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Hollywood Q & ALetters. We get letters. And we’d like to answer them here, each time we update this column. So email us here at movieirv@moviesunlimited.com and we’ll print the letters in this column. Here are a couple of our recent queries:
Question: I would like to know if and when Texas Across The River is going to be out on DVD? Also, I am a big fan of Glenn Ford, and most of my favorites don't seem to be available. Particularly as follows: Punch And Jody, The Rounders, Advance To The Rear, The Gazebo, Teahouse Of The August Moon, Interrupted Melody, Imitation General, Don't Go Near The Water, and The Fastest Gun Alive. Some of these also star other popular stars, like Henry Fonda, Debbie Reynolds, Eleanor Parker, and Marlon Brando. Thanks.
Answer: We love your suggestions, and the Dean Martin sagebrush farce Texas Across The River, owned by Universal, definitely deserves to be out there along with your Ford titles. Many of Mr. Ford’s films were made for Columbia, and one of his many pairings with fellow studio stalwart Rita Hayworth, Affair In Trinidad, will be coming to our shelves soon. However, Columbia—now controlled by Sony—has not made mention of a Glenn Ford collection in the near future, even though they do plan a steadier release of titles from their library. It’s too bad, because he was a terrific, often underrated actor. For what it’s worth, Teahouse Of The August Moon, the 1956 film with Brando and Ford set in Okinawa in 1944, can be had in the Marlon Brando Collection, which also features Reflections In A Golden Eye, Julius Caesar, Mutiny On The Bounty and The Formula. Unfortunately, there are no immediate plans to make it available separately. Question: Dear Irv, Bob Hope’s 1939 version of The Cat And The Canary was available for a short time on DVD, and then suddenly disappeared. It seems this film was never officially released on DVD but no one has ever been able to provide me with an answer as to why. If you have any info on this film, I would greatly appreciate it. I’ve been searching for a long time!
Thank you in advance for your efforts in researching my request, and thank you for your always great column!
Answer: Yes, we did offer The Cat And The Canary from a company that claimed they had the rights—but it was quickly pulled when we learned that they didn’t own it. The film was a Paramount title that Universal now controls, but nary a word from them on its eminent issuing on DVD. We’d say there is hope for the title in the future, but we just couldn’t tell you when it will appear.
Question: The Tyrone Power film The Mississippi Gambler was released by Universal in 1953, not Fox, as you mentioned in your Q&A. It was his first film away from the Fox lot in fifteen years, and only the second away from his home studio since becoming a contract player in 1936. He made Marie Antoinette at MGM in 1938.
Answer: Thanks for the correction. Or as Zorro would say, “Touche’.” Question: Irv, any idea why the studios are sitting on the following military-related movies?
No Time For Sergeants -- Andy Griffith, Don Knotts
It seems like a potential gold mine for the DVD market to me.
Answer: We agree that there is a potential gold mine for these service-related efforts. We understand Warner is seriously contemplating the release of No Time For Sergeants and has been seeking input from Griffith on the DVD. We’d also love to see Jack Webb’s The D.I. on DVD (along with his newspaper picture -30-). Warner has other things cooking, however. Just the facts, ma’am. Nothing on most of your other suggestions, either. One exception—Captain Newman, M.D., with Peck as an Army psychiatrist during WWII—is on the way, but only as part of the Gregory Peck Film Collection. This new set also boasts many other much-demanded pictures from the Peck portfolio, including Mirage, Arabesque and The World In His Arms, as well as To Kill A Mockingbird and the original Cape Fear. For this letter, we salute you, sir.
Question: Can we expect a release of the remaining seasons of St. Elsewhere? As this was one of the truly great TV series, it would be a shame to leave it at only Season One.
Answer: We’ve heard from a reliable source that many of the MTM-produced TV series like St. Elsewhere and The Mary Tyler Moore Show will receive major DVD boxed sets in 2009. By major, we mean look for sets that include the entire series, which seems to be the latest trend for the TV on DVD phenomenon. You can blame Tony Soprano for this, if you have the guts to, since The Sopranos: The Complete Series seems to have jumpstarted this trend.
Question: Any idea on why Hollywood is so slow to release movie titles on DVD like Conrack (with Jon Voight) and Song Of The South (from Disney)?
Answer: Conrack, an uplifting 1974 drama with Voight as a teacher educating black students at an island off the South Carolina coast, seems to have fallen through the cracks at Fox. This is a shame because it is a fine film, directed by Martin Ritt and based on a book by Pat Conroy (The Prince Of Tides). As for Song Of The South, the film has raised controversy for years due to its depiction of African-Americans. Whether it is racist or not has been debated for decades, and we don’t believe we will EVER see it on DVD, whatever reports out there to the contrary. The film sparks dialogue that Disney just doesn’t want to deal with, and despite the huge interest in and call for the title, we don’t believe the company will ever put it out there for all to see. So, no Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah today—and probably tomorrow and the next day.
Question: Irv, I certainly appreciate your column, though sometimes it can be depressing to see all the great films that continue to be ignored for release on DVD, while we continue to get more “special editions” of the same movies over and over again. I have a few movies I was wondering about, all probably longshots for release. I’m interested in the Edward G. Robinson movie Our Vines Have Tender Grapes, the movie Moment To Moment with Jean Seberg, the Barbara Stanwyck thriller Night Walker, Rolling Thunder with William Devane, Agatha with Dustin Hoffman, and a couple of the later Burt Lancaster movies, Twilight’s Last Gleaming and The Midnight Man. Also, have you heard anything if they are planning on releasing any more seasons of Leave It To Beaver. Thanks again for all you do.
Answer: Well, as you know, we agree that there are huge gaps in the studios’ release strategies, and your interesting list points this out. We can tell you that Twilight’s Last Gleaming is being primed for a big DVD debut, supposedly in 2009. The Robert Aldrich thriller, with Lancaster as a renegade military general who infiltrates a missile silo, got a showing at a recent film festival, and Warner is said to have done extensive restorative work on its print. Whether it will come out with Lancaster’s woefully overlooked suspenser The Midnight Man, which he co-directed and co-scripted, is not clear. Hey, Warner: How about a Lancaster set with these two films and a special edition of the great Local Hero, in which the actor memorably co-starred? The other titles seem to be mere blips on the studio screens, but are conspicuously absent as far as real film fans are concerned. MGM, through Fox, has the tough Quentin Tarantino fave Rolling Thunder—sitting on their shelves! Sony is planning a William Castle boxed set—but Castle’s The Night Walker is a Universal picture. Agatha and Our Vines belong to Warner, while Moment To Moment has Universal origins. As for the Beav, look for a complete show set sometime in 2009. Gee, Wally.
Question: Hey Irv, love this site. Is there any word on when WHV will be releasing a Film Noir Classic Collection # 5? Second, will Warner (I believe) ever release the 1966 film It!, aka Curse Of The Golem, with Roddy McDowall, or The Frozen Dead (both directed by Herbert J. Leder) on DVD at any time soon? Thank you in advance.
Answer: We do expect another film noir (and maybe another gangster) collection from Warner in 2009. We can honestly tell you, we have no idea what these titles would be. We can tell you, however, what they should be: Armored Car Robbery (1950): Richard Fleischer’s tight, exciting shot in L.A. heist epic with no-nonsense cop Charles McGraw in relentless pursuit of the crooks. While The City Sleeps (1956): Crackerjack Fritz Lang suspenser mixes thrills and newspaper drama in the story of the hunt for the notorious “lipstick killer.” With Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, Howard Duff, Vincent Price, George Sanders. Split Second (1953): Two dangerous convicts spring from prison and meet their accomplice just as a nuclear test is about to occur in the desert. Intense noir though and through from debuting director Dick Powell stars Stephen McNally, Jan Sterling and Alexis Smith. Cry Danger (1951): Dick Powell is the crook trying to figure out who framed him in this double cross-filled noir boasting atmosphere—even though it’s set mostly during the day. Rhonda Fleming and William Conrad also star. Hell On Frisco Bay (1955): Alan Ladd is the ex-con seeking revenge upon his release from prison. Edward G. Robinson and Joanne Dru also star. Backfire (1950): Musical star Gordon MacRae in a change-of-pace role as a disabled veteran who joins forces with nurse Virginia Mayo to track down his pal, accused of murdering a famous gambler. The Window (1949): Bobby Driscoll is the kid who tells tall tales, and can get no one to believe him when he witnesses a murder. As for It!, we have received no info on this retelling of the Golem legend, but it will be a good candidate for one of their Cult Classics Collections if they ever go back to that promotion.
Question: Any chance that Magnificent Obsession might turn up in a DVD re-release--or better yet, a Douglas Sirk film collection?
Answer: Somehow this classic soap opera with Rock Hudson, Jane Wyman, Barbara Rush and Agnes Moorehead has eluded DVD, but there’s word that Criterion may be working on a special edition, as they have with Written On The Wind and All That Heaven Allows. Question: Thanks for your insightful column. Geraldine Page is the 4th most Oscar nominated actress in history (only Streep with 14, Hepburn with 12 and Davis with 10 have more). Several of her greatest performances remain in the vaults. Any chance that we will see the following titles on DVD?
Trilogy Answer: Wow, you’ve certainly located another huge gap that needs to be addressed by the studios. Frankly, we’ve heard nothing about these titles arriving, although we can think of no other actress more worthy of the exposure. These films you've suggested certainly show Page’s incredible range in diverse roles.
Question: I was just wondering if you’ve heard anything about any of these movies/TV movies coming to DVD. The movies I am curious about are Fire And Rain, Firestorm: 72 Hours In Oakland, Disney’s Noah (Tony Danza), Motocrossed, The Luck Of The Irish, the Zenon movies, Irwin Allen’s Fire!, Flood!, and When Time Ran Out, and Feds (Mary Gross). Also, is there any news on any more DVDs of The Nanny coming out? Thanks.
Answer: Your best bets are for When Time Ran Out with Paul Newman, William Holden and Jackie Bisset, and Feds with Gross and Rebecca De Mornay, although there is no word from Warner about them for the immediate future. Sony tells us there’s more of Fran Drescher’s Nanny on the way, but they’re not slated yet. As for the TV movies, we’ve heard nothing about these titles. TV movies are tricky when it comes to DVD—often a third party puts them out, and they are usually licensed in packages. Whatever smaller company gets wise to their popularity will hit the jackpot. Disney, of course, holds onto the rights to their own titles, but usually tends to repeat them on Disney Channel rather than put them on DVD.
Question: I recently read your response to the question about Toho's Battle In Outer Space and the film The H-Man. How would one go about trying to put some pressure on Sony to release these two films? These two seem to be among the remaining classic Toho monster movies not released on home video. Also, have you seen anything about a proper release of Destroy All Monsters on home video? The current one available on DVD is actually quite atrocious. Any word on when Circus World will be released on DVD? Thanks. You people do an awesome job.
Answer: Thanks for the compliment. Or, as Rodan would say,“Grrrrrrrrrr.” We will send a message to Sony to alert them to the interest in these two titles, and hope it whacks some sense into them. They have been doing some interesting genre stuff lately (such as their recent Hammer collections), but they need to be educated on the finer points of Japanese monsters, if, in fact, they still control the rights. As for the John Wayne big-top spectacle Circus World, we were hoping that Genius, which had tapped the Samuel Bronston library in order to bring El Cid and The Fall Of The Roman Empire to DVD, would be bringing us both Circus World and 55 Days At Peking by year’s end. Sorry to say: It ain’t happening. We just received their schedule up through the end of the year, and neither film is on it. More than likely, the company will put out both titles in 2009, but sources say the Charlton Heston-David Niven-Ava Gardner Peking will be out first.
Question: I look for many of the big epics of 20th, made during the ‘50s and ‘60s when Cinemascope started. I have a VHS of The Egyptian, but would like a DVD. Desiree also comes to mind...any hope of DVDs of some of their productions? Thanks...
Answer: The Egyptian remains one of our most requested titles, but the Fox-produced, Michael Curtiz-directed epic with Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Gene Tierney and Edmund Purdom (who replaced Marlon Brando AND Dirk Bogarde) is not in the studio’s near-future plans. It is quite a spectacle, and certainly deserves recognition. Speaking of Brando, his turn as Napoleon Bonaparte in Desiree is also nowhere to be found—on DVD or in the studio’s current plans. Cinemascope, the wide-screen process, was introduced by Fox in 1954. Other films from the era in “’Scope” we’d like to see are The Big Circus (1959) with Mature, Vincent Price, Red Buttons and Rhonda Fleming; Bigger Than Life (1956), starring James Mason, Barbara Rush and Walter Matthau; Boy On A Dolphin (1957) with Alan Ladd, Clifton Webb, and Sophia Loren; and The Thief Of Bagdad (1961) with Steve Reeves. Question: Hi Movie Irv, Any chance that Warner will release some of MGM's lesser musicals such as:
Athena (Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds) How about some of their opera biographies such as:
Interrupted Melody (Eleanor Parker as Marjorie Lawrence)
Thanks and keep 'em coming!
Answer: We have not received any info on any of these fine titles, but if anyone would get them into the hands of film buffs, it would be Warner, based on their stellar DVD track record. There have been rumors that the company has been trying to get the Lanza titles out there, especially The Great Caruso. As of right now, the double feature of That Midnight Kiss / The Toast Of New Orleans is the only DVD out there with the great tenor from Philly. Based on previous correspondence, we know all of the other titles you mention would do exceptionally well on DVD, for us and Warner. We’re big fans of Two Girls And A Sailor, a wartime all-star affair, and Warner would do well to place that and Thousands Cheer in a MGM counterpart to their upcoming Warner Bros. And The Homefront Collection. We’d love to see I Love Melvin, the cheery 1953 musical with Singin’ In The Rain co-stars Reynolds as a chorus girl and O’Connor as a Look magazine photographer’s assistant who get romantically entangled. Neat dance sequences, terrific songs, great supporting cast (Jim Backus, Una Merkel, Richard Anderson) and Robert Taylor in a cameo! Who could ask for anything more? We can: Hey, Warner, why don’t you put it out already??
Question: Would love to purchase ANY Sybil Jason movies, but they are very hard to find. I could add Joan Carroll films also. Could you help?
Answer: The only two films on DVD featuring Sybil Jason are two Shirley Temple offerings; The Little Princess and The Blue Bird. The child actress from Cape Town, South Africa was actually brought from Britain in the mid-‘30s by Warner and groomed in the Temple mold, but ended her Hollywood career taking supporting roles in Shirley’s Fox films. Other credits for her include Barnacle Bill, Little Big Shot, and The Singing Kid. As for Joan Carroll, another child star of the ‘30s and ‘40s, we’ve got her appearances in Tomorrow The World, Meet Me In St. Louis, Mr. Moto’s Last Warning, The Bells Of St. Mary’s, Tower Of London, and The Clock. Unfortunately, Laddie, Primrose Path and Petticoat Larceny are not available.
Question: A few months ago you mentioned that there was a possibility about When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth being issued on DVD. I was wondering if there’s any further info on the title?
Answer: Good news for you. A double bill of Moon Zero Two / When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth is coming our way in October. For the uninitiated, Moon Zero Two is an unusual space western in which an astronaut working on a salvage mission tries to corral an asteroid with valuable minerals and encounters an evil millionaire in the process. The film is a Hammer production, released just a few months after the moon landing. The same studio was behind When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth, a prehistoric saga featuring the incredible Victoria Vetri (aka Andrea Dorian), Playboy's Miss September 1967 and Florence of Arabia in the Batman series. (This is a big season to get Hammered, what with Sony's Hammer Films: Icons Of Horror also on the way). Warner, which is issuing the double feature, also has Battle Beneath The Earth / The Ultimate Warrior and World Without End / Satellite In The Sky on tap for October.
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