Author Archives: Marya E. Gates
New From WarnerBlu: “A Streetcar Named Desire” 60th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Book
Warner Bros. has this fancy new Blu-ray book release to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Elia Kazan’s masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire. This new Blu-ray edition hits shelves this coming Tuesday, April 10th. They call it a Blu-ray book because the packaging is essentially also a book. This means instead of a booklet or something that comes inside the case, the case itself is the book. It’s kind of an interesting concept.
Essentially, the special features on this new Blu-ray release are the same that are found on the 2006 DVD release:
- Commentary on the feature film by Karl Malden, film historian Rudy Behlmer and Jeff Young
- Elia Kazan movie trailer gallery
- Movie and audio outtakes
- Marlon Brando screen test
- Elia Kazan: A Director’s Journey documentary
- Five other documentaries: A Streetcar on Broadway, A Streetcar in Hollywood, Desire and Censorship, North and the South and An Actor Named Brando
I own that DVD release, yet somehow never watched the special features. Now I have, though! The 75 minute long Kazan documentary is from 1995 and features narration by Eli Wallach and some really great interviews with Kazan himself. It’s a great look at Kazan’s filmography, with insights from the director on the process of making each film. While I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Scorsese’s A Letter To Elia, I definitely recommend it to fans of Kazan’s work.
The picture quality of the Blu-ray, however, makes this purchase worth it for collectors and those who enjoy owning their favorite films in the newest formats. The black and white cinematography is so crisp and the contrasts are utterly perfect. Even on my shitty little television that movie looked incredible.
Before you run out and pre-oder this set, let’s take a minute and remain in awe and wonder of Stanley and Stella in the scene deemed too hot by censors in 1951:
And Brando hissing at Vivien Leigh. This is the stuff that dreams are made of.
Disclaimer: This review is based on a review disc given to me by Warner Bros., though the opinions are all my own.
Movie Quote of the Day – Vertigo, 1958 (dir. Alfred Hitchcock)
Scottie: What’s this doohickey?
Midge: It’s a brassiere! You know about those things, you’re a big boy now.
Scottie: I’ve never run across one like that.
Midge: It’s brand new. Revolutionary up-lift: No shoulder straps, no back straps, but it does everything a brassiere should do. Works on the principle of the cantilevered bridge.
Scottie: It does?
Midge: An aircraft engineer down in the peninsula designed it; he worked it out in his spare time.
Scottie: Kind of a hobby, a do-it-yourself kind of thing!
Movie Quote of the Day – The Conversation, 1974 (dir. Francis Ford Coppola)
Stan: It wouldn’t hurt if you filled me in a little bit every once in awhile. Did you ever think of that?
Harry Caul: It has nothing to do with me! And even less to do with you!
Stan: It’s curiosity! Did you ever hear of that? It’s just goddamn human nature!
Harry Caul: Listen, if there’s one sure fire rule that I have learned in this business is I don’t know anything about human nature. I don’t know anything about curiosity. That’s not part of what I do.
Movie Quote of the Day – Rain Man, 1988 (dir. Barry Levinson)
Charlie: Alright, Ray, all airlines. . .all airlines have crashed at one time or another, that doesn’t mean that they are not safe.
Raymond: Qantas.
Charlie: Qantas?
Raymond: Qantas never crashed.
Charlie: Qantas?!
Raymond: Never crashed.
Charlie: Oh that’s gonna do me a lot of good, Ray. You see, Qantas doesn’t fly to L.A. out of Cincinnati, you have to get to Melbourne! Melbourne. . .
Raymond: Australia.
Charlie: . . .Australia in order to get the plane that flies to Los Angeles!
Movie Quote of the Day – The Cabin In The Cotton, 1932 (dir. Michael Curtiz)
Madge: I’d like to kiss you, but I just washed my hair.
Save the Harold Lloyd Birthplace!
In conjunction with Kristen from SalesOnFilm and Trevor from AModernMusketeer, we are attempting to save the birthplace of silent film legend Harold Lloyd. Our hope is to have the place appointed a National Historic Place, but this takes money and time. We’ve got several events coming up in the next few months and we need all the help we can get. Please take a few minutes to “like” the Save the Harold Lloyd Birthplace page on Facebook, where you can read all about how you can help and we will add any and all updates about our progress. I’ve also designed a banner you can use to promote the cause on your blogs and websites:
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Silent film has had a huge resurgence in popularity with the release of Hugo and The Artist, but with news like the impending destruction of Pickfair Studios in Hollywood, it’s clear its history is still being threatened. We can’t let this happen! Help us fight the good fight!
Movie Quote of the Day – Heart and Souls, 1993 (dir. Ron Underwood)
Harrison Winslow: Who came up with this ridiculous concept anyway? Resolve your entire life in one bold stroke? What if I fail? And I will. I’ll fail. I’m telling you. I always fail. Then my whole life will be a complete failure.
Thomas Reilly: No offense, Harrison. But you died a failure because you never tried.
First Trailer For Woody Allen’s “To Rome With Love”
I’m not sure how I feel about the name change (I really liked the title Nero Fiddled), but I am so excited for this film. Trailer after the cut.
From The Warner Archive: Fred Astaire vs. Gene Kelly
I’ve always been partial to Gene Kelly, myself. The Warner Archive asks you to choose between the two icons of dance on film with two new releases from the collection: Fred Astaire in the 1943 wartime dark comedy The Sky’s The Limit and Gene Kelly in the 1947 post-war musical comedy Living In A Big Way. Both films are little seen and essential for fans of the dancers, though I will admit as these reviews go on, my preference for Kelly will start to show.
Movie Quote of the Day – Guys and Dolls, 1955 (dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz)
Sky Masterson: We just got time to catch the last plane to New York.
Sergeant Sarah Brown: People miss planes. It happens.
Sky Masterson: Yeah? It also happens that people win with loaded dice.
Sergeant Sarah Brown: I know what I’m doing.
Sky Masterson: Do you, kid? [beat] I don’t.
the diary of a film history fanatic 