Columbia Classics

[souvenir]

Hoping for The Burglar, which is a near masterpiece and has a new print that's screened on the repertory circuit for the last few years

[knives]

Wrong, I love it. You're thinking of Caught

You're right, all of these movies I haven't seen just mesh together eventually.

[kawest]

Though Columbia originally released The Reckless Moment and performed a very nice restoration of it a few years ago, they do not own the title outright. Theatrical screenings of it are cleared through CBS (!) and the video situation likely has similar complications.

[Props55]

I've been hearing/reading about THE BURGLAR for decades and I'd love for it to make the cut. Then again I thought the same about FIVE AGAINST THE HOUSE and NIGHTFALL from the last set and was less than thrilled with both. Still HUMAN DESIRE, THE LINEUP, THE SNIPER PUSHOVER, BROTHERS RICO and the two Lerners made up for the double dip on BIG HEAT.

There are so many ways they could skin this cat without breaking a sweat (or the bottom line) but the enthusiasm seems to have dissipated since the first set. Shooting their wad with those two BAD GIRLS OF NOIR sets didn't help. I wonder how those sold. They certainly had a great package design but the titles were mostly B- and lower crime (melo)dramas rather than true noir. In fact the GIRLS sets seemed to be geared toward the casual buyer whose knowledge of noir went no deeper than Hot Chick Camp w/retro wardrobe rather than the discerning fan. Hugo Haas anyone? Hell, if they simply want to recycle titles they could even surround THE HARDER THEY FALL with retreads of IN A LONELY PLACE, DEAD RECKONING, KNOCK ON ANY DOOR and SIROCCO and do much better than break even by just slapping a Bogart Noir banner on the box. And where are Quine's DRIVE A CROOKED ROAD, Mate's THE DARK PAST and 711 OCEAN DRIVE?

But yeah, they'll probably just recycle Bogie and Rita and throw in the A budget titles (HARDER, O'CLOCK and RECKLESS) and call it quits.

[domino harvey]

711 Ocean Drive is out via MOD

[starmanof51]

Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? (1996)

Whenever I come across that title, I grin like an idiot. In the top ten titles of all time, easily.

[Arthur Bannister]

I wonder why they said "it will be a big one!" when it's the same number of films as the last two.

I'm hoping against hope that Eddie Muller's mistaken about the final film count. There was a last-minute change in one of the previous sets, although admittedly it was a substitution rather than an addition.

[Jonathan S]

Has anyone seen the '51 M?

Yes, I think I mentioned it on another thread for its Red Shoes reference and political subtext. Personally, I'd much rather see that released than The Burglar, which I've tried a couple of times and hated apart from the actual burglary sequence - a self-conscious pastiche noir, I felt, striking poses remembered from earlier and better films.

[Ashirg]

Unfortunately, Losey's M is out of hands for Columbia. I think the rights reverted to Seymour Nebenzal, film's producer, and the rights now are in legal limbo. I've seen it via bootleg DVD that is being sold at Movies Unlimited.

[mteller]

Really don't care much for the '51 M but The Burglar is absolutely amazing. As for the others:

My Name is Julia Ross (1945) - great
Johnny O'Clock (1946) - okay
The Reckless Moment (1949) - okay
Framed (1947) - good
The Mob (1951) - good

[Murdoch]

The Reckless Moment is a lot better than "okay"

[starmanof51]

The Reckless Moment is a lot better than "okay"

I took it as an opinion rather than a pronouncement from on high.

I'm sort of in the same camp. I liked the domestic setup, but after that it didn't really do much for me. I didn't believe the Mason character for a minute, and I suppose once you've lost belief in him you've lost belief in the movie.

[Props55]

Thanks for reminding me that Columbia MOD exists, domino. I tend to forget about it and its Universal counterpart probably because they're so good at hiding their existance from the world. MGM is slightly more visible but also more confusing with MOD, HD Network, Blu budget and Blu Best-Buy exclusives and no rhyme or reason for what titles appear in any venue. I'm sure the orphans left after this last Columbia set will end up going MOD as well.

Interesting info about rights on RECKLESS MOMENT and the Losey M. Yeah, Nebenzal makes M a whole different ball game just like Arthur Braunner and the Mabuse series . . . legal nightmares beyond anything but the most obscure Hollywood titles.

I'm sure Columbia has (or should have) better elements but MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS is still available from Kino both singly and in a boxset.

[starmanof51]

I'm sure Columbia has (or should have) better elements but MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS is still available from Kino both singly and in a boxset.

Are you sure you aren't confusing it with something else in the Kino catalog?

[mteller]

The Reckless Moment is a lot better than "okay"

I took it as an opinion rather than a pronouncement from on high.

I'm sort of in the same camp. I liked the domestic setup, but after that it didn't really do much for me. I didn't believe the Mason character for a minute, and I suppose once you've lost belief in him you've lost belief in the movie.

I had the same problem with Mason's character. Also, the "moment" isn't just "reckless", it's completely bone-headed. Noir is often about following characters down the path of a bad decision, but Bennett's judgment is so shockingly poor that I turned against her. Ophuls' technical ability cannot be denied, and the film sets up an intriguing conflict between placid family life and the encroaching criminal underworld. I just couldn't get on board with the characters.

[Props55]

My bad on Lewis' JULIA ROSS. I think I must have temporarily confused it with Mann's STRANGE IMPERSONATION. All these major players minor Bs are buzzing around in my head these days!

[domino harvey]

From the department of absurd extremes, De Palma's Obsession, just out on Blu-ray in R2, is gracing the Sony MOD line. LOL forever

[knives]

It's R0 with great extras for those curious.

[whaleallright]

There's a sale at the WB store on these Sony MOD titles: http://www.wbshop.com/Columbia-Classics ... rc=EWASONY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any recommendations? Can anyone vouch for the quality of THE GODDESS?

[domino harvey]

Bad sale-- DD has had these for $10.XX before

[whaleallright]

Really? They don't seem to have many of them even listed, at least based on a few quick searches.

[justeleblanc]

Sony to release on DVDR Rossellini's Vanina Vanini on 9/6/11.

[domino harvey]

I've seen iOffer covers with more effort. In fact, let me rephrase: I've seen every cover ever that was made with more effort

[stroszeck]

I think we have officially found the worst cover of all time. Times to lock up that thread...

[Fred Holywell]

The art director must have been too busy with other projects, and gave this one to his kid. But, truthfully, a plain brown wrapper would have been as exciting.