last movie you watched

[Tang Lungs side kick]

20 yrs ago i saw two Gamera films.....not my cup of tea

[pmp]

That's odd. I wrote something an hour ago and it didn't show. Try again...

Tonight I saw The Man Who Never Was. I'm not a war movie person by any means, but perfectly happy with this type of movie. Half based on true events, the film stars Clifton Webb as the man behind the famous Operation Mincemeat, in which a corpse was dressed as a soldier, complete with fake personal effects, and then left out to sea so that he would wash up on the shore of Spain. He had an attache case with him with false documents, and thus managed to give false info on operations to the German military. That part of the film is pretty faithfully told in the first act - although how they really got hold of a dead body is painted over. The second half of the film is complete fiction, about a German spy going to London to see if the man washed up on the beach was real or an elaborate decoy.

Clifton Webb is superb, while Gloria Graeme overacts, as I tend to find she so often did. Elsewhere, the supporting cast includes Michael Horden, Joan Hickson, Richard Wattis, and Laurence Naismith - all of whom are, as you would expect, very good. The blu ray isn't the greatest - the film judders and flickers more than it should, but it's good enough. I found out after watching it that a new version of the story (presumably more truthful) is being filmed as we speak. Colin Firth plays the Clifton Webb character, and the new movie is called Operation Mincemeat.

[ForeverElvis]

I've had that glitch before with a post not appearing. Talking of disappearing, though, with the Warner Archive Shop suddenly closing and the podcast being brought to a sudden end, things look quite uncertain for this marvellous label.

From what I can gather, there will be new titles coming throughout 2021, but after that, with a change in ownership, the shop is now on Amazon.com. And maybe this will be good for some titles and some films, but the broader and deeper efforts of a dedicated team that has done stellar work may find many films left in the lurch, and others finding a home solely online.

OMG When did this happen?

[pmp]

I've had that glitch before with a post not appearing. Talking of disappearing, though, with the Warner Archive Shop suddenly closing and the podcast being brought to a sudden end, things look quite uncertain for this marvellous label.

From what I can gather, there will be new titles coming throughout 2021, but after that, with a change in ownership, the shop is now on Amazon.com. And maybe this will be good for some titles and some films, but the broader and deeper efforts of a dedicated team that has done stellar work may find many films left in the lurch, and others finding a home solely online.

That's not good. Although, saying that, I'm not surprised with regards to the shop which, legally, couldn't ship outside North America anyway, but they must have known that many buy them from elsewhere from the other retailers. Yours truly included. With Amazon forever widening its range of items from across the globe, often postage free, there could be an advantage to that from all sides - although the move has yet to reduce prices on Amazon Uk for these items. Hopefully that will come. Outside of that, the ending of the podcast is more worrying, as it the future of the label - although I can't see it closing down entirely - even if entirely new titles to the label have come to near enough a standstill (although many are still being upgraded from DVD to blu ray).

[pmp]

I;ve just realised that the Rathbone Holmes set of blu rays from Germany can be bought from Amazon.de for £28 + £2.50 postage. That's got to be worth it for all 14 films, hasn't it? They are the UCLA restorations. The same set is £47 if imported via amazon uk!

[pmp]

They did announce new restorations of Drunken Master II , The Tender Trap, The Yearling, The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex, Escape from Fort Bravo and Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House, around the same time as the closure, although I haven't listened to the podcast yet -- the last one. I tried to when I was working today, but Alexa wouldn't play it for some reason.

Recent announcements have been really strong, but it seems as though it's a change in administration across the board, which is dubious in some ways. In many ways, in fact, given that there hasn't been a statement or a clear outline of what their plans are going forward. Why scrap the podcast?! Unless it has very, very few listeners, but it is publicity for the label and individual titles, most of which probably don't sell very many copies. Which has perhaps raised questions about sustainability if there's a whole new approach to archive titles being considered.

I do hope HMV will be able to secure more titles for their Premium Collection, but I'm on the cusp of buying up most of the titles I've been gradually catching up with. Just incase.

The 1951 Show Boat arrived last week, but there are a few I need to grab at some point.

[keninlincs]

Yesterday was Hammer Time with these 3 films revisited
"Crescendo"A real oddity starring James Olson as a wheelchair bound heroin addict
"Night Creatures" AKA "Captain Clegg" with Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed in one of my favourite Hammer Non Horror movies.
"The Witches" with Joan Fontaine and Leonard Rossiter,a very interesting film that i had not seen in years.all in all a good days viewing

[pmp]

Yesterday was Hammer Time with these 3 films revisited
"Crescendo"A real oddity starring James Olson as a wheelchair bound heroin addict
"Night Creatures" AKA "Captain Clegg" with Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed in one of my favourite Hammer Non Horror movies.
"The Witches" with Joan Fontaine and Leonard Rossiter,a very interesting film that i had not seen in years.all in all a good days viewing

I'm not a huge lover of Hammer, but I'm very fond of The Witches. It's a kind of folk-horror that almost works as a precursor to The Wicker Man in some respects. You can certainly how it sowed the seeds for the later film. I have Night of the Eagle to watch, too, which is a remake of the Inner Sanctum movie Weird Woman, which I rewatched a few days ago.

[keninlincs]

Yesterday was Hammer Time with these 3 films revisited
"Crescendo"A real oddity starring James Olson as a wheelchair bound heroin addict
"Night Creatures" AKA "Captain Clegg" with Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed in one of my favourite Hammer Non Horror movies.
"The Witches" with Joan Fontaine and Leonard Rossiter,a very interesting film that i had not seen in years.all in all a good days viewing

I'm not a huge lover of Hammer, but I'm very fond of The Witches. It's a kind of folk-horror that almost works as a precursor to The Wicker Man in some respects. You can certainly how it sowed the seeds for the later film. I have Night of the Eagle to watch, too, which is a remake of the Inner Sanctum movie Weird Woman, which I rewatched a few days ago.

I will look out for night of the eagle,i have twice told tales with me so will be watching that again soon,more hammer tonight and maybe start Universal legacy collections probably start with Dracula and watch all of the monster cycle in order,classic easy viewing.

[keninlincs]

Just watched "The curse of Frankenstein" With Cushing and Lee on great form again as the Baron and the creature another Hammer classic!
Now im moving back in time to the 30s and 40s and spending some time with the Original masters of monsterdom,Boris,Bela and Chaney for a few days

[pmp]

Tonight I watched Wolfen (1981), which is part of the HMV premium range of blu rays. What I saw was certainly not what I expected, but this is a fine and intelligent thriller, that could easily have gone down the horror/werewolf route but doesn't do so. Albert Finney is excellent as the troubled detective (is there any other kind?) and Gregory Hines is very good too. But the real star here is the location shooting in New York - although apparently the ruined church in the film was built and burned specifically! As for Finney, it's quite striking to note that he was only 44 or 45 when this was made, as he looks considerably older, just as he did in Looker, made at around the same time. The blu ray picture is excellent, but I had to turn the sound right up to be able to hear it. Hopefully that's just the blu ray and not player!

[keninlincs]

Man, you guys are pretty crazy to watch all these horror movies during your Easter break Instead, I try to fight the depressing weather (and lockdown situation) these days here in Germany (no sunshine at all, it's grey and cold outside) with light, colorful films. So today I chose the ultimate Hawaii travel promotional film: "Blue Hawaii".

Im not on easter break im detained in hospital.Blue Hawaii is a film i enjoy though.

[pmp]

Got The Set Up for a decent 16.00 on Amazon -- gradually going to make a move on some of those Warner Archive titles that I'm still after. I do see a lot of older releases aren't available, although they may have been in the WA shop.

It's very difficult to actually find stuff on eBay, alas, especially it you're browsing.

WowHD is always worth a look, as there's no postage, and the prices sometimes go as £12. They seem intent on adding VAT on to that these days, but that still works out at about £15 or £16.

https://www.wowhd.co.uk/search?mod=AV&ft=3D+Blu-ray%7cBlu-ray&lb=Warner+Archives#!?pagenum=1&sortby=PriceLowHigh

[pmp]

Tonight I watched Wolfen (1981), which is part of the HMV premium range of blu rays. What I saw was certainly not what I expected, but this is a fine and intelligent thriller, that could easily have gone down the horror/werewolf route but doesn't do so. Albert Finney is excellent as the troubled detective (is there any other kind?) and Gregory Hines is very good too. But the real star here is the location shooting in New York - although apparently the ruined church in the film was built and burned specifically! As for Finney, it's quite striking to note that he was only 44 or 45 when this was made, as he looks considerably older, just as he did in Looker, made at around the same time. The blu ray picture is excellent, but I had to turn the sound right up to be able to hear it. Hopefully that's just the blu ray and not player!

Finney was one of those actors that looked older than his years. Although quite a few actors had old fashioned styles before their time -- which was or is a sign of the times. Especially in the 1970s.

I'm reminded of Paul Stewart in King Creole, who was cast in the wrong role in any regard, asking Jan Shepard what a forty year-old says to a twenty year-old, or something to that effect. Stewart was an old-looking 49, never mind suggesting this character was ten years younger.

Yes, it's very strange. It's the same for the father in the Jolson Story, played by Ludwig Donath. He was only 46, too. He was probably made to look a bit older as the film progressed, though. But he doesn't look a day older in 1966 for Torn Curtain. It's also hard to believe that Matthau was only 38 in King Creole. Some hard lives were being lived, I think!

On the other extreme, Dirk Bogarde was made up to look older in order to play his own age for Victim. But hey, I'm still rather woozy at whoever-it-was assuming I was in my twenties last year on here!

[Rob]

[ForeverElvis]

I'm still finding the new version of Magnum P.I. to be entertaining and over three seasons, it has managed to find increasingly more depth for something that is episodic by nature, and by design. The cast is really good and that Fast & Furious sensibility it had early on has been retained. It doesn't have the broader scope or cinematic production values, or acting, of the better series in recent years, but it's an enjoyable hour every Sunday night.

Agree with you.

My Dad and I watched the Tom Selleck original every week and when this new series started I was ready to ridicule it in comparison. But, the makers made a specific change which made this a different series. They changed the Higgins/Magnum relationship. Not only in Higgins’ gender but the relationship dynamic.

The charisma that Selleck and Hillerman created together is rare. The sense of fun, one ups man ship, camaraderie, depth and sense of family they found in the writing and brought to their work on screen couldn’t be duplicated on the new show. Trying would have doomed this new iteration in its first season.

The new show is; slick, well photographed, fast paced, decently written. It gives the ensemble a good character moment each, quite often outside of the two leads. Bringing depth and an extra dimension to the characters.

I will say that the character of Kumu played by Amy Hill seems wholly unnecessary, I’m not sure why the character exists.

My hope for the series is that they don’t jump the shark and get magnum and Higgins together romantically.

[ForeverElvis]

I'm still finding the new version of Magnum P.I. to be entertaining and over three seasons, it has managed to find increasingly more depth for something that is episodic by nature, and by design. The cast is really good and that Fast & Furious sensibility it had early on has been retained. It doesn't have the broader scope or cinematic production values, or acting, of the better series in recent years, but it's an enjoyable hour every Sunday night.

Agree with you.

My Dad and I watched the Tom Selleck original every week and when this new series started I was ready to ridicule it in comparison. But, the makers made a specific change which made this a different series. They changed the Higgins/Magnum relationship. Not only in Higgins’ gender but the relationship dynamic.

The charisma that Selleck and Hillerman created together is rare. The sense of fun, one ups man ship, camaraderie, depth and sense of family they found in the writing and brought to their work on screen couldn’t be duplicated on the new show. Trying would have doomed this new iteration in its first season.

The new show is; slick, well photographed, fast paced, decently written. It gives the ensemble a good character moment each, quite often outside of the two leads. Bringing depth and an extra dimension to the characters.

I will say that the character of Kumu played by Amy Hill seems wholly unnecessary, I’m not sure why the character exists.

My hope for the series is that they don’t jump the shark and get magnum and Higgins together romantically.

I like the cultural identity and understanding Kumu brings to the show -- and also being a Mrs. Hudson-type character. And I reckon Magnum and Higgins will get together at some point, which I'll be fine with. It's obvious. But it's hardly a daring show. Or subversive. I'll be interested to see if Robin Masters makes an on screen appearance, and who that may be, if that's the case. Orson Welles played Robin Masters in the 1980s series.

Maybe cultural identity is the sole purpose of this character. It’s just in most episodes the character has so little to do that if kumu wasn’t in the scene she wouldn’t be missed.

If they get magnum/Higgins together romantically on a permanent basis it becomes a show about a PI couple (aka Hart to Hart) rather than a partnership. It would also lose the sexual tension that exists between them.

[ForeverElvis]

It's good to hear that Hitchcock’s Stage Fright has been approved for a restoration or a remaster by Warner Archive, this, according to their final podcast. They hadn't pulled the negative at the time of recording, and it will probably be 2022 due to the fact that it can take 8 months to a year for a quality restoration to be undertaken, but this is encouraging.

That's Dancing also came up in the discussion, but it's not planned or likely to be released on Blu-ray any time soon, due to where the rights lie for various clips.

They are hoping for more Goldwyn restorations with help from the Film Foundation and the Academy, which, again, is encouraging. As is a suggestion that some Garbo films will come to Blu-ray in 2022 or 2023.

Artwork for Drunken Master II has also been released. This is a very exciting title.

IMG_20210405_213723.jpg

I’ve not listened to it yet but is there a restoration of “PL of Liz and Essex” coming? I saw the HD open on the channel.

[pmp]

It's good to hear that Hitchcock’s Stage Fright has been approved for a restoration or a remaster by Warner Archive, this, according to their final podcast. They hadn't pulled the negative at the time of recording, and it will probably be 2022 due to the fact that it can take 8 months to a year for a quality restoration to be undertaken, but this is encouraging.

That's Dancing also came up in the discussion, but it's not planned or likely to be released on Blu-ray any time soon, due to where the rights lie for various clips.

They are hoping for more Goldwyn restorations with help from the Film Foundation and the Academy, which, again, is encouraging. As is a suggestion that some Garbo films will come to Blu-ray in 2022 or 2023.

Artwork for Drunken Master II has also been released. This is a very exciting title.

Garbo's absence is rather startling, to be honest, although Warner Archive did some fine DVD releases of both her silent and sound films. But Warner Archive has almost totally avoided silent films on blu ray. The only exception I know of is the re-release of The Big Parade. Certainly Flesh and the Devil starring Garbo and John Gilbert would be an obvious choice. And strangely, the 1927 Student Prince of Old Heidelberg starring Ramon Novarro has never been released on DVD even. The same is true of Greed, although that's now in the public domain, and that may stop it being released, I suppose, in case they fear other labels using the restoration. But sometimes the absences are more notable than the things released.

Good to see that Stage Fright will be looked at. It's not my favourite Hitchcock by any means, but I saw it around Christmas, I think, and enjoyed it. I'm still shocked we haven't got Spellbound, Notorious and Rebecca on blu ray in the UK. That just seems ludicrous more than a decade into the blu ray era.

[ForeverElvis]

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex Blu-ray from Warner Archive is indeed a new restoration, as is The Tender Trap. But that artwork. Yikes!!!

Capture+_2021-04-06-02-25-17-1.png

Where did you see info for Essex?

[ForeverElvis]

This should look great on BluRay

Coming July 20th!

Unconquered (1947)
• Audio Commentary by Film Critic Nick Pinkerton
• Theatrical Trailer
• Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
• Optional English Subtitles

Legendary director Cecil B. DeMille (The Sign of the Cross, Cleopatra, The Ten Commandments) delivers his trademark lavish spectacle, sizzling romance and intense drama in the grand historical epic Unconquered. Screen icon Gary Cooper (The Plainsman, High Noon) stars as peace-loving Chris Holden, an 18th-century militiaman who buys and then frees beautiful English slave Abby Hale (Paulette Goddard, The Cat and the Canary, Reap the Wild Wind). When a supplier of illegal firearms covets Abby for himself, he sparks a vicious battle between a Native American tribe and a few brave colonists. The eye-popping Technicolor cinematography by Ray Rennahan (Gone with the Wind) vividly captures the early American frontier. The star-studded supporting cast includes Howard Da Silva (The Lost Weekend), Boris Karloff (Frankenstein), Cecil Kellaway (Female on the Beach), Ward Bond (Canyon Passage), Henry Wilcoxon (Caddyshack), C. Aubrey Smith (Love Me Tonight), Virginia Grey (Madame X) and Mike Mazurki (I Walk Alone).

Unconquered.jpg

[ForeverElvis]

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex Blu-ray from Warner Archive is indeed a new restoration, as is The Tender Trap. But that artwork. Yikes!!!


Capture+_2021-04-06-02-25-17-1.png

Where did you see info for Essex?

The press release. It's on various sites now.

found it!

THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH & ESSEX (1939) New 2021 1080p HD Master sourced from 4k scan of Original Technicolor Negatives!

Run Time 106:00
Subtitles English SDH
Audio Specs DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English, MONO - English
Aspect Ratio 1.37:1, 4x3 FULL FRAME
Disc Configuration BD 50

SPECIAL FEATURES: Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1939 with Newsreel, Musical Short "The Royal Rodeo", Cartoon "Old Glory" and Theatrical Trailer; Featurette "Elizabeth and Essex: Battle Royale"
Bette Davis and Errol Flynn made The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex fascinatingly public, striking sparks in this lavish Technicolor® tale of the ill-fated love between the aging Elizabeth I and the dashing Earl of Essex. Thoroughly unglamorous here – eyes and hairline shaved, face painted chalky white – double Academy Award® winner* Davis exudes such intelligence, energy and ardor that her romance with the decades-younger Essex (Flynn at the peak of his remarkable good looks and athletic verve) is completely believable. Based on Maxwell Anderson’s play Elizabeth the Queen and directed by Michael Curtiz, this nominee for five Oscars® takes liberties with historical accuracy, but none with dramatic impact. Long may these tempestuous, titled lovers reign!

Elizabeth and essex.jpg

[ForeverElvis]

Another one to look forward to:

MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAMHOUSE (1948) New 2021 1080p HD Master sourced from 4k scan of Original Nitrate Camera Negative!

Run Time 94:00
Subtitles English SDH
Audio Specs DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English, MONO - English
Aspect Ratio 1.37:1, 4x3 FULL FRAME
Disc Configuration BD 50
Special Features: Classic Cartoon: "House of Tomorrow"; Lux Radio Theater with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne; Screen Director's Playhouse with Betsy Drake and Cary Grant (radio program); Theatrical Trailer

New York adman Jim Blandings is ready to say goodbye to his cramped city apartment and build, from the ground up, a Connecticut home with room enough for his growing family and dreams. All it will cost him is his time and money…and perhaps his job, marriage, happiness and what’s left of his sanity. Goodbye, Manhattan. Hello, comedy. As Jim, Cary Grant is a flustered poster boy for homeowner anxiety in this gleeful laughfest. Myrna Loy, her voice and line phrasing like musical chimes, plays Jim’s ever-patient wife. Louise Beavers is the sunny housemaid whose enthusiasm for Wham Ham saves Jim’s career bacon. And Melvyn Douglas is the perhaps-too-friendly family friend. “Drop in and see us sometime,” Jim says. Invitation accepted!

Blandings.jpg

[ForeverElvis]

I also saw announcements for:

Coming 2021!
Brand New 4K Restoration by Universal Pictures!
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) Starring Lon Chaney, Patsy Ruth Miller, Norman Kerry & Kate Lester – Based on the Novel by Victor Hugo (Les Misérables) – Directed by Wallace Worsley (The Penalty).

and

Coming Soon on Blu-ray!
Brand New HD Master from a 2K Scan of the Interpositive!
Flower Drum Song (1961) Starring Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Benson Fong, Jack Soo & James Hong – Shot by Russell Metty (Touch of Evil) – Screenplay by Joseph Fields (Gentleman Prefer Blondes) – Directed by Henry Koster (The Robe, The Bishop’s Wife).

[keninlincs]

Last night i revisited Tod Browning's "Dracula"from 1931 with Bela Lugosi, had not seen it for many years,still looks good 90 years after it was made.