laureatedvd.com

L.S. · Guest

Good to know that "Daddy Long Legs" will have an audio commentary from Ava Astaire McKenzie and Ken Barnes. Ava always talks so well about her father and Ken knows more about movies than anyone else involved in DVDs today.

Will this be a two-disc edition with other features ?

Ron Patmore · Guest

The way things look with Warners now doing all the Fred and Ginger films as well as his MGM output and now with Fox pithing in with Daddy Long Legs, we should soon have all of Fred Astaire's films on DVD.

Apart from the good news that Fred's daughter Ava and Ken Barnes are doping an audio commentary, I look forward to seeing what other extras this long overdue DVD will hold.

A.J. · Guest

Good to see that "Daddy Long Legs" is at last coming to DVD - and good to see Ken Barnes and Ava Astaire connected with it.

Any news on a release date ? Will it be this year ?

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

Thanks to Celia Hall, Ron Patmore, L.S. and the many others who have contacted me by e-mail to say how pleased they are that "Daddy Long Legs " is finally coming to DVD.

The people at Fox in L.A. have been most co-operative. I'm pleased to say that Ava Astaiure McKenzie was very forthcoming in the audio commentary with some stories about her father and the film that I'd never heard before. I have also included some excerpts from an interview I did with Johnny Mercer in the mid-1970s that I'm sure everyone will find interesting. Also Leslie Caron - who could not join us for the audio commentary - was gracious enough to contribute some personal written comments on working with Fred Astaire.

I think this DVD will be welcomed by all Astaire fans and lovers of the Hollywood musical. It will be released in it's original aspect ratio.
As soon as I get more information, I'll place it on the website.

L. Markham · Guest

Hooray for Fox, hooray for Laureate and hooray for Daddy Long Legs.

This DVD has been a long time coming. Apart from the film - which has always been one of my favourite Astaire films - it's good to know that Ava and Ken have done an audio commentary and to have comments from the great Johnny Mercer to boot, this really is something to look forward to. Thanks Ken.

By the way, I bought the recently re-issued Mercer CD-set on Sanctuary.
It's an absolute knockout. Keep up the gpod work.

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

To L. Markham, I can only say thanks on behalf of Ava, Fox Home Entertainment and myself.

I don't know when the DVD will be issued - but I hope it will be before the end of the year. I'm sure it will prove popular with the army of Astaire fans.

Thanks also for your remarks about the Johnny Mercer 2-CD set that was released recently. I'm very pleased at the way it turned out.

Sincerely
Ken Barnes

Christoph Nestel · Joined: 29 Jul 2004 Posts: 20

Will this be a UK only release or a dvd to be sold all over Europe ? Which language tracks will be included besides the English track ?

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

Hi Christoph,
As of right now, "Daddy Long Legs" is set for an American release. However, I will ask the Los Angeles office what language tracks they will be using.

I'll come back on this as soon as I get an answer.

Ken

Ryan · Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Ft Myers, FL US

Ken and all, I was very happy to read about the upcoming Daddy Long Legs DVD release. The "original aspect ratio" part is the most satisfying to me, I've always wanted to see that on a quality DVD. It will also be great to hear another feature length commentary with you and Mrs. McKenzie.

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

Thanks, Ryan for your support. I don't know exactl;y when Fox will be releasing this DVD. But as soon as I get the word, it'll be on the website.

Ken

P. Lanning · Guest

Dear Ken Barnes,

On June 17th you said you didn't know when DDL would be released on DVD. When can you give us an update on this ? And will the release be on Region 1 only ?

Guest · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:55 pm Post subject:

Ken (and all), according to a post at www.thedvdforums.com a flyer in the latest batch of R1 Fox Studio Classic apparently says that Daddy Long Legs will be released February 2006.

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

Dear Guest,

Thanks for this info. When I was in Los Angeles last month, the people at Fox indicated to me that the DVD would be released around February or March. It will be in wide screen and, as I understand it, 5.1. It will carry an audio commentary that I did with Ava Astaire McKenzie that also includes archive interview comments from the film's composer/lyricist, the late Johnny Mercer.

I think it should prove popular with all Fred Astaire fans.

Nick Eden · Guest

Very much looking forward to this film next February. I would like to think that it wouldn't be too much longer before all of Astaire's film work is available on DVD (musical or otherwise).

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

Thanks, Nick for your supportive remarks.

By this time next year, all the Fred and Gingers will be on DVD. There are still a couple of other RKOs ( Damsel in Distress and The Sky's The Limit )
which I'm sure Warners will do at some point. Then all we would need from them would be "Yolanda and the Thief," "Three Little Words" and "Belle of New York" ( and Ziegfeld Follies ).Both of the Columbias are now available and, if memory serves, I think that would just leave "Let's Dance" from Paramount.

A couple of years ago, almost none of Fred's major work was available on DVD, now we have almost all of it. Oh, I shouldn't forget "Dancing Lady" which I'm sure Warners will also get around to eventually.

So we're almost there.

Ken