MGM Special Editions for 2008

[Lino]

This extract from the 90th Anniversary press release, 29th Oct 2007:

[quote]Upcoming UA 90th DVD titles to be released in 2008 include “eventâ€

[Cinephrenic]

All these are great news, expecially for In the Heat of the Night, Last Tango in Paris, La Cage aux Folles, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Thomas Crown Affair.

[dx23]

I just noticed this on the press release. Except for Rain Man, all the other films really need upgrades. I'm especially excited for Last Tango in Paris and my guilty pleasure, War Games.

[Gigi M.]

All these are great news, expecially for In the Heat of the Night, Last Tango in Paris, La Cage aux Folles, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Thomas Crown Affair.

Didn't Invasion of the Body Snatchers get an impressive two - disc edition just a month ago? Wtf?

[Cinephrenic]

Well I was thinking of the original 1956 version, but it's not MGM property I guess.

[What A Disgrace]

Next year is the 60th anniversary of Red River. As far as I know, its a UA title. *Priority*, man.

MGM has a lot of stuff needing special editions; or improved ones...several of those William Wyler titles, for example. I'd go for a 50th anniversary edition of The Big Country, especially if it is the catalyst for a big old Wyler box.

[Dylan]

Wonderful news! Last Tango in Paris is absolutely in need of a restored print, and it has such an amazing history that I greatly anticipate the extra features.

[dave41n]

Would OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS be a possibility here? Isn't it MGM property? Though not a film one immediately thinks of when talking about the late silent/early sound era, it is quintessential Jazz Age and the film that made Crawford a star. Any featurette detailing production history with Hearst and the Crawford/Page relationship would be welcome too.

[shearerchic]

Would OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS be a possibility here? Isn't it MGM property?

Warners owns it.

[Cold Bishop]

A Last Tango In Paris SE almost makes up for the lack of Before the Revolution or Spider's Stratagem on DVD.

[Joe Buck]

Very excited about Tango. First DVD I ever bought, believe it or not. Nice that Wargames getting some love too. Where's a SE of 1984? Been aching for a new one since I sold mine on eBay for $76.

I don't think I'm on board for another edition of Rain Man, though.

What? No UHF 2-disc edition?

[Eclisse]

MGM has a lot of stuff needing special editions; or improved ones...several of those William Wyler titles, for example. I'd go for a 50th anniversary edition of The Big Country, especially if it is the catalyst for a big old Wyler box.

I second that.Wyler deserves better.What I need is a better transfer of his masterpiece Dodsworth. I don't even need a "special edition", just give a superior image and I'll be happy.

[Rsdio]

Specs and artwork for In the Heat of the Night at DVD Times, really looking forward to this one. Also announced on there is a 2-disc 30th AE of New York, New York.

[Lino]

Very excited about Tango. First DVD I ever bought, believe it or not.

Same here. Imported one, that is.

It's a shame that Fellini Satyricon is only one year short of its 40th Anniversary because I would kill for an upgraded edition of that masterpiece. Not to mention that there's plenty of material to be found that could be included as extras, most notably, Ciao Federico!

[rossbrew]

What about that long planned Heaven's Gate SE that was scrapped after the sale to MGM? Anyone know anything about that? Thanks...

[Ovader]

I was looking forward to the intended SE of Last Tango in Paris last year and I could not find any information on the United Artists 90th Anniversary website about any potential release date. I can think of extras such as a commentary by Bertolucci with someone like Soderbergh, a feature on Storaro's cinematography, the obscenity trial in Italy with possible archive TV News footage, a feature on the X rating, and an examination into Brando's performance and his personal traumas that fed into his acting.

[stwrt]

What about that long planned Heaven's Gate SE that was scrapped after the sale to MGM? Anyone know anything about that? Thanks...

It's nearly 30 years since this movie was released but there still seems to be enough hate for it in Hollywood that we have to keep hold of the barebones DVD with the crappy transfer.

[Jameson281]

I was looking forward to the intended SE of Last Tango in Paris last year and I could not find any information on the United Artists 90th Anniversary website about any potential release date. I can think of extras such as a commentary by Bertolucci with someone like Soderbergh, a feature on Storaro's cinematography, the obscenity trial in Italy with possible archive TV News footage, a feature on the X rating, and an examination into Brando's performance and his personal traumas that fed into his acting.

A new transfer was done, but I haven't heard a peep about the special edition in about a year. With the market for catalog titles dwindling, I'm not holding my breath.

It's nearly 30 years since this movie was released but there still seems to be enough hate for it in Hollywood that we have to keep hold of the barebones DVD with the crappy transfer.

RE: HEAVEN'S GATE: It has nothing to do with hate and everything to do with money. Home video marketing executives (who were probably in grade school when the film came out and thus not likely to be holding a grudge) are only interested in a title if it will sell. They don't care about art; they don't sit around having meetings debating whether a film is artistically "worthy" of a special edition. HEAVEN'S GATE has never sold very well on video, so they're in no hurry to spend money on it, period.

[atcolomb]

I am still waiting for MGM to re-release John Frankenheimer's THE TRAIN and THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE as remastered anamorphic versions. The current dvd releases are almost 10 years old and not up to today's standards so MGM needs to get their act together....

[souvenir]

I am still waiting for MGM to re-release John Frankenheimer's THE TRAIN and THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE as remastered anamorphic versions. The current dvd releases are almost 10 years old and not up to today's standards so MGM needs to get their act together.

The Manchurian Candidate special edition from 2004 looks excellent and is anamorphic.

[atcolomb]

I am still waiting for MGM to re-release John Frankenheimer's THE TRAIN and THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE as remastered anamorphic versions. The current dvd releases are almost 10 years old and not up to today's standards so MGM needs to get their act together.

The Manchurian Candidate special edition from 2004 looks excellent and is anamorphic.

...my mistake...forgot about special edition..

[Dadapass]

Is the current DVD of 'Last Tango' worth getting or is the transfer horrible?

[Highway 61]

I just watched it again last week, and it's certainly not unwatchable. But it is Storaro, after all, so I really would hold out for the SE. If you do buy it, however, make sure to double check if it's anamorphic, since like a lot of MGM discs both the non-anamorphic and the anamorphic version are still widely available.

[Dadapass]

I'll be waiting for the SE then

thanks for the tip on looking for an anamorphic version, I'll check which one is at my library.

[manicsounds]

Only 1 version of Last Tango was ever available, always been anamorphic widescreen