Warner Brothers Archive Collection Blu-rays

[domino harvey]

Lili is literally number one most wanted WB upgrade, this is so incredibly long overdue, but we’ll take it. This and Wacky Races in the same month is truly an announcement slate living at the extremes

[mizo]

Lili's long journey to blu-ray was the wackiest race of them all

[Roscoe]

Still waiting for FOUR HORSEMEN to show up as available for order -- its release date is two weeks from today....

[Stefan Andersson]

"A few comments about NORTHWEST PASSAGE.
The original 3 strip negatives were not held by Warner Bros. They were part of the Turner acquisition when they took over the MGM library. The MGM nitrate negatives had been deposited at George Eastman House in the mid 1970s.
I was involved in preservation of almost all of the Technicolor features during the 1986-95 period, and this was one of the films involved. I don't remember what lab did the recombination of the 3-strip negatives to modern Kodak interpositive, but yes, it was a beautiful job.

Richard May - ex VP film preservation, Turner Entertainment Co."

Source:
https://www.hometheaterforum.com/commun ... 591/page-3 - post No. 55

[FrauBlucher]

From the new Extras podcast, George Feltenstein says the restored version of Rhapsody In Blue (1945) will be released on Blu-ray (not 4K) in May after it runs at the TCMFF this year. It will run 162 minutes long (152 minutes film + 10 min overture)

[captveg]

Also, regarding Three the Hard Way (summary courtesy of SanCarolina59):

"The best thing with this release is that due to a former colleague of George's, it was brought to his attention that the film as released on DVD and prior formats was an edited version running 89 minutes - the original theatrical release ran 96 minutes. After lots of intense searching, they found the missing footage and were able to restore the film back to the way it was meant to be seen - this is the first time since 1974 it's been seen this way."

[brundlefly]

Moviezyng's annual anniversary sale (4 for $49 + shipping) is on through the 31st.

[TechnicolorAcid]

May Titles Announced:
Million Dollar Legs
La vie en rose
Three Comrades
Mystery Street
Lean on Me
Rhapsody in Blue
and most importantly… High Society in 4K!!!

[kompromiss]

Million Dollar Legs

But wasn't the announcement of this title an April Fools' Day joke?

[FrauBlucher]

Yes it was. Plus it's a Universal title

[ryannichols7]

John Sturges and Borzage...I'm in. glad to see the second WAC 4K with High Society too. can't help but wonder if the success of some of their 4K licenses to Criterion have lead them to try out releases like that? game for more

[senseabove]

Some possible future release clues based on what's showing up with DCPs at the TCM Festival this year:
The Enchanted Cottage
The Ritz

[Ashirg]

Also, Splendor in the Grass.

[ryannichols7]

Also, Splendor in the Grass.

now there's one a lot of people have been asking for

[domino harvey]

High Society is godawful but I get it from a marketing standpoint. Does explain why it took so long for them to finish upgrading the old Cole Porter set. I have to imagine Splendor in the Grass could also be a potential 4K release for them, but who knows

Mystery Street is another down from the twofers in the fourth Noir box. Wish they'd prioritize Where Danger Lives from that lot, but looks like it'll come eventually.

[crimlaw]

Hoping Splendor in the Grass goes to Criterion rather than WB Archive.

[felipe]

glad to see the second WAC 4K with High Society too.

What was the first one?

[andyli]

The Searchers.

[FrauBlucher]

Announcements...
The Citadel (1938)
A Date with Judy (1948)
The Enchanted Cottage (1945)
His Kind of Woman (1951)
Executive Suite (1954)
Splendor in the Grass (1961)

[ryannichols7]

even though I really don't like the Kazan, that's genuinely a month that WAC should be going for every month. lots of very popularly requested titles there, with big name directors and stars to match

[hearthesilence]

I'm not a huge fan of Robert Wise's work, but I do like some of his black & white films and a few have argued that Executive Suite (which I've been meaning to see) is one of his best.

[Randall Maysin Again]

even though I really don't like the Kazan

Really, what do you find wrong with it? Other than Natalie Wood of course--"one of the greatest performances of all time" LMAO

[FrauBlucher]

I'm not a huge fan of Robert Wise's work, but I do like some of his black & white films and a few have argued that Executive Suite (which I've been meaning to see) is one of his best.

You should definitely see it. A very solid film. Good story. Excellent cast. And apparently the disc has a commentary by Oliver Stone

[domino harvey]

Yeah, it’s okay.

Now that we have Splendor let’s hope Sex and the Single Girl is next (they can leave the rest of the Natalie Wood box un upgraded) Can’t believe His Kind of Woman beat Macao, the Racket, or Lady in the Lake from that noir box

Writeups of some of the other titles

A Date With Judy (Richard Thorpe 1948) Here's one OOP musical that's not worth the big bux it's going for on the marketplace. On paper this one sounds like a dream, a mash-up of some of the best elements of the genre: a high school musical about mismatched lovers, affectated nostalgia for small-town values (in big city California, no less), and a great cast of both musical regulars (Jane Powell, Carmen Miranda) and surprises (Robert Stack, Wallace Beery). Unfortunately, the film is hopelessly aimless, far too long, and the songs stink. Funny that this was conceived as a star vehicle for Elizabeth Taylor, as she's given the least likable role (Then again, Teenage Taylor's appeal is a total mystery to me).

the Citadel A film unsure of its intents: Is it a scathing critique of quackery? Is it the Story of Louis Pasteur 2.0? Is it the story of a good doctor gone bad? Is it an excuse to waste Rosalind Russell in a lowly passive role? Is it not particularly memorable and thus the perfect Oscar Best Pic nom? I know the answer to at least one of these...

[crimlaw]

So much for Splendor in the Grass joining the Criterion Collection.