Three Films I Wish Were on DVD or Blu-Ray

Bachelor in Paradise (1961)

There are many great films that still haven't found their way on to DVD or Blu-Ray yet, but over on the Turner Classic Movies website you can vote for films to be released on home video. Here are three films that I wish were on DVD or Blu-ray, and if you want to help me out, you can go over to TCM and vote on these three films too.

First, I love Bob Hope and I think he is one of the underrated comedians. Many people think of him for his work entertaining the troops which is great, but forget how hilarious his films were. One of his films, Bachelor in Paradise, although shown on Turner Classic Movies occasionally, is not available on DVD. In the film Hope plays an author who settles down in the suburbs to write a book about American suburban culture, but when Hope is the only bachelor amongst many lonely housewives, trouble ensues. The film has been uploaded to YouTube but that is no way to watch a feature film.

Scavenger Hunt (1979)

As a kid one of my favorite films was Scavenger Hunt. It's got a great cast filled with cameos including Ruth Gordon, Roddy McDowall, Meat Loaf, Dirk Benedict, Cloris Leachman, Vincent Price, Tony Randall, Scatman Crothers, and a young body builder named Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the film, Mr. Parker, a game inventor, passes away. At the reading of his will, his family, servants, and friends learn that they must compete on a scavenger hunt in order to win their inheritance. The movie is a fun gag filled ride and like Bachelor in Paradise, is also available on YouTube, but not on DVD.

Song of the South (1946)

Another childhood favorite of mine is the Disney live-action/animated film Song of the South. This controversial film tells the stories of Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear, and Brer Fox. Many people are familiar with the ride Splash Mountain at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, but I wonder how many people know or remember the film on which the attraction was based?

So what movies do you wish were on DVD or Blu-ray? You should hop on over to TCM to vote for some films, preferably the three above :)

Inside Daisy Clover - Film Locations

Inside Daisy Clover (1965)

You would think the film Inside Daisy Clover, with a cast starring Natalie Wood, Christopher Plummer, Robert Redford, Roddy McDowall, and Ruth Gordon would be a somewhat entertaining film. Quite the contrary. This film is terrible! I think what bothers me the most is watching Natalie Wood play a 15 year-old tomboy when she was already in her late twenties. It was really distracting as she doesn't look at all like a teenager. What makes it worse is that Wood's acting is so over exaggerated. Even if Wood's performance isn't considered, the story is weak and emotionless and I don't think any cast could have saved this picture.

Nevertheless, I think the film is worth watching to get some glimpses of the Warner Bros. studio lot as it appeared in the mid-1960s as well as the Santa Monica Pier. In this blog post I have captured some of scenes from both the studio and the pier to compare how the locations appear today.

Santa Monica Pier Merry Ground (Inside Daisy Clover)

Wood plays a teenager in the 1930s with dreams of being a star. At the beginning of the film Wood walks into the old Merry Go-Round building found at the front of the famous Santa Monica Pier to make a record of herself singing. She later sends the recording to the movie studios hoping she will be noticed. Above is a screenshot of the building as seen in the film and below is the same building as it appears today - and it still has the merry go-round!

Merry Go-Round Building, Santa Monica Pier (February 2010)

Santa Monica Pier as seen in Inside Daisy Clover

Above is another shot of the pier as it appears in the film. Below is the same building as it appears on the Santa Monica Pier today.

Building on Santa Monica Pier

Natalie Wood, Ruth Gordon Home

Above is a screenshot showing the trailer that Natalie Wood and Ruth Gordon (Wood's mother in the film) live in located on the pier. Below is a shot looking where the trailer stood in the film. If you look carefully you will notice a funny pointy roof building towards the back of both images.

Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier Bridge as seen in Inside Daisy Clover

Wood's character does get discovered by Raymond Swan (Christopher Plummer), the head of the fictional Swan Studios. He arranges to have Wood picked up from her home on the pier and brought to the studio.

Santa Montica Pier Bridge (February 2010)

Entrance to "Swan Studios"

Above is the entrance to Swan Studios which is really the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank, California. I couldn't tell where this was on the lot immediately, but then I noticed the different rooftops and was able to match them up. If the film was accurate, Wood's chauffeur would be driving towards the exit of the studio, not entering the studio. The studio gate seen in the film is completely fake.

Warner Bros. lot (February 2010)

Roddy McDowall meets Natalie Wood

Above Roddy McDowall, one of the studio execs, meets with Wood at the Swan Studio lot. In the background we can see what is the main executive building on the Warner Bros. lot.

Warner Bros. Executive Building

Passing WB Soundstage 16

Roddy McDowall leads Natalie Wood pass soundstage 16, the largest soundstage on the Warner Bros. studio lot.  Below is the same alleyway as it appears today.

Alleyway next to WB Soundstage 16

Entrance to WB Stage 16

Above McDowall and Wood enter soundstage 16. The building to the right is the Mill where they create many of the sets and the set pieces.

WB Soundstage 16 Entrance (February 2010)

Warner Bros. Lot as seen in Inside Daisy Clover

Above is a screenshot showing some of the soundstages on the Warner Bros. lot and below are the same buildings as they appear today. The soundstage where the people are standing in both images is currently being used for the television show Chuck.

Warner Bros. Studio Lot

So, although the film is terrible for entertainment value I still recommend watching this film if you're interested in seeing the Warner Bros. lot and the Santa Monica Pier as they appeared in the 1960s. As you can see from the images, these locations have changed, but not as dramatically as one might think.

You're thoughts?

Cleopatra: Big Premiere - Big Disaster

Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra

The 1963 film Cleopatra, starring the always beautiful Elizabeth Taylor in the title role, is the third most expensive film ever made. A lot of money was spent getting this film right. Despite all the money spent and the all star cast which also includes Richard Burton, Rex Harrison and Roddy McDowell, the film was a complete flop. 20th Century Fox almost went bankrupt because of this film!

Although many reviews of Cleopatra were negative, Bosley Crowther of the New York Times called the film "one of the great epic films of our day" in his 1963 review. And Cleopatra would even end up winning four Academy Awards.

To go along with the big budget of the film there was a big movie premiere at the historic Pantages theater in Hollywood, California.

Pantages Theater, 6233 Hollywood, Blvd, Hollywood, CA

Here is a video of the Cleopatra premiere at the Pantages theater. The video is a bit psychadelic but keep your eyes peeled for some old Hollywood stars:

You're thoughts?