DVD Recommendations

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    In these days when there are sometimes more documentaries than actual film on a DVD.

    Here is a recommendation for a great documentary

    On the Meet Me in St Louis DVD 60th Anniversary DVD there is a documentary called Hollywood The Dream Factory which was made and aired in 1972 and was an Emmy Winning movie.

    It is approximately 45-50 minutes in length and relates to the story of MGM from its beginnings to the sale of the studio and all its sets and props in 1970. Fascinating story with lots of rare footage of it stars and films present throughout film althroughadmittedly no Duke :cry2: but a great show for fans of MGM movies and a classic Judy Garland musical is an added bonus plus other material.

    Mike

    http://www.play.com/DVD/Region…cial-Edition/Product.html

    • 2 discs
    • New Introduction by Liza Minnelli
    • New Commentary by Garland biographer John Fricke with Margaret O'Brien, screenwriter Irving Brecher, songwriter Hugh Martin and daughter of producer Arthur Freed, Barbara Freed-Saltzman
    • Music-only track (without vocals)
    • Vincente Minnelli trailer gallery with trailers from eight of his most treasured films including Meet Me in St. Louis, Father of the Bride, An American in Paris, The Bad and the Beautiful, Brigadoon, Designing Woman, Gigi, and The Courtship of Eddie's Father
    • Meet Me in St. Louis: The Making of an American Classic (Narrated by Roddy McDowall)
    • Hollywood: The Dream Factory (Emmy-Award winning 1972 MGM-TV special, narrated by Dick Cavett-- First time on home video)
    • Becoming Attractions: Judy Garland (1996 TCM special)
    • Meet Me in St. Louis (1966 TV pilot with Shelley Fabares and Celeste Holm)
    • Bubbles (1930 Warner Bros. short featuring Judy Garland at age 7)
    • Skip To My Lou (Rare 1941 musical short with Meet Me in St. Louis composers Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane)
    • Boys and Girls Like You and Me outtake (re-construction using still photographs)
    • Lux Radio Theater Broadcast from December 2, 1946
    • Stills Gallery

    Mike, are you going soft on us? :teeth_smile:

    "But im feeling much better now." :wink_smile:

    Seriously, the few musicals I could ever stand are: "The Fleets In" w/ William Holden and "Yankee Doodle Dandy" w/ James Cagney. Oh and I guess I will throw in: Damned Yankees-though I don't think it was ever made into a film? :shades_smile:

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    Hi Ringo

    We all have our soft moments:stunned: Have to admit I havent actually watched Meet Me in St Louis since I bought DVD and only got it for documentary.

    My musical selection is pretty limited Grease Singin in the Rain Little Shop of Horrors and The Blues Brothers. Any others that have slipped in to my shelves came from other sources.

    Anyway to appease your blood lust. Next DVD recommendations are two Hammer Horror documentaries.

    World of Hammer was TV series produced for British TV in 1980s and narrated by soft soul Oliver Reed.

    It is a supeb 13 part series which covers all aspects of the Hammer Horror movies from Vampires to Science Fiction. Excellent taster programme to inspire you to collect some of these classic horrors!!!

    http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-…ld-Of-Hammer/Product.html

    Since the mid-1930's the world renowned Hammer studio has created hundreds of movies and television productions. The Hammer Horror's produced from the 1950's to the 1970's were a box office phenomenon, but there was much more to the studio than Dracula and Frankenstein. Hammer's diverse output also includes prehistoric epics, swashbucklers, and psychological thrillers.


    Narrated by Curse of the Werewolf star Oliver Reed, this 13 episode series presents the finest moments from Hammer's classic horror movies alongside clips from the company's acclaimed war films, costume dramas, comedies and much
    more. The 'World Of Hammer' is the ultimate overview of a legendary archive.


    Another excellent programme on Hammer is Flesh & Blood which was originally aired on BBC when Peter Cushing died. Brilliant 100 minute documentary on entire history of Hammer with clips from everything and the two great masters Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing narrating.

    Bootleg copies abound of this title on ebay but it is officially released on Region 1.

    http://www.play.com/DVD/Region…ge-of-Horror/Product.html

    Explore the most legendary horror studio of all time with this fascinating, frightening journey hosted by terror titans Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. England's most successful independent film company, the "fear factory" of Hammer Studios, has a history filled with feuds, censorship battles and streaks of luck both good and bad. Now the legacy of horror returns, featuring interviews with such Hammer legends as Raquel Welch, Veronica Carlson, Caroline Munro, Ingrid Pitt, Jimmy Sangster, Hazel Court, Martine Beswicke, Freddie Francis, Val Guest and Ray Harryhausen. Plus you'll be treated to behind-the-scenes home movies and nonstop shock scenes from over 40 classic films, including Horror of Dracula, Curse of Frankenstein, The Devil Rides Out, Curse of the Werewolf and many more! It's the definitive study of one of the greatest names in horror!

    Another excellent studio documentary to try and obtain is Universal Studios Story narrated by Richard Dreyfuss. Again this was released in late 1980s on video but to my knowledge has not shown up yet on DVD. At nearly two hours it covers everything from the start of the studio with Lon Chaney, the Boris Karloff horrors, Anthony Mann westerns, Hitchcock right up to Spielberg classics.

    Wealth of material and clips for fans.


    Mike

    Hi Carl

    Damm Yankees was made into a film during the 1960s I think it starred Tab Hunter and I believe Ray Walston was the devil . I can't remember who played the female lead.


    Regards

    Arthur

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

    Hi Mike, Arthur,

    Mike, your doing a Hammer marathon :ohmy: Heh heh, i've seen a few Hammer films myself. BTW, do you know if Hammer still made films I think in the 80's? There is one I saw long ago that I think the name of the movie might be: Shockwaves? or something like that?. It had something to do with Christopher Lee (or) Peter Cushing. Whichever actor it was, played the part of a ""mad"" scientist of some sort who lived by himself on some desolate island. The only way to get on or off is by boat.

    Anyway, all I remember about this wierd film was that the scientist somehoe resurected long dead German Soldiers from his swimming pool. They were skeletonized zombies or something. Anyway, they were sent to kill anyone who landed on this island.

    Arthur, thanks kindly, for that info on Damned Yankees. I know someone who will be interested in getting that on DvD. :wink_smile:

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    Hi Ringo

    I think Hammer Studios have had more resurrections than the Old Count but the latest effort to revive them was last year see attached press release
    http://www.hammerfilms.com/press-release.html

    If I remember the press reports at the time they were talking about remaking some of their old films.

    Love the old American Internationals with Vincent Price.

    Another recommendation for you is Satan's Little Helper an intriguing Halloween horror movie that starts out a bit like a comedy but well lets say things turn up a notch.
    Well made small film.

    http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/930368/-/Product.html?


    I am intrigued about the horror movie you mentioned. I will try to find the title. If Cushing and Lee are in it it may be one of their Spanish / German movies.


    Mike



    Hi Mike, I kinda hope these movies come to light. I don't remember the titles I have seen before but, I remember that they were still decently made. I think these should be released-and why not? studios sure are busy churning out much worse these days.

    Im not sure but that movie had either or-in it. I tend to think it was Cushing though.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    Hi Ringo

    I think money has always been the problem. The fact that they are planning to remake their own titles sounds like the penny pinching of Hammer of old but it will be interesting to see if anything happens.

    Thank God, it Peter Cushing not Christopher Lee. I had vision of dredging through all Lee's titles at least Cushing will be manageable.

    You are not as bad as my Mother in Law she will say to me what's the name of that film with that blonde girl. Come on give me a chance!!!

    Mike