Tom Sawyer / Huckleberry Finn (1973-1974) - 7/18/17 from Twilight Time

[oildude]

Coming from Twilight Time on July 18, 2017, it's a double feature of Mark Twain musical adaptations familiar to many of us kids who grew up in the 70s and 80s, Tom Sawyer (1973) and Huckleberry Finn (1974). This will be a limited edition of 3000 copies.

Pre-order date: July 5, 2017, at 4 pm ET

• Twilight Time website: http://www.twilighttimemovies.com

• Screen Archives Entertainment: http://www.screenarchives.com

Special Features: Isolated Music Tracks / Tom Sawyer Audio Commentary with Screenwriter/Songwriter Richard M. Sherman and Music Producer/Historian Bruce Kimmel / Tom Sawyer Audio Commentary with Director Don Taylor and Screenwriter/Songwriter Robert B. Sherman / Tom Sawyer River Song Featurette / Tom Sawyer Rehearsal with John Williams and the Sherman Brothers / Original Theatrical Trailers

Tom Sawyer (1973)

Directed by Don Taylor (Escape from the Planet of the Apes, The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday, and many 1960s-1970s TV shows).
Starring Johnny Whitaker, Celeste Holm, Warren Oates, and Jodie Foster.
Music by John Williams.
Songs, music, and lyrics by The Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Jungle Book, Snoopy Come Home, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and many more).

Film Summary from IMDb.....Tom Sawyer and his pal Huckleberry Finn have great adventures on the Mississippi River, pretending to be pirates, attending their own funeral, and witnessing a murder.

Huckleberry Finn (1974)

Directed by J. Lee Thompson (The Guns of Navarone, Mackenna's Gold, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, and several late career Charles Bronson movies including 10 to Midnight and Murphy's Law).
Starring Jeff East, Paul Winfield, Harvey Korman, Arthur O'Connell, and Gary Merrill.
Songs, music, and lyrics by The Sherman Brothers.
Cinematography by the great Laszlo Kovacs.

Film Summary from IMDb.....Huckleberry Finn, a rambunctious boy adventurer chafing under the bonds of civilization, escapes his humdrum world and his selfish, plotting father by sailing a raft down the Mississippi River. Accompanying him is Jim, a runaway slave. Together the two strike a bond of friendship that takes them through harrowing events and thrilling adventures.

[oildude]

Trailers

I loved these films as a kid. Lots of nostalgia for both.

Hear Warren Oates sing! See little blond Jodie Foster before she became a teenage hooker!

These movies are great fun for the kid in all of us.

Tom Sawyer Official Trailer #1 - Warren Oates Movie (1973) HD - YouTube

Huckleberry Finn Official Trailer #1 - Arthur O'Connell Movie (1974) HD - YouTube

I am amazed at the degrees of separation in these films to other elements now that I am an adult and know who is who. In one of the most interesting Hollywood connect-the-dots I have found in awhile, these G-rated family films are linked in different ways to Mary Poppins, Charles Bronson, 10 to Midnight, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects, three Planet of the Apes sequels, Warren Oates and the Sam Peckinpah players, Darth Vader, Travis Bickle, and Baloo the Bear.

[kidglov3s]

Great news! 2 Apjac movies I haven't seen. I bought Huck from Big Lots at some point but couldn't bring myself to watch it pan and scanned. There's no way they're worse than Goodbye Mr Chips. With these and What a Way to Go! earlier from Kino I wonder if there's reason to expect The Chairman some day.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by oildude

Trailers

I loved these films as a kid. Lots of nostalgia for both.

Hear Warren Oates sing! See little blond Jodie Foster before she became a teenage hooker!

These movies are great fun for the kid in all of us.

[Show spoiler]Tom Sawyer Official Trailer #1 - Warren Oates Movie (1973) HD - YouTube


Huckleberry Finn Official Trailer #1 - Arthur O'Connell Movie (1974) HD - YouTube

I am amazed at the degrees of separation in these films to other elements now that I am an adult and know who is who. In one of the most interesting Hollywood connect-the-dots I have found in awhile, these G-rated family films are linked in different ways to Mary Poppins, Charles Bronson, 10 to Midnight, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects, three Planet of the Apes sequels, Warren Oates and the Sam Peckinpah players, Darth Vader, Travis Bickle, and Baloo the Bear.

And don't forget SUPERMAN! Jeff East who plays Huck Finn went on to play Clark Kent in the Smallville scenes of Superman: The Movie.

[Dan_Shane]

Originally Posted by kidglov3s

There's no way they're worse than Goodbye Mr Chips.

Worse in what way? I love that movie.

[The Great Owl]

I haven't seen these movies in ages, but I seem to remember that they both captured the spirit of their respective source novels quite well, despite being musicals. I'm probably in.

[Starchild]

Tom Sawyer was on TCM two weeks ago. 5 minutes in and I was 8 years old again! Cannot wait for these transfers from Twilight Time!

[kidglov3s]

Originally Posted by Dan_Shane

Worse in what way? I love that movie.

I don't have the words but sometimes on dark and stormy nights I awake in terror of a film being more dull than Jacobs' Goodbye Mr. Chips. I'm mostly having a laugh but that movie sure was a slog.

[Starchild]

I have my pre order in! So excited to own these two great films.

[Musicguy]

Have to say it's pretty ugly cover art. The original One Sheets were beautiful

[The Great Owl]

I just finished watching Tom Sawyer from my Twilight Time Blu-ray of Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn.



I had not seen this 1973 musical adaptation of Tom Sawyer since childhood, but I remembered most of it by heart. This film takes some liberties with the Mark Twain novel, but it nonetheless captures the spirit of the literary source in a fun and riveting way. Johnny Whitaker (Family Affair television series) stars in the title role, Jeff East, who played the young Clark Kent in Superman: The Movie, stars as Huckleberry Finn, and the always-awesome Warren Oates (Stripes, The Wild Bunch) starred as Muff Potter. Becky Thatcher is played by none other than Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver) in one of her earliest roles.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be like Muff Potter, the homeless drunk who wanders happily and aimlessly around the Mississippi town from one hidden stash of whiskey to another. I guess that there's still time for me to accomplish this goal, as long as I stay focused and believe in myself.

Tom Sawyer has one of the coolest stunts that I've ever seen in a film. It's the scene where Injun Joe jumps out the window of the court room after Tom Sawyer points him out as a murderer, lands on the ground two stories below the window, and keeps running. A body double was used for the stunt, and it's apparent, when watching in high definition, that a soft area was used for the landing, but it's still awesome to see.

I read Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn several times during my childhood, and I feel sorry for children who do not read these novels today.

The Blu-ray presentation for this movie is quite fantastic, as I expected, and the two commentary tracks are pretty nifty.

[redxrebellion]

I'm really looking forward to this one. Too much spending lately though so I'll have to wait for a sale down the line

[The Great Owl]

I just finished watching Huckleberry Finn from my Twilight Time Blu-ray of Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn.



I have fond memories of seeing this 1974 musical adaptation of Huckleberry Finn during childhood, just as I remember Tom Sawyer (1973) from back then, and it's been a pleasure to revisit both of these films this afternoon.

Jeff East, who played the teenage Clark Kent in Superman: The Movie, reprises his role as Huckleberry Finn after playing the character in Tom Sawyer, and he lends just the right blend of carefree rebellion and increasing maturity to the role that is required by this story. The most memorable performance of this movie, however, goes to Paul Winfield (The Terminator, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), who plays the runaway slave, Jim, with whom Huckleberry Finn takes off on a raft down the Mississippi River. The pivotal events from the Twain novel, namely the Grangerford feud and adventures with the "King" and the "Duke", are portrayed with in a way that really nails the vibe of the story. Gary Merrill (Where the Sidewalk Ends, All About Eve) has a memorable turn as Pap.

Once again, the Blu-ray presentation is pretty great, and I'm pretty sure that it represents the source material quite well.

[C.mcbraggins]

Any word if these are newer scans? I hear these are as the MGM DVD transfers were full screen travestys, but the Shout DVD of one of them were in oar but the same source used for the MGM DVD.

[Bradsdadg]

I'm going to add this one to my want list. With all of these sales going on recently, I don't know if I can put $30 towards it right now. I did really enjoy Tom Sawyer in the past though.

[kidglov3s]

Originally Posted by C.mcbraggins

Any word if these are newer scans? I hear these are as the MGM DVD transfers were full screen travestys, but the Shout DVD of one of them were in oar but the same source used for the MGM DVD.

They don't really look that great. Huck Finn is particularly rough, with a very heavy amount of damage to the elements. I'd be surprised to learn they were new scans. That said I certainly don't regret buying the disc, it was nice to finally see these even if I didn't get all that much out of them.

[xander6981]

I recently watched Tom Sawyer again on my recently acquired Twilight Time Blu-Ray and overall I would say I am very pleased with how it turned out. Then again, I think I'm just glad to own it on disc in it's OAR. I refused to purchase the Pan and Scan DVD so I was left with just revisiting it whenever it showed on TCM. That said, the transfer is serviceable and looks good. It's probably not a new scan and certainly nothing earth shattering, but is probably the best it's ever looked in terms of home media.

Tom Sawyer has one of the coolest stunts that I've ever seen in a film. It's the scene where Injun Joe jumps out the window of the court room after Tom Sawyer points him out as a murderer, lands on the ground two stories below the window, and keeps running. A body double was used for the stunt, and it's apparent, when watching in high definition, that a soft area was used for the landing, but it's still awesome to see.

That was a moment that always really stood out to me as well in the film because it's just a really impressive stunt. I also always wondered how they did the bit where Injun Joe throws the knife at Tom's head and hits right next to him. (The HD version gives that away too...it was on a wire.)

[moviebuff75]

I finally ordered these. I don't think there are many left.