Marlene Dietrich: The Movie Collection (Universal, R2).

[foggy eyes]

Has anybody been able to withstand the considerable financial outlay for this yet? On sale here.

The exciting thing about this impressive boxset is that Borzage's exquisite Desire and Lubitsch's Angel are being released for the first time on DVD (please correct me if I'm wrong). Also included is the wonderful, underrated Dishonored, Mamoulian's The Song of Songs and the UK debut of The Scarlet Empress.

So: any news?

[HarryLime]

Good question, because frankly, I'm a little confused by all the Marlene Dietrich offerings that have emerged over the last year.

Anyone out there able to help with some kind of list of the smartest way to obtain the best transfers--hopefully, without doubling up on too many discs shared between competing boxes? I, for one, would appreciate the help.

[foggy eyes]

DVD Times review.

[J_P_P]

All movies have Subtitles (English)?

What has happened to this, is it out of print or something? #-o

[Scharphedin2]

What has happened to this, is it out of print or something?

I do not think it has gone out of print... DVD.co.uk for instance has it listed here. Considering the number of films, it is actually very cheap.

[J_P_P]

Well if you click on the Amazon (on the DVD.co.uk) link to buy it, it gives an error.

[HerrSchreck]

try again-- it loaded fine for me.

[J_P_P]

Well the link you mentioned works, but they not sell the set. It only give the option to buy it in amazon.co.uk, if you really wish to buy it.

But it's a "dead end" and gives an error. I searched amazon.co.uk and the set seems to be unavailable / vanished.

Searched a couple of r2 UK stores and can't find it.

[Scharphedin2]

Sorry J P P, it does indeed look as if Amazon has removed the set from their site. However, the good people at Benson's World appear to still have it in stock.

EDIT: In fact, I decided to not take any chances and just ordered the set. The price is better than Amazon - £ 115 (something like $ 6.50/title + freight).

[meanwhile]

Get it where and while you can. Apparently it has been removed from sale as Dietrich's estate has an injunction out. For what reason I don't know.

[HerrSchreck]

Where did you hear this???

[J_P_P]

yeah, that makes sense...taht's probably why the set pratically disspaeared from all stores

[HerrSchreck]

It's a good thing Dave went back and edited that post!

Sorry Dave. Couldn't resist!

[reaky]

From today's GUARDIAN:

Dietrich's sticky situation

Don't mess with Marlene, says Kate Connolly

Friday April 13, 2007
The Guardian

Even as a young and inexperienced chorus girl in 1920s Berlin, Marie Magdalene Dietrich von Losch recognised the benefits of marketing herself and her exclusive appeal. She combined the beginning and end of her pious-sounding forenames with a sultry-sounding middle name to come up with the unforgettable Marlene Dietrich.

Throughout her life Dietrich was good enough at marketing - and protecting - her image, earning money for lending her face and name to products as far back as the 1950s. But since her death in 1992, Dietrich's family has been dogged in its efforts to ensure her image is legally protected against misuse and financial exploitation.

Producers of whips, nappies, snuff and even shoe cream have felt the wrath of Dietrich's only daughter, Maria Riva, 77, who has fought through the courts to prevent her mother's name being sullied by association with such quotidian items. Among the objects that have been allowed a Marlene association - after lengthy discussions - are postage stamps, stockings and calendars.

The latest victim of Riva's iron will is Universal Pictures, which has been forced to withdraw Marlene Dietrich: The Movie Collection, a £300 box set of 18 of Dietrich's films, from Angel to Touch of Evil, after the Dietrich estate obtained an injunction against it.

Universal is reluctant to talk about the reasons behind the injunction. "It's been withdrawn due to a minor error on the packaging," says a woman in the company's PR department. "But it's being sorted out." Another spokeswoman later says the company is "not prepared to give any comment on this".

The "error", it turns out, which could yet end up as a showdown in court, is a sticker which, according to the contract drawn up between Universal and Dietrich's estate in September, was supposed to be put on each box set stating that the name and the picture of Marlene was being used "with kind permission of the Marlene Dietrich Collection". According to the Dietrich Collection - which represents her heirs - in addition to leaving off the sticker, Universal has failed to pay an advance fee, which was also agreed in the lengthy contract.

Why, her descendants argue, should anyone other than her family be able to take advantage of the strength of the Marlene Dietrich brand, particularly at a time when there is highly-lucrative DVD market for black-and-white films?

"We set very clear rules in the contract, and in our negotiations," said Nikolaus Reber, a Munich-based lawyer for the family. "We only wanted a small sticker and we sent them a bill for the agreed fee very fast, but it hasn't been paid. We don't understand Universal."

As a representative of the German branch of the Collection, Reber is quick to defend its reasons behind wanting to protect the name and estate of someone who died 15 years ago. "This is important for us. Marlene Dietrich was and remains the only world star that Germany has ever produced. There is no other Marlene Dietrich - she is unique."

He points out the advantages - namely the lower risks - of protecting the name of a dead person. "It is easier to protect the name and reputation of a dead person," he said. "Their reputation is untouchable. But if a living person fights for their rights, they risk getting a reputation as someone who is difficult, and might find themselves out of work."

Universal is far from being the only major company to have incurred Riva's wrath. Last year she won a court case against EMI after it brought out a concert DVD including bonus material for which it had no licence. And the appeal of the "Lola-Lola" scene in The Blue Angel landed Toshiba in Germany's highest court in 1999: Riva successfully protested that it had recreated the scene for a photocopier advertising campaign without permission.

The lesson? Next time you consider falling in love again, just make sure you have written permission.

[HerrSchreck]

Maria should get a fuckin job.

[starmanof51]

I understand why she would have control over the use of her mother's image in advertising, but why would she have any say in DVD releases? Did she provide a print for one of the transfers or something?

[meanwhile]

I wish I could add to the original info about the Dietrich estate's injunction but that was, verbatim, the reason given by Universal for their withdrawal of the product.

[Kinsayder]

It's back.

[zone_resident]

In fact, it appears to be in stock at MovieMail.

I am puzzled by the pricing: MSRP is £149.99 and
it is available at less than £60 in a few places (BlahDVD, MovieMail, etc.).

Blah is "out of stock" but apparently it is possible to order at
£50.69.