Classic movies/Older movies

[cyflyer]

D'you ever get frustrated that so many new movies are available to us, but when you want to see an old classic or not so recent movie, its not available on dvd or anywhere for that matter ? Trying to get hold of a 1943 Billy Wilder classic called "Five Graves to Cairo". I know its on vhs in the US , but thats about it. Any of you classic buffs got it on vhs that you can dvd it, or know of anywhere it can be downloaded from ?

[sacajaweeda]

One I have been after (DVD release) is an 80s flick called The Wild Life. Somebody told me once that it probably won't be available on DVD until Eddie Van Halen gets paid because he did all the guitar work on the soundtrack and supposedly owns the rights. Idunno if that's true or not though.

[guns1inger]

At least the 'states has the likes of Criterion doing great releases of older films. Unfortunately they don't distribute over here. On the odd occassion a studio will release the Criterion version over here as their own (sometimes with a better print as well), but for the most part they are only available on import.

[cyflyer]

Wouldn't mind an import if it existed somewhere. Some old b&w movies look great on digitally remastered dvd don't they ? Far better than they ever did on standard tv broadcast. One of my favorities is the Dirk Bogard wartime classic "ill met by moonlight" which I bought on dvd, and it looks great. (I like wartime classics). Trouble with the movie I'm after, even if I got the vhs it would be NTSC system and I would have trouble converting it.

[guns1inger]

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/five_graves_to_cairo/dvd.php

[teegee420]

One I have been after (DVD release) is an 80s flick called The Wild Life. Somebody told me once that it probably won't be available on DVD until Eddie Van Halen gets paid because he did all the guitar work on the soundtrack and supposedly owns the rights. Idunno if that's true or not though.

I saw that movie a bunch of times when I was a kid, but I don't remember any EVH guitar work. I believe you, I guess I just wasn't paying attention to the music.

[cyflyer]

Thanks guns1inger, thats the US release NTSC/vhs. And at $53 for a vhs tape, ouch.

[guns1inger]

Sorry, mate. Saw the release date and the word DVD together in the same sentences and stupidly jumped to the conclusion that this was the release date for the DVD.

[offline]

I share your pain cyflyer.

I'm getting pissed at all the crap that is being released while a whole bunch of great movies and documentaries sit in cans or is "missing".

At the moment I'm desperate for a wide screen DVD copy of High Road to China I'm also after a decent version of Outland - The Warner release sucks for quality (sigh).

I'm slowly converting some of my VHS collection as many have next to no chance of being released on DVD - "Wake in Fright" for example (The full print has been lost) As for obscure old TV shows - forget it.

Without Criterion & Anchor Bay I'd be on Tylonol and Prozac.

[guns1inger]

Even some of the Achor Bay releases have been pretty rough. Their initial release of Fulci's Zombie was 4:3 letterboxed, horribly compressed, and from a very average print.

I also found it funny that when SuperBit first came out, the first titles done were XXX and Hollow Man, instead of films that could really benefit from better image and audio reproduction. Hollow Man with DTS sound is just a better sounding turd. You still hear it hit the water, just with more clarity.

[rhegedus]

At the moment I'm desperate for a wide screen DVD copy of High Road to China

With Tom Selleck?

Not sure if there is a WS - mine is 4:3.

There's an old Peter Sellers film called Mr Topzae (a.k.a. I Like Money) that hasn't even seen a VHS release. It is one of Seller's lost films and one of his best.

[BJ_M]

The National Film Archive has a not bad copy of Mr Topzae and it will be released on DVD - but in B&W as the color has faded to much and not enough $$ for a complete restro.....

[offline]

At the moment I'm desperate for a wide screen DVD copy of High Road to China

With Tom Selleck?

Not sure if there is a WS - mine is 4:3.

Yes, Tom Selleck. Somehow he managed to do two really decent movies - the rest ranging from average to woeful.

No there is no WS version available. How is your 4:3 version quality wise and who released it? There are a number of different releases but I'm told the quality is so so.
I also hate the fact that no one has decided to re-master the sound track. Plain stereo does not do the brilliant score much justice.

There's an old Peter Sellers film called Mr Topzae (a.k.a. I Like Money) that hasn't even seen a VHS release. It is one of Seller's lost films and one of his best.

I'm also after this IMHO Peter Sellers was always at his best when playing semi serious roles.

[rhegedus]

The National Film Archive has a not bad copy of Mr Topzae and it will be released on DVD - but in B&W as the color has faded to much and not enough $$ for a complete restro.....

When???

[rhegedus]

Yes, Tom Selleck. Somehow he managed to do two really decent movies - the rest ranging from average to woeful.

No there is no WS version available. How is your 4:3 version quality wise and who released it? There are a number of different releases but I'm told the quality is so so.

Oh, I don't know - I think he's underrated. He was first choice for the Indiana Jones part but could not get out of his Magnum contract. How things could have been....

I think the quality of my DVD is OK - looks like a well filtered sVHS transfer. No problems watching it on a 42" plasma.

I'll pm you later with more info.

[teegee420]

Speaking of Selleck, anybody see his "Jesse Stone" TV movies? I thought all of them were excellent.

[rhegedus]

Strangely enough, I just ordered it 2 days ago as it was on sale for £4.99.

[cyflyer]

And here's another thing. Does anyone else also think that action flicks of the 80's and 90's with Stallone, Arnie, Snipes, Seagal, were far more entertaining than a lot of the stuff that appears on the dvd shelves nowadays. If any of them do appear (Snipes, Seagal) on recent films, they appear to be low budget, unmemorable, made for dvd stuff. i believe the dvd era has had film makers churning out stuff just to get it on the sale shelves.

[TPFKA MackemX]

Some Like It Hot (1959) is one of my oldie classics 8) though I had no problem getting it on DVD