STANLEY KRAMER followed his Oscar-winning Judgment at Nuremberg with this sobering investigation of American greed. Ah, who are we kidding? It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, about a group of strangers fighting tooth and nail over buried treasure, is the most grandly hare-brained movie ever made, a pileup of slapstick and borscht-belt-y one-liners performed by a nonpareil cast, including MILTON BERLE, SID CAESAR, ETHEL MERMAN, MICKEY ROONEY, SPENCER TRACY, JONATHAN WINTERS, and a boatload of other playingto-the-rafters comedy legends. For sheer scale of silliness, Kramer's wildly uncharacteristic film is unlike any other, an exhilarating epic of tomfoolery. TWO BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES: Restored 4K digital film transfer of the general release version of the film, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack New high-definition digital transfer of a 197-minute extended version of the film, reconstructed and restored by Robert A. Harris using visual and audio material from the longer original road-show versionincluding some scenes that have been returned to the film here for the first time New audio commentary featuring It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World aficionados Mark Evanier, Michael Schlesinger, and Paul Scrabo New documentary on the film's visual and sound effects, featuring rare behind-thescenes footage of the crew at work and interviews with visual-effects specialist Craig Barron and sound designer Ben Burtt Talk show from 1974 hosted by director Stanley Kramer and featuring Mad World actors Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, and Jonathan Winters Press interview from 1963 featuring Kramer and members of the film's cast Interviews recorded for the 2000 AFI program 100 Years . . . 100 Laughs, featuring comedians and actors discussing the influence of the film Two-part 1963 episode of the CBC television program Telescope that follows the film's press junket and premiere The Last 70mm Film Festival, a program from 2012 featuring cast and crew members from Mad World at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, hosted by Billy Crystal Selection of humourist and voice-over artist Stan Freberg's original TV and radio advertisements for the film, with a new introduction by Freberg Original and re-release trailers, and re-release radio spots PLUS: An essay by film critic Lou Lumenick and illustrations by legendary cartoonist Jack Davis
Stanley Kramer's 1963 Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a sprawling comedy about a search for buried treasure by at least a dozen people--all played by well-known entertainers of their day--is the kind of mass comedy that has recently come back to the for-front of Hollywood with the film Rat Race. After a number of strangers (including Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers and others) witness a dying stranger (Jimmy Durante) identify the location of hidden money, a conflict-ridden hunt begins, watched over carefully by a suspicious cop (Spencer Tracy). The ensuing two and a half hours of mayhem has its ups and downs--some sketches and performers are certainly funnier than others. But Kramer, who is better known for socially conscious, serious cinema (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?), is in a mood for broad comic characterization, and some of his jokes are so intentionally obvious (Durante literally kicks a bucket when he dies), they could have derived from the Airplane! reject bin. Watch for lots of cameo appearances, including Jerry Lewis. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com
Jim Henson's Muppets make their film debut in this charming story that chronicles their rise to fame. It all begins with Kermit the Frog sitting in a swamp singing and strumming a guitar. Realizing he can use his talent to ""make people happy "" Kermit decides to head for Hollywood. During his trip Kermit meets fellow Muppets Fozzie the Bear the Great Gonzo Miss Piggy and an odd assortment of others who join Kermit on his song-filled journey. But before Kermit and friends achieve
Billionaire Jean-Marc Clement (Montand) learns that he is to be satirized in an off-Broadway revue. He goes to the theatre where he sees Amanda (Monroe) rehearsing a song and the director thinks him an actor suited to play himself in the revue. Clement takes the part to see more of Amanda but for how long can he keep his identity and his intentions a secret?
Broadway Danny Rose is vintage Woody Allen. Danny (Allen) is a down-at-heel theatrical agent whose regular clients include talking bird acts and a man who twists balloons into animal shapes. His faith in these eccentrics never fails, despite the fact that everyone leaves him for another agent in the end. Complications ensue when one of his clients, an overweight crooner, starts a romance with a mafia widow (excellently played by Allen's partner of the time, Mia Farrow). The mob think Danny is her boyfriend, forcing the two of them to take evasive action, at one point dodging bullets among giant floats for a forthcoming Fourth of July parade. The script is witty, the acting superb, the situations inventive. The film is shot in black and white and looks superb for it. On the DVD: The DVD is widescreen, with extremely clear sound so you won't miss a single wisecrack. Dialogue is available in French, German, Italian and Spanish as well as English. It's a pity, however--since the film is so short (84 minutes)--that there are no extras apart from the theatrical trailer. --Ed Buscombe
When Phil Corey's band arrives at the Idaho ski resort its pianist Ted Scott is smitten with a Norwegian refugee he has sponsored Karen Benson. When soloist Vivian Dawn quits Karen stages an ice show as a substitute.
When Phil Corey's band arrives at the Idaho ski resort, its pianist Ted Scott is smitten with a Norwegian refugee he has sponsored, Karen Benson. When soloist Vivian Dawn quits, Karen stages an ice show as a substitute.
How To Marry A Millionaire (1953) Marilyn delivers one of the finest comedic performances of her career in this outrageously funny film co-starring Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall! Three beautiful models plan to snag rich husbands by pooling their funds and renting a posh Manhattan penthouse in which to lure their victims. What follows is a series of near-marital mishaps where love prevails over money proving that even gold-diggers sometimes have hearts of gold! There's N
Released to mark the 40th anniversary of her death in 1962, The Diamond Collection brings together all of Marilyn Monroe's films for 20th Century Fox. This handsome box set stands as a salutary reminder of the considerable achievements of an actress who still reigns supreme as the greatest screen goddess of them all. The uninitiated might be surprised at the versatility of someone whose legend is founded so much on her image as a sex symbol. In particular, her touching performance as the abused second-rate bar singer Cherie in Bus Stop (1956) is a rounded study of a woman still capable of dreaming when life has done everything to dull her. The box set as a whole offers plenty of evidence that while she certainly specialised in a unique and complex variation on the blonde bombshell stereotype--embodied in her timeless performances as Lorelei Lee (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) and short-sighted Pola in How to Marry a Millionaire, both 1953--she could certainly diversify. The documentary, Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days, provides a sympathetic take on the troubles and behaviour which led to her being sacked from her final picture, Something's Got to Give. The presentation of the restored footage from that movie is less successful, though, as the glimpses of Monroe's incandescent screen presence, belying her illness and depression, leave a palpable sadness in their wake. Better by far to focus on her earlier work. Whatever the role, her luminous beauty and statuesque figure, combined with an unselfconsciously joyful sexuality and an on-screen vulnerability, were always at their best under the careful guidance of directors like Billy Wilder and Otto Preminger. These qualities continue to give her an enduring appeal. On the DVD: The Diamond Collection has been digitally restored using, for the most part, the original negatives, making this a sumptuous package for any Monroe fan. Niagara and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes are both presented in standard 4:3 ratio but the rest--filmed in Cinemascope and presented here in letterbox format--are certainly better-served by widescreen viewing. The colours, like Monroe, come alive. The sound quality is crisp and Monroe's singing--she had limited but genuine musical talent--has polished up well. Multiple extras include before-and-after restoration comparisons, trailers from various countries, stills and posters, and newsreel footage. Eleven discs of Marilyn in one box, this is a veritable feast indeed. --Piers Ford
Orphaned and left in the desert as an infant Evil Roy Slade (John Astin) grew up alone - save for his teddy bear - and mean. As an adult he is notorious for being the meanest villain in the West - so he's thrown for quite a loop when he falls for sweet schoolteacher Betsy Potter (Pamela Austin). There's also Nelson L. Stool (Mickey Rooney) a railroad tycoon who along with his dimwitted nephew Clifford (Henry Gibson) is trying to get revenge on Evil Roy Slade for robbing him.
Lets Make Love is a curious picture in many ways: Marilyn Monroe was the superstar, Yves Montand new to Hollywood, but she seems peripheral to the action and he's in almost every scene. Meanwhile director George Cukor, always happy with theatrical material, can't make the off-off-Broadway milieu come to believable life. In short, Let's Make Love lacks the sparkle promised by its talent roster, and for Monroe especially the bloom is off the rose. This 1960 film was her next to last, and she appears weary, although isolated moments have the old oomph (and she has a terrific romp through her first number, Cole Porter's "My Heart Belongs to Daddy"). Cameos by Milton Berle, Bing Crosby, and Gene Kelly increase the time-capsule feeling. The biggest failing is the lack of chemistry between Monroe and Montand, yet off-screen they had a romance during filming. A curious picture indeed.--Robert Horton, Amazon.com
Elvis: The True Story of Elvis Presley: This definitive biography is crammed with rare archive footage of Elvis in action in live performances from throughout his career; from the USS Hancock to his legendary '68 comeback special and capturing his renowned charm and charisma from famous movies. Elvis: The Milton Berle Show Special: Recorded on the deck of the USS Hancock in 1956 this special edition of the Milton Berle show features Elvis Presley performing some of this most famous hits. Elvis blows the audience away with renditions of Shake Rattle and Roll Heartbreak Hotel and Blue Suede Shoes. Elvis: Sinatra Show Wlecome Home Elvis Special: Join Sinatra in the ' Welcome Home Elvis' (from National Service) TV special. Rare archive footage captures two of the Twentieth Century's most recognisable icons whilst they share the stage in this enchanting piece of television entertainment history. The show also features Sammy Davis Jr and Nancy Sinatra .
1956 was Elvis Presley's breakthrough year and this program takes you back including his early television performances on the Dorsey Brothers Show and the Ed Sullivan Show (where the cameramen were instructed not to shoot the lower half of his body!) and an entire hour of rare footage and performances captured during the amazing year when Elvis Presley became not only a star but a phenomenon. So slip on your blue suede shoes and step back to the beginning of an era with rare early recordings and never-before-seen footage. The reign of the King has just begun! Music featured in this program includes: 1. My Way 2. Baby What You Want Me To Do 3. Blue Suede Shoes 4. Good Rockin' Tonight 5. Heartbreak Hotel 6. Shake Rattle And Roll 7. Baby Let's Play House 8. Tutti Frutti 9. My Baby Left Me 10. Blue Moon 11. Hound Dog 12. He's Only A Prayer Away 13. Lawdy Miss Clawdy 14. Don't Be Cruel 15. Trying To Get To You 16. Anyway You Want Me 17. Ready Teddy 18. Love Me Tender 19. Peace In The Valley 20. Love Me
Two classic Otto Preminger titles together in one package. A Royal Scandal dwells on a fictional incident in the life of Russia's Catherine The Great. This story of sexual shenanigans among royalty stars Tallulah Bankhead in a rare screen role. Also of note is a deliciously camp appearance by Vincent Price as the French Ambassador. Margin For Error stars Milton Berle as a Jewish Brooklyn policeman assigned to guard Nazi consul Karl Baumer (Otto Preminger) in pre-WWII New York.
Rudolph Valentino was the first male sexual icon of the modern media world. For 5 years from 1921 until 1926 other men watched with envy as Valentino the quintessential Latin screen lover made women swoon over the mere thought of his embrace. This romanticised film covers the career of Valentino from his arrival in Hollywood in 1917 and his emergence in 1921 as American cinema's first great lover.
Muppet Movie (1979): Jim Henson's Muppets make their film debut in this charming story that chronicles their rise to fame. It all begins with Kermit the Frog sitting in a swamp singing and strumming a guitar. Realizing he can use his talent to ""make people happy "" Kermit decides to head for Hollywood. During his trip Kermit meets fellow Muppets Fozzie the Bear the Great Gonzo Miss Piggy and an odd assortment of others who join Kermit on his song-filled journey. But before
America's beloved Uncle Miltie ""Mr. Television"" presents possibly the safest and most comprehensive senior exercise DVD available. Milton Berle's Low Impact/High Comedy Workout lead by senior fitness expert Merrily Smith is designed especially for ages 50-100 by Aerobics and Fitness Association of America senior fitness expert Kathy Stevens and AFAA fitness practitioner Laura Gladwin M.S. The workout is a unique combination of exercise and humour so much fun that you'll
CBS Salutes Lucy, a 1976 tribute to Lucille Ball, captures prize moments from her three television series (most notably I Love Lucy), highlights from her movie career, and excerpts from numerous other TV appearances. Each segment of the 97-minute special is introduced by famous cohorts, from series regulars such as ex-husband Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and Gale Gordon to sometime co-workers like John Wayne, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dick Van Dyke. Although she lived another 13 years after this special was made and had a fourth go at a TV series, this programme captures the most brilliant moments of her trademark physical comedy. The red-haired queen of American comedy appears at the end when Jimmy Stewart gives her an honorary plaque, making for a nostalgic moment. A short time later the credits roll, revealing that Ball's production company was behind the tribute, reminding viewers that she wasn't a bad businesswoman either. --Kimberly Heinrichs, Amazon.com
What do you do when you are over 65 and are forced to retire? Abe Murray and Louie have the perfect solution - start up a new business! It's the answer to their golden years: a range of sportswear designed by seniors for seniors. The three friends and their new line of clothes are an instant hit - but then a rival fashion house plots to unravel their success. Realising the need for drastic action Abe Murray and Louie come up with a madcap plan to keep their business and prove that they can do anything if they just stand side by side.
What do you do when you are over 65 and are forced to retire? Abe Murray and Louie have the perfect solution - start up a new business! It's the answer to their golden years: a range of sportswear designed by seniors for seniors. The three friends and their new line of clothes are an instant hit - but then a rival fashion house plots to unravel their success. Realising the need for drastic action Abe Murray and Louie come up with a madcap plan to keep their business and prove that they can do anything if they just stand side by side.
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