Warner Archive Collection New Releases Oct. 8: James Garner, Space Ghost, Jumbo & More

warner-archive-10-15BILLY ROSE’S JUMBO (1962) On Blu-ray! Billy Rose’s mammoth Broadway musical extravaganza took nearly three decades to journey from New York’s fabled Hippodrome to the Panavision movie screen. By the time it arrived however, the film would prove to be the swan song for the grand movie musical. But it certainly went out with a bravura bang now captured in this sparkling Blu-ray Disc presentation. Jimmy Durante (who also appeared in the 30s stage version) stars with Doris Day (in her last movie musical) as the father-daughter owners of a family circus that see their sideshow become the target of a hostile takeover. Charles Walters directs Sidney Sheldon’s adaptation of the Ben Hecht/ Charles MacArthur book with music by master songsmiths Rodgers and Hart. Also stars Martha Raye and Stephen Boyd. 16×9, 2.40 Letterbox 1080p HD, 5.1 DTS Master HD Audio Special Features: Musical Short “Yours Sincerely”; the Tom and Jerry Cartoon ,”Jerry and Jumbo” (presented in 1080p HD); Original Overture; Theatrical Trailer.

MAVERICK IS THEIR NAME

MAVERICK: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON (1959-60) James Garner and Jack Kelly are back for another round of high stakes wild west poker in the third season of this beloved TV classic. Bret (Garner) and Bart (Kelly) Maverick scheme and dream across the plains, always with a weathered eye out for way to line their coats with silver, both separately and together. The boys start the third season facing their most fearsome foe of all: their own, very quotable Pappy who is credited by being played by “???” – so tune in to find out who it is! Adding to the fun are a passel of special guest stars including Virginia Gregg, Henry Daniell, Adam West and Troy Donahue! Also among the psychotic sheriffs, lovely lady thieves, dangerous desperadoes featured in season three’s 26 off-the-beaten-path adventures can be found the likes of Buddy Ebsen, Joel Grey, and a very young Robert Redford.

 

LASER-BLASTING ACTION!

SPACE STARS: THE COMPLETE SERIES (1981) As the entire world went “space crazy” at the end of the 70s, Hanna-Barbera remustered its Sci-Fi superstars Space Ghost and the Herculoids for an all-new round of adventures. Joining the 60s sci-fi faves in their interstellar battles against evil were newcomers Teen Force and Astro and the Space Mutts ­yes, that Astro! This collection of Space Stars comes complete with the recently discovered, never-before-seen “Space Science” segments, restored in all their educational glory. In each episode you can learn Space Magic tricks with Blip, Space Facts from Space Ace, or crack the Space Code with the Herculoids. There’s also a challenge to solve a Space Mystery (Hint: learn your Space Facts!) or you can just rock out to laser light show music video, “Space Mix”! They’re back ­ for the first time ever! Newly Remastered

 

PARAMOUNTS BACK IN PRINT: Intrigue & Romance

THE COUNTERFEIT TRAITOR (1962) William Holden stars in this biopic portrait of real-life espionage ace Eric Erickson. American born Swedish oil trader Erickson (Holden) gets suborned into service by an oily and unctuous freelance operative (an excellent Hugh Griffith). As cynical as they come, Erickson thinks its possible to pass through the holocaust of World War II without taking sides. Teamed with a German freedom fighter (Lilli Palmer), Erickson travels a most dangerous “Road to Damascus” – inspecting and reporting on the Nazi oil industry to OSS – before the scales fall from his eyes at great personal cost. Directed by George Seaton. 16 x 9 Widescreen

FUNERAL IN BERLIN (1966) Michael Caine plays working class espionage agent Harry Palmer in the second film in the series based on the books by Len Deighton. Facing a prison stay for his extra-legal activities, Palmer makes a most unwilling agent for Her Majesty’s Secret Service. This installment sees Harry sent back to Berlin to facilitate the extraction of a defecting Russian general. But nothing in Harry’s world goes according to plan, and no one is who they appear to be. Directed by James Bond mainstay Guy Hamilton. 16 x 9 Widescreen

 THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU (1969) Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas topline this tongue-in-cheek adaptation of Jack London’s posthumously finished pot-boiler. Reed plays Ivan Dragoff, the supremely confident head of The Assassination Bureau, Ltd, the largest and most effective organization of killers-for-hire in the world. So confident, in fact, that he accepts a reporter’s challenge of taking out a contract with the bureau — on himself! Basil Dearden directs. 16 x 9 Widescreen

 POSSE (1975) Kirk Douglas produced and directed this revisionist Western that’s aimed squarely between the eyes of modern American politics. Douglas plays Howard Nightingale, a publicity-hungry U.S. Marshal who doesn’t just hunt down and capture fugitives, he makes sure a photographer is around to record his crime-fighting exploits and bolster his political aspirations. But after setting his sights on badman Jack Strawman (Bruce Dern at his damned Derniest), Howard finds the tables turned. Bo Hopkins, James Stacy, and Alfonso Arau costar. 16 x 9 Widescreen

 ELEPHANT WALK (1954) Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Finch and Dana Andrews star in this action fused costume drama set in Ceylon. Taylor plays a newlywed who accompanies Finch to his sprawling tea plantation called Elephant Walk… and falls for the overseer played by Andrews. But this love triangle is dwarfed by bigger events including cholera, drought, and a massive elephant stampede straight through their house.

 THE WORLD OF SUZIE WONG (1960) One of the film’s that helped pave the way for the end of the Production Code, The World of Suzie Wong is a frank portrayal of the burgeoning brothel business found in the heart of colonial Hong Kong. William Holden plays an architect turned artist who falls for a beautiful Chinese prostitute (Nancy Kwan). Uncovering her world proves as enriching as it is eye-opening for the artist and the audience. 16 x 9 Widescreen

 THE CARPETBAGGERS (1964) Harold Robbins’ best-seller about 30s Hollywood comes to the screen in a torrent of frank, controversial and (for the times) sensational scenes that helped further send the Code packing. George Peppard is the ruthless and troubled Howard Hughes-like tycoon who builds a multi-million-dollar empire. Carroll Baker plays the platinum, while Alan Ladd delivers a terrific final screen performance as the cowboy star Nevada Smith. 16 x 9 Widescreen

NOTE: These DVDs are Manufactured on Demand (MOD); to order, fans must visit The Warner Archive Collection or WB Shop.com

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