laureatedvd.com

Mark Bakker · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 6:45 pm Post subject: In Search of Charade

I'm looking for a decent DVD of the 1963 Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn movie 'Charade', preferably in a widescreen version.
A number of versions of the movie are listed on Amazon, mostly now out of stock. Some seem very poor quality transfer to DVD if the reviews are anything to go by.
I presume that the Laureate version is the one listed as 'Sanctuary Digital'. This would be my first choice but now unfortunately no longer available as new. I am reluctant to order one of the second hand copies as there is no guarantee that it will be the 'Santuary' product and not some inferior disc.
Can anybody suggest where i might pick up a copy of the Laureate version? Any plans to re-issue this Ken?
Many Thanks,
Mark Bakker

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

The UK Laureate version of CHARADE is actually obtainable from both Amazon.co.uk and Play.com. But next week I shall be in talks with an American distributor to do an expanded 2-disc version of the film for release in the USA later this year.

Nothing has yet been finalised but it's looking more and more likely. As soon as the deal is completed, details will be announced on the NEWS page.

Ken

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

This now-you-see-it-now-you-don't business re. CHARADE is something I've been trying to clear up for more than a year. Sanctuary were supposed to have stopped selling it due to a contract dispute - yet it was still advertised on both Amazon and Play. I know of people who have bought it as recently as January this year. It's good to know that Play have dropped it at last. But it's still there on Amazon - which it shouldn't be.

Thanks, Mark, for pointing this out.

Ken

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

That's right, Mark. Sanctuary are planning to re-issue CHARADE. It would seem that the problem with Universal has now been settled.

As announced previously, I am planning to revise this DVD for an American release next year. I may possibly make some changes to the UK re-issue. If so, this will be announced shortly in the News section.

Ken

James L M · Guest

I see that the Criterion edition has been re-released finally. It comes with an audio cmmentary by Stanley Donen and the late screenwriter Peter Stone. Was this on the previous edition?

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

Hi James,

I finally got to sample the Criterion "Charade" - not the new release but the previous one and,yes, it does contain the audio commentary by Donen and Stone. It's very entertaining and I discovered that the version used by Criterion is not the one that director Donen approved.

But the Laureate version is. How about that ?

Ken

PS.
When Sanctuary re-issue the Laureate version next month it will not be updated. But the forthcoming American version ( next year ) will be revised and brought up to date.

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

I am told the Sanctuary version is still available. And that does have some extra features.

James M · Guest

I have watched the Charade DVD from Criterion and trhink I have discovered the reason why it could be deemed as 'not approved' by Stanley Donen. In the scene where Hepburn and Grant take a walk doen by the river, both Hepburn and Grant utter the word "assasinated" very candidly. Following the assasination of JFK, Donene thought the casual use of this word inappropriate at the time and replaced the word via ADR with "eliminated". The restored version from the camera negative accidently re-inserted the word, now benign, but on the commentary expresses disdain with the this occurring without his input and therefore could be called an "unapproved" alteration.

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

You're absolutely right, James. As a matter of fact, I included this story in my audio commentary on the Laureate/Sanctuary DVD of "Charade." I wasn't aware of the Criterion edition at the time and was surprised to find Stanley Donen objecting to it. The reason that Grant and Hepburn re-looped the dialogue substituting "eliimated" in place of "assassinated" is because a particular executive at Universal felt that anything to do with assassination was seen as ultra-sensitive so soon after JFK's death.

The Laureate DVD of "Charade" is now back in circulation following a dispute with Universal. We've not only had excellent reviews on it but also very healthy sales. There are more extras on it than on the Criterion edition. While we can't offer director, Donen and writer, the late Peter Stone, we do offer audio archive contributions from the film's musical creators - composer, Henry Mancini and lyricist, Johnny Mercer, both of whom I knew personally.

Well, I wouldn't be much of a producer if I didn't pluig my own product, would I ?