First Men in the Moon (1964) (Limited Edition) - SOLD OUT

[Akijama]

PRE-ORDER http://www3.screenarchives.com/title...PER-CUSTOMER!/




Release date: March 10, 2015

Special Features: Isolated Score Track / Randall William Cook Introduces "First Men in the Moon" / Audio Commentary with Ray Harryhausen and Randall William Cook / Original Theatrical Trailer

[Show spoiler]TT has just stated over at HTF that FMitM is tentatively set for March 2015.

[Supernaut]

Hot Damn! Finally!

[cakefactory]

Probably my least favorite Harryhausen movie, but I'll still preorder it day one!

[Al_The_Strange]

Looks like another $30 blind-buy for me.

[Partyslammer]

Excellent news. It should look pretty good on BD if the HD broadcast that's been making the rounds for the past couple years is any indication. Really looking forward to getting the complete original score on an isolated audio track. Best non-Bernard Herrmann score of any Harryhausen film.

[Blu-Velvet]

Can't wait! One of my all-time favorite Harryhausen films and interpretations of H.G. Wells novels! I saw this back when I was about 10 at a kiddie matinee for some friend's birthday party at a packed theatre. All the little girls screamed when the Selenites were first shown, and then the boys laughed at the girls screaming!

[schlock]

I've always loved how this film spends a lot of time on the characters before any science-fiction stuff really kicks into gear. Same with Mysterious Island. It really grounds the film in a reality that is missing from most fantasy films today.

[ddwall]

Dammit looks like Twilight Time is going to get another $ 35 bucks from me.

[filmmusic]

I didn't know about this film.
The trailer looks great, I may have to buy it too!
Thanks!

[javi92]

Originally Posted by ddwall

Dammit looks like Twilight Time is going to get another $ 35 bucks from me.

Yep, same here. Love mid 60s sci-fi.

[Akijama]

Release date: March 10

[MifuneFan]

That poster is so awesome. Might have to blind buy this eon as I do enjoy these types of movies.

[f451]

Originally Posted by Partyslammer

Excellent news. It should look pretty good on BD if the HD broadcast that's been making the rounds for the past couple years is any indication. Really looking forward to getting the complete original score on an isolated audio track. Best non-Bernard Herrmann score of any Harryhausen film.

The story goes that Laurie Johnson was an assistant to Herrmann for some time. Johnson wrote the score in the spirit of Herrmann and dedicated it to him.

It's a very fine score and I hope TT does a 5.1 remix.

BTW, I recall reading somewhere that this film was shown in a Cinerama theater in England during its initial release. That must have looked spectacular!

I hope the Gatis heavily homaged remake is included as an extra. Wishful thinking but it's not available otherwise in the US. Gosh darn it!

Ok TT. You've got another sale.

[phelings]

Bought the cd soundtrack for this a long time ago . One of my faves.
For anyone unfamiliar with the movie I believe its the only anamorphic Harryhausen picture so its 2.35:1 image is wider than any of his other movies.

If you've not seen it before don't be let down by the long drawn out story that takes place on earth for about 40 minutes that lead me to walk out of the cinema when I was 5.
Discovered it again 10 years later and loved it ever since.
The dvd was a 4 channel DD track so hopefully TT will improve on that.

Lionel Jeffries performance may be too OTT and comical for some but I think it grows on you.
The combo of the 2.35:1 spectacle , the very earthbound first half hour and Laurie Johnsons lovely music put this alongside Jason and the Argonauts in my personal Harryhausen list.

Anybody expecting a continuous raft of stop motion creatures should be prepared to be disappointed.

Can't wait for this

[phelings]

Originally Posted by BrianS

You sold me on wanting to at least watch it

It could rank as possibly my favourite all time movie (alongside The Amazing Mr Blunden) but I think its the path I followed in trying to see it at its best that's part of the fascination for me.

Once I had VHS in the 80's I recorded it from ITV .
The loss of half the picture by having it in 4:3 didn't really register that far back but the 10-15 minutes of edits did. I watched it a few times but the cuts grated.

A couple of years later I re-recorded it on a saturday morning . Had to edit ads out but it was at least uncut.

No real improvement with the Columbia VHS release but as soon as I got into Laserdisc it was one of the first I tracked down.

So I was equally excited when it appeared on dvd and the surround track was great .
That seems like a long time ago.
C4 have shown it a couple of times but not in HD . By the time I had bought a Bluray recorder with this specific film in mind the film was confined to a subscription channel where you can't record the HD to disc -Film4 HD continues to air it in HD .

So I was over the moon when TT announced it .

As a newcomer you might want to treat it like 2 separate mini movies.
Its a comical kids movie with characters and performances to match while the action takes place on earth but once that sphere shoots off into space we change gear.

The landscapes of the moon are so obviously fake but that's part of the charm for me . The back projection /matte shots are also poor in some places but it really doesn't matter.

If there's one word for this movie its FUN.

[f451]

Originally Posted by phelings

The combo of the 2.35:1 spectacle , the very earthbound first half hour and Laurie Johnsons lovely music put this alongside Jason and the Argonauts in my personal Harryhausen list.

Anybody expecting a continuous raft of stop motion creatures should be prepared to be disappointed.

Can't wait for this

Although Harryhausen's stop-motion is not in abundance, his genius for visual effects is front and center. The Cavorite sphere bursting through the greenhouse marks the beginning of non-stop wondrous sights, some animated, most not, but all contributing to a marvelous film that's more than the sum of its parts. The film was made on a relatively modest budget but all departments made this film appear bigger.

Cinefantastique's look back at and review of this Harryhausen classic is worth the read --
http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/201...ersary-review/

Here's another article detailing some of the production history and hurdles --
http://widescreenmovies.org/Articles/FirstMen/index.htm

And a well balanced review by DVD Savant --
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s444moon.html

This film is way overdue and I'm really looking forward to seeing it restored and on Blu-ray.

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by f451

Although Harryhausen's stop-motion is not in abundance, his genius for visual effects is front and center. The Cavorite sphere bursting through the greenhouse marks the beginning of non-stop wondrous sights, some animated, most not, but all contributing to a marvelous film that's more than the sum of its parts. The film was made on a relatively modest budget but all departments made this film appear bigger.

Cinefantastique's look back at and review of this Harryhausen classic is worth the read --
http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/201...ersary-review/

This film is way overdue and I'm really looking forward to seeing it restored and on Blu-ray.

That's a nice review, and it makes me interested to rewatch it. I think I've only seen this movie once. I remembered not being impressed, but the lack of stop motion was probably a big part of that.

[phelings]

I always place this film alongside the original Journey to the Centre of the Earth because both offer real studio action most of the time with real props.
Todays remakes in CGI may look polished but I wouldn't say they are any more realistic.

I've avoided the BBC reboot of First Men on purpose because I like the original so much.

[John_Drake]

Brilliant.
Time to sell my DVD copy.

[Page14]

Saw this posted on Facebook. The credit goes to "Sci Fi Bob Ekman".

*****

Here is a very rare Columbia Pictures featurette on First Men In The Moon. See rare behind the scenes including a few with Special effects wizard, Ray Harryhausen!

http://vimeo.com/19818978