Midnight Kiss

Starring:Michael Owens
Studio: Platinum Disc
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Royal Wedding is finally rescued from the public domain

Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Vol. 2 (The Pirate / Words and Music / That's Dancing / The Belle of New York & Royal Wedding / That Midnight Kiss & The Toast of New Orleans)
Starring: Judy Garland , Gene Kelly , Fred Astaire , Jane Powell , and Kathryn Grayson
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Esther Williams Collection, Vol. 1
Can-Can
Lucille Ball Film Collection (Dance Girl Dance / The Big Street / Du Barry Was a Lady / Critic's Choice / Mame)
The Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection (Babes in Arms / Babes on Broadway / Girl Crazy / Strike Up the Band)
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 4 (Act of Violence / Mystery Street / Crime Wave / Decoy / Illegal / The Big Steal / They Live By Night / Side Street / Where Danger Lives / Tension)

ASIN: B000PAAK5K
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Customer Reviews:

Royal Wedding is finally rescued from the public domain.......2007-04-26

This is the second volume of MGM Dream Factory musicals. Only "That's Dancing" and "Royal Wedding" are on DVD already, and those are generally poor public domain copies. The other five features have only been on VHS up to now. I'd put all of these movies except "Belle of New York" at between four and five stars if you are a fan of the MGM musicals of the 40's and 50's. "Belle of New York" I'd put at between three and four stars mainly because the campiness of the entire production gets in the way most of the time. Considering you expect some gimmicks in MGM musicals of this era, that is saying a lot. The extra features, which I got from a press release from Warner Home Video, do look good. This package probably rates 4.5 stars taken as a whole, and I round it up to five. The following are brief descriptions of the films and the special features for each one.

The Pirate (1948) Starring Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. Features music by Cole Porter. A swashbuckling tale is largely just a framework for the music and dancing, which is excellent. Judy Garland plays a girl obsessed with a legendary pirate. Gene Kelly pretends to be that pirate in order to get the girl. This film actually lost money for MGM in its initial release. Today it is interesting because it showcases the talents of Gene Kelly and Judy Garland so well.
Commentary by historian John Fricke
New featurette The Pirate: A Musical Treasure Chest
Oscar-nominated Pete Smith Specialty 1948 MGM comedy short You Can't Win
1947 MGM classic cartoon Cat Fishing
Mack the Black stereo remix version
Audio-outtakes: Love of My Life and Mack the Black
Roger Edens' guide tracks of Be a Clown, Manuela, Nina, and You Can Do No Wrong
Promotional radio interviews with Gene Kelly for On the Town and Judy Garland for The Pirate
Theatrical trailer

That's Dancing! (1985) is a documentary along the same lines as "That's Entertainment" narrated by Gene Kelly along with co-hosts Ray Bolger, Sammy Davis Jr., Mikhail Baryshnikov and Liza Minnelli. The clips of dancing in motion pictures from the 30's to the 80's are very good, but the presentation was lacking somewhat. The narration seems deadpan, and when the narration cuts into the actual dancing numbers it is distracting more than informative.
Introduction by Gene Kelly and Jack Haley, Jr.
Invitation to Dance
The Search
The Cameras Roll
The Gathering
Theatrical trailer

Words and Music (1948) features lots of stars as themselves performing to the music of Rodgers and Hart. This is a totally fictional account of the lives and careers of Rodgers and Hart. In 1948 the true story would have never made it past the censors, but then the commentary is supposed to clear all of that up.
Commentary by historian Richard Barrios focusing on Rodgers and Hart
New featurette A Life in Words and Music
Oscar-nominated Theatre of Life 1948 MGM short Going to Blazes!
1948 MGM classic cartoon The Cat That Hated People
Lover and You're Nearer Outtakes featuring Perry Como
Audio-only bonuses: Outtakes of Falling in Love with Love, I Feel at Home with You, Manhattan (alternate version), My Funny Valentine, My Heart Stood Still, On Your Toes (alternate version) and Way Out West on West End Avenue
Theatrical trailer

That Midnight Kiss (1949) Starring Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza. This is another MGM musical with a great supporting cast that largely exists for the sake of the music, not the plot. There are some great operatic performances by Lanza who is starring in what turns out to be a pseudo-autobiography.
Pete Smith Specialty 1949 MGM comedy short Sports Oddities
1949 MGM classic cartoon Droopy
One Love of Mine outtake sequence with Lanza and Grayson
Theatrical trailer

Toast Of New Orleans (1950) Starring Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza. This time Lanza is a fisherman when his talent as a singer is discovered, and he and Grayson are in New Orleans, thus the title. This is a light breezy film with touches of comedy, delivered somewhat surprisingly by Lanza.
2006 BBC documentary on Mario Lanza
Vintage Fitzpatrick Traveltalk 1940 MGM shorts Modern New Orleans and Old New Orleans
Theatrical trailer

Royal Wedding (1951) Starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell. My favorite film of the group. A brother and sister act perform in England at the time of then Princess Elizabeth's wedding. They both fall in love, thus breaking up the act. This has Astaire's famous performance in which he dances on the walls and ceiling of his London hotel room.
Private Screenings with Stanley Donen [2006 TCM special]
Royal Wedding: June, Judy and Jane-A New Featurette
Car of Tomorrow 1951 MGM cartoon
Droopy's Double Trouble 1951 MGM cartoon
Every Night at Seven outtake with Peter Lawford and Jane Powell
Fred Astaire and Jane Powell MGM Promotional Radio Interview for Royal Wedding [audio only]
Theatrical trailer

The Belle of New York (1952) Starring Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen. This is actually a disappointing film considering Astaire is in it. Although Astaire dances more in this film than in most of the others he made, it is just hard to get past the campiness of it all - literally dancing on air, dancing on a horse's back, etc. There is some great music from Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer, though.
Musiquiz 1952 MGM Pete Smithshort
Magical Maestro 1952 MGM Tex Avery cartoon
I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man-Unused alternate take
Theatrical trailer

That Midnight Kiss / The Toast of New Orleans

Average customer rating:

That Midnight Kiss / The Toast of New Orleans
Starring: Kathryn Grayson , José Iturbi , Ethel Barrymore , Mario Lanza , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Norman Taurog
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Esther Williams Collection, Vol. 1
The Great Caruso [Import]
Words and Music
Can-Can
Unconquered (Universal Cinema Classics)

ASIN: B000PAAK50
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Average customer rating:

Midnight Kiss
Starring: Gino Dentie , Gregory A. Greer , Lee Harrington , David Hicks , and Michael McMillen
Director: Joel Bender
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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That Midnight Kiss [Import] - Mario Lanza

Average customer rating:

That Midnight Kiss [Import] - Mario Lanza

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

FOR THE FIRST TIME with Mario Lanza (Pela Primeira Vez) (Import Edition-NTSC Format-Region 1-Playable in North America)
Because You're Mine - Mario Lanza High Quality Import
The Great Caruso [Import]
The Great Caruso - With Mario Lanza and Ann Blyth High Quality Region 1 NTSC Import
Arrivederci Roma - The Seven Hills of Rome - Mario Lanza

ASIN: B000GLX6N6

Product Description

Mario Lanza plays a singing truck driver who travels the road to success and romance.

THAT MIDNIGHT KISS with Mario Lanza (Aquele Beijo da Meia-noite) (High Quality Import Edition-NTSC format-Playable in North America)

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THAT MIDNIGHT KISS with Mario Lanza (Aquele Beijo da Meia-noite) (High Quality Import Edition-NTSC format-Playable in North America)

Manufacturer: Classicline
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

FOR THE FIRST TIME with Mario Lanza (Pela Primeira Vez) (Import Edition-NTSC Format-Region 1-Playable in North America)
Arrivederci Roma - The Seven Hills of Rome - Mario Lanza
Because You're Mine - Mario Lanza High Quality Import
The Great Caruso [Import]
The Great Caruso - With Mario Lanza and Ann Blyth High Quality Region 1 NTSC Import

ASIN: B000I3VCO2

Product Description

Brand new, factory sealed, fully licensed DVD manufactured in Brazil. NTSC format. Playable on any North American DVD player. High quality full screen color image. Original English dialog with optional subtitles in Portuguese. Portuguese subtitles do not appear unless turned on and they can be easily turned off. DVD also has original theatrical trailer. The following review appears in Amazon for the VHS edition: "I grew up listening to Mario Lanza on radio & seeing his movies, but I had never seen his first movie, That Midnight Kiss. What a joy to watch and hear him, as well as Kathyrn Grayson. He was so young, and his weight the best I've ever seen of him. Guess he was born with natural acting talent as well as beauty of voice, because I saw no flaws in his acting--only perfect timing, expression of feeling, and enthusiasm (and, of course, that fabulous voice). A really sweet, romantic movie. Kathryn Grayson also was a favorite of mine at that time--so pretty, with a delightful voice. I think this is my favorite of his movies."

Average customer rating:

Midnight Kiss
Starring: Gino Dentie , Gregory A. Greer , Lee Harrington , David Hicks , and Michael McMillen
Director: Joel Bender
Manufacturer: First Look Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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