet) is a masked fictional crime fighter. Originally created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker for an American radio program in the 1930s, the character has appeared in two Universal serials. In the 13 episode serial, the city is faced with rising crime and increased racketeering activity, intrepid newspaper editor Britt Reid (Gordon Jones) becomes the crime fighter the Green Hornet. As far as the police are concerned, the Hornet is himself a criminal; this misunderstanding enables Reid to operate "outside the law" to battle criminals and racketeers. Working along side the Hornet is the brilliant inventor/sidekick Kato (Keye Luke), the only living person who knows the true identity of the Hornet. Our heroes fight an infamous racket's that's menacing their city.

EPISODES:

The Tunnel of Terror
The Thundering Terror
Flying Coffins
Pillar of Flame
The Time Bomb
Highways of Peril
Bridge of Disaster
Dead or Alive
The Hornets Trapped
Bullets and Ballots
Disaster Rides the Rails
Panic in the Zoo
Doom of the Underworld

BONUS FEATURES:

Liner Notes by author Martin Grams Jr.
Two Radio Episodes of The Green Hornet
Photo Gallery
Trailers

The Green Hornet Strikes Again (1941)

SYNOPSIS:
The Green Hornet Strikes Again! A Universal movie serial based on the The Green Hornet radio series by George W. Trendle. The sequel to the 1940 serial The Green Hornet. A thousand ALL-NEW thrills! In this 15 episode serial, Britt Reid (Warren Hull) is enjoying a vacation in Hawaii. While he is away, he learns that a crime organization has extended its activities into virtually every industry in the city. Disguised as the Green Hornet, Britt makes forays against the underworld establishment. Each attack brings him closer to the identity of the syndicate mastermind, an arch crook named Grogan.

EPISODES:

Flaming Havoc
The Plunge of Peril
The Avenging Heavens
A Night of Terror
Shattering Doom
The Fatal Flash
Death in the Clouds
Human Targets
The Tragic Crash
Blazing Fury
Thieves of the Night
Crashing Barriers
The Flaming Inferno
Racketeering Vultures
Smashing the Crime Ring

BONUS FEATURES:

Liner Notes by author Martin Grams Jr.
Two Radio Episodes of The Green Hornet
Photo Gallery
Trailers

Icons of Screwball Comedy in August! My Sister Eileen (1942) & More!

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TITLES:

Icons of Screwball Comedy, Vol. 1
August 4th
Sony
Retail $24.96, Our: $19.99
If You Could Only Cook (1935), Too Many Husbands (1940), My Sister Eileen (1942), She Wouldn't Say Yes (1945)

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Icons of Screwball Comedy, Vol. 2
August 4th
Sony
Retail $24.96, Our: $19.99
Theodora Goes Wild (1936), Together Again (1944), The Doctor Takes a Wife (1940), A Night to Remember (1943)

Warner Archive titles excluded, the lack of new releases coming from the major studios has left some in the doldrums. But today's announcement should offer a real pick-me-up with Sony's debut of their new Icons of Screwball Comedy line.

Two 2-disc sets, Icons of Screwball Comedy, Vol. 1 and Icons of Screwball Comedy, Vol. 2, are set to street on August 4th. Retail for each is $24.96, but they are available they're available at ClassicFlix.com for only $19.99. Bonus features are not yet known.

NOTE: Disc specs (which film is on which disc) have not been confirmed so check back soon...

WARNER ARCHIVE: It's Love I'm After (1937)

If there's ever a "Where's that been" movie, it's It's Love I'm After (1937). If you've seen it, you've probably wondered "Where's that been" and why it hasn't been released on DVD. Well wait no more as Warner has finally released it from their archives for all to enjoy at the touch of a button.

Now listed at WBShop, this highly underrated screwball comedy stars Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Eric Blore and is directed by Archie Mayo. It is now available for rent, but it may be a couple of weeks before the title is available for shipment.

SYNOPSIS:
Star-struck Marcia (Olivia de Havilland) could care less that famed thespian Basil Underwood (Leslie Howard) is vain and discourteous while staying at her family's mansion. "What are manners?" she exclaims. "Little rules for little people." She doesn't know Basil is acting, playing the cad so that she will turn her attention to her devoted Henry (Patric Knowles). And as for the fiery actress (Bette Davis) who is Basil’s on-again, off-again fiancée? She might have an unexpected role to play in this loopy charade!

NO BONUS FEATURES

UPDATE: Zorro - Seasons 1 & 2

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WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

Zorro - The Complete First Season
November 3rd
Walt Disney
Retail $59.95, Our: $46.99

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PRICE:

Zorro - The Complete Second Season
November 3rd
Walt Disney
Retail $59.95, Our: $46.99

Following up on last Monday's Zorro announcement, Zorro Season's 1 and 2 are up and available for sale/rent. Retail for each is $59.95, but they are available at ClassicFlix.com for only $46.99.

NOTE FOR RENTAL MEMBERS: The old Zorro Season 1 released through the Walt Disney Movie Club has been replaced in the system by the new Walt Disney Treasures Season 1. Unless specifically requested, and upon availability, no discs from Season 1 will be mailed until the new set is released.

Last Holiday (1950) - Alec Guinness Dark Comedy in June

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Last Holiday (1950)
June 16th
Criterion
Retail $19.95, Our: $14.99

Almost slipping under the radar by being buried in the re-releases of Janus Films Essential Art House line, Janus, via Criterion, has set a June 16th release date for the Alec Guinness dark comedy Last Holiday (1950).

Retail is $19.95, but it's available at ClassicFlix.com for only $14.99. Artwork and details below.

SYNOPSIS:
Told by his doctor he has no more than a few months to live, drab British workingman George Bird (Alec Guinness) decides to spend his savings on lodging at a seaside resort. Once there, however, he finds his identity caught between upstairs and downstairs, the guests and the “help.” A droll social commentary as well as an unpredictable dark comedy about life, death, and luck, Last Holiday is one of Guinness’s finest moments.

NO BONUS FEATURES

The Outlaw (1943) - Special Edition in June

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The Outlaw - Special Edition
June 16th
Legend Films
Retail $14.95, Our: $10.99

Legend Films has announced The Outlaw - Special Edition for release on June 16th. This restored two disc set will contain the original black and white as well as a colorized version.

No documentaries or featurettes, but it will have new and exclusive commentary by Jane Russell and Terry Moore (presumably on the same track).

Retail is $14.95, but it's available at ClassicFlix.com for only $10.99.

NOTE TO RENTAL CUSTOMERS: With this release we'll retire our 10-year old Roan Group version which only contained a trailer. Both discs from this new Legend release will replace the single disc Roan version in your queue.

One of the most controversial movies of its time. The Outlaw features a sizzling performance by 22-year old Jane Russell. Director Howard Hughes delivers the thrilling tale of Doc Holiday and Billy the Kid and their feud over a fiery half-breed named Rio (Russell). The Outlaw has been beautifully restored, capturing the breathtaking cinematography of the legendary Greg Tolland (Citizen Kane), and is in color for the first time!

DISC 1:

Colorized Version & Original B/W Version

DISC 2:

Colorized Version with Exclusive Video Commentary by Jane Russell and Terry Moore

WARNER ARCHIVE: Roughly Speaking (1945)

WBshop just listed Roughly Speaking (1945) starring Rosalind Russell, Jack Carson and directed by Michael Curtiz. The Comedy/Drama is now available for rent, but it may be a couple of weeks before the title is available.

SYNOPSIS:
Multiple Oscar-nominee and Golden Globe-winner Rosalind Russell (His Girl Friday) and Jack Carson (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) star in this moving comedy about a wife who must raise her family when her husband goes off on wild moneymaking schemes. Directed by Oscar-winner Michael Curtiz (Casablanca).

KINO: Gaumont Treasures: 1897 - 1913 in September

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Gaumont Treasures: 1897 - 1913
September 1st
Kino
Retail $79.95, Our: $59.99

Kino has announced a September 1st release date for Gaumont Treasures: 1897 - 1913. The 3 disc set will focus on Alice Guy, Louis Feullade and Leonce Perret with each getting a disc devoted to them.

The discs in the set will not be sold separately. It will retail for $79.95, but is available at ClassicFlix.com for only $59.99. Artwork and details below.

Gaumont Treasures: 1897 - 1913
75 FILMS BY ALICE GUY • LOUIS FEUILLADE • LEONCE PERRET

The invention of cinema — and its growth into a sophisticated art form — are vividly brought to life in this massive collection of films from the early years of the influential Gaumont Film Company. Each disc is devoted to one of Gaumont’s artistic directors, who oversaw all film production at the studio, and profoundly influenced not only the identity of the studio but also the evolution of the cinema itself.

DISC 1: ALICE GUY

Few individual artists have exerted as profound an influence upon the evolution of cinema as Alice Guy (later known as Guy-Blache). With this collection of more than 60 films, culled from the world’s leading archives and carefully mastered, Guy may no longer be seen as a (woman filmmaker.) These films, produced by Guy for Gaumont before she moved to the US, reveal her to be an unqualified pioneer whose work stands alongside that of the Lumiere Brothers, Georges Melies, and Edwin S. Porter, in cinema’s rapid growth from an optical illusion to a storytelling medium to an art form. Among the highlights are a 19th-century serpentine dance, early (trick) films, experiments with hand-coloring and synchronized sound, comedies, social commentaries, and (as the collection’s centerpiece) a 33-minute religious epic: The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ (1906).

(1897) The Fisherman at the Stream / Bathing in a Stream / Serpentine Dance by Mme. Bob Walter
(1898) The Turn-of-the-Century Blind Man / At the Hypnotist's / The Burglars / Disappearing Act / Surprise Attack on a House at Daybreak
(1899) At the Club / Wonderful Absinthe
(1900) Avenue de l’Opera / Automated Hat-Maker and Sausage-Grinder / At the Photographer's / Dance of the Seasons: Winter, Snow Dance / The Landlady / Turn-of-the-Century Surgery / Pierrette’s Escapades (In Original Hand-Tinted Color) / At the Floral Ball (In Original Hand-Tinted Color) / The Cabbage-Patch Fairy
(1902) Serpentine Dance by Lina Esbrard / Midwife to the Upper Class / An Untimely Intrusion / Miss Dundee and Her Performing Dogs
(1903) How Monsieur Takes His Bath / Faust and Mephistopheles
(1905) The O’Mers in The Bricklayers / The Statue / The Magician’s Alms / Clown, Dog and Balloon / Spain / The Tango / The Malaguena and the Bullfighter / Cook & Rilly’s Trained Rooster / Cake Walk, Performed by Nouveau Cirque / Alice Guy Films a Phonoscene / Saharet Performs the Bolero (In Original Hand-Tinted Color) / Polin Performs: The Anatomy of a Draftee (A synchronized-sound Phonoscene) / Dranem Performs: The True Jiu-Jitsu (A synchronized-sound Phonoscene) / Dranem Performs: Five O’Clock Tea (A synchronized-sound Phonoscene) / Felix Mayol Performs: Indiscreet Questions (A synchronized-sound Phonoscene) & (In Original Hand-Tinted Color) / Felix Mayol Performs: The Trottins’ Polka (A synchronized-sound Phonoscene) / Felix Mayol Performs: White Lilacs (A synchronized-sound Phonoscene)
(1906) The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ / An Obstacle Course / Madame’s Cravings / A Sticky Woman / The Hierarchies of Love / The Cruel Mother / A Story Well Spun / The Drunken Mattress / The Parish Priest’s Christmas / The Truth Behind the Ape-Man / The Consequences of Feminism / Ocean Studies / The Game-Keeper’s Son
(1907) The Race for the Sausage / The Glue / The Fur Hat / The Cleaning Man / A Four-Year-Old Hero / The Rolling Bed / The Irresistible Piano / On the Barricade / The Dirigible Homeland

Curated by Pierre Philippe - Total running time: 225 Minutes - Full-Frame (1.33:1) - Music by Sorties d’Artistes, except The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ: Music by Patrick Laviosa

DISC 2: LOUIS FEUILLADE

Best remembered today for his espionage serials Les Vampires and Fantomas, Louis Feuillade had a more varied and profound influence upon French cinema than many of his followers realize. For more than a decade, he was the artistic director at Gaumont, encouraging the rise of such filmmakers as Abel Gance and Leonce Perret. This collection of films offers a wider view of Feuillade’s directorial efforts -- but, admittedly, it is only a small portion of the nearly 800 films he is believed to have directed. These films run the gamut of ribald comedy (The Colonel’s Account), charming fantasy (Spring), tragedy (The Heart and Money), social commentary (The Defect) and historical epic (the remarkably poignant The Agony of Byzance). No Feuillade collection would be complete without a sampling of thrillers. To that end, we offer The Trust: Or the Battles for Money and The Obses-sion, which are characterized by the brisk pacing and diabolical tone for which he would become famous.

The Colonel’s Account (1907, 4 min.)
A Very Fine Lady (1908, 3 min.)
Spring (1909, 7 min.)
The Fairy of the Surf (1909, 7 min.)
Custody of the Child (1909, 11 min.)
The Defect (1911, 41 min.)
The Roman Orgy (1911, 8 min.)
The Trust (1911, 24 min.)
The Heart and the Money (1912, 17 min.)
The Obsession (1912, 23 min.)
Tragic Error (1913, 24 min.)
Bout de Zan Steals an Elephant (1913, 9 min.)
The Agony of Byzance (1913, 29 min.)

BONUS FEATURE:

Louis Feuillade: Master of Many Forms - This collection of scenes from more than twenty films demonstrates Feuillade’s mastery of (and influence upon) a wide range of cinematic genres.

Curated by Pierre Philippe - Total running time: 217 Minutes - Full-Frame (1.33:1) - Music by Patrick Laviosa

DISC 3: LEONCE PERRET

Until now, the films of Leonce Perret have been virtually unseen in the United States , yet he was a hugely influential figure in the growth of the French film industry. As an actor, he appeared in more than 100 films from 1909 to 1916, including the long-running series of (Leonce) comedies. But his greater contribution was as a director. Working at Gaumont under the supervision of Louis Feuillade, Perret set the standard to which other French filmmakers aspired. His films had a technical mastery and aesthetic grace that allowed them to reveal subtleties of character and meaning. Perret’s artistic maturity is beautifully represented in the influential feature The Child of Paris, a naturalistic drama reminiscent of Emile Zola. Of this film, critic Georges Sadoul proclaimed, Leonce Perret was able to render a graceful and lively story by using an extraordinarily refined cinematic repertoire: backlighting, low-angle shots, close-ups, moving shots and numerous other innovations, all of which Perret implemented with flair, in stark contrast to...the still somewhat primitive technique of David W. Griffith at that time. Perret made a number of self-referential films, in which the medium of cinema is a component of the plotline. In The Mystery of the Rocks of Kador, an amnesiac woman undergoes a sort of cinematic hypnosis as a means of recalling the details of a tragic crime.

The Mystery of the Rocks of Kador (Le Mystere des roches de Kador) (1912)
- Color Tinted - 43 Minutes - Directed by Leonce Perret
The Child of Paris (L’Enfant de Paris) (1913)
- Color Tinted - 124 Minutes - Written and directed by Leonce Perret

BONUS FEATURE:

Leonce Perret: The Filmmaker’s Filmmaker - Illustrated with rare film clips, this mini-documentary reveals the artistry and wit of French cinema’s unsung hero.

Curated by Pierre Philippe - Full-Frame (1.33:1) - Music by Philippe Dubosson

Walt Disney Treasures: Zorro, Seasons 1 and 2 in November

Fans of Walt Disney's "Treasures" line know that autumn usually brings new releases. This fall will be no different as Zorro - The Complete First Season and Zorro - The Complete Second Season will be released on November 3rd.

What will be different is the configuration of the sets. Previously, the Treasures series only consisted of two-disc sets. These will have six discs each. Also, Seasons 1 and 2 have already been released through the Disney Movie Club reversing Disney's custom of reserving the Treasures line to titles that have not been on DVD or are rarely seen.

Retail will be $59.95 each. We'll have them in the system for sale and rent when we get more info on them. Images and description are from a promo flyer.

BACK ON: Becoming Charley Chase in July - SPECIAL 3 DAY PRICE

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WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

Becoming Charley Chase
July 28th
All Day Entertainment
Retail $39.95, Our: ~~$29.99~~ $24.98 (Until May 11th)

Originally scheduled for a January 27th release date, and then postponed indefinitely, Becoming Charley Chase is back on schedule from All Day Entertainment with a scheduled July 28th release.

Behind the sudden change in fortune for the set, is that All Day has now partnered with VCI for their releases. Content provided by All Day with distribution provided by VCI. We know what to expect from All Day and this 4-Disc set is sure to be a treat! The content will be the same as originally announced.

It will retail for $39.95, but is available at ClassicFlix.com for only $29.99. However, for 3 days only (until May 11th), we'll have it for the SPECIAL LOW PRE-ORDER PRICE of $24.98

Becoming Charley Chase

DISC 1 (Charles Parrott at Keystone - And More!):

Peanuts and Bullets (01/30/1915) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Love in Armor (03/11/1915) - Music by Ben Model
Settled at the Seaside (03/29/1915) - Music by Ben Redwine and Redwine Jazz
The Rent Jumpers (04/08/1915) - Music by Ben Redwine and Redwine Jazz
Love, Loot and Crash (04/24/1915) - Music By Ben Model
A Versatile Villain (05/29/1915) - Music by Ben Model
He Wouldn't Stay Down (05/30/1915) - Music by Ben Model
Married to Order (10/30/1920) - Music by the Snark Ensemble

BONUS FEATURES:

The Parrott Chase (45 Minute Documentary)

DISC 2 (Charley Chase Becomes Jimmy Jump):

At First Sight (01/06/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
One of the Family (01/26/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Just a Minute (02/03/1924) - Music by Ben Model
Powder and Smoke (02/10/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Hard Knocks (03/02/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Don't Forget (03/23/1924) - Surviving Extract Music by the Snark Ensemble
The Fraidy Cat (03/30/1924) - Music by Ben Model
Publicity Pays (05/04/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Young Oldfield (06/22/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Stolen Goods (06/29/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Jeffries, Jr (07/06/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
A Ten-Minute Egg (07/20/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Seeing Nellie Home (07/27/1924) - Partial Reconstruction from Surviving Material Music by Ben Model
Outdoor Pajamas (09/14/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Sittin' Pretty (09/28/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Too Many Mammas (10/12/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Accidental Accidents (11/09/1924) - Surviving Extract Music by Ben Model

NO BONUS FEATURES:

DISC 3 (Jimmy Jump Becomes Charley Chase ):

The Poor Fish (12/07/1924) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
The Rat's Knuckles (01/04/1925) - Music by Ben Model
Hello Baby! (01/18/1925) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Fighting Fluid (02/01/1925) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Should Husbands be Watched (03/14/1925) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Is Marriage the Bunk? (03/29/1925) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Bad Boy (04/12/1925 - Charley Chase's First Surviving Two-Reel Short) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Big Red Ridinghood (04/26/1925) - Music by the Snark Ensemble
Looking for Sally (05/10/1925) - Music by Ben Model
No Father to Guide Him (09/06/1925) - Music by the Snark Ensemble

BONUS FEATURES:

The Sounds of Silence Music Featurette

DISC 4 (Directed by Charley Parrott):

Jus' Passin Through (1920, Will Rogers) - Music by Ben Model
A Rolling Stone (01/20/1919, Billy West ) - Music by Ben Model
The Flirts - (04/08/1919, Harry Mann & Jimmie Adams) - Music by the West End Jazz Band
The Dumb Bell (07/16/1922, Snub Pollard) - Music by Ben Redwine and Redwine Jazz
Soft Pedal (12/16/1922, Paul Parrott) - Music by Ben Model
The Courtship of Miles Sandwich (06/24/1923, Snub Pollard) - Music by the West End Jazz Band
Dear Old Pal (11/11/23, Snub Pollard and Paul Parrott, The Last Film Directed by Charles Parrott Before He Became Charley Chase) - Music by Ben Redwine and Redwine Jazz)

BONUS FEATURES:

Interview With Charley's Daughter June Chase Hargis

Directed by John Ford in September

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WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

Directed by John Ford
September 15,
Warner
Retail $19.97, Our: $14.49

Seems a bit early for September releases, but Warner has announced a September 15th release date for Directed by John Ford. More info below via TCM.

It will also be included in a newly repackaged John Wayne/John Ford Film Collection which we will list shortly when more information is available.

Retail will be $19.97, but it is available at Classicflix.com for only $14.49.

Via TCM.com

Directed by John Ford, is a new, updated version of the original 1971 documentary which was written and directed by Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show, What's Up, Doc?, Paper Moon and Mask) and profiles the life and works of the acclaimed director.

Entertainment Weekly has ranked Ford No. 3 among Hollywood's greatest directors behind Orson Welles, who also contributed narration to the original documentary. Of Ford, Welles once said he learned filmmaking from "the old masters, by which I mean John Ford, John Ford and John Ford."Best known for such classic favorites as The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, The Grapes of Wrath, The Quiet Man, Stagecoach and, widely regarded by critics as the greatest Western ever made, The Searchers. He earned six Oscars®, including four for Best Director – a feat still unmatched. Ford's vision of the American West established the way this country would view itself for decades to come.

New material assembled for DIRECTED BY JOHN FORD includes two major elements:

• Newly shot interviews with Harry Carey Jr. (a Ford regular), Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Walter Hill, all of whom have been influenced by Ford, as well as Bogdanovich, who wrote and directed not only the original but also this updated version.

• New sequences featuring clips and interviews outlining Ford's vision of the family, his use of rituals and the sense of spirituality as portrayed in his work, including scenes from such pictures not previously mentioned such as The Wings of Eagles and How Green Was My Valley, as well as the impact of his complicated relationship with Katharine Hepburn on Ford and his work, using clips from Mary of Scotland and audio recordings.

This restructured version of DIRECTED BY JOHN FORD should be considered an entirely new work. Bogdanovich has said this updated version is more personal than the original. Both the original Orson Welles narration and the interviews with John Ford, John Wayne, James Stewart and Henry Fonda have been kept intact but somewhat re-edited and rearranged to give a new sense of understanding to John Ford as a person and director.

More Warner Archive!

17 new classic titles have been listed at WBshop.com. Look for them as available to rent in the next day or two. They are listed below. Also, all 137 previously announced titles are in the system and available for rent.

Just a quick note (with screen shot example below) to let you know that you can quickly find the newest Warner Archive releases by going to the "By Collection" link under "Fun Ways to Browse" and sorting by "DVD Released (new - old)."

New Warner Archive Titles:

The Great Garrick (1937)
Hard to Get (1938)
Four Daughters (1938)
Castle on the Hudson (1940)
Billy the Kid (1941)
The Fallen Sparrow (1942)
Johnny Eager (1942)
Princess O'Rourke (1943)
Pride of the Marines (1945)
Tarzan's Magic Fountain (1949)
Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950)
Tarzan's Peril (1951)
Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952)
Above and Beyond (1952)
All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953)
Party Girl (1958)
Soldier in the Rain (1963)

EDITORIAL NOTE:
While news of these releases may dash the hopes of those who expected Warner to give John Garfield a Signature Collection and perhaps the Lex Barker Tarzan's a boxed set, I can't help but exclaim the overall positive effect the Warner Archive line has had and will have for classic film fans.

And not just for Warner, MGM & RKO titles, but also for catalog titles at other major studios. With their near suspension of catalog releases and Warner's certain boon to their bottom line, there is great hope that Universal, Fox, Sony and Paramount will soon follow Warner's lead. Let's hope so.

BROWSING FOR NEW ARCHIVE TITLES: