This and That

Some midweek odds and ends...

...This morning Amazon launched a sale of both the Fox Cinema Archives and MGM "MOD" DVD lines. The Fox titles, which are usually $17.98 or $19.98, are selling for $10.99, and the MGM titles are selling for $10.49. Note that some of the most recent Fox releases, such as JOSETTE (1938), are not on sale. I have no information on how long the sale will last, so anyone interested should move quickly!

I immediately ordered the Fox title WAY OF A GAUCHO (1952) with Rory Calhoun and Gene Tierney, directed by Jacques Tourneur, and from MGM, one of Lindsay Wagner's best TV-movies, CALLIE AND SON (1981). CALLIE AND SON costars Dabney Coleman and a young Michelle Pfeiffer.

I'm really delighted I now own my three favorite Wagner TV-movies on MOD discs, as I prevously bought THE TWO WORLDS OF JENNIE LOGAN (1979) and THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF DR. MEG LAUREL (1979).

I highly recommend James Cagney in THE GALLANT HOURS, an MGM DVD currently on sale for $10.49. My review is here.

...Ivan had some fantastic news today at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear: One of my favorite TV Westerns, THE HIGH CHAPPARAL, is coming to cable's Inspiration Network. It stars Leif Erickson, Cameron Mitchell, Linda Cristal, and Henry Darrow.

I'd love to have the series on DVD, but in the meantime this will do! I can't even remember the last time I was able to watch it. I'm playing the theme music tonight in celebration. (The music is part of what I believe is one of the really great title sequences in TV history.)

For some of my past comments on the series, please visit the obituary posts for producer David Dortort and actor Bob Hoy.

Update: Dawn has video of a good HIGH CHAPPARAL commercial at Noir and Chick Flicks, and Toby has paid tribute to Cameron Mitchell at 50 Westerns From the 50s, noting that Mitchell was "excellent" in THE HIGH CHAPPARAL. Glad to see love for this show from my fellow classic film bloggers!

...There are some interesting DVD releases coming from Olive next week: Alan Ladd and Wanda Hendrix in CAPTAIN CAREY U.S.A. (1950), which is the film where the song "Mona Lisa" was first heard; a powerhouse cast of Ida Lupino, Steve Cochran, Howard Duff, Dorothy Malone, and Dean Jagger in PRIVATE HELL 36 (1954); and Robert Walker, Helen Hayes, and Dean Jagger in Walker's final film, MY SON JOHN (1952).

...TCM is sponsoring an encore theatrical presentation of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952), which was shown nationwide last July 12th.

It will be shown again on Wednesday, August 22nd. Click here for a list of participating theaters.