The long-awaited Blu-ray debut of “A Star is Born” will arrive on June 22, Warner Home Video announced today. This is a 6K transfer of a new restoration based on the late Ronald Haver’s famous 176-minute reconstruction of the 1954 George Cukor classic with Judy Garland, which was drastically cut after its roadshow debut. There are tons of special features, including outtakes and alternate takes. But the list on the press release below doesn’t mention the 1937 version of “A Star is Born” with Janet Gayor, which WHV’s George Feltenstein told me as late as last fall would be part of the package. Daniel Selznick, son of producer David O. Selznick, told me two years ago that WHV was doing a high-definition transfer of a UCLA restoration of the 1937 original, which has long languished in public-domain hell. Perhaps there were right issues; I hope to have more information later today.
Hopefully, this means the earlier version will also be released in Blu-ray.
A STAR IS BORN (1954)
GLORIOUSLY RESTORED
2-DISC DELUXE SPECIAL EDITION ARRIVES ON BLU-RAY™
JUNE 22
Highly Anticipated Debut On Blu-ray Disc™ Featuring An Impressive Selection Of Bonus Content And Rare Extras
Burbank, Calif., March 2, 2010 – Honoring the gripping masterpiece that marked Judy Garland’s triumphant return to the screen, A Star is Born (1954) will reveal its stunning restoration by Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging (MPI) when it debuts on Blu-ray Disc June 22, 2010 from Warner Home Video (SRP $34.99) in a dazzling 2-disc book format with 40 pages of gorgeous photography, film history and more.
Winner of two Golden Globes* (Best Actress, Judy Garland and Best Actor, James Mason) and nominated for six Academy Awards®**, this powerfully moving and glamorous story reawakens when it arrives on Blu-ray Disc for the very first time. Offering the best possible way to see the film at home, the Blu-ray release will also feature impressive bonus content including alternate takes, deleted scenes, excerpts from Garland’s audio recording sessions, a collectible book of rare photos, press materials and an illuminating essay by film historian John Fricke. The film will also be released as a Deluxe Special Edition 2-Disc DVD (SRP $20.97) and will be available day and date on Video on Demand from cable and satellite providers and for electronic download from online retailers including Amazon Video on Demand.
*GOLDEN GLOBE(S)®
**©Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Famously reconstructed in the early eighties under the leadership of late film historian Ronald Haver, MPI has meticulously preserved and restored Haver’s 176-minute version of A Star is Born to its original luster, bringing back the brilliant, saturated colors and crisp picture. Using cutting edge digital restoration tools, MPI removed heavy chemical staining that affected several portions of the film and utilized an ultra-resolution recombine process to correct the heavily damaged sections. Without this painstaking preservation, the fragile negative stock in which the film was created would surely be near extinction.
“Our colleagues at MPI have not only done a phenomenal job in restoring the impeccable visual style of this great motion picture, but through their work, they have also ensured the survival of this cinematic treasure,” said George Feltenstein, senior vice president, theatrical catalog marketing, Warner Home Video. “The unparalleled superiority of Blu-ray combined with one of the best musical dramas ever made, come together to create an unforgettable home entertainment experience that is now preserved for the ages.”
A timeless story, sophisticated in the way it conveys its controversial themes, particularly considering the period of time in which it was made, A Star is Born brought together a cadre of extraordinary talent to portray this evocative contemplation of show business. The film became such a major part of American cinematic heritage that the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
MARKETING SUPPORT
Leading up to Warner Home Video’s much anticipated release, the beautifully restored musical will make its world premiere at the Opening Night Red Carpet Gala of the TCM Classic Film Festival at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on April 22, 2010.
Additionally, TCM will be offering the following in support of the June release of A Star is Born:
Programming – Will be Included in The Essentials Programming Event in June
Classic Movie News Feature
Online – Shopping Newsletter Mention
Social Networking – Facebook and Twitter Messaging
Search Engine Marketing
Ad in the Now Playing Guide (tentative)
ABOUT THE FILM
George Cukor directed this classic musical drama about the doomed marriage of an entertainer whose career is on the rise (Judy Garland) and her husband whose career is in decline (James Mason). A Star is Born marked Judy Garland’s return to movies after a four-year absence, director George Cukor’s first musical and first color film, and a showcase for great Harold Arden and Ira Gershwin songs in state-of-the-art stereo. One of the most beloved show business stories of all time, the film represents a career peak for many involved. Garland is singer Esther Blodgett, an undeniable talent on the rise. She catches the eye of Norman Maine (James Mason), an alcoholic actor in career decline. Their intense love transforms them both. Only one will survive Hollywood’s slings and arrows. The film sports an impressive supporting cast including Jack Carson, Charles Bickford and a host of Hollywood luminaries.
Songs include “The Man That Got Away,” “Lose That Long Face” and Garland’s tour de force performance of “Born in a Trunk.”
ABOUT THE 1983 RECONSTRUCTION
A Star is Born triumphed anew in 1983 after archivist/historian Ronald Haver spent months ransacking studio vaults to spearhead a reclamation of George Cukor’s original edit, ultimately funded by Warner Bros. He located the entire 181-minute soundtrack, along with footage for three lost musical numbers and portions of the deleted dialogue scenes. Where no film existed, Haver used stills-over-track for transition and only slightly trimmed the audio when photographic coverage for some sequences was deemed inadequate. Haver’s A Star is Born debuted at the sold-out New York Radio City Music Hall on July 7, 1983, with James Mason, Sid Luft, and Garland’s daughters Lorna Luft and Liza Minnelli in attendance. Cukor, who had died six months before, was extolled from the stage by Fay Kanin, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which had encouraged Haver on his search and co-sponsored the screening. It is Haver’s assemblage of the picture that is presented in Warner Home Video’s June 2010 release on Blu-ray and DVD.
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
· Academy Award® for Best Actress (Judy Garland, nominee)
· Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Judy Garland, winner)
· Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (James Mason, winner)
· Award for Best Written American Musical by Writer’s Guild of America
· Academy Award® for Best Actor (James Mason, nominee)
· Academy Award® for Best Art Direction (Malcolm C. Bert, Gene Allen, Irene Sharaff, and George James Hopkins, nominees)
· Academy Award for Best Costume Design (Jean Louis, Mary Ann Nyberg, and Irene Sharaff, nominees)
· Academy Award® for Best Original Song (“The Man that Got Away,” nominee)
· Academy Award® for Original Music Score (Ray Heindorf)
· BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actress in a Leading Role (Judy Garland, nominee)
· Directors Guild of America Award (George Cukor, nominee)
· Writers Guild of America Award for Best American Musical (Moss Hart, nominee)
· # 43 on AFI’s “100 Years…100 Passions” list and # 7 on AFI “Best Musicals” list
· “The Man that Got Away” listed as # 11 on AFI’s “Top 100 Tunes in Films” list
· Selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” (2000)
ENHANCED CONTENT
A Star is Born (1954) 2-Disc Deluxe Special Edition DVD Enhanced Content:
Introduction: Run time 3:01
The Man That Got Away – Pink Dress: Run time 5:11 – Additional Take
The Man that Got Away – Brown Dress #1: Run time 4:49 – Additional Take
The Man that Got Away – Brown Dress #2: Run time 4:24 – Additional Take
The Man that Got Away – Brown Dress #3: Run time 4:00 – Additional Take
The Man That Got Away – Brown Dress #4: Run time 4:00 – Additional Take
Here’s What I’m here For – Alternate Take: Run time 2:36 – Additional Take
Lose That Long Face – Alternate Take: Run time 4:55 – Additional Take
Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo – Alternate Take: Run time 1:24 – Additional Take
When My Sugar Walks Down the Street – Outtake: Run time 0:58 – Additional Take Suicide Scene – Alternate Take: Run time 2:15 – Additional Take
Film Effects Reel: Run time 0:54
A Report by Jack L. Warner: Run time 6:24 – Vintage Featurette
Huge Premiere Hails ‘A Star is Born’ Newsreel Montage: Run time 7:49 – Vintage Featurette
‘A Star is Born’ Premiere in Cinemascope: Run time 2:05
Pantages Premiere TV Special: Run time 29:30 – Vintage Featurette
A Star is Bored (1956 WB Cartoon): Run time 7:00
A Star is Born (1937): Run time 2:46 – Trailer
A Star is Born (1954): Run time 3:52 – Trailer
A Star is Born (1976): Run time 3:46 – Trailer
Audio Vault – Oliver on the Phone with the Director Discussing Norman – Outtakes: Run time 2:00 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Norman and Esther on the Roof of the Hotel Lancaster – Outtakes: Run time 2:00 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – 12/28/1942 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast with Judy Garland and Walter Pidgeon: Run time 60:00 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Judy Garland Radio Interview: Run time 4:00 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Born in a Trunk: Run time 9:05 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Someone At Last – Rehearsal: Run time 10:34 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Someone At Last: Run time 7:16 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – My Melancholy Baby: Run time 7:06 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Black Bottom: Run time 1:48 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Swanee: Run time 4:57 – Audio Only
A Star is Born (1954) 2-Disc Deluxe Special Edition Blu-ray Book Enhanced Content:
Introduction: Run time 3:01
The Man That Got Away – Pink Dress: Run time 5:11 – Additional Take
The Man that Got Away – Brown Dress #1: Run time 4:49 – Additional Take
The Man that Got Away – Brown Dress #2: Run time 4:24 – Additional Take
The Man that Got Away – Brown Dress #3: Run time 4:00 – Additional Take
The Man That Got Away – Brown Dress #4: Run time 4:00 – Additional Take
Here’s What I’m here For – Alternate Take: Run time 2:36 – Additional Take
Lose That Long Face – Alternate Take: Run time 4:55 – Additional Take
Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo – Alternate Take: Run time 1:24 – Additional Take
When My Sugar Walks Down the Street – Outtake: Run time 0:58 – Additional Take
Suicide Scene – Alternate Take: Run time 2:15 – Additional Take
Film Effects Reel: Run time 0:54
A Report by Jack L. Warner: Run time 6:24 – Vintage Featurette
Huge Premiere Hails ‘A Star is Born’ Newsreel Montage: Run time 7:49 – Vintage Featurette
‘A Star is Born’ Premiere in Cinemascope: Run time 2:05
Pantages Premiere TV Special: Run time 29:30 – Vintage Featurette
A Star is Bored (1956 WB Cartoon): Run time 7:00 – New Featurette
A Star is Born (1937): Run time 2:46 – Trailer
A Star is Born (1954): Run time 3:52 – Trailer
A Star is Born (1976): Run time 3:46 – Trailer
Audio Vault – Oliver on the Phone with the Director Discussing Norman – Outtakes: Run time 2:00 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Norman and Esther on the Roof of the Hotel Lancaster – Outtakes: Run time 2:00 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – 12/28/1942 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast with Judy Garland and Walter Pidgeon) Run time 60:00 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Judy Garland Radio Interview: Run time 4:00 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Born in a Trunk: Run time 9:05 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Someone At Last – Rehearsal: Run time 10:34 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Someone At Last: Run time 7:16 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – My Melancholy Baby: Run time 7:06 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Black Bottom: Run time 1:48 – Audio Only
Audio Vault – Swanee: Run time 4:57 – Audio Only