Warner Archive Collection New Releases: Who’s Afraid of Blu-ray?
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966) on Blu-ray Mike Nichols directorial debut could have been a mess. Filled with megastars, ultra-successful source material and cutting edge content, he pulled it all together creating an astonishing success, the first of many for Nichols, and one of the finest films in the American canon. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton stars as Albee’s immortal Martha and George – a passionate academic couple engorged in elaborate and destructive psychodrama. Sandy Dennis and George Segal co-star as the young couple who get swept up in their madness. This new transfer is a stunning revelation, showcasing Haskell Wexler’s hyper focused Black and White cinematography as never before. Special Features: Commentary by Mike Nichols and Steven Soderbergh; Commentary by Haskell Wexler; Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf: Too Shocking for its Time (Featurette); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf: A Daring Work of Raw Excellence (Featurette); 1966 Barbara Walters Interview; 6 Sandy Dennis Screen Tests; Intimate Portrait: Elizabeth Taylor (Documentary Feature); The Comedians Trailer; The Sandpiper Trailer; The V.I.P.’s Trailer; Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Trailer (HD). 16×9 Widescreen
FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1950) on Blu-ray Vincente Minnelli’s classic family comedy sparkles like its young leading lady’s eyes in this stunning new 1080p HD edition. Suburban dad Stanley Banks (Spencer Tracy) recounts the rollercoaster ride of his life following his darling daughter’s (Elizabeth Taylor, beginning her ascension to the Hollywood heavens) marriage to a nice young man, Buckley Dunstan (Don Taylor). Joan Bennett plays the bluster-busting mother, Ellie. Special Features: Two Newsreels (silent in SD); “Wedding Bells for Movie Star Elizabeth Taylor ” & “President Truman Meets Father of the Bride” (in SD); Theatrical Trailer (HD).
EXILE CINEMA SELECTS
We continue to celebrate the recent release of CINEMA’S EXILES: FROM HITLER TO HOLLYWOOD (2009) with a look at some of the cinema already released to disc that was produced by its subjects of the documentary.
PETER LORRE:
STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR (1940) Eponymous ‘Stranger’ Peter Lorre’s shadow looms large in this seminal crime suspenser, generally credited as the first film to befit the appellation ‘noir’. Boris Ingster directs this tale of an ambitious news hack who may have set the wrong mug up for the one-way sparkle-shoes. In BACKGROUND TO DANGER (1943) Lorre plays a good guy Soviet spy tasked with aiding USA-guy George Raft in defeating the machinations of Nazi spymaster Sydney Greenstreet. It’s action, intrigue and murder from Aleppo to Ankara as Raft, Lorre and co. try to get one-step ahead of the Nazi’s plans to draw Turkey to the Axis side. THE MASK OF DIMITRIOS (1944) is a classic crime noir which finds Lorre starring as a mystery writer uncovering the villainous secrets of the supposedly deceased master criminal Dimitrios. But as strand after strand gets pulled on Dimitrios’ web, the writer suspects there are other hidden hands at work. With Zachary Scott and Sydney Greenstreet.
HEDY LAMARR
COMRADE X (1940) Hedy Lamarr stars as a True Believer Soviet streetcar driver who agrees to a sham marriage with an American news hunk (Clark Gable) in order to emigrate from Stalin’s Russia to spread the gospel of production-seizures. But the new hubby is actually the hypercritical “Comrade X,” poison pen purveyor of anti-Joe propaganda and it looks like it’s a honeymoon with the Commissar for the young couple. In COME LIVE WITH ME (1941) Lamarr stars as Johnny Jones, a Viennese refugee who gets hitched to a struggling American writer (James Stewart) in order to stay in the US of A. The green card marriage takes a turn for true when the worldly Lamarr gets taken in by the aw shucks of Stewart. EXPERIMENT PERILOUS (1944) finds the lovely Lamarr inhabiting the neo-gothic role of Allida who’s been shut away as a crazy lady by her secretive spouse (Paul Lukas). But this husband is no Mr. Rochester, so it’s a good thing George Brent is no Jane Eyre. The aquarium-shooting scene became a cinema staple.
FRANZ WAXMAN
AIR FORCE (1943) Franz Waxman’s orchestration lifts the audience to its feet with moments of stirring heroism, while possessing enough deft subtleties to keenly accompany scenes of wrenching tragedy. Top-notch ensemble cast includes John Garfield, Gig Young, and Arthur Kennedy, but it’s the big birds that star. In DESTINATION TOKYO (1943) Franz Waxman’s score surrounds the nautical action, enhancing and emphasizing the environment braved by Cary Grant’s band of brave sub-mariners in this fictionalized account of the run-up to the Doolittle Raid. In CONFIDENTIAL AGENT (1945) Franz Waxman’s score is a sweeping encapsulation of Spanish spy Charles Boyer’s dark and dangerous mission as he confronts Fascist agents poised to prevent the success of his mission to England. Lauren Bacall’s co-starring role proved the trigger for The Big Sleep’s reshoots.
