Around the Blogosphere This Week
...I often seem to lead off with news regarding Kino Lorber Studio Classics releases, but their busy Blu-ray schedule deserves special notice! In the last few days they've announced three July 20th Blu-ray releases: THE BRIDE COMES HOME (1935) and THE GILDED LILY (1935), starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, plus Cecil B. DeMille's THE PLAINSMAN (1936) starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. THE BRIDE COMES HOME will have a commentary track by Lee Gambin, while Kat Ellinger does the commentary for THE GILDED LILY, which costars Ray Milland. (Both Colbert-MacMurray films are available on DVD from TCM Vault.) Simon Abrams handles the commentary for THE PLAINSMAN, previously out on DVD from Universal.
...THUNDERBOLT (1929), with Fay Wray and Richard Arlen, directed by Josef von Sternberg, has now been announced for a July 20th Kino Lorber release. Nick Pinkerton provides the commentary track.
...The final bit of Kino Lorber news for this week is the announcement of two "coming soon" films: FLOWER DRUM SONG (1961) and THE ACCUSED (1949). I reviewed THE ACCUSED here after seeing it at the 2017 Noir City Film Festival.
...The latest episode of Dick Dinman's podcast is a conversation with Jeremy Arnold on WINGS OF THE HAWK (1953). Jeremy, who knew the film's director, Budd Boetticher, provided the commentary track for Kino Lorber's new Blu-ray release of the film. I reviewed the Blu-ray here last month.
...Over at Riding the High Country Colin reviews QUANTEZ (1957), starring Fred MacMurray and Dorothy Malone. I first saw that film in 2014 and will be circling back to it when I review Kino Lorber's upcoming Blu-ray this summer.
...The WBShop ended business as of March 31st, but Warner Archive Collection fans may want to note that there is a new WAC page at Amazon. However, while Warner Archive Blu-rays ship promptly for Amazon Prime customers, Amazon is not shipping Warner Archive DVDs for over a month. (In contrast, I've had Deep Discount ship WAC DVDs within 24 hours recently.) It will be interesting to see if anything else comes online to replace the WBShop.
...At Watching Forever, Toni Ruberto discusses the history of THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947) as both book and film. Her post is part of the Classic Literature on Film Blogathon hosted by Silver Screen Classics. The other interesting contributions include Rachel of Hamlette's Soliloquy on JANE EYRE (1943).
...Coming in June from Arrow Films: A limited edition Blu-ray MAJOR DUNDEE (1965), starring Charlton Heston and directed by Sam Peckinpah. The extensive extras include a commentary track teaming Alan K. Rode with CineSavant Glenn Erickson, as well as an essay by the Self-Styled Siren, Farran Nehme.
...Alan Rode has also done a new commentary for a limited edition Blu-ray of THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI (1954), which combines his film expertise with his knowledge acquired as a U.S. Navy veteran.
...James L. Neibaur recently reviewed the trio of Bob Hope comedies I also reviewed here in March.
...Notable Passing: Chelsea Allyn Ladd, the daughter of Alan Ladd Jr. and granddaughter of Alan Ladd, has died at the age of 34.
...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my March 27th roundup.
Happy Easter!
posted by Laura @ 2:25 PM
5 Comments:
Hi Laura,
Thanks so much for mentioning the podcast that I did with Vincent,I really enjoyed doing it.Amazing news that you and your Husband have a forthcoming podcast on Lone Pine-I cannot wait to listen to it.
I got to meet George Chakiris in Denver a couple years ago at a local event. A friend of mine interviewed him for the event on stage. His career story was fascinating.
Hi John! I'm happy to have mentioned it. Hoping to hear it this weekend!
Lauren, that's wonderful you met George Chakiris. Like you I've had the opportunity to hear him interviewed and it was very interesting.
Thanks to you both for stopping by!
Best wishes,
Laura
Oooooh, I want to read that memoir by George Chakiris! When I was a teen, I was obsessed with West Side Story (and no one has ever, ever been quite as cool as his Bernardo), so I wrote him a fan letter. This was in the early 1990s, before imdb existed (or, at least, before I was allowed on the internet -- I would've been about 14), so in my fan letter, I asked him a question that had been plaguing me: was he one of the dancers in the "Love, You Done Me Wrong" number in White Christmas?
He not only sent me back an autographed picture, he wrote me a personal note on the back saying that yes, he had a small, uncredited part as a dancer in that scene in White Christmas, and told me that I had a good eye for detail :-) I mean, as if I needed something else to make my heart belong to Bernardo!!!
Rachel, what an absolutely lovely story about George Chakiris! That's fantastic. (We sometimes forget how hard it could be to find information before the internet!) Love that he answered you.
He's turned up in the audience at a couple L.A. screenings I've attended and it's always a bit of a thrill to spot "Bernardo" in line!
Best wishes,
Laura
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