A Star is Born (1937) Janet Gaynor, Fredric March - Feb. 7, 2012 Review

[frightism]

A Star is Born Blu-ray

A Star is Born Blu-ray Review

KINO Video reveals that they will be releasing the 1937 film "A Star is Born" on Blu-ray next year on Feb. 7th:

Announcement:
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=7678

[oldtexan]

Great movie. This announcement was a pleasant surprise to me. Will definitely buy.

[jaaguir]

Originally Posted by oldtexan

great movie. This announcement was a pleasant surprise to me. Will definitely buy.

+1.

[Swissangel4616]

I have to get this movie on blu-Ray. I hope it used the original movie score.
Have the german DVD and they changed the complet background score with a modern 70s Jazz music - which was terrible (and it was during the whole movie always the same!).

[GuyOfOwnage]

Review is up:

A Star is Born Blu-ray Review

[Simple Lines]

[NoirFan]

I have my cover turned inside out.

[Arkadin]

I have no idea if this is true or not, but a reviewer on amazon claims that there is a newly restored print of this film that Kino did not utilize for this bd.
I would love to find out if there is any truth to that claim.

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

I have no idea if this is true or not, but a reviewer on amazon claims that there is a newly restored print of this film that Kino did not utilize for this bd.
I would love to find out if there is any truth to that claim.

I know I'm necroposting, but I just came across your post while looking over my new BD of the 1976 version (I already have the other two).

I just read that review, and it's almost certainly true. WB bought ASiB (film, script, and all other rights) from David O. Selznick in order to make the 1954 version, but in 1965 failed to renew its copyright in the film itself; thus it entered the public domain. (The script is still copyrighted; WB lent it to Barbra Streisand & Jon Peters for the 1976 version, and Peters was also behind the proposed Clint Eastwood remake put on hold when Beyoncé bailed out.) WB still owns the original film elements; I wouldn't be surprised if they called in UCLA to help them restore it.

Kino's transfer is from a high-quality print stored at George Eastman House in Rochester, NY; it did not originate from WB-owned elements in any way. It claims to be authorized by Selznick's estate, but unless it uses materials still owned by the estate that's just a paper endorsement. It's better than your typical PD copy, but in the end it's still a PD copy. (Edit 4/29/13: Kino also has this in a set of five Selznick PD films, all authorized by his estate and all but one from Eastman House prints.)

My guess is that WB intends to obtain a copyright on the UCLA restoration and someday release it; it included a trailer for this version in its digibooks of both the 1954 & 1976 versions. IMO, they don't plan on releasing it now because (a) it's too close to both Kino's edition and the 1976 version and (b) the classic-film market is too depressed right now to support it. If and when they do release it, don't be surprised if they roll out a UCE box'o'swag containing all three versions--maybe even What Price Hollywood? too (WB owns it via RKO & Turner). Till then, Kino's the best we've got...