Kino Lorber Studio Classics

[Member-222782]

Thank goodness I understand the meaning of the word subjective. Otherwise, I would be insulting a lot of people for calling a film I enjoy "crap"

[Akijama]

Elmer Gantry in September, baby!

https://www.facebook.com/KinoLorberS...if_t=notify_me

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Elmer Gantry in September, baby!

https://www.facebook.com/KinoLorberS...if_t=notify_me

More good news, but does anyone else wish Kino Lorber would announce these titles in one big chunk, maybe on a specific day a la Criterion? Announcing these releases in dribs and drabs like this makes it harder to keep up.

[Musicguy]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

More good news, but does anyone else wish Kino Lorber would announce these titles in one big chunk, maybe on a specific day a la Criterion? Announcing these releases in dribs and drabs like this makes it harder to keep up.

If does make it harder to keep up, but it is fun knowing a new title will be announced every few days.

[MifuneFan]

I really hope Kino isn't biting off more than they can chew. They've announced an ambitious amount of releases for the upcoming months, many being my fav. movies. I really hope they can deliver a quality product

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I really hope Kino isn't biting off more than they can chew. They've announced an ambitious amount of releases for the upcoming months, many being my fav. movies. I really hope they can deliver a quality product

Yeah, especially as the first ones haven't been released yet. I mean, Kino does have a good reputation based on their past releases of silent movies, etc. but the way they're cranking these out I can see them simply being not much different than what Twilight Time does, take whatever's been given to them by MGM and slap it on a disc.

[Musicguy]

There does seems to be a lot of titles coming quickly (over 20 so far) probably just the HD masters from MGM HD Digital. Some of these seemed like Twilight Time titles, maybe these are the titles Twilight passed on?

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

There does seems to be a lot of titles coming quickly (over 20 so far) probably just the HD masters from MGM HD Digital. Some of these seemed like Twilight Time titles, maybe these are the titles Twilight passed on?

Do Twilight Time get first crack at those? There's a few titles here that I'd be shocked at anyone turning down unless maybe they felt the score wasn't up to snuff for an isolated track? I mean, Elmer Gantry and Marty are bona fide classics and Great Train Robbery and Private Life of Sherlock Holmes have great appeal too due to the talents involved. Maybe MGM just offers their catalog to whoever wants it on a "dibs" basis.

[Musicguy]

Twilight would turn titles down if the masters weren't up to their standards. They were very public about turning some top titles down

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

Twilight would turn titles down if the masters weren't up to their standards. They were very public about turning some top titles down

Yet they green-lit Titus and Demetrius and the Gladiators.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

Yeah, especially as the first ones haven't been released yet. I mean, Kino does have a good reputation based on their past releases of silent movies, etc. but the way they're cranking these out I can see them simply being not much different than what Twilight Time does, take whatever's been given to them by MGM and slap it on a disc.

That's what Kino always does. They don't do any restorations, mastering, or whatever. They just press what they're given.

[Scottie]

I'm honestly happy with the films hitting Blu-ray, regardless of how perfect it is in terms of audio and video quality. Hell, as long as it's better than the DVD or standard definition broadcasts (TCM, for example,), I'll be content.

[Musicguy]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I'm honestly happy with the films hitting Blu-ray, regardless of how perfect it is in terms of audio and video quality. Hell, as long as it's better than the DVD or standard definition broadcasts (TCM, for example,), I'll be content.

Spoken like a true American!

[octagon]

Originally Posted by bigbadwoppet

Well, they could choose not to license such lousy titles in the first place.

If Kino were in the habit of turning their noses up at so-called lousy titles we probably wouldn't have the Redemption line. And if titles like Marty and Witness for the Prosecution carry with them the occasional (or even not so occasional) Meteor then so be it.

That seems like a small price to pay.

[whiteberry]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I'm honestly happy with the films hitting Blu-ray, regardless of how perfect it is in terms of audio and video quality.

I agree. Most likely these will use MGM's old HD masters but MGM's old HD masters are much better than Universal's old DNR'ed-to-death HD masters. Sure I would like new scans but MGM isn't exactly rolling in the money these days. It's either use old scans or no blu-rays at all and be stuck with watching them interrupted with commercials on MGM HD. Let's not forget most of these movies have a very limited audience and I was never expecting them to be released on blu-ray. Now, when are they going to announce Truck Turner?

[octagon]

If the quality of the Studio Classics line is comparable to Notorious or Manhattan or The Apartment I'll be very, very happy with them.

If they're more along the lines of The Graduate or Midnight Cowboy I won't be delighted but I won't be heartbroken either. Even MGM's mediocre transfers are pretty decent overall.

[hustlermane]

I love me Elmer Gantry, a truly fantastic film. Lancaster is scarily good in it.

[pro-bassoonist]

The Young Savages Blu-ray



NEWS
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=14301

U.S. distributors Kino Lorber have confirmed that they will release on Blu-ray director John Frankenheimer's The Young Savages (1961), starring Burt Lancaster, Dina Merrill, Edward Andrews, Telly Savalas, Shelley Winters, and Vivian Nathan. The release is scheduled to arrive on the U.S. market in September.

Synopsis: The beginning of the long association between director John Frankenheimer and actor Burt Lancaster, The Young Savages stars the latter as Assistant D.A. Hank Bell. In the Spanish Harlem of the late 1950s, Hank is prosecuting three members of an Italian street gang who have been charged with the stabbing death of a blind Puerto Rican teenager. Although D.A. Dan Cole (Edward Andrews), eager to boost his career, has told the press that he'll seek the death penalty, Hank, a product of the same kind of slum neighborhood as both the killers and their victim, resolves to remain neutral until he's completed his investigation. His involvement is complicated both by his liberal wife Karin's (Dina Merrill) stand against capital punishment, and the fact that one of the indicted, Danny Di Pace (Stanley Kristien) is the son of his former fiance Mary (Shelley Winters). As he patiently probes the case, Hank learns that the victim was actually the leader of a Puerto Rican street gang who was pimping his 13-year-old sister on the side. As tensions escalate on both sides, Karin is attacked by a street gang, and Hank is viciously beaten up in a subway. This solid, socially conscious, police procedural, was only the director's second feature, and he gets fine performances from Lancaster and Shelley Winters. Young composer David Amram, who would also work on the director's The Manchurian Candidate, contributes a sharp, jazz-inflected score.

Pro-B

[BarnDoor]

September release dates, courtesy of MisterLime at the HTF:

9/9/14: FUNNY THING HAPPENED.../JUGGERNAUT/ACROSS 110TH ST/COTTON COMES TO HARLEM

9/16/14: GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY/METEOR/And 1 more title to be Announced

9/23/14: ELMER GANTRY/YOUNG SAVAGES/TARAS BULBA/And 1 more title to be announced

And another studio film to be released under the regular Kino Lorber banner recommended to us by Scorpion Releasing - on 9/30/14

So 11 films for the Studio Classics line in September. I wonder if the title for 9/16 will be another Connery one? The Offence would be most welcome, a simply astonishing film.

I expect we'll get the two announcements next week and then there will be a break for a couple of weeks as we get the artwork, then onto the October stuff, which promises to be exciting for horror fans. Surely this is where we'll get Burnt Offerings?

[dsman71]

I hope they dont become a *crank em out* studio focusing on quantity over quality... I want these to look the best that they can..