laureatedvd.com

Jack Manners · Guest

Dear Ken Barnes,

I saw you last night on BBC Four's "The DVD Collection" and I immediately went out and bought the Region 2 "Holiday Inn." I've had the Region 1 version ( coupled with "Going My Way" ) for some time and so never felt the urge to buy your presentation. What a terrific difference not only in picture and sound quality but in overall value. The amount of extras you have added plus your highly informative audio commentary make this one of the best DVDs ever.

Fox Home Video would be doing themselves a favour by engaging you to produce a 50th Anniversary SE of "Daddy Long Legs." And I'd be the first customer.

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

My thanks to Messrs Patterson-Throndyke 11, Markham, McManus and Manners for all your support and kind comments. There's no question that Fred Astaire's popularity on DVD is increasing with the release of each new title.

This particular corner of the site which was instigated following correspondence with Fox Home Entertainment has now received over 2,000 "hits" ( in just 90 days ) and the majority of these has been for
"Daddy Long Legs." I'll be presenting this and other evidence to Matthew Cherry, Fox's Head of Catalogue in London. Let's hope for a positive outcome.

Phil Jellicoe · Guest

Dear Ken Barnes
First of all, it's good to see that the Laureate website is now back on line.
It's one of the things I missed over the last month. Now that you're up and running, do you have any new update on "Daddy Long Legs ?"

L. Masterson · Guest

Like everyone else, I would dearly love to see Fox get busy on a 50th Anniversary of DADDY LONG LEGS. Warners in the USA are leading the field with their announcement of three great Astaire films on DVD -
EASTER PARADE, THE BAND WAGON and FINIAN'S RAINBOW. Fred's daughter, Ava is involved in the first two and I believe that Francis Ford Coppolla is doing an audio commentary on the third.

As if that weren't enough, Warners are also busy preparing a box set of five of the Astaire Rogers films for a box set for later in the year.

Come on, Fox we're waiting.

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Just a quick update. The executives at Fox are looking into DADDY LONG LEGS. Permission needs to be obtained from L.A. and a certain amount of research needs to be done before a final decision is made. But wheels are turning.

I'll advise soon of the outcome.

D.W. · Guest

Being a long time Fred Astaire fan, I was advised to visit the Laureate website and I'm glad I did. I already have the terrfic DVDs of HOLIDAY INN and the FRED AND GINGER box set - so I'm hoping we'll soon see a special edition of DADDY LONG LEGS.

Looking through the long list of requests in this 20th Century Fox section, DADDY seems to be the firm favourite with the two Glenn Miller films close behind. It would be nice to see those too. Count me in as a customer for all three.

Phil Jellicoe · Guest

It's great to see Warners going to town on Fred Astaire with special 2-disc editions of "Easter Parade" and "The Band Wagon." Is it likely that Fox will follow suit with a 2-disc 50th anniversary celebration of "Daddy Long Legs" ?

If they did, that would make my year !

T. Melton · Guest

I haven't been in contact since September - but I've visited the lAureate website numerous times over the last four months or so - and I wonder if any progress has been made re. "Daddy Long Legs." This is, being the 50th anniversary of that excellent Astaire film, the perfect year to do it. I'm sure every Astaire fan in the world will be waiting to buy it. But, at least Warners are on the ball, with their upcoming series of three great Fred Astaire films. Fox would be crazy to miss out on such an opportunity.

The other request I made back in September - one that is echoed by many other film buffs - is for some of the classic Tyrone Power films.
Throughout the 1940s and well into the '50s, he was Fox's most popular male star. As a swashbuckler, he was Fox's answer to Warner's Errol Flynn. I would rate "The Black Swan"(1942) better than "Captain Blood" and the equal of "The Sea Hawk." What's more it's in Techicolor and was an Oscar-winner for its sumptious photoography. This is one that I would put up alongside Flynn's "Robin Hood." I don't believe this has even been on VHS. As a DVD it would be irresistible.

How much longer do I have to keep my fingers crossed ?

Tom Heyman · Guest

Re. T. Melton's message of yesterday, I'd like to point out that the Tryone Power swashbuckler "Tha Black Swan" is available in the USA - but only on VHS, more's the pity. If ever a film cried out for the DVD treatmenbt this is it.

However, I don't agree that this is better than Errol Flynn's "Captain Blood" - but it certainly is comparable to it. Both films,of course, were adapted from novels by the same author, Raphael Sabatini. If "The Black Swan" looks better today it's because of its rich Technicolor photography by Leon Shamroy. As a dashing pirate, how does Power compare with Flynn ? On this showing - and on "The Mark of Zorro"(1940) - I'd say he holds his own. I'm a big fan of both actors. With the forthcoming Flynn box set on Warners, we'll be able to get long overdue DVD versions of both "Blood" and "The Sea Hawk." Wouldn't be great if Fox suddenly wised up and gave us "The Black Swan" and then we'd be able to compare for ourselves.

Anyone who, last year, invested in the wonderful Flynn version of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" ( which was a big seller in both the USA and the UK ) ought to investigate Power's first swashbuckler "The Mark of Zorro." Sure, it's black and white and doesn't have the budget of "Robin Hood" - but it's by far the best and most intelligent version of the much-filmed "Zorro" tale. The climactic sword fight between Power and the redoubtable Basil Rathbone is an outstanding piece of cinema in its own right and deserves a place in any film buff's collection.

James LM · Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 32 Location: Croydon

"The Black Swan" is set for release in the US on DVD by Fox. It shall be a special edition (extra features by Spakhill.com).

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Dear James,

Your note about Fox doing a DVD of "The Black Swan" is confusing for three reasons:

1. I'm in discussions right now to produce a DVD for the UK of this title (nothing finalised yet )

2. I can't seem to unearth the website of Spakhill.com to check out the the info.

3. Amazon lists a DVD called BLACK SWAN starring Melanie Doan
( whoever she is ).

I don't mean to challenge your knowledge or info. - which always been accurate - but is it possible that the DVD you referring to is the one above ?

Steve Marcus · Guest

Ever since the 20th Century Fox Forum was placed on the Astaire Forum, I've been confused as to where this is all leading. A forum on Fox was fine - and helpful - in that it showed us just how great the interest was in see "Daddy Long Legs" as DVD. But then everyone wrote in with their favourite Fox titles - which was certainly useful as a guide to how wide the tastes are of visitors to Laureate's website. But now, we've gone from musicals to swashbucklers. If visitors want to debate the difference between Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power, then why not open up a new forum
for Swashbucklers ? It would make life a lot easier for us Fred Astaire fans.

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

A point well taken, Steve. I'll see what can be done.

Dominic McHugh4 · Guest

Still no news of Daddy Longlegs? If it happened it would make this a great year for Astaire DVD fans!

Shame Warners aren't producing Three Little Words instead of Finians Rainbow, though! Or The Belle of New York!

Dominic

violet sullivan · Guest

I, and many other Dick Haymes fans are desperate to see Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe on dvd as soon as possible. Please HELP!!!!!