Key Largo)

Starring:Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers, Dorothy Malone, Peggy Knudsen, Regis Toomey, Charles Waldron, Charles D. Brown, Bob Steele, Elisha Cook Jr., Louis Jean Heydt, Max Barwyn, Forbes Murray, Emmett Vogan, Thomas E. Jackson, Joseph Crehan, Joy Barlow, Tom Fadden, Lorraine Miller
Director: Howard Hawks, John Huston, Michael Curtiz
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The Maltese Falcon
Still the tightest, sharpest, and most cynical of Hollywood's official deathless classics, bracingly tough even by post-Tarantino standards. Humphrey Bogart is Dashiell Hammett's definitive private eye, Sam Spade, struggling to keep his hard-boiled cool as the double-crosses pile up around his ankles. The plot, which dances all around the stolen Middle Eastern statuette of the title, is too baroque to try to follow, and it doesn't make a bit of difference. The dialogue, much of it lifted straight from Hammett, is delivered with whip-crack speed and sneering ferocity, as Bogie faces off against Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet, fends off the duplicitous advances of Mary Astor, and roughs up a cringing "gunsel" played by Elisha Cook Jr. It's an action movie of sorts, at least by implication: the characters always seem keyed up, right on the verge of erupting into violence. This is a turning-point picture in several respects: John Huston (The African Queen) made his directorial debut here in 1941, and Bogart, who had mostly played bad guys, was a last-minute substitution for George Raft, who must have been kicking himself for years afterward. This is the role that made Bogart a star and established his trendsetting (and still influential) antihero persona. --David Chute

Casablanca
A truly perfect movie, Casablanca (1942) still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis; Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris; and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made. --Tom Keogh

The Big Sleep
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made screen history together more than once, but they were never more popular than in this 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel, directed by Howard Hawks (To Have and Have Not). Bogart plays private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy socialite (Bacall) to look into troubles stirred up by her wild, young sister (Martha Vickers). Legendarily complicated (so much so that even Chandler had trouble following the plot), the film is nonetheless hugely entertaining and atmospheric, an electrifying plunge into the exotica of detective fiction. William Faulkner wrote the screenplay. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Breakfast at Tiffany's
Winner of two Oscars, the romantic comedy that sparkles like diamonds! From the opening strains of Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer's haunting, Oscar-winning song "Moon River," you'll once again be under the alluring spell of that madcap, carefree New York playgirl known as Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) in this 24-carat romantic comedy based of Truman Capote's best-selling novella. George Peppard is the struggling and "sponsored" young writer who finds himself swept into Holly's dizzying, delightfully unstructured lifestyle as she determinedly scours Manhattan for a suitable millionaire to marry. The sparkling special features on this Anniversary Edition DVD only add to the luster of director Blake Edwards' timeless film classic. Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam and Mickey Rooney co-star; Mancini won an additional Academy Award® for his enthralling musical score.

Roman Holiday

Sabrina

Customer Reviews:

Awesome!.......2007-06-27

I watched these all in a row! Soooo awesome! They just don't make movies like these anymore!

Beautiful Hepburn.......2007-02-16

I totally love these 3 movies by Audrey Hepburn, there is an amazing aura about her...

Audrey Hepburn Collection.......2007-01-25

If you are an Audrey Hepburn fan (and who isn't) you will love this collection.

Wonderful Value for Masterpiece Collection.......2007-01-19

Audrey Hepburn never goes out of style. I got this for my 18 year old for Christmas and she absolutely loves it. There are quite a few teenaged girls who still love Audrey as evidenced on their myspace pages.

AUDREY.......2007-01-05

what can you say about Breakfast at Tiffany's that has not already been said.... From listening to Audrey strum "Moon River" on the balcony to the day she spends with George Peppard in the city getting the ring from the cracker jack box engraved - how could you not fall in love with her....

Roman Holiday and Sabrina are also classics.

Bogie and Bacall - The Signature Collection (The Big Sleep / Dark Passage / Key Largo / To Have and Have Not)

Average customer rating:

If You Want Them, This Is It
Classic Bogie & Bacall
What's not to like?
the big sleep
A must have for Bogie & Bacall fans

Bogie and Bacall - The Signature Collection (The Big Sleep / Dark Passage / Key Largo / To Have and Have Not)
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , and Lauren Bacall
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Signature Collections | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Maltese Falcon Three-Disc Special Edition / Across the Pacific / Action in the North Atlantic / All Through the Night / Passage to Marseille)
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ASIN: B000FFL2Q6
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Amazon.com

Yes, it's true: you can virtually see Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall falling for each other in To Have and Have Not (1945), Howard Hawks's variation on Casablanca but adapted from--as legend has it--Ernest Hemingway's self-declared "worst novel." (The story goes that Hawks told Hemingway he could make a movie of the author's least work, and Hemingway gave him the rights to this story.) The script by William Faulkner and Jules Furthman actually makes this one of Hawks's and Bogart's most interesting and often exciting films. Bogart plays a boat captain who reluctantly agrees to help the French Resistance while wooing chanteuse Bacall. Hoagy Carmichael, wry at the piano, adds a delicious accent to an already wonderful mood.

Bogart and Bacall were never more popular than in The Big Sleep, the 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel, directed by Howard Hawks. Bogart plays private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy socialite (Bacall) to look into troubles stirred up by her wild, young sister (Martha Vickers). Legendarily complicated (so much so that even Chandler had trouble following the plot), the film is nonetheless hugely entertaining and atmospheric, an electrifying plunge into the exotica of detective fiction. William Faulkner wrote the screenplay.

Dark Passage (1947) is a gimmicky film noir starring Bogart as an escaped criminal who undergoes plastic surgery and holes up at the home of Bacall's character while healing and preparing to prove his innocence. If you can last through the first half-hour of this thing--which is shot entirely from the subjective view of Bogart's bandaged face, which we don't see until later--you might find ample reason in the stars' performances to stick around for the conclusion. But director Delmer Daves (A Summer Place) tests a viewer's endurance with such an obvious, attention-getting ploy.

John Huston (The Maltese Falcon) directed Key Largo (1948), a smart thriller about a gangster (Edward G. Robinson) who holds a number of people hostage in a hotel in the Florida Keys during a tropical storm. Bogart is the returning war veteran who takes on the villains, and Bacall is on hand as one of the people on the wrong end of Robinson's gun. Somewhat similar in tone to To Have and Have Not this moody movie captures a certain despair offset by the bond between individuals united by common purpose. Claire Trevor won an Academy Award for her part as Robinson's alcoholic girlfriend. --Tom Keogh

Description

They met on the WB lot. The year was 1944. "I just saw your screen test," Bogart said to Bacall. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun together." And so it began... Listed as the Greatest Male Star of All Time and one the Greatest Female Legends by the American Film Institute, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall star in the all new Bogie & Bacall: The Signature Collection. This giftset includes all four films that starred one of classic Hollywood's noted couples.

Customer Reviews:

If You Want Them, This Is It.......2007-06-15

"Bogie and Bacall -- The Signature Collection," brings us the four movies the near-legendary Hollywood stars, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, made together, from first, Howard Hawks's 1944 "To Have and Have Not," in which the couple, just meeting, literally fall in love on screen, through probably their best together, 1946's "The Big Sleep," again directed by Hawks; their strangest, 1947's "Dark Passage," written and directed by Delmar Daves; and their last, the 1948 "Key Largo," directed by John Huston.

All four films are made by Warner Brothers, in black and white; all but "Dark Passage" made entirely on studio back lots, despite the ostensible tropical settings of "To Have and Have Not," and "Key Largo." In most, Bogie plays a character that will be familiar to his fans from his previous work, particularly the great wartime hit "Casablanca" that directly preceded "To Have." We see some of the familiar Warner Brothers company of supporting players in these films, and some well-known, highly-esteemed actors, but the pictures belong to Bogie and Bacall, as they fire up the screen, as lovers and then newly-marrieds.

"To Have and Have Not," supposedly resulted from a bet between Hawks and Ernest Hemingway, famed American author of the book on which it's based. Hawks said he could get a good movie from Hemingway's worst book, which this was. Hawks did so, with a screenplay by another famed American novelist, William Faulkner, and Jules Furthman. The picture, however, is an effort to remake "Casablanca," without Ingrid Bergman, or the earlier movie's sterling supporting cast. Set on a French-speaking Caribbean island, with Vichy French and Free French at war. Almost-heroic Free French fighter, and his wife. Bogie as Henry (Steve) Morgan, hardboiled antihero who sticks his neck out for nobody. Hugely talented American singer-songwriter Hoagy Carmichael as Cricket, singing piano player. Despite his many beautiful compositions, he just doesn't hold the screen as did Dooley Wilson, playing Sam, singer of "As Time Goes By," in the earlier film. Walter Brennan thrown in playing his stellar drunk, Eddie, asking people "Was you ever stung by a dead bee?" He's treated with romanticizing kid gloves by all concerned. And the breathtaking 19-year old Bacall, as Marie (Slim) Browning, who's just landed on the island because she's run out of money. She's given a snazzy check suit, and some snappy dialogue. Remember "You know how to whistle, don't you?" She even sings; legend says she was dubbed by Andy Williams, but that's not necessarily true. They say her part was beefed up when the studio execs saw what was happening onscreen. Sid Hickox's noirish cinematography also contributes greatly to a sexy, old-fashioned, rather routinely plotted, World War II thriller, combining romance, faraway adventure, and a macho Hemingway hero.

"The Big Sleep," 1944, was the second film made by the golden trio, Bogart, Bacall and Hawks. The screenplay, again, was by novelist Faukner, based, this time, on a detective novel of the same name by the Californian author Raymond Chandler. This noir mystery thriller also casts a backwards eye at "Casablanca." Here, Bogie plays Philip Marlowe, Chandler's existential, street-smart, courageous private eye, called to investigate efforts to blackmail the aging, incapacitated, wealthy General Sternwood about one of his daughters. Both the General's daughters, the old man admits, are wild, and have the vices of their class, but Carmen, played by Martha Vickers, is most troublesome; Vivian, played by Bacall, gambles, and seems, carelessly enough, to have recently misplaced her husband, of whom the General was fond. Still, in this picture, Vivian has great rooms and clothes, and a nifty white coupe convertible. Supporting players include Dorothy Malone, Peggy Knudsen, Bob Steele, Lash Canino, and Elisha Cook. Max Steiner contributed the atmospheric score. The notoriously complicated, difficult to follow plot is frequently interrupted by girls admiring Bogie, and stopped dead so Bacall can sing. The screenplay cleans up its source material considerably, still, it was considered an unusually violent and amoral movie for its time. Treatment of Los Angeles is moody; night scenes are shadow and fog, daylight scenes slightly, menacingly overblown. Nobody played harried and world-weary better than Bogart.

1947's "Dark Passage," noir thriller, was written and directed by Delmar Daves, based on a novel by David Goodis, who wrote the novel on which "Shoot The Piano Player" is based. It's set in San Francisco of the 40's, and may be the best screen treatment of that city at that time. Once again, Sidney Hickox's noirish cinematography takes full advantage of its flavorful setting, hills, bay, staircase streets. The building in which Bacall's character, Irene Jansen, supposedly lives, and its glass elevator, and her duplex apartment, are masterpieces of the "moderne" style then highly popular. Bogart plays Vincent Parry, a doctor unjustly convicted of killing his wife; at the film's opening, he's just escaped from San Quentin, coming home to clear himself. For the first hour, we never see him, only see everything through his eyes, then a new filmic technique. The gimmick is, he has plastic surgery so as to no longer be recognizable; he then becomes the Bogart we know. Housely Stevenson plays the plastic surgeon Dr. Walter Coley: his scenes are treated in a most Frankensteinian way. The plot takes some truly odd turns: we're to believe that Agnes Moorhead, who is surely riveting, could give Bacall a run for her money in the Bogart stakes. As if. Bacall doesn't sing, but she looks sensational, and has, in addition to that apartment, some stylish clothes and jewelry -- note the Mexican opals. She's also got an eye-catching, memorable "woody" station wagon.

"Key Largo," 1948, directed by John Huston, was the last screen pairing of our two leads. It's based on a stage play by Maxwell Anderson, nominally set in the tropical Florida Keys. A wheelchair-bound Lionel Barrymore plays James Temple, owner of the island hotel; Bacall plays Nora, his widowed daughter in law. Bogart plays Frank Mc Cloud, who fought the Italian campaign alongside the Temple boy until he was killed. Mc Cloud goes to visit the Temples off-season, and discovers that a powerful hurricane's coming. And that they are being terrorized by Edward G. Robinson, one of the great movie villains, playing gangster Johnny Rocco. Clair Trevor, playing Gaye Downs, Rocco's moll, former nightclub entertainer, gets to sing this time. She does an acapella "Moanin' Low," a song popularized by Libby Holman in the early 30's, and won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for it. Bogart plays an unusually quiet version of his "I stick my neck out for nobody character." But, such are the burdens of marriage, Bacall is uncharacteristically demure. She doesn't appear to be wearing makeup, her eyes are downcast, and her wardrobe seems to consist of one --dowdy-- outfit. She doesn't have those lines, either: Barrymore and Robinson get them this time.

These four films are the components of this collection. There will be no more by our two great leads, and they were certainly among the screen's most incendiary lovers. If you want them, this is it.

Classic Bogie & Bacall.......2007-05-14

As a writer, I find it interesting to study classic movies that gripped our imaginations, found - and sometimes lost - romance, and always produced suspense. These Bogie & Bacall movies did it without the non-stop action of today's movies, the dynamite, the explosions, the sex, and the questionable language. And they all have withstood the test of time. Well worth watching.

What's not to like?.......2007-02-18

Well, really, this is it, one of the ultimate film collections out there. They are definitely good for what ails you. Have the flu? Settle in with these until it goes away. Three feet of snow outside? These will help you hold out until spring. Tired of special effects and mindless violence? Remind yourself of something truly special, the sparkle in Bacall's eyes when she goes after Bogart, and of a time when only bad guys met a bad end. Recovering from a breakup? Settle in and remind yourself of how relationships are supposed to work!

They are also good if you just want to be entertained. The movies are better together, because you can just keep going from one to the next and chances are, you will. The chemistry between those two is so good that you could completely fail to realize that these finely crafted story-driven films are pretty well written, too. If I had to choose some "desert-island movies," at least two of them would be from this collection and maybe all four.

the big sleep.......2007-01-29

Just when you think he's figured it out, he hasn't, but he does! I wish I'd lived then.

A must have for Bogie & Bacall fans.......2007-01-11

This set is the center of my collection. All four movies are excellent examples of these two at work. From their best "To Have and Have Not" to their work in "Dark Passage".

Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Maltese Falcon Three-Disc Special Edition / Across the Pacific / Action in the North Atlantic / All Through the Night / Passage to Marseille)

Average customer rating:

Bogart Collection Vol. 2
For the Bogart Fan
Bogie Know Best
Humphrey Bogart, forever a star!
A Humphrey Bogart espionage love feast

Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Maltese Falcon Three-Disc Special Edition / Across the Pacific / Action in the North Atlantic / All Through the Night / Passage to Marseille)
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Mary Astor , Gladys George , Peter Lorre , and Barton MacLane
Director: John Huston , and Vincent Sherman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000GIXLVQ
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Amazon.com

The movie that made Humphrey Bogart Humphrey Bogart anchors this second DVD box devoted to the mighty star. The Maltese Falcon gets--and merits--the deluxe three-disc treatment, and the other Bogie movies collected here are solid vehicles from his early 1940s Warner Bros. heyday. The essence of Bogart's world-weary yet mysteriously romantic aura is on luscious display, even if most of these films fall just short of classic status.

Bogart's letter-perfect incarnation as Sam Spade, the anti-hero of John Huston's debut film as a director, grounds The Maltese Falcon in a smart, sardonic groove. Even if Spade is one of Bogart's finest turns, it's hard to single out the film's best performance: Mary Astor as the mystery dame who trips off the case, Peter Lorre as the fey Joel Cairo, or Sydney Greenstreet as the massively erudite Kasper Gutman (the latter making one of the great debuts in film history). Dashiell Hammett's best-selling story had been filmed twice before, and both versions are included in the extras here: the 1931 Maltese Falcon, which has a fair amount of cheek and some near-identical snatches of Hammett dialogue as the 1941 film--but without the magic--and the 1936 Satan Met a Lady, which puts the story squarely in the realm of screwball comedy, with Warren William and Bette Davis acting as though they'd wandered into a Thin Man movie. Other extras include a commentary with Bogart biography Eric Lax, three radio versions of the tale, and a short documentary about the Falcon.

Huston also directed Across the Pacific, a fun and somewhat tongue-in-cheek picture that brought Bogart, Astor, and Greenstreet back together. After being drummed out of the military, Bogie finds himself aboard a ship sailing toward the Panama Canal--and as the date of Dec. 7, 1941, looms on the horizon, we suspect intrigue. Also from 1942 is the wisecracking All Through the Night, which is set entirely in a Damon Runyon NYC but nevertheless unearths a nest of Nazis (Conrad Veidt among them) planning a homeland attack.

WWII figures in the other two features. Michael Curtiz's Passage to Marseille (1944) burdens itself with too many flashbacks, but otherwise presents a nicely atmospheric tale of Devil's Island escapees trying to get home to fight for France. Lorre and Greenstreet are back, with Michele Morgan snuggling Bogart in the Casablanca-inspired love story. Action in the North Atlantic (1943) is a more conventional picture, with Bogart and Raymond Massey fighting the war in the Merchant Marines; the topnotch action sequences and crusty supporting cast keep it going. Bogart's covert socking of a loose-lipped bar patron gives us the vintage Bogie. Bartender: "Did you hurt your hand?" Bogie: "Never do." --Robert Horton

Product description

Includes: The Maltese Falcon (Three-Disc Special Edition), Across the Pacific, Action in the North Atlantic, All Through the Night, and Passage to Marseille.

Customer Reviews:

Bogart Collection Vol. 2.......2007-06-15

Good plots with wonderful dialog. If these were books you'd call them real page turners.

For the Bogart Fan.......2007-03-19

What a great collection of films and some of the best bits are the "extras" on each DVD. The films are typical Bogart as a detective, spy, mercenary etc.

Bogie Know Best.......2007-03-08

Bogart isn't the best actor in the history of film, but his attitude and feel rank make him one of the most memorable and admirable in film. All movies in this kit show off his skills as well as those of the other actors that often worked with him. Great stuff.

Humphrey Bogart, forever a star!.......2007-02-03

Humphrey Bogart is without a doubt, one of the best actors ever to delight the world with his performance. This classic offers a Bogart that is sharp, cynical and virile. As a private eye, Humphrey Bogart is awesome. The dialogue is difficult to follow, but we always select the language option that provides subtitles to assist the hearing impaired; a feature that we highly recommend because this way you do not miss a word that is said. The DVD's offer many advantages; but for us, this feature is simply... the solution we had always looked for to truly understand the messages offered by great movies. There is much action and suspense, keeping you at the edge of your seat, always wondering when violence will take place because of the ferocious interpretations of the actors. With this role, Bogart leaves no question that he is... and shall forever remain... a Star!!!

A Humphrey Bogart espionage love feast.......2007-01-19

HUMPHREY BOGART: THE SIGNATURE COLLECTION, VOLUME 2 has, as its set piece, a remastered studio print of John Huston's incomparable THE MALTESE FALCON (1941). Also included for a comparison is the very good 1931 Ricardo Cortez/Bebe Daniels THE MALTESE FALCON and the mediocre 1936 Warren William/Bette Davis SATAN MET A LADY. But the spotlight is on Huston and company in terms of bonuses that include a brand-new documentary and vintage radio adaptations that offer the fun of the same plot with a different cast.

This DVD boxed set is a love feast for Bogart fans. It also includes ACROSS THE PACIFIC (1942), ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT (1942), ACTION IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC (1943), and PASSAGE TO MARSEILLES (1944). All sparkle in brand-new prints and, since is from Warner Home Video and movies made during World War Two, all include a generous array of patriotic wartime dramatic and musical shorts, documentaries, new interview featurettes, cartoons, and theatrical trailers.

ACROSS THE PACIFIC reteams director John Huston with FALCON cast members Bogart, Mary Astor, and Sydney Greenstreet. It is an adventure potboiler that goes from eastern Canada to the Panama Canal, without going near the Pacific. Its climax has espionage activities at the canal, and no one is who they seem.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT has an incredible cast, led by Conrad Veidt and Judith Anderson as Nazis. Bogart battles the Gestapo over his right to have the perfect cheese cake in this tongue-in-cheek wartime adventure that is great fun. A 99 year old Vincent Sherman, who directed, helps out on an audio commentary with Bogart scholar Eric Lax.

ACTION IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC is about the Merchant Marine in the north Atlantic when it was made (1943). Lloyd Bacon, who directed some wonderful 1930's musical romances, shows his versatility in this exciting adventure that stars Bogart, Raymond Massey, and Alan Hale. The box says the Merchant Marine used this rather downbeat movie as a recruiting tool.

Finally, we have Michael Curtiz' underrated PASSAGE TO MARSEILLES, with seemingly half the cast of CASABLANCA, including Bogart, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Helmut Dantine, and Sydney Greenstreet. This one is infamous for flashbacks within flashbacks, but with this cast, who cares? Max Steiner did the music, James Wong Howe did the brilliant photography, and a ten-hankie final scene sends the movie into the stratosphere. This one must have really packed a wallop for 1944 audiences torn between good Free France and bad Vichy France.

I highly recommend HUMPHREY BOGART: THE SIGNATURE COLLECTION, VOLUME 2 to the millions of Bogart fans, as well as fans of wartime intrigue movies. And special kudos to Warner Home Video for the generous bonuses and putting each film in its own slim envelope inside a larger box. That shows a lot of class, in comparison to the "don't give a damn" people at Universal Home Video.

Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection (Doctor X / The Return of Doctor X / Mad Love / The Devil Doll / Mark of the Vampire / The Mask of Fu Manchu)

Average customer rating:

Pre-Hays Code Wildness, Camp and Hilarity!
Good collection of horror films at a great price
My kind of Entertainment...
Exciting Collection
THE DREAM TEAM FOR NIGHTMARES

Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection (Doctor X / The Return of Doctor X / Mad Love / The Devil Doll / Mark of the Vampire / The Mask of Fu Manchu)
Starring: Lionel Atwill , Fay Wray , Lee Tracy , Preston Foster , and John Wray
Director: Michael Curtiz , Vincent Sherman , and Karl Freund
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000GRUQJW
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

Universal ruled the monster movie in the 1930s, but this hugely enjoyable DVD set offers a counter-argument from MGM and Warners. Its half-dozen horror titles run the gamut from classic vampirism to baroque romanticism, and gather horror luminaries such as Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Peter Lorre.

The greatest film of the bunch is Mad Love (1935), a rich and oft-imitated bit of perversity with a deeply romantic streak. Concert pianist Colin Clive (from Frankenstein) has his hands wrecked, and his actress wife (Frances Drake) turns to the obsessive Dr. Gogol (Lorre), who has long worshipped her. But the doctor replaces the pianist's hands with those of a murderous circus knife-thrower! Superbly directed by Karl Freund (The Mummy), this eerie film is shaped by Lorre's subtle, uncannily sympathetic performance.

Karloff reigns in The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932), which offers more minute-for-minute lurid action than any other movie in this set. Connoisseurs of horror will be well pleased by the roster: a crocodile pit, deadly snakes and spiders, poisons, various forms of torture including a man strapped beneath a giant reverberating bell, and Fu Manchu's sexy daughter (Myrna Loy). MGM designer Cedric Gibbons runs wild with a wonderfully daffy Deco-meets-Orientalism scheme. There are some undeniably racist epithets thrown in the direction of the evil Dr. Fu Manchu, but he gives as good as he gets, and the character is ultimately as irresistible as any evil mastermind. Karloff gives one of his juiciest performances ever.

Doctor X (1932) is presented in a recently-restored 2-strip Technicolor process (a lot of throbbing greens and oranges), which gives the movie an antique appeal. Doctor Xavier (Lionel Atwill) brings his colleagues together to figure out which of them might be the Full Moon Killer; daughter Fay Wray and reporter Lee Tracy (a typical fast-talking role for this fun actor) tag along. Michael Curtiz directed; he also did the similar Mystery of the Wax Museum, again with Atwill (available on the House of Wax disc). The Return of Doctor X (1939) is more of a curio than a full-fledged horror movie, as it has Humphrey Bogart, resplendent in a Bride of Frankenstein hair streak, in a rare supernatural outing.

The other two films are directed by Tod Browning. Mark of the Vampire (1935) is a clear example of MGM trying to ride the Dracula gravy train, with plenty of smoky graveyards, scuttling possums, and Lugosi in a tuxedo striding through giant spider webs. Lugosi is peripheral here, as Lionel Barrymore hunts down the blood-suckers. It's slow going, but the touches are wonderful and there's a spooky vampiress. Browning makes The Devil-Doll (1936) a memorably oddball thriller, with Barrymore a wronged man seeking revenge--and exploiting a device that allows people to be miniaturized. All the films have lively commentary tracks, except Devil-Doll. Overall this is a very neat package; even the inclusion of Return of Doctor X makes sense as a pairing with its original. MGM and Warners seemed embarrassed by the horror genre in the thirties, but these examples prove they could rise to Universal's game. --Robert Horton

Description

Doctor X/The Return of Dr. X Mark of the Vampire/The Mask of Fu Manchu Mad Love/The Devil Doll

Customer Reviews:

Pre-Hays Code Wildness, Camp and Hilarity!.......2007-06-27

These films are such gems, each of them, and the restored prints are so beautiful, that this collection should not be missed whether you are a seasoned archivist or just discovering the Universal Horror Canon. The bonus features are sparse, comprising mostly commentary tracks from film historians and critics (although one,The Return of Dr. X, which stars a very creepy Humphrey Bogart, has commentary that includes the 100-year-old director!) and sometimes the theatrical trailer. But The Mask of Fu Manchu alone is worth thet price of the set for the chance to see, uncut, its pre-code craziness, high camp and very overt erotic and sadomasochistic overtones!
Barrymore, Atwill, Karloff, Lugosi, Lorre, Myrna Loy, Fay Wray... the list goes on. Whatever they're asking for this delightful box set, it's a pittance. It doesn't get much better than this.The Boris Karloff Collection (Tower of London / The Black Castle / The Climax / The Strange Door / Night Key)The Bela Lugosi Collection (Murders in the Rue Morgue / The Black Cat / The Raven / The Invisible Ray / Black Friday)

Good collection of horror films at a great price.......2007-06-13

Rather than just focusing on a few horror franchises and milking them for all they were worth with five or six B quality sequels apiece as Universal did with Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy, and the Invisible Man, in the 30's and 40's Warner and MGM would usually take just one good idea and make just one good horror movie. This is a collection of six of Warner and MGM's better excursions into the horror genre during that era.

Everyone else has gone into the plots of these movies in detail, so I will not do the same. Let me point out, though, that "Return of Doctor X" is not really a sequel to "Doctor X" at all. The two stand alone. The only thing they have in common is the theme of a wise-cracking reporter on the trail of what turns out to be a mad doctor. As far as transfer quality, "Mad Love" has noticeable artifacts in the video, at least through the first half of the movie. It's nothing too distracting, though. With "Doctor X" you have to get used to the peculiarities of two-strip technicolor which includes occasional green skies and also green skin tones when people are shown in the dark. The rest of the films look quite good, and the audio quality is very good on all of the films. The extras that come with the films are as follows:

Special Features for Mark of the Vampire:
Commentary by genre historians Kim Newman and Steve Jones
Theatrical trailer

Special Features for The Mask of Fu Manchu:
Commentary by Greg Mank, author of Karloff and Lugosi: A Story of a Haunting Collaboration

Special Features for Doctor X:
Commentary by horror scholar Tom Weaver
Theatrical trailer

Special Features for The Return of Doctor X:
Commentary by director Vincent Sherman and Chronicles of Terror author Steve Haberman
Theatrical trailer

Special Features for Mad Love:
Commentary by Steve Haberman, author of Chronicles of Terror
Theatrical trailer

Special Features for The Devil Doll:
Theatrical trailer

Although not really a complaint, the packaging of this set somewhat surprised me. In particular, each DVD comes in a slim case rather than the thicker and sturdier keep case in which most of the DVDs in Warner DVD sets are packaged. At any rate, the set is a great deal for the money and I highly recommend it.

My kind of Entertainment..........2007-02-05

I won't go into the plots of all of these fine films, but will say that I bought it because of "Devil Doll". Those special effects are amazing. None of the films could be considered "Horror", though they all involve some terrific mystery plots. I was especially impressed with "Mad Love", and Peter Lorre was a very underrated actor. (See "The Beast with 5 Fingers" to verify this.) Early experiments with color also enhanced "Doctor X". This is, indeed, an excellent mystery collection, and any aficianado of the genre should have this in their collection.

Exciting Collection.......2007-01-05

An exciting collection of horror films. "Vampire" and "Mad Love" are works of art, "Fu Manchu" and "Doctor X" are stylish and sadistic, and "Return" and "Devil Doll" are campy but still artistic. Educational and entertaining. Highly recommended.

THE DREAM TEAM FOR NIGHTMARES.......2006-12-07

This set has nice clean video, and of course you can't lose with the actors and titles. One of the most interesting to watch is MAD LOVE which was Peter Lorre's US film debut. The devotee of the old Universal Horror movies will see certain scene similarities to The Phantom of the Opera, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, and Dracula in Mad Love, and the commentary track picks up on some (not all) of this. Interesting when you consider this is an MGM work. The only downside to this set, and it is a minor point, is the commentary track for Mark of the Vampire, where two obnoxious brits talk over each other saying little of worth. (I've noticed that on DVD commentary tracks when you put brits together, they continually talk over eachother, and it's hard to understand what they're saying. Perhaps that's why we won the Revolutionary War).
Anyway, if you love old horror movies, if you remember Famous Monsters of Filmland, if you want to see the US film debut of the man who said "You deespize me Reek, don't you?" in Casablanca--buy this set.

The Warner Gangsters Collection (The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar / The Petrified Forest / The Roaring Twenties)

Average customer rating:

The prototype of a well-done boxed set
FIve classic gangster flicks
Kudos for one of the best boxed sets ever
Fabulous value, hours of fun
Great Value collection

The Warner Gangsters Collection (The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar / The Petrified Forest / The Roaring Twenties)
Starring: Leslie Howard , Bette Davis , Genevieve Tobin , Dick Foran , and Humphrey Bogart
Director: Archie Mayo , Mervyn LeRoy , and Raoul Walsh
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 1 (The Asphalt Jungle / Gun Crazy / Murder My Sweet / Out of the Past / The Set-Up)
Warner Bros. Pictures Tough Guys Collection (Bullets or Ballots / City for Conquest / Each Dawn I Die / G Men / San Quentin / A Slight Case of Murder)
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 2 (Born to Kill / Clash by Night / Crossfire / Dillinger (1945) / The Narrow Margin (1952))
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 3 (Border Incident / His Kind of Woman / Lady in the Lake / On Dangerous Ground / The Racket)
Kiss of Death (Fox Film Noir)

ASIN: B0006HBV3M
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Amazon.com

For a knock-out combination of timeless entertainment and vintage studio history, you can't do much better than The Warner Brothers Gangsters Collection. In the 1930s and '40s, Paramount specialized in glossy comedies, MGM popularized lavish musicals, Universal produced signature horror classics, and Fox scored hits with sophisticated dramas. But it was Warner Bros. that generated controversy--if not always box-office profits--with so-called "social problem" films, and that meant gangsters. When viewed in their pre- and post-Prohibition context and in chronological order (Little Caesar and The Public Enemy, 1931; The Petrified Forest, 1936; Angels With Dirty Faces, 1938; The Roaring Twenties, 1939; White Heat, 1949), these six films definitively capture Warners' domination of the mobster genre, and to varying degrees, they all qualify as classics.

With its stilted visuals and pulpy plot, Little Caesar remains stuck in the stiff, early-sound era, but it's still a prototypical powerhouse, with Edward G. Robinson's titular "Rico" setting the stage for all screen gangsters to follow. The Public Enemy made James Cagney a star (who can forget him smashing a grapefruit into Mae Clarke's face?), and Humphrey Bogart repeats his Broadway success in The Petrified Forest, a stagy adaptation of Robert Sherwood's play, still enjoyable for Bogey's ever-threatening malevolence. Then it's a Cagney triple-threat in Angels (with Pat O'Brien), racketeering in The Roaring Twenties (with Bogart), and especially the jailbird classic White Heat, with a fiery finale and an exit line ("Made it Ma! Top o' the world!") that epitomized Cagney's iconic, tough-guy image. In many ways Cagney was Warner Bros., and this Gangsters Collection pays enduring tribute to him and the important films that forged the studio's rugged reputation. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The Public Enemy showcases James Cagney's powerful 1931 breakthrough performance as streetwise tough guy Tom Powers. When shooting began, Cagney had a secondary role but Zanuck soon spotted Cagney's screen dominance and gave him the star part. From that moment, an indelible genre classic and an enduring star career were both born.

As a psychotic thug devoted to his hard-boiled ma, James Cagney - older, scarier and just as elctrifying - gives a performance to match his work in The Public Enemy as White Heat's cold-blooded Cody Jarrett. Bracingly directed by Raoul Walsh, this fast-paced thriller tracing Jarrett's violent life in and out of jail is also a harrowing character study. Jarrett is a psychological time bomb ruled by impulse. It is among the most vivid screen performances of Cagney's career, and the excitement it generates will put you on top of the world!

In Angels with Dirty Faces, Cagney's Rocky Sullivan is a charismatic ghetto tough whose underworld rise makes him a hero to a gang of slum punks. The 1938 New York Film Critics Best Actor Award came Cagney's way, as well as one of the film's three Oscar nominations. Watch the chilling death-row finale and you'll know why.

"R-I-C-O, Little Caesar, that's who!" Edward G. Robinson bellowed into the phone. And Hollywood got the message: 37-year-old Robinson, not gifted with matinee-idol looks, was nonetheless a first-class star and moviegoers hailed the hard-hitting social consciousness dramas that became the Depression-era mainstay of Warner Bros.

Little Caesar is the tale of pugnacious Caesar Enrico Bandello, a hoodlum with a Chicago-sized chip on his shoulder, few attachments, fewer friends and no sense of underworld diplomacy. And Robinson - a genteel art collector who disdained guns (in the movie, his eyelids were taped to keep them from blinking when he fired a pistol) - was forever associated with the screen's archetypal gangster.

A rundown diner bakes in the Arizona heat. Inside, fugitive killer Duke Mantee sweats out a manhunt, holding disillusioned writer Alan Squier, young Gabby Maple and a handful of others hostage.

The Petrified Forest, Robert E. Sherwood's 1935 Broadway success about survival of the fittest, hit the screen a year later with Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart magnificently recreating their stage roles and Bette Davis ably reteaming with her Of Human Bondage co-star Howard. Sherwood first wanted Bogart for a smaller role. "I thought Sherwood was right," Bogart said. "I couldn't picture myself playing a gangster. So what happened? I made a hit as the gangster." So right was he that Howard refused to make the film without him...and helped launch Bogie's brilliant movie career.

In The Roaring Twenties, the speakeasy era never roared louder than in this gangland chronicle that packs a wallop under action master Raoul Walsh's direction. Against a backdrop of newsreel-like montages and narration, it follows the life of jobless war veteran Eddie Bartlett (James Cagney) who turns bootlegger, dealing in "bottles instead of battles." Battles await Eddie within and without his growing empire. Outside are territorial feuds and gangland bloodlettings. Inside is the treachery of his double-dealing associate (Humphrey Bogart). It would be 10 years before Cagney played another gangster (in White Heat), a time in which gangster movies themselves became rare. "He used to be a big shot," Panama Smith (Gladys George) says at the finale, marking Bartlett's demise...and signaling the end of Hollywood's focus on the gangster era.

Customer Reviews:

The prototype of a well-done boxed set.......2007-05-14

Kudos to Warner Home Video for the loving treatment they gave these six classic films from their vaults. Every film gets the Warner Night at the Movies treatment with a newsreel, a trailer, a vintage short subject, and a cartoon each from the year in which the movie was made. Plus there are commentary tracks for all of the films. I liked watching each film through first without the track, and then listening to them with the track turned on for insight into the stars and the style of the film. In addition to this you get the following featurettes:

Little Caesar - "End of Rico, Beginning of the Antihero"
Public Enemy - "Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public"
Petrified Forest - "Menace in the Desert". There is also a radio adaptation featuring Humphrey Bogart, Tyrone Power, and Joan Bennett.
Angels with Dirty Faces - "Whaddaya Hear? Whaddaya Say?". This also has an audio-only radio production.
The Roaring Twenties - "The World Moves On"
White Heat - "Top of the World"

It's interesting to compare the three stars of these movies - Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, and Humphrey Bogart - and their styles in each of these movies. "Little Caesar" and "Public Enemy" were made when prohibition was still in effect and gangland crime was still a big problem. Thus Robinson and Cagney each play remorseless criminals with no redeeming values whatsoever. Robinson's Rico is less physical than Cagney's Tom Powers, though. You believe that either one of them would shoot you without a second thought. However, Cagney's Powers is scarier because the real fear is that he would beat you to a pulp for the fun of it and THEN shoot you.

"The Petrified Forest" is not your typical gangster film, with Leslie Howard's vagabond being the real star in what amounts to an improbable romance set against the backdrop of the desperation of the Great Depression which the desert setting seems to signify. This 1936 film has Bogart as Duke Mantee, a gangster on the run, in what amounts to a supporting role. However, you do get to see all of the traits that made Bogart great when he got the opportunity to seize the lead in later roles. And to think they almost cast him as the filling station attendant in this one!

In 1938's "Angels with Dirty Faces" and 1939's "The Roaring Twenties" Cagney is again playing the lead gangster and Humphrey Bogart plays a supporting role in both films. With prohibition long over, though, these movies make Cagney's gangster more three-dimensional, showing him to even be a self-sacrificing character at times as well as a killer. Both movies bother to show that had circumstances been a little different, he might not have even become a criminal in the first place.

1949's "White Heat" shows the influence of film noir that was so popular in the 40's an 50's. Here, Cagney's gangster persona has come full circle back to the viciousness of Tom Powers in "Public Enemy". The big difference is that in this film Cagney's mother is no cream puff. She is, in fact, probably a bigger criminal in thought if not in deed than Cagney's Cody Jarrett. This final gangster film of the six shows technology and thus the law gaining on the criminal, with electronic gadgets and undercover lawmen with college degrees in psychology replacing the determined hard-boiled detectives and beat cops of the past. It very much looks forward to the Dragnet series that is to emerge in the 50's.

In summary, this is just a terrific package and basically acts as a complete course on the gangster film as genre. All studios should stand up and take notice of how Warner Home Video put this set together. Highly recommended.

FIve classic gangster flicks.......2007-01-31

Five classic gangster films from the glory days of Warner Bros.

Granted, "gangster film" isn't the most appropriate description of 1936's "The Petrified Forest," the film based on Sherwood Anderson's talky philosophical play, but if not for the dynamic presence of Humphrey Bogart as Duke Mantee, the "prestigious" production starring Leslie Howard and Bette Davis would likely now be relegated to the same vault that stores "She Loved a Fireman" (with Ann Sheridan) and other forgotten drek from the same period. It was this film that established Bogart as a valuable supporting player on the Warner lot, a position he would occupy until 1940's "High Sierra" made him a top star.

James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson would achieve stardom almost a decade earlier than Bogart with their breakthrough roles in 1931's "Public Enemy" and "Little Caesar" respectively. Directed by William Wellman, the former film holds up quite well despite the somewhat wooden performances of the supporting cast, whereas the latter is too stagy for its own good and remains of interest primarily for Robinson's dynamic performance.

1938's "Angels with Dirty Faces" and 1939's "The Roaring Twenties" are notable for pairing Cagney with Bogart, as adversaries in the former, and as partners, at least for a time, in the latter. Both are highly entertaining with "Angels" benefiting from the casting of the Dead End Kids.

The best film in this set, however, is 1948's "White Heat" with Cagney as Cody Jarrett who makes it to the "top of the world" only to have it blow up in his face. Jarrett ranks with Cagney's portrayal of George M. Cohen in "Yankee Doodle Dandy" as his finest performance.

Brian W. Fairbanks

Kudos for one of the best boxed sets ever.......2007-01-19

While all 6 titles in this set are worthy ones, the four Cagney entries are the ones that are the real jewels and make his claim to the throne of king of the classic gangsters. "White Heat" features his finest and most memorable characterization, a masterpiece of curdled mother love. Warner Brothers is currently giving Criterion a run for its money as the best producer of lovingly restored and well-packaged films on DVD.

Fabulous value, hours of fun.......2006-12-29

It doesn't get much better than this. Settle down with some popcorn, snuggle into your most comfy chair and get ready for hours of entertainment. The transfers of these DVD's are exceptional, especially on The Roaring Twenties and Angels with Dirty Faces. The quality of the other films is slightly less impressive, but still quite acceptable. Remember we're dealing with 75 year old films in the case of Little Caesar and Public Enemy. The audio transfers are also quite good.

The heart of the set is the magnificent 1949 classic, White Heat. This is my favorite gangster movie because of the psycopathic character, Cody Jarret. What a portrayal! Never in movie history has their such a intricately neurotic, mommy-obsessed, gun-toting murderer as Cody. Nobody else but Cagney could have pulled off this performance, which hasn't lost a beat in the intervening 55 years. The interplay between Cody and his mother is the stuff of legend. There isn't one unnecessary or boring moment in White Heat, it is magnificent.

One great thing about this release is that a new generation can grow to love and appreciate the talent of James Cagney. He dominates these films and he's as fresh and lovable as he was back in the 30's. His screen presence jumps out at you and even when he plays a thug, ya gotta love him. His charisma is palpable.

The weak movie here (and one which doesn't quite fit), is Petrified Forest, with Bogie's breakout performance. I would have preferred a George Raft movie in its place. Bogart's performances in the Cagney films is always as a cringing second banana and it's interesting to watch how Jimmy utterly dominates their screen pairing. They made three movies together and it's no surprise that Cagney guns down Bogie in every one!

Little Caesar now seems dated and the supporting cast is generally forgettable, especially the insipid Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Edward G. Robinson is fabulous, as he always was, but the movie suffers the malady of most early talkers: overacting or over direction.

The extras on this DVD set are exceptional, especially the "Warner Bros. at the Movies." These contain a newsreel, a short, a cartoon and finally, the feature film itself. It allows the viewer to vicariously live through the 1930's. A real pleasure! My highest recommendation.

Great Value collection.......2006-07-24

Since Warner Brohters were famous for their gangster films, a boxed set of the most famous was logical and welcome. This set contains the best and most famous of those fims. More detailed reviews of each film can be viewed under their individual titles. By way of a quick summary:

- In 1930, "Little Ceasar" is the film based on the story of Al Capone which made Edward G Robinson a star but the film is antique and almost unwatchable today except for Robinson's towering performance.
- "The Public Enemy", made in 1931, was James Cagney's starmaking role and is very well directed by William Wellman.
- "The Petrified Forest" from 1936 is a film version of the play using Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart from the original Broadway production. Bogart plays a gangster holed up in a remote gas station taking hostage the occupants. The film has a poetic quality which dates it significantly.
- From 1938, "Angels with Dirty Faces" is one of the best of the gangster cycle with Cagney's award winning performance and a great cast, superbly directed by Michael Curtiz.
- In 1939, "The Roaring Twenties" just about the last in the cycle before film makers turned to the war, has an epic and documentary quality and summarises the whole prohibition era. It is very well made.
- In 1949, Cagney returned to the genre for one last role, maybe his best in "White Heat". His gangster now is psychopathic and the film has qualities similar to the popular film noir of the period.

The prints of the films are excellent with the exception of "Little Ceasar" which definitely shows its age. The extras include good featurettes about each film and if you view them in chronological order, you can pick up the continuity on the commentaries - 2 pre Hays Code implementation in 1934, 3 post code and pre war and 1 post war. There are many other extras including cartoons, newsreels and trailers as part of "Warners Night at the Movies". The package is outstanding value.

Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Casablanca Two-Disc Special Edition / The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Two-Disc Special Edition / They Drive by Night / High Sierra)

Average customer rating:

they drive by night
Terrific films but if you bought these separately you've got the same set without the cardboard holding box

Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Casablanca Two-Disc Special Edition / The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Two-Disc Special Edition / They Drive by Night / High Sierra)
Starring: Humphrey Bogart
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Maltese Falcon Three-Disc Special Edition / Across the Pacific / Action in the North Atlantic / All Through the Night / Passage to Marseille)
Bogie and Bacall - The Signature Collection (The Big Sleep / Dark Passage / Key Largo / To Have and Have Not)
Robert Mitchum - The Signature Collection (Angel Face / Macao / The Sundowners / Home from the Hill / The Good Guys and the Bad Guys / The Yakuza)
Warner Bros. Pictures Tough Guys Collection (Bullets or Ballots / City for Conquest / Each Dawn I Die / G Men / San Quentin / A Slight Case of Murder)
Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection (David Copperfield 1935 / Marie Antoinette 1938 / Pride and Prejudice 1940 / A Tale of Two Cities 1935 / Treasure Island 1934)

ASIN: B000GIXLUW
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Product description

Includes: Casablanca (Two-Disc Special Edition), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Two-Disc Special Edition), They Drive by Night, and High Sierra.

Customer Reviews:

they drive by night.......2007-01-29

I love everything he does. Too bad they don't have "bad" guys with principles anymore.

Terrific films but if you bought these separately you've got the same set without the cardboard holding box.......2006-12-13

It's the holidays so what better thing to do than package up previously released films and a couple of previously released older Bogart classics? Warner has done a good job here combining two of Bogie's finest films "Casablanca" and "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" along with "They Drive By Night" and Bogie's starmaking performance as bad guy Ray earle in "High Sierra" (perhaps a sense of humor as well from those who combined this with "Sierra Madre" where Bogie plays a very different iconic role).

John Huston may be America's most consistently brilliant filmmaker. That's saying a lot considering the competition but Huston the son of actor Walter Huston tackled a number of genres with intelligence, a cynical wit and a sharp eye for human behavior. John Huston began as a screenwriter with one of his first jobs working on "Murders in the Rue Morgue" for Robert Florey in 1932 (that's not counting his many appearances as an extra in his father's films). By 1941 he found himself in the director's chair for the first of many collaborations with Humphrey Bogart in "The Maltese Falcon".

"The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" was only Huston's sixth credited film as director and it still stands tall in his 47 film career as director. The story of three men in search of gold in the mountains of Mexico and how greed and paranoia overwhelm the three men (Bogart, Walter Huston and Bruce Bennett) contributing to tragedy sounds like something that should be a folk tale warning of how gold can bring out the worst in a man.

"Sierra Madre" and "Casablanca" both look terrific with crisp, sharp looking images. Warner has done a superb job of cleaning up both these classic films. "Sierra Madre" doesn't look quite as good as "Casablanca" with sections that are grainy, white spots and other minor analog imperfections but on the whole looks quite good. The grainy quality of the film in a couple of scenes doesn't surprise me given some of the location photography and the occasional use of telephoto shots where the picture is a bit unsteady. Overall "Casablanca" wins this contest in terms of looks but it's somehow appropriate that "Sierra Madre" looks a bit rough around the edges given the cynical nature, location photography and a feeling as close to naturalistic as Hollywood could do at the time. Considering how old the film is I personally feel it looks extremely good in this deluxe edition from Warner.

"Casablanca" actually looks better. Digitally cleaned up with a superior negative used for this edition it's one of the sharpest looking older films I've seen Warner put out. Audio for both films sounds extremely good doing justice to the musical scores for each film and features clear dialogue.

"High Sierra" was originally released to DVD in a single disc edition in 2003. This is exactly the same release as before. Warner released a top notch transfer for 2003 and it still looks extremely good three years later. Audio has considerable punch.

"They Drive By Night" gets a very nice transfer as well. Again it was previously released in 2003 and it's a minor gem from director Raoul Walsh. Audio sounds fine here as well with dialogue presented very clear.

The 2003 releases have two short but informative featurettes that Warner put together for the original snapcase releases back in 2003. Both are extremely good and worthwhile to watch. "Casablanca" actually has all the same materials that I reviewed in 2003 (although I can't find the link for some reason) so I'll briefly provide highlights of this set. We get a TV adaptation of the film which was produced in the 50's. It's most notable for reminding you how great the movie is. It's comparable to watching a high school production of a Broadway play you've seen. The documentary on Bogart which is narrated by Bacall Bogie's romantic lead in film and life provides an excellent if superficial background. There's no dirt but that's not a surprise. Warner cartoon short "Carrotblanca" a somewhat anemic spoof of the film shows up here as well with Bugs playing Bogie and various Warner characters filling the other character roles. A solid documentary is also included on the making of the film and deleted scenes (without the audio) which was recently discovered.

"Treasure" has lots of great stuff buried on the second disc and some fool's gold as well. The older documentary on Huston narrated by Robert Mitchum is a gem and while its not warts and all it's about as close as you're likely to get in the way of a kiss and tell biography on film about this legendary hell raiser. The second on the making of the film features some nice interviews and trivia but isn't quite what I had hoped. It's not bad just doesn't have as many gold nuggets as I expected. We also get a Bogie trailer collection, along with "8 Ball Bunny" which is a classic and funny short that references the film (Faux Bogie: "Excuse me could you help a fellow American down on his luck?" Bugs: "Hit the road!"). We get a Warner Night Out hosted by Leonard Maltin with lots of cool stuff that you might have seen if you had attended the theater to see this when it was released. Finally we get a collection of photos, a radio broadcast of "Treasure" featuring Bogie and Walter Huston, a second cartoon, storyboards and behind-the-scenes photos.

Bottom line: If your film fan hasn't purchased these separate this is a great set. However if you did buy any of these titles individually I should warn you there's nothing here that's new. Unlike the second Bogie set which does have some films that hadn't been released to DVD before (the gem in that set is "The Maltese Falcon" in a three disc special edition but there are also some worthwhile Bogie gold in that set as well. There's no fool's gold but as with any set the quality of the gold will vary).

Audrey Hepburn Collection (Breakfast at Tiffany's / Roman Holiday / Sabrina)

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All time collections
Special features make this a special collection
Elegance and style

Audrey Hepburn Collection (Breakfast at Tiffany's / Roman Holiday / Sabrina)
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Audrey Hepburn , William Holden , Walter Hampden , and John Williams (II)
Director: Billy Wilder , William Wyler , and Blake Edwards
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B000MGBLSW
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Amazon.com

Breakfast at Tiffany's
No film better utilizes Audrey Hepburn's flighty charm and svelte beauty than this romantic adaptation of Truman Capote's novella. Hepburn's urban sophisticate Holly Golightly, an enchanting neurotic living off the gifts of gentlemen, is a bewitching figure in designer dresses and costume jewelry. George Peppard is her upstairs neighbor, a struggling writer and "kept" man financed by a steely older woman (Patricia Neal). His growing friendship with the lonely Holly soon turns to love and threatens the delicate balance of both of their compromised lives. Taking liberties with Capote's bittersweet story, director Blake Edwards and screenwriter George Axelrod turn New York into a city of lovers and create a poignant portrait of Holly, a frustrated romantic with a secret past and a hidden vulnerability. Composer Henry Mancini earned Oscars for the hit song "Moon River" and his tastefully romantic score. The only sour note in the whole film is Mickey Rooney's demeaning performance as the apartment's Japanese manager, an offensively overdone stereotype even in 1961. The rest of the film has weathered the decades well. Edwards's elegant yet light touch, Axelrod's generous screenplay, and Hepburn's mix of knowing experience and naiveté combine to create one of the great screen romances and a refined slice of high society bohemian chic. --Sean Axmaker

Roman Holiday
Maybe it doesn't quite live up to its sterling reputation, and maybe the leading man and director were slightly miscast. But who cares? Roman Holiday is the film that brought Audrey Hepburn to prominence, and the world movie audience went weak at the knees. The endlessly charming Hepburn had her first starring role in this sweet romance, playing a European princess on an official tour through Rome. Frustrated by her lack of connection to the real world, she slips away from her protective handlers and goes on a spree, aided by a tough-guy news reporter (Gregory Peck). Director William Wyler, more at home with such heavy-going, Oscar-winning classics as The Best Years of Our Lives and Ben- Hur, doesn't always keep the champagne bubbles afloat, and the Peck role would have fit Cary Grant like a silk glove. But the film is great fun, the location shooting is irresistible, and Hepburn embodies an image of chic style that would rule for the rest of the fifties. No coincidence: she won an Oscar, and so did veteran costume designer Edith Head. --Robert Horton

Sabrina
Audrey Hepburn is the delightful young Sabrina, the daughter of a chauffeur who is hopelessly in love with David Larrabee (William Holden), the playboy younger son in the rich Long Island household her father works for. In order to help her forget her woes, Sabrina is shipped off to cooking school in Paris. While there, she befriends a baron who provides a bit of culture--and the encouragement to snip off her childlike ponytail. Upon her return to New York, Sabrina is transformed into a sophisticated woman, and David is entranced by her. However, his older brother Linus (Humphrey Bogart) has arranged David's marriage to Elizabeth Tyson in order to seal a business merger and thus must steer David away from Sabrina. To do this, Linus takes on the task of wooing her for himself. Full of great dialogue ("A woman happy in love, she burns the soufflé; a woman unhappy in love, she forgets to turn on the oven") and wonderful performances, this film is a romantic masterpiece. Also enjoyable is the 1995 remake, starring Julia Ormond and Harrison Ford. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

All time collections.......2007-05-15

I have watched the movie over several years..from my childhood days. Every time I enjoy it albeit different reasons at different age!

Special features make this a special collection.......2007-04-30

I bought this 3 discs in one case collection over her other collections because each movie had special features. This is a great price for these 3 movies.

Breakfast A Tiffany's - Color, Romantic comedy. Probably her most famous and best role, Holly Golightly, is based on Truman Capote's novella. She is a carefree New York playgirl with an unstructured lifestyle. Holly befriends a nameless cat and a struggling writer(George Peppard)who is "sponsored". Widescreen Version, Enhanced for 16.9 TVs, SPECIAL FEATURES: "Making of a Classic", Commentary by Prouducer, "It's So Audrey: A Style Icon", "Audrey's Letter to Tiffany", more.

Roman Holiday- Black and White, This is Audrey's American debut in film. A great picture, it was nominated for ten Academy Awards. Audrey received an Oscar for her portrayal of a modern day princess overwelmed by her duties decides to escape for a holiday in Rome. She meets Gregory Peck a newsman, who pretends he doesn't know who she really is so he can get an exclusive story. Eddie Albert is Peck's fun loving cameraman pal. The screenplay was written by a famous writer blackballed during the McCarthy era. Directed by William Wyler. Features: "Remembering Roman Holiday,", Restoring Roman Holiday", "Edith Head- The Paramont Years", more.

Sabrina- Black and White, Romantic Comedy, Hollywood's great stars Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, and William Holden team up for this Cinderella story. Bogart and Holden are mega rich brothers and Audrey is the chauffeur's daughter, who is in love with the youngest brother. Special features include "Sabrina" Documentary.

Elegance and style.......2007-02-16

Audrey Hepburn was -- and remains -- the perfect illustration of elegance and sophistication in Hollywood. A lot of actresses have tried to imitate her look, but they couldn't manage the same onscreen grace and skill.

And the "Audrey Hepburn Collection" brings together three of the films that helped shape that image. Okay, they're not her most impressive. But all three are all funny, charming, romantic movies, and they are also the ones that Hepburn is still best known for doing.

Bored young Princess Ann (Hepburn) goes on a "Roman Holiday," when she gets upset, is sedated by a doctor, and has an odd reaction to it. Soon she has wandered out of the palace and into the streets of Rome, where she is found by struggling American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck). Since she appears to be drunk, he takes her home.

When Joe realizes that he has the missing princess in his apartment, he takes her on a whirlwind tour of Rome, with his pal taking photographs for a full article. But he doesn't count on falling in love with Ann. And Ann has a tough choice to make -- should she give up her royal life and stay with Joe, or fulfil her responsibilities as a princess?

"Sabrina" (Hepburn) is the daughter of the chauffeur at the palatial Larabee estate. She's also in love with the ne'er-do-well second son, David (William Holden), but is sent away to Paris to attend a cooking school. And with the help of a fairy godcount, she gains sophistication, ambition, and confidence... as well as the ability to make a souffle properly ("A woman unha