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Decotodd wrote:Has WA issued all of the silent pictures they own for which a music track is available? Is it possible they've run out of material without commissioning a new score?

Offhand the only one I can think of is THE WIND, but there are probably other stragglers. For the most part, the unreleased titles are those without scores.

I am a former subscriber to Filmstruck. I just checked about WB Archive streaming and found they shut down and transferred titles to Filmstruck (I think there was a thread on that a few months ago). I will probably resubscribe to Filmstruck since it seems as though they have added many more classic films. I have a little difficulty navigating their catalog. Do many of these precode/ lessor known WB films find their way to Filmstruck?

Thanks,
Matthew

mwalls wrote:I am a former subscriber to Filmstruck. I just checked about WB Archive streaming and found they shut down and transferred titles to Filmstruck (I think there was a thread on that a few months ago). I will probably resubscribe to Filmstruck since it seems as though they have added many more classic films. I have a little difficulty navigating their catalog. Do many of these precode/ lessor known WB films find their way to Filmstruck?

Thanks,
Matthew

Their selection of classic Hollywood films is leaps and bounds above what they offered on Warner Archive Instant. Here's the story on the changes from late February: https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/t ... 202709741/

They've been adding between 20 and 40 classic Hollywood films every Friday and primarily they bundle them by director or sta. The number depends on the access to that particular actor or director's work. For example, the other week they added 21 Joan Crawford films: The Unknown, West Point, Across to Singapore, Out Dancing Daughters, Our Modern Maidens, Possessed (1931), Grand Hotel, Sadie McKee, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, Mannequin, The Women, Strange Cargo, A Woman's Face, Above Suspicion, Mildred Pierce, Humoresque, Possessed (1947), Flamingo Road, The Damned Don't Cry, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and Trog. All films are generally available for six months. It's a nice mix of the canon and rarities. Some are missing obviously. Time periods, I suspect, vary based on the output of whichever star/director they feature.

Every week they also add a TCM Select offering that includes a more in=depth Mankiewicz intro, up to five minutes. Sometimes those aren't up as long. Forbidden Planet was around for just a few weeks.

The service is now absolutely everything I ever wanted it to be.

buskeat wrote:

mwalls wrote:I am a former subscriber to Filmstruck. I just checked about WB Archive streaming and found they shut down and transferred titles to Filmstruck (I think there was a thread on that a few months ago). I will probably resubscribe to Filmstruck since it seems as though they have added many more classic films. I have a little difficulty navigating their catalog. Do many of these precode/ lessor known WB films find their way to Filmstruck?

Thanks,
Matthew

Their selection of classic Hollywood films is leaps and bounds above what they offered on Warner Archive Instant. Here's the story on the changes from late February: https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/t ... 202709741/

They've been adding between 20 and 40 classic Hollywood films every Friday and primarily they bundle them by director or sta. The number depends on the access to that particular actor or director's work. For example, the other week they added 21 Joan Crawford films: The Unknown, West Point, Across to Singapore, Out Dancing Daughters, Our Modern Maidens, Possessed (1931), Grand Hotel, Sadie McKee, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, Mannequin, The Women, Strange Cargo, A Woman's Face, Above Suspicion, Mildred Pierce, Humoresque, Possessed (1947), Flamingo Road, The Damned Don't Cry, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and Trog. All films are generally available for six months. It's a nice mix of the canon and rarities. Some are missing obviously. Time periods, I suspect, vary based on the output of whichever star/director they feature.

Every week they also add a TCM Select offering that includes a more in=depth Mankiewicz intro, up to five minutes. Sometimes those aren't up as long. Forbidden Planet was around for just a few weeks.

The service is now absolutely everything I ever wanted it to be.

Thank you for the rundown and the link. I resubscribed.

Matthew

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS - TWO DISC SPECIAL EDITION BLU-RAY (1954) New to Blu-ray with a 2018 1080p HD Remaster (Disc One) First Time in 1080p HD (Disc Two)
The "B" Musical that could, and did, conquer the big screen comes roaring and leaping to life at least in lush and lively 1080p HD on Blu-ray. Long sought for, and finally achieved, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is sharper, brighter and stronger sound than ever in this special two-disc presentation. Howard Keel and Jane Powell, two of musical film's greatest performers ably command a cast of actors, dancers and tumblers in this tale of questionable courting in mid-19th century Oregon. Buoyed by Stanley Donen's up-for-any-challenge direction that included shooting a larger-than-life landscape musical indoors on the lot, Michael Kidd's stunning choreography and a sly, sweet and clever score from Johnny Mercer and Gene de Paul, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was an instant classic and one of the biggest blockbusters of all time. Also includes the seldom seen alternate "wide screen" version of the film, presented in HD on a second Blu-ray disc. It's a keeper - see for yourself. Special Features: Audio Commentary by Stanley Donen (2004); "MGM Jubilee Overture" Short Subject, Remastered in 1080p HD and Lossless DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1; "Sobbin' Women: The Making of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," hosted by Howard Keel (SD); Radio City Music Hall Premiere - July 22, 1954 (SD); "MGM's 30th Anniversary" (1954 MGM Newsreel) (SD). 16x9 Letterbox (Disc One), 16x9 Widescreen (Disc Two)

DESIGNING WOMAN (1957) New to Blu-ray with a 2018 1080p HD Remaster
Lauren Bacall delights in one of her finest screen performances in a mid-century modern take on the mismatched romance comedy in the vein of It Happened One Night and Woman of the Year . Bacall plays Marilla Hagen, an uptown fashion designer who helps sportswriter Mike Hagen (Gregory Peck) out of a jam and into matrimony while on vacation. When the pair returns east, they discover that their different lifestyles - and some ex-flames - may be more than they bargained for. Director Vincente Minnelli's sumptuous mise-en-scene, production design, color palette and framing pops like never before in this crystal-clear HD transfer along with a bevy of gorgeous gowns from designer Helen Rose who also came up with the plot. Special Features: Theatrical Trailer (HD); Behind the Scenes Mini-Documentary Featuring Costume Designer Helen Rose. 16x9 Letterbox


RE-DISC-OVERIES
THE BAND PLAYS ON (1934) New to DVD
A quartet of street kids is caught stealing a car and get sent to an unusual reform school - the gridiron. Entrusted into the care of Pacific University's head football coach Howdy Hardy (Preston Foster), the four youths grow into young sports stars as Hardy's Bombers, masters of the backfield. Tony (Robert Young) and Stuffy (Stuart Erwin) vie for the affections of Kitty (Betty Furness), sister of teammate Mike (Russell Hardie) while Rosy (William Tannen) tries to keep his head in the game while cracking the books. The boys' reformation gets threatened by Mike's and Kitty's older brother Joe (Ted Healy), who tempts Tony with the promise of quick and easy dough, sans scruples. After Stuffy and number one fan Angelo (Leo Carillo) get injured in an auto accident while trying to steer Tony away from Joe, the Bombers end up banished to the bench. But the boys are determined to get back into Howdy's good graces and back on the field.

A MODERN HERO (1934) New to DVD
Richard Barthelmess stars as a self-made Übermensch who wills himself to power through a series of seductions in this existential epic from celebrated cineaste G.W. Pabst (High and Low). Pierre Radier (Barthelmess) may be the bastard love child of a leopard tamer and the son of Europe's wealthiest clan, but he's also the best bareback horseman under the big top in the states - and that's not good enough for him. Dreams of wealth and power frame his every ambition, so much so that when he falls for Joanna Ryan (Jean Muir), she rejects his offer of marriage despite her most delicate condition. Pierre claws his way out of the circus and into big business from bicycle shop to automobile manufacturer to munitions magnate thanks to the ministrations of a wealthy widow (Florence Eldridge), a wealthier heiress (Dorothy Burgess) and a high society mistress (Verree Teasdale) but his rapid ascent is eclipsed by a steeper and tragic fall.

BABY FACE HARRINGTON (1935) New to DVD
Legendary "tough guy" director Raoul Walsh (High Sierra, White Heat) helms this crime comedy caper that places perpetual milquetoast Charles Butterworth at the center of the action. Butterworth plays Willie Harrington, mild-mannered spouse of socially ambitious Millicent (Una Merkel). Pushed by Millie to be more of a man, Willie's demand for a raise at work is mistaken for a resignation. Desperate to secure his mortgage, Willie cashes in a life insurance policy and promptly loses the money. Accidentally brandishing a gun while blaming an innocent broker (Donald Meek) for the loss, Willie becomes an armed bandit only to discover his error. Before he can make amends however, he's rolled by the notorious bank robber Rocky Bannister (Nat Pendleton). Now dubbed "Baby Face" and believed to be the mastermind behind Bannister's crimes, the phony felon must face down some very real criminal McCoys.

KID NIGHTINGALE (1939) New to DVD
Boxing manager "Honest" Skip Davis (Walter Catlett) is desperate when his latest prospect turns out to be more of a mug than a pug. Drowning his sorrows, he makes his latest discovery: singing waiter Steve Nelson (John Payne), after the waiter knocks out some hecklers. Promising Steve lessons from the great opera coach Rudolfo Terassi (Harry Burns), Skip persuades Steve to sign on as a fighter. While Steve fails to impress big league boxing promotor Mike Jordan (Ed Brophy), he does make quite the impression on the ladies, including Judy Craig (Jane Wyman). Mike's main competition, Charles Paxton (Charles D. Brown), notices and hatches a scheme in concert with Skip. They'll use Steve's burly good looks and beautiful baritone to land some ladies in the seats while building "Kid Nightingale's" rep, thanks to a series of rigged fights. And to keep Steve happy, they'll have wrestler Strangler Colombo (Harry Burns) impersonate Terassi!

THE MAN FROM DOWN UNDER (1943) New to DVD
Acting luminary Charles Laughton stars as stalwart Anzac soldier Jocko Wilson in this saga set between the world wars. The big-hearted Jocko impulsively adopts a pair of Belgian war orphans in the closing days of World War I, intending to raise them with his singing sweetheart Aggie (Binnie Barnes). Jocko succeeds in smuggling the orphans out, but Aggie is left stranded. Jocko raises the pair in his native Australia and the boy, Nipper (Richard Carlson), becomes a lightweight boxing champion while the girl, Mary (Donna Reed) attends boarding school. Jocko buys a hotel with winnings courtesy of Nipper and Aggie, now a rich widow, who re-enters his life. To Jocko's chagrin, rekindling their romance is the last thing Aggie has in mind while Nipper is driven to abandon the family, breaking both Jocko's and Mary's hearts. It takes the start of World War II and a Japanese invasion to bring the Wilsons back together - but at what cost?

This is as good a place as any for a Warner Archive question, a friend of mine was curious why they haven't put Hitchcock's Stage Fright out on BD, after doing The Wrong Man, Suspicion and I Confess. The only other WB title not on BD I think is Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

I watched my WB DVD copy last night, and noticed a large vertical scratch at the tail end of the film, so I guessed there must be some delay in doing restoration/preservation on the title, but I always figured a Hitchcock film would be a Grade-A priority for a studio like WB.

Does anyone have some info on this?

Taken from a recent interview, here's our beloved Kevin Brownlow on the abomination (imo) that is Warner Brothers when it comes to their silents:

Q: Why did you choose Rex Ingram’s Mare Nostrum [1926] to show for this celebration?

A: Rex Ingram has been quite forgotten. I very seldom come upon a screening of anything he’s done. The last time Photoplay restored one of his films it was The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse [in 1992]. I was quite used to seeing it in the versions available over here, but it looks so much better and is such a better a film when you see it as it was released in 1921. When it was reissued the year Rudolph Valentino died, in 1926, it coincided with a number of treaties in which European countries agreed to try not to go to war with one another. So they cut out scenes of a German orgy and executions and so on. Editing out those and a few other scenes made it a much less interesting picture. It was marvelous to restore them and add a really stunning score by Carl Davis.

And it’s really frustrating that Warner Bros. has yet to fulfill its promise of putting that out on DVD. They did do Ben-Hur [as part of the 1959 version’s collector’s edition] and Flesh and the Devil and The Big Parade. But they were going to put out all the MGM restorations we did at Thames Television. They included The Crowd, The Wind, and Show People, most with marvelous scores by Carl Davis. When I located the original negative of The Big Parade, they did a marvelous job with that, and they must have been disappointed when it failed to meet their financial expectations. Still, it’s a form of commercial censorship.

Lest we forget, in considering Warner's output on Blu-Ray, out of 665 HD releases thus far, only two have been from the Silent era.

Source: https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/interv ... -brownlow/

New from the Warner Archive...



VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960) New 2018 1080p HD Master
John Wyndham's British Sci Fi masterpiece, "The Midwich Cuckoos" was an instant classic of eerie suspense and true dread, and this big screen adaptation has lost none of its power in the nearly sixty years since its release. Director Wolf Rilla, producer Ronald Kinnoch (as "George Barclay") and future celebrated screen scribe Stirling Silliphant successfully navigated the treacherous waters between the Scylla and Charybdis of the source material's Production Code triggering subject matters. Infidelity, pre-marital sex, rape, patricide, possession, child murder and more all come bubbling up in the film's heady broth of British competence and discretion in the face of horror and despair. George Sanders stars as a sage citizen of a midland's English village that suffers a mysterious, all-encompassing black out. Upon awakening it is soon discovered that Midwich's entire population of fertile females are now all pregnant. Initial fears of outrage and betrayal are soon supplanted as it is realized that a clutch of cuckoos - hyper-intelligent, telepathic and otherworldly children have been placed in their midst. This taut, economical science fiction thriller is more hypnotic than ever thanks to this glorious Black and White High Definition edition on Blu-ray. Special Features: Commentary by "Chronicles of Terror: Silent Screams" author Steve Haberman; HD Trailer. 16x9 Widescreen


HARD TO FIND CLASSICS NEW TO DVD

CAPTAIN THUNDER (1930) New to DVD
Fay Wray stars in this south-of-the-border fable about a noble bandito who comes to the romantic rescue of an innocent señorita. El Capitan Thunder (Hungarian silent-screen star Victor Varconi) is a caballero whose love of life, liquor and ladies is only surpassed by his honor. Although El Capitan is adept at breaking the law and breaking hearts, his promises are sacred and never broken. While the amusingly inept Comandante Ruiz (Dutch-born comic actor Charles Judels) conspires to trap El Capitan, gringo rancher Morgan (Robert Elliot) schemes to win the hand of Ynez (Wray) over her suitor of choice, local boy Juan (Don Alvarado). Also smitten with Ynez, El Capitan gives her his sacred vow after she helps him escape Ruiz's soldiers, but El Capitan's bond is on a collision course with a previous promise made to a fellow gringo... Morgan! Can El Capitan steal a wedding and save the day?


FLIGHT FROM GLORY (1937) New to DVD
The cables go out to grounded, disgraced pilots, enticing them with the message, "Can Use Experienced Pilot, Best Planes in Flying Field This Part of the World." The reality of service in the Trans-Andean Air Service of Delgado, Argentina, is far different, and far deadlier than expected. Under the ruthless stewardship of Ellis (Onslow Stevens), an international band of desperate airmen quickly find their souls in hock to the company store while taking to the air between the frozen peaks of the Andes in "Flying Coffins." After another pilot is killed, a callow replacement, George Wilson (Van Heflin), arrives with a surprise - he's brought his bride (Whitney Bourne) along. As the presence of a lady effects a strange alchemy upon the grizzled flyers, sparks fly between boss pilot Paul Smith (Chester Morris) and new bride, sending the humiliated Wilson into a dangerous tailspin.



TERESA (1951) New to DVD
Celebrated director Fred Zinnemann (High Noon, From Here to Eternity ) delves into territories pioneered by the postwar Italian neorealists for this tale of a traumatized GI (John Ericson) and his Italian war bride (Pier Angeli, in her American film debut). Careening between crisis points in the life of Philip Cass (Ericson), Zinnemann unspools Philip's war story through his counseling with his Veterans Affairs officer (Rod Steiger). Young Philip is not well-prepared for the life of a trooper, his only bright spots a kindly sergeant (Ralph Meeker) and Teresa (Angeli), the daughter in an Italian family that houses his squad. After Philip's worst fears are realized in battle, he returns to Teresa's village and marries her. The couple moves into Philip's home and finds a very different sort of battle waiting. Although Ericson's vet is the protagonist, Angeli anchors the film with her astonishing and heartfelt performance.



THE STEEL FIST (1952) New to DVD
Roddy McDowall stars as Erik, an idealistic young student in an unnamed Iron Curtain country. After a student demonstration erupts into a riot and members of the military are assaulted, Erik is identified as the instigator. Forced to flee with just the clothes on his back, he makes contact with the underground, thanks to his uncle's contacts, beginning a circuitous trek to freedom aided by rebels of all types. Marlina (Kristine Miller), "the mountain goat," a beautiful climber whose status is complicated by her affair with a local Red Army captain (Rand Brooks) helps Erik as the Red Army closes in. Marlina's brother Franz (Harry Lauter) joins the pursuers in a desperate gambit to lead them away from their prey.



YOUNG DILLINGER (1965) New to DVD
Nick Adams (The Rebel) stars alongside Robert Conrad (The Wild, Wild West) and Mary Ann Mobley (Get Yourself a College Girl ) in this fast-paced action epic that zeroes in on John Dillinger's journey from youthful romantic to machine-gun-toting, bank-robbing, homicidal maniac. Cajoled by his girlfriend (Mobley) into robbing her father's business, young Dillinger (Adams) is caught and persuaded to take the rap to protect her. Now an embittered young convict, Dillinger makes the acquaintance of "Baby Face" Nelson (John Ashley) and "Pretty Boy" Floyd (Conrad). Helping them break out of prison, Dillinger embarks on a crime spree that sees him quickly become public enemy number one. Completely caught up in a frenzy of thrills, parties and violence, Dillinger fails to see the nationwide noose that is tightening around his neck. 16x9 Widescreen

BACK IN PRINT ON DVD


EDGE OF DARKNESS (1943) Back on DVD
This remarkable drama, set in a small Norwegian village, pays tribute to the heroic spirit of common people taking up arms against the Nazi invaders. Errol Flynn delivers a fine, understated performance as a common fisherman who leads the town's resistance efforts. Ann Sheridan's strong character reflects the strength of all womankind. And featured in the superb ensemble cast are Walter Huston, Ruth Gordon and Judith Anderson.


NORTHERN PURSUIT (1943) Back on DVD
Errol Flynn plays Steve Wagner, a Canadian Mountie of German descent. When Nazis sneak into Canada and all but their leader is killed in an avalanche, Steve rescues him and, with their German background in common, attempts to befriend him. The Nazi is subsequently arrested, but later breaks out of jail, taking several fellow prisoners with him. Their diabolical plan: to bomb the canal that binds Canada and England.


UNCERTAIN GLORY (1944) Back on DVD
In one of his best performances, Errol Flynn plays Jean Picard, a convicted criminal who escapes the guillotine when an air raid strikes Paris. On the run in Bordeaux, he is pursued and captured by determined detective Marcel Bonet (Paul Lukas), who has been tracking him for many years. But when the train back to Paris is derailed by saboteurs and the Nazis retaliate by taking innocent hostages, Picard makes Bonet a most unusual offer...


THE FLAME AND THE ARROW (1950) Back on DVD
Burt Lancaster stars as a medieval Italian hero who fights the barbarian invaders in this swashbuckling adventure. In the heartland of the country that had once ruled the known world, the descendants of Roman soldiers have been conquered by German Hessians. But one man, Dado (Lancaster, performing his own stunts!), leads a brave band of patriots in the battle against the Germans. Now, when Dado's former wife (Virginia Mayo) decides to wed his sworn enemy, the German Count Ulrich (Frank Allenby), the fight becomes personal.


THE WRECK OF THE MARY DEARE (1959) Back on DVD
Michael Anderson directs this Hitchcockian suspense actioner that teams cross-generational he-men, Gary Cooper and Charlton Heston. John Sands (Heston) boards the seemingly abandoned Mary Deare, only to find its First Officer (Cooper) trying to pilot the merchant mariner solo. Desperate to prove the ship was deliberately scuttled, and, as a result, vindicate his good name, First Officer Patch is willing to dare all. Only now he has a passenger. With Michael Redgrave and Richard Harris. 16x9 Letterbox

silentfilm wrote:
NORTHERN PURSUIT (1943) Back on DVD
Errol Flynn plays Steve Wagner, a Canadian Mountie of German descent. When Nazis sneak into Canada and all but their leader is killed in an avalanche, Steve rescues him and, with their German background in common, attempts to befriend him. The Nazi is subsequently arrested, but later breaks out of jail, taking several fellow prisoners with him. Their diabolical plan: to bomb the canal that binds Canada and England.

Huh? There's a canal across the Atlantic Ocean that links Canada to England?

Is it east of Java, too?

Jim

Jim Roots wrote:

silentfilm wrote:
NORTHERN PURSUIT (1943) Back on DVD
Errol Flynn plays Steve Wagner, a Canadian Mountie of German descent. When Nazis sneak into Canada and all but their leader is killed in an avalanche, Steve rescues him and, with their German background in common, attempts to befriend him. The Nazi is subsequently arrested, but later breaks out of jail, taking several fellow prisoners with him. Their diabolical plan: to bomb the canal that binds Canada and England.

Huh? There's a canal across the Atlantic Ocean that links Canada to England?

Is it east of Java, too?

Jim

This film is a remake of BULLETS OR BALLOTS and it was later remade again as SPRINGFIELD RIFLE.

FLIGHT FROM GLORY (1937) New to DVD

Methinks I recall this plot also being adaptive reuse!

Jim Roots wrote:

silentfilm wrote:Their diabolical plan: to bomb the canal that binds Canada and England.

Huh? There's a canal across the Atlantic Ocean that links Canada to England?

Turns out it's haunted as well, it's a very eerie canal.

s.w.a.c. wrote:

Jim Roots wrote:

silentfilm wrote:Their diabolical plan: to bomb the canal that binds Canada and England.

Huh? There's a canal across the Atlantic Ocean that links Canada to England?

Turns out it's haunted as well, it's a very eerie canal.

True, but it has a superior view.

Jim

Jim Roots wrote:

s.w.a.c. wrote:

Jim Roots wrote:Huh? There's a canal across the Atlantic Ocean that links Canada to England?

Turns out it's haunted as well, it's a very eerie canal.

True, but it has a superior view.

Sounds like huron the right track.

Mish!! Egad...

R Michael Pyle wrote:Mish!! Egad...

That was Onterrible.

s.w.a.c. wrote:

R Michael Pyle wrote:Mish!! Egad...

That was Onterrible.

Thames fighting words.

Rick

Rick Lanham wrote: Thames fighting words.

Rick

Fighting words indeed. Don't be in de-Nile.

NEVER SO FEW (1959) New 2018 1080p HD Master
John Sturges directs a soul-patch sporting Frank Sinatra in this war drama that bridges the gap between patriotic paeans of the past and the anguished ambiguities of the coming conflict in Vietnam. Focusing on the still seldom told tale of the valiant native Kachin struggles against the Japanese in the remote jungles of Burma during World War II. Sinatra plays OSS liaison Capt. Tom Reynolds, who attempts to aid the Kachin along with fellow OSS operatives Captain Grey Travis (Peter Lawford) and Corporal Bill Ringa (a show-stealing Steve McQueen) despite the indifference of Army command. Fielding an all-star ensemble that includes Gina Lollobrigida, Paul Henreid, Brian Donlevy and Charles Bronson, this CinemaScope Metrocolor action epic sparkles as if brand-new on this spectacular Blu-ray Disc. 16x9 Letterbox



HOME FROM THE HILL (1960) New 2018 1080p HD Master
Robert Mitchum demonstrates his true screen acting genius in this heart-searing melodrama from movie maestro Vincente Minnelli. Mitchum plays little Texas town big man Wade Hunnicutt whose appetites for lust, destruction and contradiction threaten to subsume all who live in his wake. It's a testament to Mitchum's sublime skill that so loathsome a man can so thoroughly command our attention, while Eleanor Parker's bonafides shine throughout. George Peppard and George Hamilton, both cinema newcomers, rise to the occasion as Minnelli aptly frames the family saga as a modern Greek tragedy playing Wade's scions, one bereft of legacy while the other is cursed by it. Minnelli's trademark use of hue and composition is revealed in a whole new light thanks to this startling high definition presentation. 16x9 Letterbox


CAPTAIN APPLEJACK (1931) New to DVD
'Twas a dark and stormy night when mousey Ambrose Applejohn's (John Holliday) Aunt Agatha (Louise Closser Hale) discovers he's put the estate up for sale in a local magazine. Much to the dismay of his doting ward Poppy Faire (Mary Brian), Ambrose is determined to go globetrotting to seek high adventure and thwart low villainy. A series of sudden knocks at the door prove Ambrose's travel plans premature when heroic, pulpy thrills rush inside including the alluring Russian noblewoman Anna Valeska (Kay Strozzi), villainous spy Ivan Borolsky (Arthur Edmund Carew), circus psychic Horace Pengard (Otto Hoffman), his wife Kate (Julia Swayne Gordon), Ambrose's attorney John Jason (Claude Allister), and the police! It appears the Applejohn estate harbors a deep secret - the hidden treasure of Ambrose's ancestor, the pirate Captain Applejack!



WAY BACK HOME (1931) New to DVD
Native New Englander Phillips Lord (Gang Busters ) was a true Golden Age of Radio renaissance man - writer, producer, actor and all-around creative force. Lord first came to national acclaim with his creation the backwoods Maine senior citizen sage of Sunday Evening at Seth Parker's, a revue combining songs, sketches and slices of small town life. A natural fit for RKO's Radio Pictures, Seth Parker and friends made the leap to the big screen alongside a pair of up-and-comers, Frank Albertson and, more significantly, a recent transplant from the east named Bette Davis. The pair play star-crossed lovers David Clark, bastard son of shunned fallen woman Rose (Dorothy Peterson), and Mary Lucy Duffy, daughter of local landed bully Wobbling (Oscar Apfel) who seek shelter and aid from Seth. But Seth has problems of his own, as his son Robbie (Frankie Darro) has been snatched by his birth father, the dangerous Rufe (Stanley Fields).


AS THE EARTH TURNS (1934) New to DVD
Three families of a hardscrabble farming community in Maine see their lives intertwine over the course of a year in this heartfelt drama adapted from Gladys Hasty Carroll's best-selling debut novel. Newcomers of the Janowski clan arrive in early spring to a reception both suspicious and welcoming from the families of thrifty, industrious Mark Shaw and his shiftless, lazy brother George. Farming is the dream of eldest Janowski son Stan (Donald Woods), a talented violinist, who has persuaded his tailor father to sell his shop and leave the comforts of Boston for the unforgiving terrain and temperatures of Maine. Stan and Mark's daughter Jen (Jean Muir) discover their souls share a bond, but sensible Jen knows that real love takes time to set down roots and Stan's initial ardor is gently rebuffed. This initial setback is followed quickly by two more - a lightning strike and a flirtatious stepsister, putting Stan's character to the test.

I wonder if any footage was actually captured in New England for the latter two titles. I'm guessing not, but you never know.

interesting Robert Conrad is in YOUNG DILLINGER. He later played Dillinger in THE LADY IN RED(1979).

WAY DOWN SOUTH is a charming little film, based on a very popular radio series at the time. In addition to the film, I have a couple of song books printed during the program's early days. There's no sass, no sex, no skin. It will be interesting to see how today's pre-code fans will react to this cinematic anomaly.

THE LAST HUNT (1956) New 2018 1080p HD Master
Robert Taylor (Quo Vadis) and Stewart Granger (The Prisoner of Zenda) star in this adaptation of Milton Lott's novel. Charlie Gilson (Taylor), a black-hearted hunter, puts together a team for a government sanctioned cull of the sole remaining buffalo herd. Joining him are the reserved Sandy McKenzie (Granger), an ex-buffalo hunter, Woodfoot (Lloyd Nolan), a one-legged skinner and red-headed "half-breed" Jimmy O'Brien (Russ Tamblyn). But trouble drives the team asunder after Charlie massacres a group of Indians and kidnaps the lone survivors - a young mother (Debra Paget) and her child. Sandy soon realizes his partner is consumed with hate... and that he enjoys killing more than just buffalo. Lensed on location in the wild wide-open of Custer State Park, South Dakota, this ahead-of-its-time Western drama delivers intense, stark and haunting imagery along with a powerful performance from Robert Taylor's rare antagonist turn on this eye-popping 1080p presentation on Blu-ray. 16x9 Letterbox


THE NAKED AND THE DEAD (1958) New 2018 1080p HD Master
Norman Mailer's classic comes to the big screen courtesy of Raoul Walsh (Objective, Burma!, High Sierra) and an ensemble of seasoned acting vets and fresh-faced up-and-comers. Raymond Massey and Cliff Robertson play officers whose opposing views on military leadership are the two poles upon which a platoon's fate is stretched within war of the Pacific. Massey's Gen. Cummings advocates fear to best goad men to face death, whereas Robertson's Lt. Hearn vehemently disagrees. Hearn is hard-pressed, however, to find the better nature within the sadistic Sgt. Croft (Aldo Ray), whose own war-time ethos seems to be pure hatred. Pounded inside this crucible are the men of the platoon, pals Roth (Joey Bishop) and Goldstein (Jerry Paris), scout Martinez (Henry Amargo), medic Ridges (James Best), older vet Red (Robert Gist), southern Cpl. Wilson (L. Q. Jones), nerve-case Minetta (Greg Roman) and new father Gallagher (Richard Jaeckel). Walsh's stark vision of the dark heart of a man - at war even while at peace - commands our attention on this combat ready crystal-clear HD transfer on Blu-ray. 16x9 Letterbox


RARE & HARD-TO-FIND CLASSICS

THE GIRL DOWNSTAIRS (1938) New to DVD
Wealthy playboy Paul Wagner makes illicit entrances a specialty, especially if it means getting close to society girl Rosalind Brown (Rita Johnson). Paul brazen swaggering ways lands him in hot water with Rosalind's disapproving father (Walter Connolly), and Paul is barred from the Brown's manse. The wily Paul soon finds the chink in wall keeping him away from Rosalind - Katarina, the downstairs scullery maid, who, not being allowed upstairs, has never seen Paul. Impersonating his own chauffeur, Paul romances Katarina as a means of getting close to Rosalind. Katarina's simple and selfless ways soon work their own peculiar magic on the jaded Wagner, who finds himself falling for the wrong girl. The Girl Downstairs was the second go-round for the delightful leading lady Franciska Gaal as Katerina the scullery maid, having originated the role to great acclaim in the Austrian original version, Catherine the Last.

CHINA PASSAGE (1937) New to DVD
Soldiers-for-hire Baldwin and Dugan (Vinton Haworth and Gordon Jones) land a perilous assignment - to ensure the safe arrival of the priceless Soo diamond to a shop in Shanghai. Upon delivery, the shop is attacked and in the ensuing firefight the diamond disappears. Aided by the local authorities, the pair round up a motley crew of six unusual suspects, all found in the Chinese quarter late at night - attractive and uncooperative Jane Dunn (Constance Worth), inane Mrs. Katie Collins (Joyce Compton), dipsomaniac Philip Burton (Dick Elliot), mystery writer Anthony Durand (Leslie Fenton), Durand's British valet Harvey Dinwaddle (Alec Craig), and the mysterious Dr. Feng Tu (Philip Ahn). The tables of suspicion are turned when all concerned board the same ship sailing to America. As the bodies begin piling up, Jane Dunn turns out to be an undercover agent while Tom Baldwin looks like a cold-blooded killer!


PERSONAL MAID'S SECRET (1935) New to DVD
After a lifetime serving the needs of the super-elite, maid Lizzie (Ruth Donnelly) decides to take a step-down and become the housekeeper for the solidly middle-class Smiths after taking a shine to Mrs. Joan Smith (Margaret Lindsay) at an employment agency. Winning over the reluctant John Smith (Warren Hull), Lizzie quickly demonstrates her worth as she subtly guides the Smiths up the social brackets, much to the benefit of the insurance agency John works for. The Smiths' circle soon includes socialite Diana Abercrombie (Anita Louise), a young lady of keen interest to Lizzie. As Joan's younger brother Kent (Frank Albertson) falls for Diana, she becomes the subject of interest for the married and predatory Warren Sherrill (Gordon Elliott). Compelled to protect Diana's virtue, Lizzie makes a risky confession - one that threatens the Smiths standing and her future.

KARLOFF LUGOSI HORROR CLASSICS (1936,1940,1945,1958) Back on DVD
THE WALKING DEAD (1936) Boris Karloff stars in the eerie tale of a man framed for murder, sent to the chair, and seeking revenge after being brought back to life by science. Michael Curtiz directs. Special Features: Commentary by historian Greg Mank. FRANKENSTEIN 1970 (1958) Karloff operates the lab switches and gizmos as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, granting a film crew access to shoot a horror flick at his family castle... and gets what he needs for his monstrous experiments - fresh young body parts for harvesting! Special Features: Commentary by historians Charlotte Austin, Bob Burns, and Tom Weaver; Theatrical Trailer. YOU'LL FIND OUT (1940) Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Peter Lorre scare everyone silly by planning a murder to nab a young heiress's inheritance in a spoofy, spooky haunted house tale featuring the music and merriment of popular Kay Kyser and his band. Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer. ZOMBIES ON BROADWAY (1945) Mad scientist Lugosi encounters two lunkheaded Broadway agents (Alan Carney and Wally Brown) looking for a real-life zombie as an opening attraction for a new nightclub.


ANNIE OAKLEY (1935) Back on DVD
Annie Oakley's star attraction is a radiant Barbara Stanwyck, sharpshootin' her way, under George Stevens' direction, into biopic glory... and into the heart of a rival marksman (Preston Foster). Special Features: Vintage Musical Short "Main Street Follies"; Classic Cartoon "Into Your Dance".


WIFE VS. SECRETARY (1936) Back on DVD
Four Golden Era greats - Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Myrna Loy as the romantic triangle, and a lanky newcomer James Stewart as Harlow's beau - gild this sophisticated comedy-drama that takes a savvy look at men, women and love. Special Features: Vintage Musical Short "New Shoes"; Crime Does Not Pay Short "The Public Pays"; Theatrical Trailer.


TO PLEASE A LADY (1950)/JEOPARDY (1953) Back on DVD
TO PLEASE A LADY (1950) Race car driver Clark Gable is at the wheel, but journalist Barbara Stanwyck is in control as she exposes his fierce, speed-demon tactics. JEOPARDY (1953) A plunge through a rotted pier traps Stanwyck's husband (Barry Sullivan) in the sand in this race-against-time thriller. She seeks help, only to become the captive of an escaped con (Ralph Meeker). Special Features: Jeopardy Radio Show Adaptation with the Film's Stars; Theatrical Trailers.

QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE (1958) New 2018 1080p HD Master
You'll go ga-ga over Zsa Zsa like never before as everyone's favorite Sci-Fi Schlock-a-rama outer space epic gets rejuvenated on this dazzling high definition transfer that stuns with color, clarity and curves (naturally). Well before a certain captain treked his way around the stars, Captain Patterson (Eric Fleming) taught alien women (Zsa Zsa Gabor, Laurie Mitchell, Lisa Davis...) the importance of passion. In the far-flung future of 1985, a space ship is thrown off course when an energy ray destroys the space station. Crash-landing on Venus, the all-male crew discovers a planet possessed by mini-skirted, color-coded clad amazons. Their vindictive queen (Mitchell) intends to turn her energy beam on earth itself, but when the women of Venus meet virile Earth men for the first time in their lives, they rebel. Based on a story by legendary scribe Ben Hecht, adapted by the prolific Charles Beaumont. Add to the fun by spotting costumes and set pieces recycled from other classic Sci-Fi films! Special Feature: Commentary by Laurie Mitchell and Film Historian Tom Weaver. 16x9 Letterbox


THE CYCLOPS (1957) New 2018 1080p HD Master
Master of monstrous menace, the original Mr. B.I.G., Bert I. Gordon (Beginning of the End, The Amazing Colossal Man ), is the mastermind behind the movie magic in this tale of mega-sized Mexican fauna. Hoping to locate her missing aviator husband, Susan Winter (Gloria Talbott) organizes an expedition deep into the wilds of Mexico. Discovering a lost valley surmounted by mountains aglow with uranium, Susan and her three companions end up battling behemoth bugs and giant lizards while one of the party (Lon Chaney, Jr.) starts meandering down the path of Sierra Madre-style psychosis. Then the 25' tall Cyclops who stops at nothing to protect his turf appears and the screaming starts... This guilty pleasure (and prelude to B.I.G.'s later Colossal films) is decidedly more eye-popping than ever before thanks to its sparkling presentation in glorious Black and White on 1080p HD Blu-ray Disc. Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer (HD). 16x9 Widescreen


1930s RARITIES ON DVD

GOLDIE GETS ALONG (1933) New to DVD
Lili Damita dazzles and delights as Goldie, a French teenage transplant to the cloistered confines of suburban New Jersey. Bohemian to the core, Goldie chafes against the small-mindedness of her small town and sets out for the big time in Hollywood. Blessed with ample animal cunning, wit, and grit, Goldie proves more than a match for the series of male obstacles that get in her way - whether it's a ride-sharing Romeo eager for an illicit tryst, a mug of a motorcycle cop (Nat Pendleton), Springfield's meek mayor (Arthur Hoyt), a scurrilous beauty pageant scam artist (Sam Hardy), or indifferent Hollywood casting agents. Meanwhile the beau she left behind, Bill Tobin (Charles Morton), is in hot pursuit, eager to get her back to small-town life. And Bill has the pull to spoil Goldie's plans - his college fraternity brother is bigwig movie director Frank Hawthorne (Bradley Page)!


HE WAS HER MAN (1934) New to DVD
For their final screen pairing (out of seven), Joan Blondell and James Cagney deliver up the goods in a moving and downbeat doomed romance made during the waning days of the pre-code era. Cagney plays Flicker Hayes, recently sprung from jail, out for himself and out for revenge. After springing a set-up on his former cronies, Flicker takes it on the lam with a pair of triggermen in pursuit. Hiding out in San Francisco, Flicker encounters Rose (Joan Blondell), a destitute ex-prostitute in desperate straits. Using Rose as cover, Flicker escorts her the remote coastal sea town to the south where her fiancé, Nick (Victor Jory), a fisherman, lives. Charmed by the town and its inhabitants, Flicker decided to stay a spell to Rose's dismay. Torn between the decent Victor and the roguish Flicker, Rose's situation is complicated by the arrival of a pair of Flicker's associates come to call on her wedding day.

ANNAPOLIS SALUTE (1937) New to DVD
Two cadets at the United States Naval Academy, Bill Martin (James Ellison), the earnest son of a navy lifer (Harry Carey), and Clay Parker (Van Heflin), the cynical scion of a wealth Chicago meat-packing clan, butt heads from day one of their martial training. Martin has been single-mindedly set upon obtaining the commission that was out of the reach of his seaman father, while Parker thinks the Navy's noble traditions are 'bunk'. After Martin settles Parker's hash inside the squared circle, Parker dedicates himself to the Academy, for at least the amount of time it will take to get Martin tossed out. Their bitter rivalry makes each man the better - at least until they both meet, and fall for Julia Clemons (Marsha Hunt), the sister of their somewhat challenged classmate, Tex (Arthur Lake). This heartfelt tribute to Navy was ably shot on location at the Naval Academy under the assured direction of Naval Academy alum Christy Cabanne.

MISSING WITNESSES (1937) New to DVD
A secret, criminal mastermind organizes the rackets into one overwhelming mob and sets an entire city under siege. As the gangs run riot, law enforcement is fighting a losing battle and the citizenry has been scared into silence. Desperate, the governor commissions a special anti-gang strike force under the by-the-book direction of intrepid Inspector Robert L. Lane (John Litel). When fist-flying flatfoot Bull Regan (Dick Purcell) disrupts an operation, Inspector Lan recruits him into their secret agency, with one condition - Bull needs to learn to use his mind more than his muscle in the fight against crime. It's a condition that's quickly put to the test when their new star witness, secretary Mary Norton (Jean Dale), goes missing and quickly becomes prime suspect in the murder of her boss, respectable businessman Ward Sturgis (Harland Tucker). The man who Mary was going to finger as the master of the rackets!


WINE, WOMEN, AND HORSES (1937) New to DVD
W.R. Burnett's Dark Hazard gets remade inside the world of horse racing with journeyman character actor Barton MacLane amiably filling the shoes of Edward G. Robinson, aided and abetted by the charms of then rising star Ann Sheridan. Jim Turner (MacLaine) loves wine, women, and horses, though not always in that order. He's content with his riches to rags lifestyle and the company of feminine fellow travelers like the down-to-earth Valerie (Sheridan). During a stopover in a small town inside the heartland, Turner takes local boy George Mayhew (Dick Purcel) in a game of horseshoes. The two men strike up a fast friendship and George invites Jim over for dinner, where Jim is smitten by George's sister Marjorie (Peggy Bates). The staid and upright Marjorie returns Turner's affections - provided he gives up gambling. Turner does his best to trod the straight and narrow, but a special horse soon sends him back to the racetracks - and Valerie!


MR. CHUMP (1938) New to DVD
Actor/Trumpeter Johnnie 'Scats' Davis plays the titular character, the similarly nicknamed Bill 'Scats' Small in this swing-happy and sweet-silly tale of small-town crime and romance. Bill Smalls thinks he has it all - a sure-fire Wall Street beating system (at least on paper), his gal Betty (Penny Singleton), a room at her and her sister Jane's (Lola Lane) boarding house, his trumpet, his dreams and best of all, no job! Bill's life of Riley takes a decided downturn when Jane evicts him for back rent and Betty gets engaged to local big banker Jim Belden (Donald Briggs). Big thinking, horn blowing Bill isn't going to take that lying down (much as he'd like to) and embarks on an all's fair in love and war quest to reclaim his honey. Luckily for Bill, Jane's husband Ed (Chester Clute) and Jim Belden want to try their hands on his stock market system!

OVER THE WALL (1938) New to DVD
Warner Bros. celebrated "Singing Cowboy" Dick Foran trades in his leathers for a prison jumper in this tale of crime and redemption based upon a story by Sing Sing's famed reformer Warden Lewis E. Lawes (20,000 Years in Sing Sing, You Can't Get Away with Murder, Invisible Stripes) . Foran plays street tough Jerry Davis, a natural born crooner who would rather fight his way to the top. Jerry think he's on his way when he gets the go ahead from boxing promoter Eddie Edwards (Ward Bond), but Eddie is corrupt as they come and sets Jerry up for a fall. Enraged, Jerry lets his fists do the talking and soon ends up framed for murder. Sentenced to Sing Sing, Jerry comes to the attention of prison chaplain Father Neil Connor (John Litel), a prison reformer who host a most unusual variety show - broadcast from within the walls of the prison! But a death bed confession propels Jerry on the path of vengeance just as salvation is within reach.

TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE (1959) New 2018 1080p HD Master
After Lex Barker carried the mantle clear of Weissmuller's long shadow, Gordon Scott was free to claim the crown of King of the Jungle. His Tarzan was keen, intelligent, and literate - much as Tarzan's creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs, had envisioned - and in the aptly named Tarzan's Greatest Adventure, Scott's run as the jungle lord reached a peak in what is widely regarded as one of the best entries in the prodigious series of action adventure classics. Tarzan is on a deadly trail, determined to find the diamond hunters (including Anthony Quayle and Sean Connery) who brought terror and death to a peaceful village. But as much as Tarzan is a tracker and avenger, he's also a protector. An irresponsible gadfly from the so-called civilized world intrudes on his quest and Tarzan knows he cannot leave her to fend for herself. In this crackling 1080p HD transfer, director John Guillermin's top notch sinewy cinema spectacle is served up as if brand new! 16x9 Widescreen


CLASSIC MOVIES NEW TO DVD

THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR DOUBLE FEATURE (1929, 1937) New to DVD
Two very different directors, Tod Browning (Freaks ) and George B. Seitz (the Andy Hardy series), tackle the same sensational stage mystery nearly a decade apart with these two films from the Tiffany of movies studios. After an Englishman and all-around cad is murdered in Calcutta, an inspector is dispatched from Scotland Yard (Bela Lugosi in 1929, Lewis Stone in 1937) to find the killer. Aiding the inspector is the murdered man's friend (John Davidson, Henry Daniell) who hatches a scheme to use a phony medium (Margaret Wycherly, Dame May Witty) in a seance to draw out the killer from a group of suspects. When the murderer uses the cover of darkness during the ritual to strike again, the medium must solve the mystery when the circumstances point to a suspect of particular interest to her. Tod Browning's take is decidedly pre-Code, and heavy on the atmosphere, while George B. Seitz serves up a lean and sly suspense thriller.


PASSION FLOWER (1930) New to DVD
Dulce (Kay Francis) and Cassy (Kay Johnson) have always been closer than cousins, so it's only natural that Cassy should come to Dulce with the news that she's in love, but even Dulce's insouciant cynicism turns to shock when she learns that the man in question is Dan Wallace (Charles Bickford), the family chauffeur. Banished by her father, Cassy accepts the hospitality and help offered by Dulce and her older, rich husband Tony Morado (Lewis Stone). Wallace and Cassy are soon married, and the prideful Dan is determined to make a go of it without Dulce and Tony's help. Five years and the arrival of children force Dan to swallow his pride and return to the Morados', but Dulce now has plans of her own for Dan. This pre-Code drama from celebrated silent film director William De Mille (older brother of Cecil) showcases the rising star talent of Kay Francis, and helped cement her sophisticated seductress persona.


DIVORCE IN THE FAMILY (1932) New to DVD
Child star Jackie Cooper was riding the crest of his fame thanks to The Champ when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer tapped him for this unique drama tackling divorce from the child's point of view. After spending an idyllic summer at a dig with his divorced Ethnologist father, John Parker (Lewis Stone) and military-school-attending elder sibling Al (Maurice Murphy), young Terry Parker (Cooper) finds out that his mother Grace (Lois Wilson) has married the town doctor Phil Shumaker (Conrad Nagel) in their absence! Finding his life with his strict stepfather a misery, Terry sends a missive to his pop that escalates events to a nearly tragic finish.


HIDE-OUT (1934) New to DVD
City slicker Lucky Wilson (Robert Montgomery) likes to play fast and loose with the ladies and the law, but when the cops crack down on his part in a protection racket, his luck runs out. Wounded and on the lam, Lucky retreats to the wilds of rural Connecticut where he is taken in by the Millers, a kindly family of farmers. Initially anxious to recover and return to the rackets and the Big Apple, Lucky extends his rehabilitation due to the charms of the Miller's daughter, Pauline (Maureen O'Sullivan). With the Millers unaware of his criminal ways, Lucky plays the rube while romancing Pauline as his rehabilitation shifts from the physical to the spiritual. W.S. Van Dyke ably directs the proceedings that amiably navigate between the confines of crime picture and romantic melodrama thanks to crack comic dialogue and terrific supporting ensemble that includes Edward Arnold, Edward Brophy, Herman Bing and a young Mickey Rooney.


MAN OF THE PEOPLE (1937) New to DVD
Heavyweight Hollywood heavy Joseph Calleia pulls a reverse heel and headlines as a good guy up against the mob in this crackling crime drama. Borrowing a bit of Warner Bros. 'ripped from the headlines' sensibility, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer deploys their deep bench of great contract players to great effect in this tale of corruption and crusading in New York's Little Italy. Italian-born lawyer Jack Mareno (Calleia) attempts to set up an honest practice in his childhood neighborhood only to find his way stymied by the local machine. Unable to beat them, Jack joins up and rises to Assistant District Attorney thanks to their string pulling. But when he balks at reducing a murder charge for one of the mob's men, he's sabotaged by the racketeers. But in the ashes of Jack's defeat may be the gold he needs to bring down the mob.


GREAT GIFT IDEA!
BOGART AND BACALL: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (1944, 1946, 1947, 1948) on Blu-ray
This sizzling four-film collection celebrates two of Hollywood's greatest: the on-and-off-camera team of tough guy Humphrey Bogart and cool gal Lauren Bacall. Their love of their craft, as well as each other, and the gift of their timeless talent are showcased in this glorious 4-disc set, full of action, laughs, suspense, danger and, above all, a romance that will forever spark a flame in the hearts of movie fans. Includes To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep, Dark Passage and Key Largo.

HER KIND OF MAN (1946) New to DVD
Georgia King (Janis Paige) thought she was sitting pretty, Broadway bound and the chosen gal of bad boy Steve Maddux (Zachary Scott). Things go awry when Steve plugs a mug in self-defense and goes on the lam while Georgia goes solo to the Great White Way. In New York, Georgia captures the attention of straight-and-narrow newsman Don Corwin (Dane Clark). While Steve and Don battle for their songbird's heart, the law and the lawless begin to tighten the noose around the budding triangle. As Steve's past sins return to cause tragedy in the present, he faces the biggest night of his life as Prohibition comes to an end. Thanks to its crisp direction and pitch perfect cast including film noir favorites Faye Emerson and George Tobias, this noir rises above the numbers.


JANIE/JANIE GETS MARRIED DOUBLE FEATURE (1944, 1946) New to DVD
Adapted from the smash hit Broadway play of the same name, Janie tells the tale of a small town invaded by a camp of army recruits, but it's the G.I.s who'd best beware as the town's schoolgirls proceed to go gaga over the boys in uniform. Local newsman Charles Conway (Edward Arnold) is lobbying against a new army camp when his wife (Ann Harding) invites Private Dick Lawrence (Robert Hutton), the son of her widowed friend Thelma (Barbara Brown), to stay with them. Sparks ignite between Charles' defiant daughter Janie (Joyce Randolph) and Dick, much to the dismay of her boyfriend, Scooper (Dick Erdman). In the follow-up film, Janie (now played by Joan Leslie) must learn how to domesticate herself after marrying Dick, but complications arise in the form of Dick's war buddy Sgt. Spud Lee (Dorothy Malone), a WAC that packs the "wow". It's a good thing Janie still has Scooper in her corner to help make her man jealous!



WINGS FOR THE EAGLE (1942) New to DVD
Draft dodger Corky Jones (Dennis Morgan) lands a job at the Lockheed aircraft plant in Burbank, California. Needing a place to stay, Corky moves in with his old pal Brad (Jack Carson) and his wife Roma (Ann Sheridan) to Brad's delight and Roma's chagrin. Things flare up between the pals when Roma's chagrin turns to something more and Corky moves out of his now jealous pal's place. Complications increase after Roma leaves Brad and all three end up working at the plant. Patriotism trumps passions when Pearl Harbor is attacked, and Corky learns a lesson in duty and sacrifice from an immigrant father (George Tobias) and son (Russell Arms) he works with. Dodging the draft no longer, Corky enlists while committing to two missions - one he needs to accomplish before the shipping out, and the other high in the air. Wings for the Eagle marked the first screen pairing of frequent Warner Bros. co-stars Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson.



THE TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON (1956) Back on DVD
Marlon Brando stars with Glenn Ford in this classic comedy about Americans intent on bringing democracy and Western values to Okinawa--but who, instead, harness the power of the United States military to help the Okinawans build a teahouse.


THE FBI STORY (1959) Back on DVD
As seen through the eyes of Agent Chip Hardesty (Jimmy Stewart), the agency battles the Mob, the Ku Klux Klan, Nazis and Communists working to protect the citizens of the United States and of the world. 16x9 Widescreen


NONE BUT THE BRAVE (1965) Back on DVD
Frank Sinatra directs and stars in this World War II drama about the truce created between the crew of a downed American plane and the Japanese soldiers desperately trying to build a ship to escape a desolate island. 16x9 Letterbox


INSIDE DAISY CLOVER (1966) Back on DVD
Natalie Wood stars with Robert Redford and Ruth Gordon in this story of a talented girl's dream of stardom that turns to nightmare. 16x9 Letterbox


THE STRATTON STORY (1949) Back on DVD
Jimmy Stewart stars in this biopic about the inspiring life of Big League pitcher Monty Stratton, who returned to the majors after losing a leg.
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"Bad Ronald" (1974 TV movie) apparently was a good seller on DVD-R. A remastered Blu-ray came out in Oct-2018, and the newly restored picture looks stunning compared to the DVD-R that came from a decades-old, VHS-era source. I believe TCM has aired this a few times, but I haven't seen the remastered version aired.

Any film in the horror or sci-fi genre is more likely to get noticed because there is a fervent and vocal fan base for that genre.

SUMMER STOCK (1950) New 2019 1080p HD Master
The "let's put on a show" sub-genre of MGM musical magic gets a mature revisit in this frothy romp co-starring two of the greatest toe-tapping talents of American musical comedy - Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. In her final MGM musical, Garland plays Jane Falbury, a farm owner more than a bit riled up when her aspiring-actress sister (Gloria De Haven) appears with a theatrical troupe that wants to stage a musical in the family's barn. But Jane goes from cornpone to cosmopolitan by the show's climax, making cinema history with the show-stopping closer, "Get Happy." Meticulously remastered, this Joe Pasternak production's colors pop and shine with a hue unseen since its original release on this visual and aural feast of a Blu-ray Disc. Special Features: Get Happy:The Making of Summer Stock (featurette); Vintage Pete Smith Specialty Short "Did'ja Know" (SD); Vintage Tex Avery cartoon "The Cuckoo Clock" (HD); Theatrical Trailer (HD).




NEW MOON (1931) Now on DVD
For the first film adaptation of the Broadway smash operetta, "New Moon," MGM not only transplanted the action from Louisiana to Tsarist Russia, but the two luminaries from the Metropolitan Opera, Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore to play the star-crossed lovers, Lieutenant Michael Petroff and Princess Tanya Strogoff in the film. Thanks to Tanya's loveless engagement to the ruthless governor of the port of Krasnov, Boris Brusiloff (Adolphe Menjou), the couple's shipboard romance aboard the liner "New Moon" hits a rough patch once on land. Brusiloff discovers Tanya and Michael together at a party in his mansion and assigns the lieutenant command of the notoriously deadly Fort Davaz, where he is certain to meet his doom at either the hands of the warring Turkomen, or his own soldiers. Tibbett and Moore's extraordinary gifts bring Sigmund Romberg's soaring score to life, while peppering the proceeding with decidedly pre-code innuendo.




MELODY CRUISE (1933) Now on DVD
A pair of millionaire businessmen - hen-pecked Pete Wells (Charlie Ruggles) and happily single Alan Chandler (radio star Phil Harris) - are voyaging home to California after successfully completing their deals overseas. Alan is pleased to discover that Elsa (Greta Nissen), the object of his pursuit across Europe, has the cabin across from theirs. Meanwhile, the married Pete is horrified to discover a pair of scantily clad stowaways (June Brewster and Shirley Chambers) inside his suite. While Pete enlists the help of fast-talking ship steward Hickey (Chick Chandler) in passing off the pair as his nieces, Alan's romance takes a right turn when he enters the wrong cabin and encounters young schoolteacher, Laurie Marlowe (Helen Mack). Executive Producer Merian C. Cooper (King Kong) brings his gift for spectacle (as well as a score by Max Steiner) to this delightfully frothy musical comedy co-written and directed by Mark Sandrich (Top Hat).


HAROLD TEEN (1934) Now on DVD
Covina columnist Harold Teen's (Hal Le Roy) courtship of longtime sweetheart, high school senior Lillums Lovewell (Rochelle Hudson) hits a snag thanks to his two left feet. Alienating her affections at a dance, as well as facing competition from newly arrived wealthy banker Snatcher (Douglas Dumbrille) and temptation from Snatcher's sophisticate daughter Mimi (Patricia Ellis), Harold signs up for a correspondence school dance school. Rathburn (Hugh Herbert), the impresario author of Harold's class, soon arrives in town and Harold may yet have a chance to shine! One of the first comic strips to center on the American adolescent, Carl Ed's Harold Teen's success led to numerous incarnations in other media. Hollywood turned to Broadway dancing sensation Hal Le Roy for Harold Teen's second feature film adaptation, wisely centering the film around Le Roy's astonishing abilities.


MAN OF IRON (1935) Now on DVD
Legendary Warner Bros. character actor Barton MacLane dazzles in a rare leading man role, playing a hardened blue-collar employee who works his way up the corporate ladder. Steel mill foreman Chris Bennett (MacLane) is well-liked by his co-workers and knows the ins-and-outs of the plant. Recognizing his merit, mill owner Harrison Balding (Joseph King) promotes him to Vice President over the resentments of Balding's own cousin, Ed Tanahill (John Eldredge). Tanahill convinces his secretary Vida (Mary Astor), to help him with a scheme to undermine Bennett by working on his insecurities about life amongst the executive set. Tanahill's manipulation of Bennett's ego leads to a workers' riot and strike in protest. If he can't come to his senses in time, Bennett's will lose the respect and loyalty of the mill workers, as well as his loving spouse Bessie (Dorothy Peterson)!


THREE MEN ON A HORSE (1936) Now on DVD
Playwright George Abbott's smash comedy hit played ninety-six weeks on Broadway, spawned five American road companies and premiered in Paris, London and Australia before director Mervyn LeRoy created this light-hearted, hilarious screen version. Comedian Frank McHugh and bombshell Joan Blondell star in this grand farce about a luckless writer with a knack for picking winners. Erwin Trowbridge is a greeting card poet who daydreams by picking horses and keeping track of his imaginary winnings in a little black book. When his wife finds the book, she's sure the colorful names are aliases for Erwin's wide range of girlfriends. He's also in hot water at work, where his boss expects fifty Mother's Day greeting card poems by noon. Erwin takes refuge in a nearby saloon where he gives a tip to three small-time gamblers. When they win big, they kidnap poor Erwin and start racking up the score of a lifetime!


JAIL-BREAK (1936) Now on DVD
Ed Slayden (Dick Purcell) and his gang are pressuring reformed criminal Mike Eagen (Joseph King) to move some stolen furs that came at a fatal price. Looking to lay low, Eagen slugs a cop expecting a 30-day rap safely behind bars. But it's Eagen's second offense, and the judge sentences him to two-years in the big house. Eagen refuses to explain his actions to the three people trying to help him: police Detective Captain Rourke (Barton MacLane), crime reporter Ken Williams (Craig Reynolds), and loyal secretary Jane Rogers (June Travis). The penitentiary proves be unsafe for Eagen thanks to Dan Stone (Charles Middleton), a guard that blames Mike for the death of his son, and the sudden arrival of the vengeful Slayden. The volatile mix ends in murder with Ken and Rourke racing to solve the mystery - and save a life.



THE COCKEYED MIRACLE (1946) Now on DVD
Death is only the beginning in this fun-filled, family-focused romantic fantasy ably anchored by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer mainstay Frank Morgan (The Wizard of Oz ). Shipbuilder Sam Griggs (Morgan) suffers a fatal coronary while struggling to ensure his family's future with a shaky, secret real estate investment he made with best friend Tom Carter (Cecil Kellaway). The specter that arrives to escort Sam to his final reward is his own father, Ben Griggs (Keenan Wynn) who passed away years ago in a brawl. Sam recruits his father to help provide for his family: Devoted wife, Amy (Gladys Cooper); daughter Jennifer (Audrey Totter) who's carrying on a one-sided romance with an oblivious geology professor (Richard Quine); and son Jim (Marshall Thompson) who's short on the funds he needs to go to Europe to study shipbuilding. And to ensure "best friend" Tom doesn't succumb to his greed, rascally Ben unleashes a stormy trick or two from up his ghostly sleeves!

I just listened to the podcast episode about these films, their latest episode. It is a sales pitch but it is very entertaining and informative too.