The telecast of "Show Boat" last night

[AlbertCD]

Last night I watched TCM's telecast of the 1936 "Show Boat", with Irene Dunne and Allan Jones. Maybe it's my set, but the image was so clear, and the sound was so good (not state-of-the-art; after all, this was 1936) that you'd almost suspect they were showing a DVD on the air. If the image quality is that good on a TCM showing, then why on earth is it taking Warners (or whoever now owns the rights) so long to re-master this and issue it on an official, US DVD? (I don't want any bootlegs!)

 

Message was edited by: AlbertCD

[rainingviolets21]

I watched it too-- and I loved it, I only wish Irene Dunne had lied about her age, she was actually

38 years old, but still looked like a young girl- and did fine as Magnolia~ And James Whale

proved he was a superb director and not limited to Horror film.

 

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[Film_Fatale]

Actually I'm pretty sure a digital master such as the ones used by television stations must have picture quality above a standard DVD. But you're right, it's about time they released the movie on DVD, preferrably on a set with the 1951 version.

[joefilmone]

James Whale's " Show Boat" deserves its own deluxe DVD.

[Film_Fatale]

Purely from a marketing viewpoint, it might sell better if it includes the 1936 and 1951 versions, and even better if it also includes the almost forgotten semi-silent version from 1929. They released the 3 movies and the 'Show Boat' segment from Till the Clouds Roll By on laserdisc many years ago, in a set called "The Complete Show Boat".

[joefilmone]

FF you make a good point. The last "Ben Hur" DVD had the silent version as an extra and with Irwin Allen's " The Lost World" you also get the 1925 original.

[edgeciff]

The complete SHOW BOAT box set is supposedly coming in 2008. Guess it would be similar to the laserdisc box set. I think they found the complete 1929 version which I believe only consisted of excerpts on the laser.