The Wizard of Oz wasn't a money-spinner for the studio until its 1949 re-release, initially earning only $3.02 million at the box office
against a budget of $2.8 million.WARNER BROS. PICTURES
The 14 movies returning the movie theaters as part of the 2019 TCM Big Screen Classics series have been revealed.
The year-long event, in partnership with Fathom Events, gives film fans the chance to revisit, or enjoy for the first time, classic movies on the big screen.
The first gem out of the gate in 2019 will be The Wizard of Oz.
A critical success on its 1939 release, it actually didn’t make a profit for MGM until the 1949 re-release, earning only $3.02 million at the box office against a budget of $2.8 million – it was the most expensive production ever for the studio at the time. Thanks to various reissues, unadjusted for inflation, it has finally made $23.3 million.
The Wizard of Oz will be in select theaters January 27, 29, and 30, 2019.
Other classics getting an airing are My Fair Lady, To Kill a Mockingbird, True Grit, Hello, Dolly!, Lawrence of Arabia, and Ben-Hur.
Ben-Hur, starring Charlton Heston, initially hit theaters in 1959. Made for $15.2 million, it ended up making $146.9 million at the box office on its initial release - it earned another $10.1 million in sales with its re-release in 1969. It was the fastest-grossing film, and the highest-grossing movie of 1959, and, at the time, became the second-highest-grossing film of all-time. As a result of its success, Ben-Hur saved MGM from financial disaster.
The modern classics returning to the big screen as part of the TCM Big Screen Classics series include Alien, Steel Magnolias - which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary, The Shawshank Redemption, When Harry Met Sally, The Godfather Part II, Glory, and Field of Dreams.
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Looks like I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the theater in 2019.
I bought thirty spines in the July sale; I think I had a total of forty-eight films during that sale; but this time I could only afford one so I grabbed A Story from Chikamatsu. If there's a Mizoguchi film in a month that always comes first with me. Love him as my avatar shows. I'm getting The Magnificent Ambersons for Christmas so I'll get a late two from the sale.
Mine should be here tomorrow. I'll post a picture.
I wonder if Criterion may do a release of von Trier's THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. Would be nice with both of the cuts.
What are your thoughts on the film? I read a review article about Matt Dillon that made me want to watch it, but I'm also aware of my limitations when it comes to certain themes - especially cruelty.
High & Low is so incredible. It has such a layered and complex screenplay. I daresay it might be a Top 5 Kurosawa film for me.
I wonder what's happening with Criterion's Kurosawa blu ray releases. We haven't had any in a while and overall they've really slow down. I heard rumors they got Ran back, which would be amazing. But where's Stray Dog, Drunken angel and the bad sleeps well? And i'm still desperately hoping for Dersu Uzala to make it to blu ray one day...
I wonder what's happening with Criterion's Kurosawa blu ray releases. We haven't had any in a while and overall they've really slow down. I heard rumors they got Ran back, which would be amazing. But where's Stray Dog, Drunken angel and the bad sleeps well? And i'm still desperately hoping for Dersu Uzala to make it to blu ray one day...
As a seasoned movie watcher, I feel like I've not been watching enough 30's to 50's movies lately. I own a ton of Criterions that I've never watched so I decided to put in The Earrings of Madame De..... Holy shit! What an amazing amazing movie!! I'm still trying to process what I just watched. First of all the camera work in it was so inventive and ahead of it's time. That opening scene of her rummaging through her belongings to find something she could live without. The camera just following her as she goes through her jewelry, then through her closet and back again. I was immediately sucked in. The plot was fantastic. How the earrings represented different things to different people at different times and then changing hands again and representing something totally different. I seriously thought it was going to play out like some sort of morality tale but then turned into a serious love story with consequences. After watching I just stared at the screen for a bit. I watched all the extras. Went online and read a couple of reviews from some sites that I respect and got a deeper understanding of the experience.
I'm actually quite surprised this hasn't been remade in some sort of way (I might be wrong on this). I feel like if someone did, they would miss the point and turn it into some kind of cheap emotional movie with a message that would beat you over the head. Every thing that this movie isn't.
Again, what a fantastic movie that I urge anyone to watch who hasn't yet.
That's a great synopsis of your views on the film. I've always loved this film too and initially saw it years ago due to my interest in Charles Boyer. Last year the star of this film, Danielle Darrieux passed away at 100 years old, quite the feat and upon reading of her passing I immediately made time to watch again this fascinating film. Reading your comments has whetted my appetite once again to revisit this. Thank you.
They haven't said either way, but consider it a rumor with some backing.
It was part of a group of WB titles that went OOP on DVD on the same day. Every other title has since been announced as a Criterion release (A Face in the Crowd being the most recent) with Klute being the only one left.
Wasn't Freaks part of that bunch of titles? I would kill for a Criterion release of that film with all the extras ported over and some new Criterion extras added. I don't want any other label to release the blu ray of this film....
Thanks given by:
drat (12-06-2018), Gory (12-06-2018), johnny (12-06-2018)
So sorry if this question has been asked before, but when will the Criterion announcements come out this month (and when do they normally come out each month) ?
I wonder what's happening with Criterion's Kurosawa blu ray releases. We haven't had any in a while and overall they've really slow down. I heard rumors they got Ran back, which would be amazing. But where's Stray Dog, Drunken angel and the bad sleeps well? And i'm still desperately hoping for Dersu Uzala to make it to blu ray one day...
Sniff sniff....
I smell a large Kurosawa box set. Next year. Spine #1000.
(no, I don't know anything, I just want it to happen.)
So sorry if this question has been asked before, but when will the Criterion announcements come out this month (and when do they normally come out each month) ?
So sorry if this question has been asked before, but when will the Criterion announcements come out this month (and when do they normally come out each month) ?
Generally the 15th. Though the 15th is a Saturday so 14th or 17th?
So sorry if this question has been asked before, but when will the Criterion announcements come out this month (and when do they normally come out each month) ?
The 15. If the 15 falls on a weekend or holiday then it’s the next business day.
So sorry if this question has been asked before, but when will the Criterion announcements come out this month (and when do they normally come out each month) ?
Normally around the 15th, although announcements can be delayed if it’s a cloudy day or the month begins with a vowel
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