Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection

[Lino]

http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/dvd_06j.htm

Motion Picture Masterpieces Five-disc set with five restored and remastered literary classics; $49.92; individual titles available for $19.97. (Warner).

* Marie Antoinette (1939) Dir.: W.S. Van Dyke; Norma Shearer, Tyrone Power, John Barrymore, Robert Morley. Extras: Oscar-nominated short "The Great Heart," vintage short "Another Romance of Celluloid."
* David Copperfield (1935) Dir.: George Cukor; Freddie Bartholomew, Lionel Barrymore, Edna May Oliver, Maureen O'Sullivan, Basil Rathbone. Extras: Vintage Technicolor musical shorts: "Pirate Party on Catalina Isle" and "Two Hearts in Wax Time," Classic MGM cartoon "Poor Little Me." audio-only bonus "Leo Is on the Air" radio promo.
* Pride and Prejudice (1940) Greer Garson, Laurence Olivier, Maureen O'Sullivan, Ann Rutherford. Extras: Oscar-nominated "Crime Doesn't Pay" short "Eyes of the Navy," classic MGM cartoon "The Fishing Bear ."
* A Tale of Two Cities (1935) Ronald Coleman, Elizabeth Allan, Edna May Oliver, Reginald Owen, Basil Rathbone. Extras: Oscar-nominated short "Audioscopiks," two classic MGM cartoons "Hey, Hey Fever" and "Honeyland," audio-only bonus: Lux Radio Theater radio show adaptation starring Ronald Colman .
* Treasure Island (1934) Dir.: Victor Fleming; Jackie Cooper, Wallace Beery, Lionel Barrymore, Otto Kruger, Lewis Stone, Nigel Bruce. Extras: Vintage early three-Strip Technicolor MGM short "The Spectacle Maker" (1934), Oscar-nominated MGM short "Strikes and Spares," classic MGM "Happy Harmonies" cartoon "Tale of the Vienna Woods."

October, 10th.

[Derek Estes]

Sounds great! Great Price too! Keep these sets coming Warners.

[tryavna]

Not meaning to nitpick, but is Marie Antoinette based on a work of literature?

[Jeff]

Not meaning to nitpick, but is Marie Antoinette based on a work of literature?

It certainly doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the collection. This version is based on Stefan Zweig's biography. Of course the real reason that they are releasing it is to capitalize on the Sophia Coppola film. They probably didn't know where else to put it, so a box of stuffy, period pictures seemed appropriate.

[htdm]

The announcement says that titles will be available individually.

[alandau]

Have always enjoyed Marie Antoinette (IMO it is under-appreciated). Shearer is great. MGM spent a fortune and IT SHOWS. Photography and Adrian's stupendous costumes are unforgettable. I say if they don't like it "let them have (eat?) cake".

[Gigi M.]

Artwork:

[Lino]

Artwork:

Diabolically hideous!

[Gigi M.]

Artwork:

Diabolically hideous!

I exactly now the feeling.

[htdm]

They must have slashed the budgets for box artwork over at Warners. Which is ok by me as long as they keep turning out classics. I've been waiting for A Tale of Two Cities since the DVD format started - I can finally get rid of the Taiwan copy I had!

[Gigi M.]

More artwork:

[Lino]

Why have they started to put the Warner logo on the front cover of their DVDs? For the love of God...

[Jeff]

They must have slashed the budgets for box artwork over at Warners.

The individual cover art looks fine (except for the new little WB logo) -- typical Warner theatrical art. The slipcase boxes have always been horrible. That's why WB makes their boxes foldable. They fit into your trash more easily.

[htdm]

True, I think the individual DVD covers look fine - I'm glad they use original poster art. Some boxes have been better than others. For example, I don't mind the boxes for the Fred and Ginger Collections or the Thin Man collection.

[filmnoir1]

I have to say that of all the titles included in this set that I am most excited by the fact that one of the best versions of Pride and Prejudice will finally be available for others to view on DVD. This is one of the most sparkling examples of classical Hollywood and it is true to Austen's wit and acuity. Greer Garson is marvelous as Elizabeth and Laurence Olivier may be the penultimate Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth is quite amazing in the role also). Also not to be forgotten is the great character actress Edna Mae Oliver as Lady Catherine Deburgh. It will be nice to have the film on DVD so that I can give away my old VHS. I just hope Warner Brothers continues to respect the classical films and those of us who appreciate.

[Jeff]

Laurence Olivier may be the penultimate Mr. Darcy

Olivier may be the next-to-last Mr. Darcy?

[Matt]

This is one of the most sparkling examples of classical Hollywood and it is true to Austen's wit and acuity.

If it's true to Austen's wit, that's about all it's true to. So much of the action is condensed, so many of the characters combined or eliminated, so much of the plot altered, that the source material is rendered almost irrelevant. Most irritating of all, the setting is moved ahead by more than a century for the sole reason that the costume designer, "Queen of Shoulderpads and Silly Hats" Adrian, didn't think that Empire waistlines were flattering on the actresses.

[filmnoir1]

While some of the plot may seem condensed, this version is still superior to the recent one with Keira Knightley. This film concentrates on the women and their struggles, unlike the 2005 film which ends with Elizabeth celebrating the loss of her identity by telling Darcy that he may call her Mrs. Darcy whenever they are alone and in intimate moments.
Austen's breadth of vision has been difficult for many to realize on film, the A&E miniseries notwithstanding.

[Gregory]

I've now seen three of the Pride and Prejudice adaptations (1940, 1980, and 1995) and I don't think any of them are much to write home about. The changes made in the 1940 per se didn't bother me, but there wasn't enough inspiration in it. Like the adaptations that have followed, it was a lazy adaptation that tried to capture Austen, the kind of thing which I think is futile for any film. At the point at which an adaptation succeeds it's going to capture the director's, screenwriter's, and actors' ideas about the story and characters, rather than the original author's.
The 1980 BBC version was extremely dull visually but the portrayals of Elizabeth, Darcy, and Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh were accomplished enough to hold my interest until the end. The ever-lionized 1995 series was every bit as dull, with scarcely a single bit of fine acting throughout. The actress who portrayed Mrs Bennett consistenly went far beyond the level of what was needed to portray her silliness, causing each of her scenes to descend into rank caricature. As if this weren't enough, the filmmakers built in even more obviousness, such as adding reaction shots of the more sensible characters smirking or rolling their eyes nearly every time one of the silly characters said something, so that the audience would be sure to know the latter were behaving in a foolish or embarassing manner.
Next to that version, I'm at least grateful for some things about the 1940 MGM version, including its mercifully shorter running time. And after having seen all of these I would definitely welcome any more adventurous filmmakers taking a crack at an adaptation, although by now there have been so many attempts it might be hard to get another one made.

[kieslowski_67]

I have to say that of all the titles included in this set that I am most excited by the fact that one of the best versions of Pride and Prejudice will finally be available for others to view on DVD. This is one of the most sparkling examples of classical Hollywood and it is true to Austen's wit and acuity. Greer Garson is marvelous as Elizabeth and Laurence Olivier may be the penultimate Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth is quite amazing in the role also). Also not to be forgotten is the great character actress Edna Mae Oliver as Lady Catherine Deburgh. It will be nice to have the film on DVD so that I can give away my old VHS. I just hope Warner Brothers continues to respect the classical films and those of us who appreciate.

Well, too many changes were made to the Austen novel in this version. Greer Garson, although a great actress, was certainly too old for the role of Elizabeth (was she 36 when the film was made?). And Olivier has rarely been so wooden. Colin Firth was way better in the A&E adaptation which was by far the most faithful, and also the best version available for "PAP".

[scotty]

And I pray (an atheist!) there will never be another attempt to film Austen.

I think Roger Michell's 1995 Persuasion is the best of them, perhaps because there is a bit of grime and gloom that roots the story in something like the real world. Of course, this is the only one I haven't read, so that may explain matters. Do you think it a failure as well?

[Gigi M.]

Beaver

[ezmbmh]

Just rewatched the 1940 version and was, again, won over. Yes it plays with the novel's content, but as a movie romance, captures enough of the dialogue and intricate plotting to make it heads above most adaptations of classics. If Garson's too old, she still, especially as the movie moves along, opens in character—she's great with Lady Catherine--and the last few scenes between her and Darcy are at least as good as anything I've seen in other P & P versions. As for Olivier, his woodenness—if that's the word—works perfectly in the wooden enclosing of his character early under the strictures of pride, and dissolves later, as he sheds them. His hand motions, in counterpoint to his ramrod bearing and requisite politeness, seem to me, a masterful job of acting. And the secondary characters, as noted, shine. I'd like to add to the praise Mary Boland who's perfectly silly (vs. whoever was on the BBC version, shrill and scene-chewingly silly, impossible to watch), the ever gloriously pompous Dame Edna, the perfectly fuddled Melville Cooper as Collins and the underdeveloped Edmund Gwenn (the character, not the actor) as Bennett. Leonard's direction, while not making me stop thinking what Cukor or Wyler might have done, seems adequate.

All in all, a golden age charmer and I'm not sure why it gets no more love.