Upcoming Releases

[edgeciff]

Yes, this is one set I will want. REMBRANDT is available on MGM but Criterion could prove to be the better print. There is so much coming out between March and May (Doris Day set, Forbidden Hollywood, Pre-Codes from Universal, Cleopatra, Man Hunt, Hobson's Choice, etc), I am going to have to wait until DDD big sale in June. Hopefully its 25% off again. Maybe more??

[Film_Fatale]

Rumors about the release of the early *Star Trek* movies (and the original series) on blu-ray had been circulating for weeks, but there is now an official announcement:

 

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocentsa165.html#startrekannounce

 

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/70087/star-trek-original-motion-picture-collection-us-bd-in-may.html

 

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/70088/star-trek-the-original-series-season-1-us-bd-in-april.html

[filmlover]

Here's an interesting new piece about Warners and George Feltenstein's views on classic releases upcoming:

 

*Blu About The Slow Release of Classic Titles On Blu-ray? Take Heart!*

George Feltenstein of Warner Home Video talks about future releases and why it takes so long to bring Golden Age gems to Blu-ray

 

Article by David Krauss

 

It's a question serious movie fans have been asking for some time: "Where are all the classics on Blu-ray?" Almost three years have passed since the debut of high-def discs and we're fast approaching the first anniversary of the format war's abrupt end, and still such iconic titles as 'Gone With the Wind,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'Lawrence of Arabia,' 'Citizen Kane,' and 'Rear Window' have yet to see a Blu-ray release. "What's taking so long?" everyone seems to be asking. "Is Blu-ray only for recent blockbusters? Will we never be able to enjoy our favorite old movies on this glorious new media?" As time creeps along and more households embrace Blu-ray, the clamor for classics grows louder and more persistent, while the wait drags on?and on. I can speak from personal experience when I say film buffs are many things, but patient isn't one of them.

 

Well, if you're one of those antsy aficionados aggravated by the dearth of film classics available on Blu-ray disc, take heart. A prominent home video executive feels your pain, and he's doing all he can to rectify the situation without sacrificing quality or compromising a film's original elements.

 

Anybody who knows DVD classics knows George Feltenstein, senior vice president of marketing/theatrical catalog for Warner Home Video. A major Golden Age film fan himself, Feltenstein has been the driving force behind hundreds of classic releases from the days of VHS on through laserdiscs and into the digital era. His unrivaled passion and commitment to classic film has helped cement WHV's reputation as the genre's leading producer, and developed a loyal consumer following for the studio. And guess what? He's just nuts about Blu-ray.

 

"I don't think you'll find anyone on the planet complaining more about the lack of classic releases on Blu-ray than me," Feltenstein said in a recent phone interview from his Burbank office. As a consumer himself, he personally thinks it's "horrible, ridiculous, and frustrating" that more pre-1970 titles are not available on the format, and believes "thousands upon thousands of people" haven't made the Blu-ray leap because few of the titles on store shelves interest them. (Feltenstein also feels the film industry hindered the public's adoption of the technology because it failed to clearly and accurately communicate the format's vast superiority over standard DVD during its early stages.) As an industry executive, however, he understands all too well the studios' quandary over whether to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars on a per title basis to remaster classic films ? and that's what it costs if you need to start from "scratch" ? when demographic research shows "typical" buyers could care less about the classic genre. And, Feltenstein adds, "The fact that we are in a recession-slash-depression and the world's economy is going to hell in a hand-basket doesn't help things."

 

All that said, Feltenstein, who dubs himself WHV's "in-house Blu-ray cheerleader," believes WHV has recently made some "bold and aggressive" moves regarding classics, and hopes other studios will follow suit. He cites next month's releases of the biblical epic *'Quo Vadis,*' and two Best Picture winners, *'Gigi'* and *'An American in Paris,'* as a "litmus test" for classics, even though they are "very, very risky titles to put out in this marketplace, which mostly caters to new theatrical releases." (20th Century Fox will also hop on the classic BD bandwagon next month with *'The Robe'* and *'South Pacific*.')

 

That trio, however, is just a warm-up for what Feltenstein calls a "murderer's row" of classic releases later this year that will include such AFI 100 masterpieces as *'Gone With the Wind,' 'The Wizard of Oz,'* and *'North By Northwest.'* Hitchcock's thriller underwent a $1 million restoration, while 'GWTW' and 'Oz' ? both of which were remastered in 2K Ultra Resolution three or four years ago for splashy DVD releases ? have been completely overhauled once again to make sure they meet all of Blu-ray's exacting standards. "What was perfection two to three years ago is not now," Feltenstein says. "We thought 'Gone With the Wind' would be good to go on Blu-ray with what was done previously, plus $200,000 for dirt cleaning. But to look perfect, we had to start all over from scratch at enormous cost. I took it to management and there was no hesitation. Having a film like 'Gone With the Wind' on Blu-ray will set a new standard and pave the way for more classic releases."

 

According to Feltenstein, WHV has been mastering its classic films in 1080p since 2002, long before Blu-ray's official dawn, but he's quick to point out that even those relatively new transfers still must undergo expensive, time-consuming dirt and scratch removal to make them suitable for Blu-ray. Regular 1080p remastering is fine for standard definition, he says, but HD quality requires additional work. "Blu-ray demands perfection and our consumers demand that these films achieve the best possible image quality. I assure you they will, but there will always be people out there who will nitpick and find something wrong with them."

 

Perfection, he explains, doesn't mean compromising a film's original elements, such as grain structure, and Feltenstein is adamant that WHV does not condone such tampering, nor does it allow The Motion Picture Imaging Group, the company that produces its transfers, to artificially enhance images or apply digital noise reduction to achieve a more modern, sleek look. Black-and-white films of the 1930s and 1940s tend to exhibit more grain than movies made in the '50s and '60s, and sometimes that grain looks amplified when projected on a high-def display. When doing transfers, Feltenstein says, "we keep the grain, but get rid of every piece of non-photographic originated dirt we can."

 

Oftentimes, 1080p remastering shines a beacon on basic rudimentary production techniques used in classic films. Mattes, backdrops, and rear projection work are more noticeable, and special effects can lose their mystique. When upgrading *'Top Hat'* (1935), Feltenstein was shocked to see how dirty the floor was on which Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced. That dirty floor will be clearly visible when the *Astaire-Rogers films make their Blu-ray debut in 2010*, as will the wires that support the Scarecrow in certain scenes of 'The Wizard of Oz.' Age-related specks, scratches, and grit, however, will be erased.

 

Sound issues have also drawn ire from many consumers hungry for high-def audio on Golden Age films. Some have complained about the lack of a Dolby TrueHD track on 'Casablanca' and the upcoming 'An American in Paris.' Feltenstein insists he will always try to fashion an HD audio track, but only if it can be created naturally through the film's original multiple channel recordings. Both 'Casablanca' and 'An American in Paris' were recorded in mono, so monaural tracks were used on their respective Blu-ray discs to preserve each film's authenticity.

 

When discussing the criteria for selecting suitable titles for Blu-ray release, especially this early in the format's lifespan, Feltenstein notes there are still "hundreds upon hundreds of wonderful classic films in the Warner library that still haven't even seen a standard DVD release." At this time, he says, limited audience titles will not immediately come out on Blu-ray, such as a collection of Esther Williams movies WHV is readying for later in 2009, because projected sales would not effectively cover costs, which can quickly spiral into the stratosphere. Dirt and scratch removal on existing 1080p masters is expensive enough, but some films require new intermediate elements from the original negative, while others demand a full photochemical restoration before a new master can be created. Authoring, compression, menu creation, and design also inflate the price tag. "Even replicating the physical Blu-ray disc is expensive," Feltenstein says. "So it's not just the cost of making the master that determines whether we go forward." As a result, the studio is currently prepping its most iconic titles for Blu-ray and holding off on more specialized material.

 

Does that mean some titles, especially those antiques with heavy grain and scratchy audio, will never see a Blu-ray release? "Just because it can't be perfect doesn't mean it shouldn't be on Blu-ray at some point," Feltenstein says. "Some titles will take longer than others, but a film's vintage will not keep it from Blu-ray. Because we've been mastering in 1080p since 2002, we have gorgeous high-definition masters on more than 250 black-and-white 4x3 movies. They're just not the kind of movies that will lure people into Blu-ray. Remember, it was about five years into the DVD era before it became financially viable to go deeper into the classic library; we are about to begin year number four of Blu-ray in a few months, and I believe our plans for Blu-ray library marketing are in line with what we did ? and continue to do ? for DVD. But right now, we have to try and find the right classic film that will really show off the technology."

 

*And Warner has plenty of those on tap.* *In addition to the Astaire-Rogers canon in 2010, Feltenstein said the 1954 'A Star Is Born' with Judy Garland, currently being remastered in 6K resolution, will also see a 2010 release, and 'Citizen Kane' will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a Blu-ray bow in 2011. Other titles in the pipeline include the 1959 'Ben-Hur,' which was already remastered in 1080p, but is being redone because, Feltenstein says, many viewers were displeased with the standard DVD transfer. 'Singin' in the Rain,' previously mastered in 1080i in 2001 is unsuitable for Blu-ray in its present form, so it's gone back to square one for a "profusely expensive" 1080p makeover. 'The Music Man,' 'Doctor Zhivago,' and 'Meet Me in St. Louis' also will see high-def releases in the next two to three years. And in honor of its 40th anniversary, 'Woodstock' will arrive on Blu-ray later this year in limited numbered editions with two hours of recently discovered performances.* The classic concert film was originally shot in 16mm, so beware, there will be noticeable grain.

 

Though Hollywood usually thrives during tough times, Feltenstein said the home video industry has not been immune to the economic downturn, as layoffs and store closings make production more time consuming and marketing more challenging. "It's a very difficult environment to further this agenda," he said. "But if you put out a great release, people will buy it, and buying ensures that more releases in the same vein will follow. If people want to see more classic releases, they need to support the ones that are available or will soon be available. It's that simple."

 

Feltenstein can't speak for other studios, but emphasizes WHV's strong commitment to classics on Blu-ray, both from a financial and ideological perspective. "The horizon is bright," he says. "We will continue to be aggressive, and I believe people will be very happy with what we have in store."

 

In other words, good things come to those who wait.

 

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/David_Krauss/Warner_Brothers/Industry_Trends/Blu_About_The_Slow_Release_of_Classic_Titles_On_Blu-ray_Take_Heart!/2502

[Film_Fatale]

In other words, good things come to those who wait.

 

Indeed! Thanks for posting that article, filmlover. It's going to be a long wait but I hope it will be worth it.

 

Same for all the long-awaited titles that WHV doesn't control. Like *Star Wars, Back to the Future, Indiana Jones* (original trilogy), *Lord of the Rings*, etc.

 

I already get a bit annoyed when I go to the video store and a new release (say, *Bottle Shock* for example) is only available on DVD.

[edgeciff]

Very interesting article. There are two reasons why I have yet to buy into Blu Ray: Not many classics available and the difference in prices between SD and Blu Ray. I know sales would zoom if companies priced new SD & Blu Ray at the same level. In the meanwhile I'll bide my time and stick with SD and HDNET. I'm in no hurry.

[Film_Fatale]

I agree that one can only wish more classic movies were already available on blu-ray. However, between the ones that are and the ones that I can just watch upconverted from DVD, I think I'm reasonably happy for the time being.

 

But 2009 promises to be a watershed year for blu-ray, especially with titles like *Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz, Ben-Hur* and, quite possibly, *Lawrence of Arabia* (I'm keeping my fingers crossed with that one - better that they take their time and do a superb job).

[filmlover]

edgecliff said: "...I know sales would zoom if companies priced new SD & Blu Ray at the same level."

 

Well, then you should go to Amazon and order Amadeus: Director's Cut (which comes with a book on the movie and with a CD of one hour of Mozart music) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (which comes with a book on the movie). Both are $14.99 each on Blu-ray while the DVD for Amadeus: DIrector's Cut (no book, no CD, no high def picture) is $12.99 and Cuckoo's Nest DVD is $12.49 (no book and no high def picture).

 

Criterion generally prices the Blu-ray and the DVD at the same price.

[Film_Fatale]

> {quote:title=filmlover wrote:}{quote}

> The Fritz Lang thriller, *Man Hunt* (1941), now has an official DVD street date of May 19th. Here's a link to the cover art, price, and the extras:

>

> http://www.classicflix.com/hunt-1941-a-415.html?osCsid=bc3cc7b89de842804e7f950b63f0a68b

 

For anyone who's considering ordering this, ammy is now advertising a pre-order price that's 50 cents cheaper than the classicflix price. Yes, 50 cents! Imagine what you can do with those 50 cents.

[edgeciff]

Unfortunately this is only one rare instance where the price is low. I am waiting for all new releases to have lower prices. BTW I hate AMADEUS, the film itself as well as the actors who have apparently disappeared from the scene.

[filmlover]

Sigh, like we need another rerelease of *Pillow Talk*...

 

Universal is issuing a 50th anniverary DVD release with minimal extras:

 

Feature Commentary with Film Historian Jeff Bond, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman

Chemistry 101: The Film Duo of Doris Day and Rock Hudson

Back in Bed With Pillow Talk

Theatrical Trailer

 

http://www.classicflix.com/pillow-talk-50th-anniversary-april-a-419.html?osCsid=444a156d4bf21ba9b26dfbd14e5d8f24

 

Another bit of proof that Universal is a washout when it comes to classic movie DVD releases.

 

Classicflix.com has also created a score card on studio releases. Take a look! #1 is obvious. #2 on the list was a surprise, but Universal's ranking isn't:

 

http://www.classicflix.com/release-score-card-a-418.html?osCsid=07611707e64e0b8c0cb8f66842617076

[Film_Fatale]

I tried forum search and couldn't find any mention of this set:

 

*Tom And Jerry?s Greatest Chases continue in June*

 

Warner Home Video has added *Tom And Jerry?s Greatest Chases: Volume 2* to their release line-up, scheduling the DVD for a June release.

Tom and Jerry Greatest Chases Volume 2 features 14 shorts directed by Hanna-Barbera that were originally released between 1943 and 1951. Two featured shorts, including Mouse Trouble (originally released in 1944) and Quiet Please! (originally released in 1945) became Oscar? winners for Best Short Subject, Cartoons in 1945 and 1946, respectively. Other shorts featured on the DVD include Sufferin? Cats!, Baby Puss, The Million Dollar Cat, The Bodyguard, Flirty Birdy, Cat Fishin?, The Invisible Mouse, Heavenly Puss, Jerry and the Goldfish, Cue Ball Cat, Slicked-up Pup and Jerry?s Cousin.

The DVD will be in stores on June 16 for $14.97.

[filmlover]

Disney has announced the upcoming Blu release of Pixar's *Monsters Inc.* and *A Bug's Life* for May 15th. Extras include:

 

_A Bug's Life_

Introduction by John Lasseter

Roundtable with John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Kevin Rehr and Darla Anderson

Storyboard animations

BD-Live

Movie Chat

Movie Mail

 

_Monsters Inc_

Roundtable with Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Darla Anderson, and Darla Anderson

Interactive Game

BD-Live

Movie Chat

Movie Mail

Disneyland Tokyo attraction

 

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2423

[filmlover]

More Disney news, this time in regards to updates on previously mentioned titles:

 

Disney has released the final specs on the extras for *Pinocchio* (coming March 10th on DVD and Blu-ray):

 

The Pinocchio (70th Anniversary Platinum Edition) releases will feature the following bonus materials, taken straight from the press release:

 

Pinocchio's Matter of Facts - Learn fun facts about Pinocchio and other related subjects as you watch the movie.

 

Audio Commentary - An all-new audio commentary with Leonard Maltin, Eric Goldberg and J. B. Kaufman.

 

Disney Song Selection - Select this option to sing along with favorite songs as the lyrics appear onscreen.

 

Deleted Scenes

 

No Strings Attached: The Making of Pinocchio - Witness the behind-the scenes magic that transformed Carlo Collodi's popular book into a classic animated film.

 

The Story of the Grandfather Tree - Kindly Geppetto tells Pinocchio about the Great Pine Tree from which Pinocchio is descended.

 

In The Belly Of The Whale - The most elaborate of Pinocchio's deleted scenes that remain in the Disney Archives, these recently discovered storyboards reveal a different version of Geppetto inside Monstro.

 

Alternate Ending - A recently uncovered set of small storyboard panels reveal plans for a different version of Pinocchio becoming a real boy.

 

The Sweat Box - The Sweatbox was a small projection room at the Disney studio where Walt critiqued story reels, rough animation, and dailies of films in progress with his anxious artists. This piece traces the history of the Sweatbox and brings to life this important part of Walt Disney's artistic process.

 

Live Action Reference Footage

 

Pinocchio Art Galleries

 

Deleted Songs - An audio collection of period "pop" recordings of songs that not used in the final film.

 

Pinocchio Puzzles - Hosted by Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio's Puzzles is a multi-tiered Puzzle game that contains six unique wooden puzzles for the viewer to assemble. Each puzzle forms an image from the film that comes to life once they are complete.

 

 

_Blu-ray Exclusives_:

 

Cine-Explore

 

Disney BD-Live Network

 

Movie Chat - Your chat session will appear over the movie and occur in real-time while watching the movie together.

 

Movie Mail ? Blu-ray owners will be able to record a personalized video message of themselves, superimpose that capture onto one of many pre-selected clips of the movie, and send it off to a friend, colleague, or relative.

 

Movie Challenge ? Users will be able to test their skills against other players in a synchronized, real-time, online trivia game while watching Pinocchio with anyone online.

 

Disney Movie Rewards Live

 

Pinocchio Knows Trivia Challenge

 

http://bluray.ign.com/articles/955/955313p1.html

 

Also, as mentioned previously, the tribute to film noir and hard-boiled detective-type films, *Sin City,* is coming to Blu from Walt Disney on April 21st.

 

Disney has released the final specs for the extras:

 

From blu-ray.com:

 

Disc One: Theatrical Cut

 

All new Cine-Explore ? When selected, see picture-in-picture green screen footage and original art synced with the filmmakers' commentary.

 

Commentary with Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller

 

Commentary with Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino

 

Audio Track Featuring a Recording of the Austin Audience Reaction

 

 

Disc Two: Unrated, Recut Extended Version

 

All new ?Kill ?em Good? Interactive Comic Book - Dive into a visually stunning interactive game that puts you in the driver's seat. Exploiting the Blu-ray format in ways never before seen, you finish the story ? with guns blazing!

 

Four Chapters:

 

Chapter One- That Yellow Bastard

 

Chapter Two- The Customer Is Always Right

 

Chapter Three- The Hard Goodbye

 

Chapter Four- The Big Fat Kill

 

Rodriguez Special Features:

 

15-Minute Film School

 

All Green Screen Version

 

The Long Take

 

Sin City: Live in Concert

 

10-Minute Cooking School

 

How It Went Down: Convincing Frank Miller To Make The Film

 

Special Guest Director: Quentin Tarantino

 

A Hard Top With A Decent Engine: The Cars of Sin City

 

Booze, Broads, and Guns: The Props of Sin City

 

Making the Monsters: Special Effects Make-up

 

Trench Coats & Fishnets: The Costumes of Sin City

 

Teaser & Theatrical Trailer

 

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2426

[filmlover]

Some news from digitalbits.com regarding Lionsgate.

 

On April 7th, they will rerelease on DVD the Gregory Peck/Laurence Olivier film *The Boys from Brazil*. No word of extras but here is a link to the cover art: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B001PYD0PC/sr=8-2/qid=1235217558/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=130&s=dvd&qid=1235217558&sr=8-2

 

They are also releasing on DVD the all-star film, *Voyage of the Damned*, the same month. Here is the cover art: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B001R10BIM/sr=1-1/qid=1235217743/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=130&s=dvd&qid=1235217743&sr=1-1+

 

And it looks like the current *Terminator 2* Blu out there is going to get a major double dipping when Lionsgate releases not just one but two other relesases on Blu of the film:

 

from ign.com:

 

On May 19, 2009 Lionsgate will finally release *Terminator 2 Skynet Edition* on Blu-ray...The disc is loaded with over 8 hours of interactive Blu-ray content including over 140 minutes of behind the scenes video and multimedia galleries, storyboard-script views, audio commentaries, quizzes and games ? plus additional BD-Live enabled content featuring games and more that is accessible on Internet-connected players.

 

 

In addition, the Terminator 2 Skynet Edition Blu-ray will be available for a limited time in the *Limited Edition T2 Complete Collector's Set*, a 6-disc set that allows the ultimate T2 fan to play the film anytime, anywhere! Packaged with a 14" T-800 Endoskull bust that plays sound effects from the film while its eyes light up, this collectible set features the Terminator 2 Skynet Edition Blu-ray plus both the Extreme Edition DVD and Ultimate Edition DVD ? which, combined, include every T2 special feature ever released on DVD. As a bonus, the Limited Edition T2 Complete Collector's Set comes with a digital copy of the film for iTunes or Windows Media.

 

 

Terminator 2 Skynet Edition on Blu-ray Disc and the Limited Edition T2 Complete Collector's Set will be available for $29.99 and $174.99 respectively on May 19, 2009, coinciding with the theatrical release of Terminator: Salvation and the DVD release of the Schwarzenegger DVD Collection.

 

 

Bonus features include:

 

 

Multiple THX-certified high-definition versions of the film

 

All-new English 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Lossless

 

Picture-in-picture of behind the scenes video, text commentaries and multimedia galleries

 

Storyboard-script mode ? view storyboards and read the script while watching the film

 

Interactive quizzes and games

 

BD-Live enabled, featuring games, extra content and more for Internet-connected players

 

Audio commentary with 26 cast and crew members

 

Audio commentary with director James Cameron and co-writer William Wisher

 

Enhanced for D-Box Motion Control Systems

 

Includes THX Optimizer

 

the link below has nice nice artwork:

 

http://bluray.ign.com/articles/955/955785p1.html

 

While on the scfi-fi front, Fox has announced the *Alien Quadrilogy* set will be make it over from DVD to Blu in late 2009.

[Film_Fatale]

Let's just hope they will actually feature new and improved video transfers.

[Film_Fatale]

I don't even know if this is the best thread for it, but since I cannot think of any other that would be a better option: I've just read that New Yorker Films is going bankrupt. Those who will instantly recognize the name know what a good job of distributing "specialized" cinema that company did for many years.

 

This is the press release:

 

http://www.indiewire.com/article/end_of_the_road_for_new_yorker_films_legendary_distributor_of_difficult_cin/

[filmlover]

Paramount has announced *Three Days of the Condor* for a Blu release on May 19th. The film stars Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, and Max Von Sydow.

[Film_Fatale]

I'm worried if they didn't even say what company would release them. For some reason I suspect the two movies might be PD.

[mateo107]

according to amazon it's a company called Firecake Entertainment.

[filmlover]

Neither are public domain to my knowledge.

[edgeciff]

Looking at the artwork, it doesn't say what the DVD company is. THE BUCCANEER was originally a Paramount release. Its hard to believe this one is PD and THE EXILE is a Universal release. I am hoping Image is the company releasing the DVD's but sometimes even their prints are dismal looking.

[filmlover]

*"The French Connection"* Blu-ray release has been mentioned here a couple of times in the last while, but I wanted to post a WARNING to anyone considering purchasing this. The word is going around VERY QUICKLY among fans who have seen it that director William Friedkin has messed it up by recoloring it to his tastes now, so this is not the French Connection you saw.

 

One person wrote that in an interview Friedkin revealed, "He spoke about it at some length; apparently much of the look was achieved by bleaching the colour out and only allowing a third of it or so to bleed back in."

 

Also, this was a movie in which grain played a major part in the filming. Apparently, the grain in high def is overwhelming. Consider renting it first.

[Film_Fatale]

Good thing you brought it up. There is an article in the NYT about Friedkin's involvement in the new blu-ray release of *French Connection*, the part about the colour being changed is mentioned near the end:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/movies/homevideo/22dave.html

 

To be honest at this point I'm far more likely to rent rather than to buy just about any blu-ray release, except perhaps stuff that's likely to be available for a limited time (like the upcoming *Pinocchio* blu-ray). I tend to watch stuff much sooner when it's a rental, than when I actually buy it.

 

Later this week I should be watching *Amadeus* and *Gandhi* on blu-ray. B-)

[filmlover]

From classicflix.com: Flicker Alley will be releasing *Under Full Sail - Silent Cinema on the the High Seas.* Release date: April 14th for $29.99.

 

This will include 5 films, including what they say is the most complete version of *The Yankee Clipper* (1927):

 

Produced by Cecil B. DeMille and directed by Rupert Julian, restored to the most complete version available since the film?s release, is a feature-length melodrama recreating the real-life race from Foo Chow to Boston for the China tea trade. The gorgeous production filmed at sea for six weeks aboard the 1856 wooden square-rigger Indiana with stars William Boyd, Elinor Fair and Frank ?Junior? Coghlan. Renowned organist Dennis James, in his solo DVD premiere, accompanies the film on an original-installation 1928 Wurlitzer pipe organ recorded at Seattle?s Paramount Theatre.

 

 

 

Other films are *Around the Horn in a Square Rigger* (1933) Filmed by noted sailor, author, and photographer Alan Villiers documenting the record-breaking 83-day voyage of the 1902 barque Parma from Australia to England in the 1933 Grain Race. Villiers writes. Music by Eric Beheim.

 

 

*The Square Rigger* (1932), an early sound short filmed as part of Fox?s Magic Carpet of Movietone, shows life aboard the schoolship Dar Pomorza, ?The White Frigate.?

 

 

*Ship Ahoy* (1928)

A unique record of the conditions and traditions of the North American lumber trade, featuring an unidentified schooner equipped with a fore and aft rig as it transports lumber from the Carolinas up the coast to a northern port. Music by Eric Beheim.

 

 

The collection is rounded off with a ten-minute sequence from *Down to the Sea in Ships* (1922), documenting an authentic whale hunt from the 1878 wooden ship Wanderer out of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Music by Dennis James.

 

 

BONUS FEATURES:

 

Audio Reminiscence by Frank ?Junior? Coghlan about the filming of The Yankee Clipper

 

PLUS: An enclosed booklet includes detailed program notes by film scholar and U.S. Navy marine engineer John E. Stone and an essay about the scoring of The Yankee Clipper by organist Dennis James.

 

more details and cover art here:

 

http://www.classicflix.com/flicker-alley-under-full-sail-silent-cinema-high-seas-a-422.html?osCsid=7121bd254a3f12916be7f9bbf2ecc208

[Snorky]

> {quote:title=filmlover wrote:}{quote}

> film fatale has it basically right. The "Upcoming Releases" thread is really a news thread, but there is still discussion to be had on certain titles.

>

> Sometimes, though, some discussions or arguments about one title or topic tend to overtake the thread and have gone on for several pages, defeating the purpose of the thread...which is, people come here to see quick news of upcoming releases but can't find it because of discussions going on and on and on.

>

> As to duplication of items, again, the purpose of this particular thread is to see news about items coming out. When I come across something that I think is of interest to classic film fans, I cut through the fluff of the studio's press release and list only things we really want to know: when is it coming out, any extras, and the price. Others who post here do that, too. Unfortunately, somebody like Celluloid Kid won't (or care to) see if info has been posted and just print page after page of studio release fluffery, which included so much description about plot, awards won, etc., that two items could take up a whole page, again burying news. If there is new info to be posted (details of extras, etc.) to a previously listed title, I am all for someone adding it as update info. However, it is not necessary to relist every single piece of info that has already been mentioned in the first posting.

>

> I guess there is a flaw in the system in the way everything (the genre review threads and the news thread) is mixed into one forum. Ideally, the genre threads should have their own forum (which, actually, what this whole DVD forum was for when it was created), and then the Upcoming Releases thread should have its own forum and its own sticky to stay at the top, then various topics could be created in individual threads underneath...topics that could discuss DVD in general, discussing one particular title at length, etc. Unfortunately, they only gave us this one forum, so I tried from the very beginning to organize the genres into different threads, special sales in another, and Jack Burley came up with the Upcoming Releases thread. If there were multiple threads created every day, the forum would be one giant mess, making it near impossible to locate one particular item you may remember from a week before. We work with what we have.

>

> Someday, I mean to do up a post that will list all titles mentioned during the last 6 months, along with the date they were mentioned in order for all to have quick access to the info.

 

Glad you and FF were able to build a consensus here. Ha Ha

 

You don't honestly expect me to read this entire post of long-winded drivel, do you?

Your "rules of the road" for posting here.

 

This isn't even your thread!