Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...There's been some very exciting Blu-ray release news this week! First off, the Warner Archive Collection announced a disc sure to gladden the heart of "B" Western fans: Monogram Matinee Vol. I, which will be released March 25th. It will feature three films from 4K scans of nitrate and safety archival elements: MISSISSIPPI RHYTHM (1949) starring Jimmie Davis, CRASHING THRU (1949) with Whip Wilson, and WESTERN RENEGADES (1949) starring Johnny Mack Brown. The latter film was released in the Monogram Cowboy Collection Vol. 10, but to my knowledge the other two titles are new to home viewing. I have all the Monogram Cowboy DVD sets and assumed that was the last we'd ever see as far as new releases of Monogram's "B" Westerns. The fact that this is "Vol. I" is very encouraging, and I hope everyone will support this release so that we see more in the future!

...Also coming from the Warner Archive Collection on March 25th: Joan Crawford and Franchot Tone in SADIE MCKEE (1934). I've also heard that the complete CHEYENNE TV series, originally due out last month, will be released on Blu-ray March 25th.

...Thanks to John Knight for letting me know about the MGM Blu-ray release of LADY OF VENGEANCE (1957) starring Dennis O'Keefe. It's due out February 18th.

...Some very interesting titles are coming to Blu-ray from Viavision Imprint in Australia, including IVY (1947) with Joan Fontaine and BRIDE OF VENGEANCE (1949) with favorites John Lund, Paulette Goddard, and Macdonald Carey. To my knowledge these movies have never been released for home viewing in the United States. I've noticed that sometimes a film released by Imprint will have a U.S. release a few months later, and I hope that will be the case with these films.

...Last week I shared news regarding an upcoming biography of Ray Milland, DASHING TO THE END: THE RAY MILLAND STORY. Turns out there's another Milland book on the way, due out in October from the University Press of Mississippi: RAY MILLAND: IDENTITY, STARDOM, AND THE LONG CLIMB TO THE LOST WEEKEND by Gillian Kelly. Worth noting that there's an older book on Milland, RAY MILLAND: THE FILMS, 1929-1984, by James McKay for McFarland Books, and Milland also wrote a memoir in the '70s.

...And speaking of Milland, I'm excited about an announcement of an upcoming Kino Lorber Studio Classics Blu-ray release of a Milland film, FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS (1940), costarring Ellen Drew. What welcome news! Kino Lorber also just announced the Dark Side of Cinema XXVI collection, featuring DR. BROADWAY (1942), SMOOTH AS SILK (1946), and THE GREAT GATSBY (1949). The latter film, starring Alan Ladd, will also have a single-title release. I'll share the release date here when it's available.

...UK Blu-ray producer Powerhouse Indicator's April titles are LITTLE MAN, WHAT NOW? (1934), SPAWN OF THE NORTH (1938), DANGEROUS TO KNOW (1938), and BEHOLD A PALE HORSE (1964). The first three titles on this list were released in the U.S. by Kino Lorber Studio Classics; the Indicator releases have new extras, including a Jeremy Arnold commentary track on DANGEROUS TO KNOW.

...A Connecticut lawmaker has proposed legislation requiring movie theaters to state the actual time movies start, rather than when the pre-movie ads and trailers start.

...I came across an interesting title published by Abbeville Press last November: MOXIE: THE DARING WOMEN OF CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD by Ira M. Resnick and Raissa Bretana. It profiles a number of actresses including Claudette Colbert, Ida Lupino, Kay Francis, Barbara Stanwyck, and more.

...A long-lost film directed by and starring Francis Ford, brother of John, has been found. THE HEART OF LINCOLN (1915) was located in an archive last year and has now been digitally preserved.

...Some of the latest reviews I've enjoyed reading: Colin recently wrote about Douglas Sirk's THE TARNISHED ANGELS (1957) at Riding the High Country...Over at Speakeasy Kristina's latest posts include reviews of MANHATTAN MELODRAMA (1934) and JOHNNY EAGER (1942)...Karen Burroughs Hannsberry writes about BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (1955) at Shadows and Satin...Rick revisited THE RED SHOES (1948) at Classic Film & TV Cafe...and CineSavant Glenn Erickson has taken a look at GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE (1933) and the Dark Side of Cinema XXIII collection at Trailers From Hell. This Dark Side set contains ROPE OF SAND (1949), KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE (1950), and NEVER LOVE A STRANGER (1958).

...Notable Passings: Actress-Singer Olga James, who appeared in CARMEN JONES (1954), has died at 95...Actor Tony Roberts has passed on at 85...Disney animator Joe Hale has passed away at 99. His long career included work on some of my all-time favorite Disney films, including ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1951), PETER PAN (1953), and SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959).

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my February 1st column.

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