Which Classic 20th Century Fox Film Should Be on Blu-Ray?

Posted on January 15, 2013 at 3:55 pm

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announced today a one-of-a-kind campaign, VOICE YOUR CHOICE, allowing film enthusiasts to decide which classic films they would like to see digitally restored and transferred to Blu-ray for the very first time. The program celebrates Fox’s most notable films from the 1930’s thru the 1960’s featuring performances by famous actors such as Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, Paul Newman, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, John Wayne and more. Throughout the campaign, fans will also have the opportunity to write in and submit additional titles. Voting begins today at www.hometheaterforum.com and at www.foxconnect.com.

In addition Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will celebrate their extensive collection of classic movies by releasing at least one title on Blu-ray per month under the banner “20th Century Fox Studio Classics.” Drawing from Twentieth Century Fox’s rich catalog all releases will be Academy® award-winning or nominated movies from the 1920’s thru the 1960’s.

The “Vote Your Choice” options include some of my favorites: Shirley Temple’s “The Little Princess” and “The Blue Bird,” the charming romance “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir,” the dashing “Captain from Castile,” the witty “A Letter to Three Wives,” the rollicking story of “motion study” pioneers Frank and Lilian Gilbreath and their twelve children, “Cheaper by the Dozen,” the wild satire with Jayne Mansfield and Tony Randall, “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?”, the delightful caper film, “How to Steal a Million,” and the Tracy/Hepburn classic, “Desk Set.” Here are the candidates — cast your vote!

1930	Jesse James	Call of the Wild
	The Little Princess	Steamboat Round the Bend
	Swanee River
1940	The Return of Frank James
	That Night in Rio	Pin Up Girl
	The Black Swan	The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
	My Gal Sal	Kiss of Death
	To the Shores of Tripoli	Captain From Castile
	My Friend Flicka	The Blue Bird
	Crash Drive	A Letter to Three Wives
	Hello, Frisco, Hello	Mother Wore Tights
1950	Don’t Bother to Knock	Cheaper by the Dozen
	Carmen Jones	On the Riviera
	Anastasia	Black Widow
	Broken Lance	The True Story of Jesse James
	Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?	The Tall Men
	Desk Set	The Best of Everything
	The River’s Edge	The Bravados
	The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
1960	From the Terrace	Morituri
	Two for the Road	North to Alaska
	The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie	Bandolero!
	Let’s Make Love	Do Not Disturb
	The Agony and the Ecstasy	Back Door to Hell
	How to Steal a Million	Bedazzled (1968)
	The Undefeated	The 300 Spartans
	Can-Can

20th Century Fox Studio Classics titles and release dates for the first quarter of 2013 are as follows:

1/15	Titanic (1953)
	How Green Was My Valley
	Wild River
	Gentlemen’s Agreement
2/5	Laura
3/26	Panic in the Streets
4/2	Hello, Dolly!
5/7	Viva Zapata!

Movies for Families about the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Posted on January 13, 2013 at 8:00 am

As we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, every family should take time to talk about this great American leader and hero of the Civil Rights Movement. There are outstanding films and other resources for all ages.

I highly recommend the magnificent movie Boycott, starring Jeffrey Wright as Dr. King. And every family should study the history of the Montgomery bus boycott that changed the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DemvZzUAAyU

It is humbling to remember that the boycotters never demanded complete desegregation of the public transit; that seemed too unrealistic a goal. This website has video interviews with the people who were there. This newspaper article describes Dr. King’s meeting with the bus line officials. And excellent teaching materials about the Montgomery bus boycott are available, including the modest and deeply moving reminder to the boycotters once segregation had been ruled unconstitutional that they should “demonstrate calm dignity,” “pray for guidance,” and refrain from boasting or bragging.

Families should also read They Walked To Freedom 1955-1956: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Paul Winfield has the lead in King, a brilliant and meticulously researched NBC miniseries co-starring Cecily Tyson that covers Dr. King’s entire career.

The Long Walk Home, starring Whoopi Goldberg and Sissy Spacek, makes clear that the boycott was a reminder to black and white women of their rights and opportunities — and risk of change.

Citizen King is a PBS documentary with archival footage of Dr. King and his colleagues. Martin Luther King Jr. – I Have a Dream has his famous speech in full, still one of the most powerful moments in the history of oratory and one of the most meaningful moments in the history of freedom.

For children, Our Friend, Martin and Martin’s Big Words are a good introduction to Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement.

Beliefnet’s Movie of the Month: To Kill a Mockingbird

Posted on January 11, 2013 at 8:00 am

I was thrilled to have a chance to write about one of the greatest movies of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird, the Movie of The Month for Beliefnet’s Entertainment Corner. It is the rare case where a great book inspired a great movie, which perfectly evokes the perspective of Scout, the young daughter of lawyer Atticus Finch, as he takes on the defense of a black man accused of assaulting a white woman. The reason that it lives on as more than an artifact of the Civil Rights era is that it is a timeless story of a father and his children, of the way that courtesy (or the lack of it) transforms our relationships, the growing understanding of children as they begin to think about the world, and what justice means.

And, it has that unforgettable Elmer Bernstein score.

Every family should share this marvelous film and book.

Angels and Ghosts Today on TCM

Posted on January 2, 2013 at 8:40 am

Turner Classic Movies starts off the new year with a day of movies about angels and ghosts, including some of my favorites:

“A Guy Named Joe” Spencer Tracy is a fighter pilot who is killed in action and returns as an angel to help his devastated girlfriend (Irene Dunne) find a new love.

“Cabin in the Sky” God and the devil battle for the soul of a wounded gambler in this classic film featuring rare performances by some of the leading African-American performers of the early 20th century, including Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Lena Horne, Ethel Waters (singing “Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe”), Louis Armstrong, Rex Ingram, and Duke Ellington.

“Topper” A carefree young couple (Cary Grant and Constance Bennett) are killed in an accident and come back to liven the life of a straight-laced attorney.

“Matter of Life and Death” David Niven plays a pilot whose negotiation with the heavenly powers may be real or may be his delirious fantasy.

“Angel on My Shoulder” A gangster (Paul Muni) goes to hell and makes a deal with the devil — he can return to earth to get revenge on the man who murdered him if he will impersonate an honest judge and make everyone think he is corrupt.

“Here Comes Mr. Jordan” Remade as “Heaven Can Wait” with Warren Beatty and “Down to Earth” with Chris Rock, this is the classic about a boxer who is accidentally taken to heaven too soon by an over-eager angel and returns to earth in the body of a wealthy man.

Vulture’s Top Ten Muppet Christmas Moments

Posted on December 22, 2012 at 8:00 am

Bravo to New York Magazine’s Vulture Blog for their impeccable selection of 10 classic Muppet Christmas moments.