NOT ON DVD – A Short Wish List

Posted by morlockjeff on August 10, 2007

I’m afraid we’re seeing the gold rush days of the DVD market coming to an end. With sales rapidly decreasing in relation to the number of films being released on DVD, the major studios are starting to re-think their sales strategies and cut back drastically on their DVD release agendas. Instead of going deeper into their catalogs, they are concentrating instead on tried and true successes in more elaborate editions – The 40^th Anniversary Collector’s Edition of THE GRADUATE, The “Don’t Call Me Shirley” Edition of AIRPLANE!, The 50^th Anniversary Edition of 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH (in both the original black and white & a new colorized version authorized by Ray Harryhausen). As a result, we are probably never going to see those wonderful second tier titles or lesser known favorites we’ve been waiting for on DVD. They might appear as digital downloads in the distant future sans any packaging. But for those of us who have become as fond of DVDs as our once treasured LPs, this is not the same thing. We like the packaging. We like the shape and size and the cover art. And we like to hold and study the liner notes and inserts – it’s a tactile thing.

So before the bottom completely falls out of the DVD market, here is my short wish list for a few favorites I’d like to see make it to this once mighty format. I know a few of these are available in non-USA format editions of variable quality but I’m holding out for the “ultimate” edition.

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Johnny Guitar (1954)

Nicholas Ray’s fever dream of a western where the women wear the pants and the gunbelts and the men do their bidding. Super macho Sterling Hayden is cast in the passive title role, a reluctant gunslinger who plays the guitar. His nemesis is the “Dancin’ Kid” (Scott Brady). Who’s gonna win this talent contest? The real battle though is between Vienna (Joan Crawford) who has built her saloon near valuable railroad property and Emma (Mercedes McCambridge), the self-appointed town leader who wants to drive Vienna away and run the whole shebang. Sparks fly and so does a lot of deliriously excessive and poetic dialogue. There is nothing else like it in the annuals of the American Western.

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Outback (1971, aka Wake in Fright)

A contemporary horror film for men. A schoolteacher (Gary Bond) goes on holiday in the Australian outback and discovers the ugly underside of the local culture as he drifts deeper and deeper into the remote interior. As a portrait of how society breaks down into an unnatural and brutal state when men are isolated from women, it has several nightmarish passages that are hard to forget. The kangaroo hunt in the pitch black night is particularly disturbing but nothing is more horrifying than the main character getting raped by Donald Pleasance! And the bleak and desolate landscapes of the outback have never looked more beautiful.

Long Live the Republic (1965, At’ ziji Republika)

The closing days of World War II as seen through the eyes of an eleven-year-old boy becomes a surreal and wildly imaginative experience in this powerful Czech film from director Karel Kachyna. The unpredictable mood swings from the horrific to the lyrical reminded me of both Rene Clement’s Forbidden Games and Elem Klimov’s Come and See. I was lucky enough to see a beautiful anamorphic print of this film when I worked in 16mm film distribution and could only imagine how it might look on the big 35mm screen.

Road to Salina (1970)

A guilty pleasure and one of my favorite Eurotrash thrillers. Actually, it’s more of an erotic psychological drama with LSD spiked moments such as Ed Begley (senior, not junior!) and Rita Hayworth doing the frug. A drifter (Robert Walker – junior, not senior!) is mistaken for the long lost son of a woman who is either living in denial of the truth or is terribly confused. It’s hard to tell if Hayworth, who was in the throes of Alzheimer’s at the time, is giving a performance or just being herself. But most of the movie is taken up with the sexual chemistry that develops between Walker and his supposed sister, Mimsy Farmer. The incest theme is teased to the breaking point and there is plenty of nudity and a groovy psychedelic soundtrack that includes Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull. Guy Maddin (Brand Upon the Brain!) mentioned it as a personal favorite in The Village Voice a few years ago writing, “Its groovy film vocabulary defining the era, this is a picture Spike Jonze might have studied compulsively. An orgy of zooms!! Brazen dubbing—even the cars seem to rumble out-of-sync in a foreign language!”

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Planeta Bur (1962, aka Planet of Storms)

A group of Russian cosmonauts land on Venus in this charmingly dated sci-fi epic that was re-edited into a mess of a US release version known as “Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women” by none other than Peter Bogdanovich with new scenes featuring Mamie Van Doren. This one is the keeper though despite the slow pace and unmistakable commie ideology. The art direction is unique, the music and sound effects are haunting, and there’s a metal man in it – Robot John – who is unbelievably goofy yet endearing. He comes across like some sort of sissified bureaucrat and is treated like slave labor by the boorish astronauts. But you might actually shed a tear for him during his demise – wandering out into a molten lava field like Norman Maine into the Pacific surf. Even though LenFilm has issued this on DVD, it’s a less than desirable transfer so let’s hope The Criterion Collection takes an interest in this.

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There are countless others of course such as Irving Lerner’s Murder by Contract (1958) and Dino Risi’s The Easy Life (1963) but two that I was going to spotlight on this list have become DVD realities – 10:30 p.m. Summer (1966), a visually dazzling psychodrama by director Jules Dassin from a script by Marguerite Duras and starring Dassin’s wife Melina Mercouri, just came out. And Midnight (1939), Mitchell Leisen’s delightful mix of screwball comedy and European sophistication a la Ernest Lubitsch is coming out in the near future in conjunction with a planned remake!! I’m sorry but no contemporary cast can ever come close to the original lineup of Claudette Colbert, John Barrymore, Mary Astor and Don Ameche. Yes, I said Don Ameche.

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22 Responses NOT ON DVD – A Short Wish List

Posted By Buddy R. : July 28, 2007 11:16 pm

I love Johnny Guitar but I would have to put Nicholas Ray's Bigger Than Life at the top of my not on DVD list. And for my guilty pleasure I would chose Kill! (1971), directed by Romain Gary and starring his wife Jean Seberg. It's an unintentionally hilarious mess about a heroin smuggling ring. It's just a coincidence that James Mason is in both films.

Posted By Amy : July 28, 2007 11:36 pm

I agree that all of the special editions are taking up the space of wonderful films we'd all remember if they'd just show us the cover art! I don't get anything from instant downloads. I want to read the packaging while I figure out the DVD player again. I would add Robinson Crusoe On Mars (1964) and any other 50's or 60's space fantasy films. I love the tinfoil-covered gears and aliens with arms made of tubing…

Posted By Jeff : July 29, 2007 10:49 am

Amy, you'll be happy to know that the Criterion Collection is releasing a special edition of ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS in September.

Posted By MDR : July 29, 2007 1:31 pm

Johnny Guitar (1954) is a terrific cult classic, especially the over-the-top character that Mercedes McCambridge plays, and it hasn't aired on TCM in several years either (hint, hint).

Posted By Stan : July 29, 2007 6:07 pm

I'm a Vincent Price fan and I'd love to see two of his lesser known titles which aren't currently available – the very bizarre CONFESSIONS OF AN OPIUM EATER (1962), directed by exploitation producer Albert Zugsmith (Sex Kittens Go to College) and CONVICTS 4 (1962), a prison drama with an unbelievable cast – Ben Gazzara, Sammy Davis, Jr., Broderick Crawford, Rod Steiger, Stuart Whitman, Ray Walston, and Timothy Carey. I swear this is a real movie.

Posted By Ben Martin : July 30, 2007 12:27 pm

Could not possible agree more with your list. I have never even heard of Road to Salinas, however, but now want to see it on DVD more than any other on your list. The title that alwasy finds it's way to th top of my most wanted list is Rene CLement's Rider on the Rain. A magical, beautiful, scary and yet ultimatley touching film about finally growing up emotionally and even falling in love – Charles Bronson's American Mr. Dobbs , surprisingly, not Marlene Jobert's Melly – in spite of personal, cultural and any other kinds of differences you can imagine. Thanks for the list. I hope you follow up soon.

Posted By CitizenKing : July 30, 2007 12:57 pm

The top of my DVD MIA list is The African Queen, while admittedly not a second tier feature, it is available in the UK but not here. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is out of print, as is Wuthering Heights (1939). The noirs Phantom Lady, The Glass Key and The Blue Dahlia are still unavailable. And while rumored to be coming perhaps next year, The Magnificent Ambersons is currently unavailable. And in the category of "I will believe it when I see it", add Song of the South and Porgy and Bess (1959) to the list.

Posted By yancyskancy : August 3, 2007 8:55 pm

Some nice choices, everybody. It's really frustrating to see new "special editions" of previously released titles come out (often with only a new featurette or two tacked on) while never-released gems go languishing. As much as I love The Hustler, for instance (one of my all-time favorites), do I really need the new edition? A big ditto to Jeff's mention of Risi's The Easy Life, which I somehow managed to see on VHS many years ago. The titles I always stump for when this topic comes up are Leo McCarey's Ruggles of Red Gap and Make Way for Tomorrow, two of the great American films and rarely if ever seen on TV anymore. Current release trends don't bode well for them, I'm afraid.

Posted By Dena : August 7, 2007 5:12 pm

Now that I have the Criterion Collection release of "The Ruling Class", how about a release of another Peter O'Toole lost gem "Great Catherine" – also a memorable performance by Zero Mostel as Potyemkin, my little chickens. And my guilty pleasure, Ken Russel's "Listzomania" with Roger Daltry (available on VHS, but I'd rather have a good digital version than have to transfer it to DVD myself)

Posted By Fred C Dobbs : August 9, 2007 6:50 pm

Where the hell is Houston's Wise Blood?

Posted By Spike J. : August 10, 2007 10:06 pm

Hey, I resemble that remark about Road to Salina! But I'd like to put in a second Hell YEAH to Wise Blood. And also to J. Demme's Stop Making Sense concert film, the doc Cane Toads and anything with Buster Keaton except How to Stuff a Wild Bikini which is just way sad…..sad. Pajama Party though is ok.

Posted By Cherryll : August 11, 2007 6:34 pm

Thats why I love the dvd recorder. I dont have to depend on the studios to release the films. I just turn on the recorder ( or set on timer if its tooo late) and record the film from TCM. No commercials, no colorizing. Great source for dvds that have not been released. They are so affordable at this time it makes it a very affordable hobby. The discs themselves are also down to around 50 cents each in many places.

Posted By Ivan : August 12, 2007 4:14 am

This movie might not make anyone's "greatest" list but is a particualr favorite of mine that is not available on DVD: Crossing Delancy (Peter Riegert, Amy Irving. Sweet, funny, charming.

Posted By Jenni : August 12, 2007 9:17 pm

I also loved Crossing Delancy and agree it should be on dvd. An old one but a good one, to me, is Penny Serenade, starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. I don't think it's been released on dvd.

Posted By Richard A. Ekstedt : August 13, 2007 1:11 pm

My suggestion"DARK INTRUDER" Universal 1965"FEAR NO EVIL"Universal 1969"BROTHERHOOD OF THE BELL" 1970

Posted By CitizenKing : August 14, 2007 8:17 am

Crossing Delancy has been on DVD for a few months. You can find it on Amazon now. It is a very good movie, low key but enjoyable.

Posted By J. Lee : August 14, 2007 12:14 pm

I LOVE ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS. and DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS

Posted By YancySkancy : August 17, 2007 5:29 am

Jenni from St. Louis: I’ve seen Penny Serenade around over the years on various cheap-o DVDs. It’s in the public domain, so just about anyone who can get their hands on a print can put it out. I’ve even seen it at the 99 cent store (got a copy of Meet John Doe there once). It’s always a crap shoot in terms of quality, but you might take a chance if you find a particularly cheap copy.

Posted By MumboJumbo : August 17, 2007 11:10 pm

My favorite not yet on DVD is 52 Pickup (1986). Frankenheimer directs Roy Scheider and Anne-Margaret in an Elmore Leonard story about a successful businessman who's gambling and fooling around get him make him easy prey for extortionists. When he doesn't pay off they kill his mistress and leave a video of the murder in his apartment to set him up for the murder, kidnap his wife and inject her with heroin, and steal his Jaguar. The movie has an explosive conclusion.

Posted By ALPHA TOM : August 22, 2007 10:28 pm

HELLO! I'M NEW HERE. BUT COULD SOMEONE TELL ME HOW TO FIND "THE THIEF OF BAGDAD" WITH STEVE REEVES. THE SEARCH FOR THE BLUE ROSE ALWAYS GETS ME!

Posted By Jeff : August 23, 2007 9:27 pm

It's that cheesy but haunting music score – lots of organ – in Thief of Bagdad that I can't forget. And the incredibly fake wings on the horse that Steve Reeves rides, looking a little embarrassed. How I would love to see this again…but don't look for it anytime soon on DVD.

Posted By Linda : March 10, 2008 1:19 am

It was a hot summer night and the family piled in the car to see a movie at the drive in. I cannot remember exactly how old I was, but sometime between 1959-64. I don't remember the title and it has been haunting me for years. The jest is…a woman dying and wanting a blue rose. Two suitors desperately search for the blue rose, in which there was a seaside/cliff fight. If anyone knows the name of this movie please reply….it is driving me crazy. Thanks

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