Classicflix.com Blog: July 2009

STREET DATE CHANGE AND ADDED FEATURES: A Walk in the Sun

VCI has pushed back the release date for A Walk in the Sun (Restored Collector's Edition) to November 24th. However, the wait should be worth it. Additional time is needed for the restoration process and for an additional bonus feature (The Fighting Men of the Texas Division Featurette).

Another added feature will be optional English subtitles. A feature that is rare for smaller labels.

ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

A Walk in the Sun (Restored Collector's Edition)
~~August 25th~~
VCI
Retail: $14.99, Our: $10.99

VCI has announced what will be the definitive edition of a film that has languished in PD releases too numerous to count.

A Walk in the Sun (Restored Collector's Edition) will street on August 25th with a new digitally restored and remastered transfer. Bonus features include a video interview with Norman Lloyd and the original theatrical trailer.

It will retail for $14.99, but is available at ClassicFlix.com for only $10.99.

SYNOPSIS:
During the World War II Allied invasion of Italy, one of the ranking officers is killed after the platoon lands on the beach. Now Sgt.Tyne (Dana Andrews) must take over and lead the troops. The film is noted for its attempt to portray the infantryman’s experience realistically, in particular the banter and mid-1940s slang.

This WWII film was the first to use a ballad as a thematic element, a practice which, after High Noon,
would become a cliche of the 1950s. One of the best WWII films, A Walk in the Sun combines documentary-like sequences with a sharp awareness of the isolation of each soldier in the midst of
battle.

Digitally Restored and Un-cut with a New Transfer from the 35mm Negative.

BONUS FEATURES:

Video interview with actor Norman Loyd
Original Theatrical Trailer

WARNER ARCHIVE: Bordertown, 20,000 Years in Sing Sing

Three Warner Archvie titles are now up at WBShop and are also available for rent at ClassicFlix. They are:

20,000 Years in Sing Sing (Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis)
Bordertown (Paul Muni, Bette Davis)
From Hell It Came (A 50's Creature Feature with a monster that's part man, part tree.)

They're available to put in your queue, but may be a couple of weeks before they are available for shipment.

20,000 Years in Sing Sing and Bordertown were previously exclusive to Amazon. Others exclusive to Amazon that we'll carry as soon as they're up at WBShop are:

The Strawberry Blonde
Colorado Territory
Crime School
Doctor Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
The Male Animal
The Unsuspected
The Verdict
Look for the Silver Lining

ARTWORK ADDED: The Wolf Man (Special Edition)

Artwork added to previous announcement. Click here.

ARTWORK ADDED: Claudette Colbert Legacy Collection

Artwork added to previous announcement. Click here.

ARTWORK ADDED: The Fugitive - Season 3, Vol. 1

--Artwork added to previous announcement--

ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

The Fugitive - Season 3, Vol. 1
October 27th
Paramount
Retail: $49.99, Our: $37.99

The Fugitive is back! Paramount has set an October 27th release date for The Fugitive - Season 3, Vol. 1. It is expected to be a four-disc set as previous half-season releases.

It will retail for $39.99, but is available at ClassicFlix.com for only $29.99. Artwork to follow.

UPDATE: Claudette Colbert Collection - PLUS SPECIAL 3-DAY PRICE

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:
TITLES:

The Claudette Colbert Collection
November 3rd
Universal
Retail $49.98, Our: ~~$37.99~~ $33.98
Three Cornered Moon (1933), Maid of Salem (1937), I Met Him in Paris (1937), Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938), No Time for Love (1943) and The Egg and I (1947)

Following up on The Claudette Colbert Collection, the remaining two titles are known as well as the disc order (below).

Retail price is $49.98, and we'll have it for $37.99. However, for 3 days only (until July 31st), we'll have it for the SPECIAL LOW PRE-ORDER PRICE of $33.98. Titles will not be available as singles.

DISC 1:

Three-Cornered Moon (1933, 77 min.)

Maid of Salem (1937, 85 min.)

DISC 2:

I Met Him in Paris (1937, 86 min.)

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938, 85 min.)

DISC 3:

No Time for Love (1943, 83 min.)

The Egg and I (1947, 108 min.)

BONUS FEATURES:

Claudette Colbert - Queen of the Silver Screen
Trailers

Abbott and Costello Re-Releases in October

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 1
October 6th
Universal
Retail: $29.98, Our: $21.99

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 2
October 6th
Universal
Retail: $29.98, Our: $21.99

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 3
October 6th
Universal
Retail: $29.98, Our: $21.99

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 4
October 6th
Universal
Retail: $29.98, Our: $21.99

Released five years ago, and out of print for over a year, Universal is bringing back four Best of Abbott and Costello sets on October 6th. They are all exactly as originally released and there is no sign of It Ain't Hay being released as a single (it's only available in last October's Abbott and Costello - Complete Universal Collection).

EDITORIAL NOTE: Whereas prices usually drop the longer titles are on the market, these sets are a little higher than when originally released. But the original retail of $19.98 each for the first three sets always did seem a little low for eight films. Although they will still be on DVD-18's. Volume four originally retailed for $26.98. Either way, those looking to buy are better off buying now than paying $40 - $50 for out of print sets on Amazon or Ebay.

UNIVERSAL BACKLOT: Claudette Colbert Collection in November

Just preliminary information on it now, but Universal will release The Claudette Colbert Collection as part of their Universal Backlot Series on November 3rd.

It will be a six film set, with known titles at this point being Bluebeard's Eighth Wife, Maid of Salem, Three-Cornered Moon and The Egg and I (Egg is a re-release and can also be found on Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 1).

The three-disc set, on DVD-9's, will have the featurette Claudette Colbert - Queen of the Silver Screen (also released on Cleopatra) and trailers as a bonus.

Retail price is $49.98, and we'll have it for $37.99. But when we get more info on it, we'll have it for an even LOWER SPECIAL PRE-ORDER PRICE.

We'll also have it available for rent when more information is available. Stay tuned.

The Fugitive - Season 3, Vol. 1 in October

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

The Fugitive - Season 3, Vol. 1
October 27th
Paramount
Retail: $49.99, Our: $37.99

Mannix - Season 3 in October

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

Mannix - Season 3
October 27th
Paramount
Retail: $49.99, Our: $37.99

Paramount has set an October 27th release date for Mannix - Season 3. The 6-disc set will include all of season three's 25 episodes. Bonus features are not likely.

It will retail for $49.99, but is available at ClassicFlix.com for only $37.99.

ARTWORK ADDED: North by Northwest

--Artwork added to previous announcement--

You got a taste of it the other day. Below is the final artwork.

ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

North by Northwest - 50th Anniversary Edition
November 3rd
Warner
Retail: 24.98, Our: $19.99

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

North by Northwest - 50th Anniversary Edition (Blu-Ray)
November 3rd
Warner
Retail: 34.99, Our: $27.99

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Warner is rolling out a standard and Blu-Ray version of one of Alfred Hitchcock's most acclaimed thrillers: North by Northwest. Boasting a MILLION DOLLAR RESTORATION, and scanned in 8K resolution, these highly-anticipated releases will street on November 3rd.

Bonus features (below) include two new documentaries and a 44-page "Blu-Ray Book" exlcusive to the Blu release. The standard version is a 2-disc release.

Also below is Warner's official press release.

WARNER PRESS RELEASE
Burbank, Calif., July 20, 2009 – On November 3, Warner Home Video celebrates the 50th anniversary of North by Northwest, Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock's sleek masterwork, with spectacularly restored 50th Anniversary Editions on Blu-ray and DVD, newly remastered in 1080p from original VistaVision film elements.

The arrival of North by Northwest on Blu-ray is a landmark event in home video history, as it marks the very first of the famed director’s films to become available on this state-of-the-art format. Accordingly, the film has received a meticulous restoration and remastering especially for this occasion with Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging scanning the original VistaVision production elements in 8K resolution. The resulting presentation reveals a depth of field and clarity never before possible, only serving to heighten every thrill-packed moment of this beloved classic.

Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, co-starring Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll and Martin Landau, the stylish, action-packed espionage caper was written by Ernest Lehman, with music by Bernard Herrmann. Nominated for three Academy Awards® including Best Writing, Film Editing and Art Direction, the film was lauded as #4 on AFI's ”100 Years…100 Thrills” and selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

North by Northwest will be available for the first time in premium Blu-ray Book packaging, selling for $34.99 SRP and as a Special Edition DVD, retailing for $24.98 SRP. Both versions boast two new documentaries. The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style consists of interviews, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage to reveal what defines the unmistakable Hitchcock style. In North by Northwest: One for the Ages today’s top directors Guillermo del Toro, William Friedkin, Curtis Hanson, and Francis Lawrence share their interpretations on the film’s importance and its influence on their own work. The Blu-ray Book also contains 44 pages full of photos, film facts and ‘insider information.’

BONUS FEATURES:

Feature-Length Audio Commentary by Ernest Lehman
The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style Documentary (NEW)
North by Northwest: One for the Ages Documentary (NEW)
Behind-the-Scenes Documentary Destination Hitchcock: The Making-Of North By Northwest - Hosted By Eva Marie Saint and Featuring Martin Landau, Screenwriter Ernest Lehman, Patricia Hitchcock and Others
Stills Gallery
Music-Only Audio Track Showcasing Bernard Herrmann's Score
Hitchcock Theatrical Trailers
TV Spot

Universal Horror Classic Movie Archive in September

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:
TITLES:

Universal Horror Classic Movie Archive
September 15th
Universal
Retail $19.99, Our: $14.99
The Black Cat (1941), Man Made Monster (1941), Horror Island (1941), Night Monster (1942), Captive Wild Woman (1943)

Not exactly new to DVD, but newly available for purhcase is Universal's Universal Horror Classic Movie Archive. It has been available for rent ever since Best Buy released it as an exclusive back in October of 2007, but this marks the first time it will be available in a general release.

The two-disc will street on September 15th and retail for $19.99, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $14.99. There are no bonus features.

Universal Horror Classic Movie Archive
From the studio that created the horror genre comes five terrifying films that will send chills down your spine and bring terror to your heart in the Universal Horror Classic Movie Archive! Unearthed from the vaults and on DVD for the very first time, Universal Pictures invites you to journey through fog-filled moors, into haunted mansions and through secret hallways to meet a chilling collection of mad scientists, crazed circus performers, mysterious butlers, maniacal killers and one very ape-like woman! Prepare yourself for hours of pure terror starring some of the most iconic actors in the history of horror, including Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr.

The Black Cat (1941, 71 min)
Bela Lugosi and Basil Rathbone star in this mystery about a group of greedy heirs stuck in a creepy mansion where, one by one, both cats and people turn up dead.

Man Made Monster (1941, 60 min)
When a mad scientist transforms a carnival performer (Lon Chaney Jr.) into a murderous monster, he creates a path of destruction leading to an edge-of-you-seat climax!

Horror Island (1941, 61 min)
What started out as a treasure-making scheme ends up deadly for a group of people stuck in a seemingly haunted castle with a killer known only as "The Phantom."

Night Monster (1942, 73 min)
Bela Lugosi stars in this horrific tale filled with strange characters, secret passages, dark storms and a murderer who's mastered the art of "mind over matter."

Captive Wild Woman (1943, 61 min)
A mad scientist turns an ape into a beautiful, but deadly, woman (Acquanetta) in this frightening film featuring groundbreaking make-up effects.

North by Northwest - 50th Anniversary Edition (SD & Blu) in November

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

North by Northwest - 50th Anniversary Edition
November 3rd
Warner
Retail: 24.98, Our: $19.99

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

North by Northwest - 50th Anniversary Edition (Blu-Ray)
November 3rd
Warner
Retail: 34.99, Our: $27.99

WARNER PRESS RELEASE
Burbank, Calif., July 20, 2009 – On November 3, Warner Home Video celebrates the 50th anniversary of North by Northwest, Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock's sleek masterwork, with spectacularly restored 50th Anniversary Editions on Blu-ray and DVD, newly remastered in 1080p from original VistaVision film elements.

The arrival of North by Northwest on Blu-ray is a landmark event in home video history, as it marks the very first of the famed director’s films to become available on this state-of-the-art format. Accordingly, the film has received a meticulous restoration and remastering especially for this occasion with Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging scanning the original VistaVision production elements in 8K resolution. The resulting presentation reveals a depth of field and clarity never before possible, only serving to heighten every thrill-packed moment of this beloved classic.

Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, co-starring Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll and Martin Landau, the stylish, action-packed espionage caper was written by Ernest Lehman, with music by Bernard Herrmann. Nominated for three Academy Awards® including Best Writing, Film Editing and Art Direction, the film was lauded as #4 on AFI's ”100 Years…100 Thrills” and selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

North by Northwest will be available for the first time in premium Blu-ray Book packaging, selling for $34.99 SRP and as a Special Edition DVD, retailing for $24.98 SRP. Both versions boast two new documentaries. The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style consists of interviews, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage to reveal what defines the unmistakable Hitchcock style. In North by Northwest: One for the Ages today’s top directors Guillermo del Toro, William Friedkin, Curtis Hanson, and Francis Lawrence share their interpretations on the film’s importance and its influence on their own work. The Blu-ray Book also contains 44 pages full of photos, film facts and ‘insider information.’

BONUS FEATURES:

Feature-Length Audio Commentary by Ernest Lehman
The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style Documentary (NEW)
North by Northwest: One for the Ages Documentary (NEW)
Behind-the-Scenes Documentary Destination Hitchcock: The Making-Of North By Northwest - Hosted By Eva Marie Saint and Featuring Martin Landau, Screenwriter Ernest Lehman, Patricia Hitchcock and Others
Stills Gallery
Music-Only Audio Track Showcasing Bernard Herrmann's Score
Hitchcock Theatrical Trailers
TV Spot

WARNER ARCHIVE: Rhapsody (1954)

The titles just keep trickling in at WBShop as they have listed Rhapsody (1954) as available. It is now up for rent, but may be a couple of weeks before it's available for shipment.

FYI - WBShop has a sale going on now on the original 150 titles released as part of their Warner Archive Collection. 10 DVDs for $99. Get 'em now as the sale ends tomorrow at midnight.

SYNOPSIS:
Elizabeth Taylor strives for sweet harmony as a privileged young woman who must choose between the two musicians she loves. She first falls for a devoted violinist (Vittorio Gassman) and follows him when he goes off to musical studies abroad. There, she also meets a talented pianist (John Ericson) who tries to play the initially uninterested lady into his heart.

As events and emotions unfold, the inevitable conflict arises: which man does she truly love, which one is better for her – and could both be the same person? Smoothly directed by musical movie maestro Charles Vidor, filmed in such romantic locales as Paris, Zurich, St. Moritz and Rome and showcasing vibrant renditions of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Beethoven concertos, Rhapsody is a moving and melodic treat.

WARNER ARCHIVE: Deep Valley (1947)

WBShop has listed Deep Valley (1947) as available. The fugitive drama stars Ida Lupino and Dane Clark. It is now available for rent, but may be a couple of weeks before it's available for shipment.

SYNOPSIS:
Libby Saul (Ida Lupino) was raised in the Deep Valley. Isolated on a farm with her bitter parents, her only friend a devoted dog, Libby knows loneliness too well.

Then a crew of convicts arrives to build a road and Libby is fascinated by the strangers, especially a good-looking hothead named Barry (Dane Clark). When Barry escapes his work gang, Libby offers him shelter -- a gesture of kindness that awakens her timid soul. Lupino gives further proof of her remarkable dramatic range with a sensitive portrayal of an awkward, stuttering girl transformed by love. And director Jean Negulesco (Johnny Belinda), with a painterly appreciation of light and shadow, captures the wild beauty of the film’s Big Sur locations.

WARNER ARCHIVE: The Story of Three Loves & The Unfaithful

WBShop has listed two more Warner Archive titles as available. The 1953 all-star cast segment drama The Story of Three Loves (1953) and the drama thriller The Man I Love (1947) with Ann Sheridan and Lew Ayers.

Both are now available for rent, but may be a couple of weeks before they are available for shipment.

BLU CHRISTMAS: Charlie Brown & Grinch in October

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Blu-Ray)
October 6th
Warner
Retail: 29.99, Our: $23.99

WHAT:
WHEN:
STUDIO:
PRICE:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Blu-Ray)
October 6th
Warner
Retail: 29.99, Our: $23.99

More Blu-Ray releases to announce as Warner has set an October 6th release date for A Charlie Brown Christmas (Blu-Ray) and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Blu-Ray).

Specs are not forthcoming, but we assume that the SD bonus features will be carried over to these releases.

Each will retail for $29.99, but are available at Classicflix.com for only $23.99. Artwork below, although the Grinch artwork looks to be tentative.