laureatedvd.com

[Ryan]

I noticed something posted at:

http://fredastaire.thum.org/archives/cat_news.html#000586

PJ Thum's website is the best one there is for Fred Astaire, though it lacks the community aspect of this fine website. It should be noted I quoted it from his news section as is, it's an apparent typo that he wrote 2005, rather than 2006. I can't believe how much I used to constantly complain about the lack of Fred Astaire's great movies on DVD. Who can complain now?


"Three Little Words/Ziegfeld Follies on DVD


Good news! Three Little Words and Ziegfeld Follies will be released on DVD by Warner Home Video in the USA on April 25, 2005 as part of a five DVD box set called Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory. The other movies in the set are It's Always Fair Weather, Summer Stock, and Till the Clouds Roll By.

Now all we need is The Belle of New York and The Sky's The Limit...

The titles will be available individually for $19.97 SRP and the five-disc collection will sell for $59.92 SRP.

Three Little Words DVD Special Features:
New featurette, Three Little Words: It’s All True
Vintage Fitzpatrick Traveltalk short, Roaming Through Michigan
Classic MGM Tex Avery cartoon, Ventriloquist Cat
Audio-only bonus: Paula Stone’s Hollywood USA radio promo featuring Fred Astaire & Harry Ruby
Theatrical trailer
Languages: English & Français
Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only)

Ziegfeld Follies DVD Special Features:
New featurette, Ziegfeld Follies: An Embarrassment of Riches
Vintage MGM Crime Does Not Pay short, The Luckiest Guy in the World
2 classic MGM cartoons, The Hick Chick and Solid Serenade
Audio-only bonus: outtake songs If Swing Goes, I Go Too, This Heart of Mine and We Will Meet Again in Honolulu
Ziegfeld movies trailer gallery
Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only) "

I also found a link to play.com's listing of Astaire/Rogers Vol. 2 on DVD: http://play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2&title=748405&p=57&g=72&pa=rcs

The Gay Divorcee, Swing Time, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, and Flying Down to Rio are coming out soon too.

[Ken Barnes]

Thanks, Ryan, for the info on upcoming F.A. titles. I agree that FredAstaire.net is a great website but it lacks a message board and doesn't update its news section very often.

Fox, as you know, are releasing "Daddy Long Legs" on DVD for the first time next month. It will also be released soon in the U.K.

[Chris Marcus]

Interesting to learn that "Three Little Words" is finally coming to DVD. Not one of Fred's best by any means, but welcome all the same.

The upcoming box set looks like a joint treat for Astaire and Gene Kelly fans. "It's Always Fair Weather" is a much underrated musical and one of Kelly's best films.

I agree about the Fred Astaire website which, although great for obtaining information on Fred, seems to lie unattended for months at a time and has very little new information to offer. How come they haven't mentioned "Daddy Long Legs" ?

Now Laureate is a different proposition altogether. It has a message board and Ken Barnes always responds to queries and requests.
Keep up the good work.

[Ken Barnes]

Thanks, Chris, for your support. Things seem to be getting better and better on the Astaire DVD front and we always try to keep the flag flying.

Incidentally, I agree with you about Gene Kelly's "It's Always Fair Weather." It's full of imaginative music and dance routines, yet strangely enough it was judged a failure when it was first released. I think this was because the plot contained a certain sense of bitterness and cynicism that 1950s audiences found hard to take in a musical. Today, it seems more natural and, for this reason, the film is more enjoyable. I'm looking forward to this DVD release.

[DominicMcHugh]

Wow - thanks, Ryan, for pointing this out, as I'd not noticed it.

I totally agree that Always Fair Weather is wonderful - actually, it's the one I'm most looking forward to out of this set. Isn't it the one with the dustbins lids and the rollerskates? Great Gene Kelly numbers.

Maybe everyone will kill me for this, but I never saw the attraction of Ziegfeld Follies (one or two numbers excepted). I just find it overblown, even if it does have FA and GK doing The Babbit and the Bromide. However, maybe the DVD will redeem it.

Also good to see Three Little Words and Summer Stock (Judy and Gene's last outing together, I think?) - both underrated in my opinion.

Poor PJ. He does a laudable job, and the amount of information on his site is worthwhile stuff, even if the news section lacks updates and there's no postings board. I for one salute his efforts. And we have our own pretty spectacular board here, which could hardly be improved upon.

Happy (late) New Year everyone!

Dominic

[Jean Wilson]

In the last two years, I have become an avid collector of Fred Astaire's work on DVD and the best news I've heard for a long time is the release of "Daddy Long Legs" next month. Now comes the announcement that my collection can be expanded further by the equally rare "Three Little Worss." "Ziegfeld Follies" I've never seen but whatever its shortcomings, I will certainly buy it because of Fred. If this keeps up, my collection will soon be complete and then I'll start on Gene Kelly.

[Ken Barnes]

Thanks, Jean. Both Mr. Astaire and Mr. Kelly are worth collecting even allowing for the fact that both of them turned out the occasional dud.
My least favourite Fred films are "Let's Dance" and "Belle of New York"
neither of which are yet on DVD ( but should be, I suppose) and Gene's all time worst has to be "Les Girls" - the film that ended his career at MGM and was Cole Porter's last score. Oddly enough, this is on DVD and I can only recommend it to Kelly completists.

In response to Dominic's question re. "It's Always Fair Weather," yes - this is the film with the dustbin lids and the fantastic roller skate sequence.
The script by Comden and Green seems to be aiming for a counterpart to "On The Town." In some ways, this is better and certainly wittier
( check out the "Blue Danube" sequence ) and the score by Andre Previn
with Comden and Green's lyrics has several numbers that deserve to be better known. Perhaps this upcoming DVD will help to remedy the situation and put this film on a par with other great musicals, where it deserves to be.

[Celia Hall]

Dear Mr. Barnes,

My family and I have been looking forward to the DVD of "Daddy Long Legs" for a long time. I understand it will be released next month in the USA. Do you also have a UK release date ?

[Ken Barnes]

Thanks Celia for your enthusiasm. I recently heard from the managing director of Fox Home Entertainment(UK) and it looks like DLL will get a U.K. release around July.

[Ryan]

I agree with Ken's assessment of the two lesser Astaire films. Even "Let's Dance" and "Belle of New York" have their moments. I can't tell how many times I've scrolled through my vhs tapes to find the Piano number from "Let's Dance" and the "I Wanna be a Dancin' Man" number from the other. Putting them on DVD would make that a lot easier, at least.

[Ken Barnes]

Hi Ryan,

Yes, I agree that both films have their moments. How could it be otherwise with Fred Astaire - also, we should remember that "Let's Dance" has a score by Frank Loesser ( not his best, but still good ) and "Belle of New York"" boasts a very nice score by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer.
All of which would be easy to access on DVD. And the way things are going, it won't be long before every Astaire movie will be on DVD.

[J.H.]

How many more of Fred Astaire's films are yet to be issued on DVD ?

[Mark Bakker]

It's great that so many of Fred's films are now or soon to be on DVD. I'm also hoping that Fred's television specials will one day make it to DVD complete with fully restored prints and extras!
On the subject of 'Belle of New York' i agree with PJ - It has a silly silly plot but the dancing is sublime.
I always liked 'Ziegfeld Follies' - colourful, spectacular and the incredible 'Babbit and Bromide' dance routine.
Mark Bakker

[Ken Barnes]

I take your point about "Ziegfeld Follies," not only is it worth having for "The Babbit and the Bromide" but also for the "Limehouse Blues" ballet superbly danced by Fred and Lucille Bremer and beautifully orchestrated by Conrad Salinger. While it may be a bit over-produced, for which it has been criticised over the years, it is a must for Astaire fans. In general, I tend to agree with Dominic McHugh's opinion that "Follies" is overblown.
But being on DVD, one can easily skip the more tiresome sketches ( such as Red Skelton's "gin" commercial ( although I do like Victor Moore's "Pay the Two Dollars" sketch ) and go straight to the good stuff.

"Belle of New York" does have its moments of real pleasure, the "Courier and Ives" sequence is a delight to look at and listen to ( the brilliance of Johnny Mercer's lyrics and the charm of Harry Warren's music blend perfectly with the images and the choreography ) but the plot is so stupid that it's easy to lose patience with this picture as a whole.

[P.R.]

The last three years have been great for Astaire collectors. I reckon by the end of 2006, there will only be six more Fred musicals to be issued on DVD - Dancing Lady, Damsel in Distress, The Sky's The Limit, Yolanda and the Thief, Let's Dance and Belle of New York. Or have I missed any ? Surely by the end of 2007 we should have them all.