Flynn, Bogie, and Cagney

[cinemabon]

I just bought one of the new Warner Home Video releases on DVD, and am totally "WOW'd" over this DVD experience. I was hoping, especially Johann, if any of you other classic film enthusiasts had bought one of this series.

On September 30th, Warner released, "The Adventures of Robin Hood", "Treasure of Sierra Madre", and "Yankee Doodle Dandy". The first one I purchased was "The Adventures of Robin Hood" because I am such a fan of Flynn. Not only was the print pristine, but the supplemental disc alone was worth the price of the DVD. The gag reel was hilarious, and the documentaries well done and insightful. Anyone who loves classic cinema will be amazed with this presentation. Or am I just going through a manic phase here?

[Johann]

I have not bought these 3 yet- believe it or not I actually have NO Cagney films on video!!

Shame, I know...


Flynn's Robin Hood is serious entertainment: "You are a Saxon!!!"
Truly swashbuckling action. Basil Rathbone is a great actor as well. (I love the old Sherlock Holmes movies).

"The Treasure" is my favorite John Huston film and my favorite Bogart film- I like it even more than Casablanca and The African Queen. Something about his presence in Madre captivates me.

And Yankee Doodle Dandy- what more can you tell us about the DVD "wow" experience? Rest assured I'll buy YDD sooner than later...

[cinemabon]

I'm still wading through the supplemental disc on the "Robin Hood" disc. Every film historian worth a grain of salt is giving his two cents worth on the supplemental. It was hilarious when they started to intimate about Cagney playing Robin Hood (as he was originally destined before he walked off the Warner's lot, upset with Jack Warner, and stayed off for nearly three years!)

There is a great documentary about Flynn, following his journey on board his sailboat Zaca around the world, not seen in sixty years. There is another documentary about the man responsible for all the incredible bow and arrow work, Howard Hill. Hill made several short subjects for WB back in the 1940's. There are recordings of Wolfgang Korngold, playing many of the themes from his films on the piano. It almost sounds like a party, as you can hear people talking and applause. The gag reel, "Breakdowns of 1938" is full of hilarious outtakes from all the Warner stars for the entire year!

There is an introduction on the feature disc, that allows you to set up an experience called, "A night at the movies" as was done in 1938, with a short, a cartoon, and a newsreel before the film. Rudy Belmer does a great commentary on the supplemental track, as well as introducing several of the shorts.

I can't wait to find out what's on the other DVD's! I wish other films got this same quality treatment.

[Johann]

Are these three titles all double-disc sets?

DePalma's Scarface was just released (as I'm sure everybody knows) as a 2-disc set (plus a deluxe edition) and if the above titles are indeed such sets, I'll have to put Yankee Doodle Dandy on the top of my "to buy" list...

I'm currently putting all DVD/CD purchases on hold until Dec.- I've got a trip to Paris coming up and I need every dime. (Travelling is frickin' expensive these days).

[cinemabon]

It's been since film school when I watched a 16mm print on a Steenbeck flatbed that I've seen "Treasure". I was unprepared for this film on many levels. As much as contemporary film is discussed in other forums, I would love to hear what some people, especially Johann, Oscar, Doc, and Chris think of this movie.

More than just a morality play than any other film in memory with a story that has no beginning, middle, and end; I was reminded more of Greek Mythology regarding morality tales like Midas, but on a far more complex level. There are no simple characters here... take Walter Huston's character, which vasilates between the wise old experienced man full of experience, then changing to quickly agreeing with the others on the idea of killing a man in cold blood to keep their gold a secret. At the beginning, he warns the others before they even start that they will be changed. We expect the Bogart character, who has weakness apparent from the start, to begin his decent into madness. But Tim Holt's character also becomes unglued at times, revealing that perhaps the metal itself has some kind of magical yet evil nature to it unmeasurable by machine.

While the mysterious B. Travers has written a rather straightforward tale of greed and corruption in his book, John Huston's script is anything but straightforward. The film has no happy ending or resolution of any kind. Allegory abounds. Of all the DVDs released this year, perhaps this one is the strangest yet somehow the most satisfying. To have these feelings about a film that is nearly 60 years old and a product of Hollywood is even more puzzling.


Speaking of Bogie... what he might have said today...

"We'll always have Paris [but it was so fricken expensive!]"

[oscar jubis]

The first narrative American movie filmed entirely outside the country(in northern Mexico) is my favorite Hollywood film of 1948. Treasure of Sierra Madre deserved the best picture Oscar given to Hamlet (New York Film Critics Assoc. also thought so). Three other films I like from '48 weren't even nominated: Ford's Fort Apache, Hawks' Red River and Ophuls' Letter from an Unknown Woman.
Treasure works both as exciting adventure and as character study involving universal and timeless moral issues. Huston's screenplay and well-modulated performances resulted in psychologically complex characters.
Huston's bold decision to feature Mexican actors speaking Spanish came 8 and 10 years before Ford and Welles did the same in The Searchers and Touch of Evil. Baffles me that some call Huston's The Maltese Falcon his best film.

I agree with your comments, cinemabon, except about the film having no ending or resolution. The quest for riches comes to a tragic if ironic conclusion.