Blu-ray Review “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: 75th Anniversary”

Starring: Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee, Thomas Mitchell
Director: Frank Capra
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony
DVD Release Date: December 2, 2014
Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2014 (Click here for more information)
Run Time: 130 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is celebrating its 75th anniversary and it has never looked better. This film earned Jimmy Stewart his first Academy Award® nomination, along with 11 other nominations. It is easily one of Frank Capra’s best films. It was also Capra’s final film for Columbia. This film does in a wonderful collectible Digipak packaging with an all-new essay by Film Historian Jeremy Arnold. Easily one of the best restored Blu-ray releases this year.

Official Premise: An idealistic, newly-appointed senator (James Stewart) heads to Washington, where he single-handedly battles ruthless politicians out to destroy him. Winner of the 1939 Academy Award® for Best Writing (Original Story), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a timeless and stirring ode to the power of democracy.

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” looks simply stunning on Blu-ray. For this release it was restored and mastered with 4K transfer in 1080p. The black and white film is presented in its original 4×3 aspect ratio but looks outstanding. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio Mono surround track. It works well with the dialogue and score.

The special features are another win for this release. There is an audio commentary with Frank Capra’s son, Frank Capra Jr. There are a bunch of vintage features included. “Frank Capra Jr. Remembers…’Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'” focuses on the director from Capra’s son. There is “Conversations with Frank Capra Jr.: The Golden Years”, which looks into his father again and the 1930’s in Hollywood. “Conversations with Frank Capra Jr.: A Family History” features Capra’s son looking into his family life. “Frank Capra: Collaboration” is a look back into Capra’s life and career.

“The Frank Capra I Knew” features Jeanine Basinger, Curator of the Frank Capra archives at Wesleyan University, talking about the director. “Frank Capra’s American Dream” is easily the best feature, which is a feature-length documentary, narrated and hosted by Ron Howard with interviews including Martin Scorsese, Garry Marshall, John Milius, Robert Altman, Michael Keaton, Richard Dreyfuss, Angela Lansbury, Garry Marshall, Marshall Herskovitz, Bill Duke, Oliver Stone, and Peter Falk. Lastly there are trailers included.

Blu-ray Review “Gone with the Wind: 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition”

Actors: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia De Havilland, Hattie McDaniel
Directors: Victor Fleming
Number of discs: 4
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Run Time: 238 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“Gone with the Wind” is one of the most influential films of our time. It is a classic of classics. Who hasn’t seen this film? It is a must see for everyone! Released in 1939, it won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress. Based on Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel continues to have an affect on people after all these years. In fact, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is releasing this 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray to celebrate its latest anniversary. It is limited/numbered and comes with new collectible packaging, memorabilia and special features. If you already own the 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition, this release is slightly different in terms of collectibles and some new extras. If you have never owned this film, this is a great re-release (at least until the 80th Anniversary).

Synopsis: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and Hattie McDaniel star in the quintessential Hollywood epic that still stands as history’s all-time domestic box-office champion ($1.6 billion adjusted for inflation), with more tickets sold than any other movie ever made. Gone with the Wind opens on the eve of the Civil War. Rich, beautiful and self-centered Scarlett O’Hara (Leigh) has everything she could want. Except, that is, Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). As the war devastates the South, Scarlett discovers the strength within herself to protect her family and rebuild her life. Through everything, she longs for Ashley, unaware that she is already married to the man she really loves (Gable) — and who truly loves her — until she finally drives him away. Only then does Scarlett realize what she has lost and tries to win him back.

If you love “Gone with the Wind”, then you will love that this The Ultimate Collector’s Edition comes with a replica of Rhett Butler’s handkerchief as well as a music box paperweight that plays Tara’s theme dressed with the image of the Rhett-Scarlett famous kiss. Also included is a 36-page companion booklet, which focuses on the style of Gone with the Wind and is written by New York fashion designer and Project Runway finalist Austin Scarlett. The new special features include footage of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta called “Gone With the Win: Hollywood Comes to Atlanta” and “Old South/New South”, which takes you on a journey through today’s South revisiting the real-life locations depicted in the film and how they have been influenced over the year.

Warner is releasing this film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer is unbelievable goregous for a 75 year old film. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 is also outstanding as well highlighting the dialogue and Max Steiner’s amazing score. There is also a standard Dolby Digital Mono track included. Other rolled over extras from previous releases include, a commentary track from Historian Rudy Behlmer on the first disc. The second Blu-ray includes literally over 8 hours of special features taken from the 70th Anniversary release…eight hours! Lastly there is a bonus DVD including “MGM: When the Lion Roars”, which is alone a three part, six hour documentary looking at the history of M-G-M, hosted by Patrick Stewart.

Commemorate the 75th anniversary of Gone with the Wind with the new Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ set – Available 9/30/14. Buy it now from WB Shop: http://bit.ly/GWTW75

Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of “Batman” and Enter to Win T-Shirt! [ENDED]

Batman is not only the top searched superhero in every state in the United States, but he is an obvious crowd pleaser and fan favorite. We love Batman so much that we teaming with with Shirts.com in order to celebrate the 75th anniversary this month. We are excited to be able to giveaway a fantastic Batman T-shirt to our readers. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of this prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your why you love Batman? Multiple entries are counted if you posted your comment to our Twitter and Facebook as well with #MediaMikes & #BatmanTShirt. This giveaway will remain open until July 25th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.


Other superheros felt no need to save humanity until they became infected with some kind of mutant super power. Not Bruce Wayne. He was smart, rich and could have watched while the masses suffered. Instead he became the hero they deserved. This t-shirt is made from 50% cotton and 50% polyester and will be ideal for showing respect to the dark knight. (Softness Rating = 10/10)

“Gone With the Wind” 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition Arrives September 30

75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition Arrives September 30 Limited & Numbered, With New Collectible Packaging, New Memorabilia and New Special Features Nationwide Celebrations Scheduled

Burbank, Calif., June 3, 2014 – On September 30, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will honor one of the most celebrated motion pictures of all time with the Gone with the Wind 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray™ and Digital HD with UltraViolet.

Gone with the Wind — the quintessential Hollywood epic and still history’s all-time domestic box-office champion ($1.6 billion[1]), with more tickets sold than any other movie ever made – is a “must have” for classic film collectors. It will be fittingly presented in limited and numbered sets, with new collectible packaging, new enhanced content and new collectible memorabilia. The memorabilia includes a replica of Rhett Butler’s handkerchief and a music box paperweight playing Tara’s theme with an image on top of the Rhett-Scarlett kiss. Also included is a 36-page companion booklet featuring a look at the immortal style of Gone with the Wind, written by New York fashion designer and Project Runway finalist Austin Scarlett, whose signature look reflects the romantic elegance of the Gone with the Wind era.

The new special features include footage of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta and Old South/New South, a journey through today’s South, revisiting the real-life locations depicted to see how the world of the Old South continues to inform life in the New South’s cosmopolitan world. Gone with the Wind 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition will be available for $49.99 SRP.

75th Anniversary Celebrations Nationwide

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of Gone with the Wind, the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin will launch the exhibition, “The Making of ‘Gone With The Wind.’” For the first time in more than 25 years, three original gowns worn by Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara, including the iconic green curtain dress, will be exhibited together along with replicas of the film’s other gowns. Additionally, more than 300 items from producer David O. Selznick’s archive will be displayed, including behind-the-scenes photographs, storyboards, correspondence, production records, audition footage and fan mail. Turner Classic Movies is one of the sponsors of the exhibition which runs from September 9 – January 4, 2015.

On September 22, WBHE will partner with The Actors Hall of Fame in a special 75th Anniversary Gone with the Wind fundraising gala to benefit dramatic arts education in schools. Hundreds of stars and industry leaders will arrive ‘in costume’ at the historic Culver Studios where many key scenes of the movie were filmed. The gala will be streamed live from the Mansion on digital and social media around the world. Planned highlights of this special evening include the dedication of the Olivia de Havilland Dramatic Arts Education Center and a recreation of the famous Virginia Reel dance scene from the movie, with student actors in period costumes and a silent auction including Gone With The Wind memorabilia. For additional information on the events, go to www.hrc.utexas.edu and http://actorshalloffame.org/  respectively.

About the Movie

Gone with the Windlauded as one of the American cinema’s grandest, most ambitious and spectacular pieces of filmmaking, was helmed by Victor Fleming in 1939, the same year as the director’s The Wizard of Oz. It captured 10 Academy Awards®[2] including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress for Hattie McDaniel, the first Oscar awarded to an African-American actor. Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel, on which the film is based, has been translated into 16 languages, has sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide, and even now, continues to sell 50,000 copies a year.

Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and Hattie McDaniel star in this classic epic of the American South. On the eve of the Civil War, rich, beautiful and self-centered Scarlett O’Hara (Leigh) has everything she could want – except Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). As the war devastates the South, Scarlett discovers the strength within herself to protect her family and rebuild her life. Through everything, she longs for Ashley, unaware that she is already married to the man she really loves (Gable) – and who truly loves her – until she finally drives him away. Only then does Scarlett realize what she has lost … and tries to win him back.

Special Features:

  • Featuring footage including Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta
  • Old South/New South NEW! Take a journey of discovery through today’s South, revisiting the real-life locations depicted in Gone With the Wind, from Gettysburg to Atlanta to New Orleans, to see how the world of the Old South – and the themes depicted in the film – continue to inform life in the cosmopolitan world of the New South.

 

Gone with the Wind 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Street Date: September 30, 2014

Order Due Date: August 26, 2014

Pricing: $49.99 SRP

Cat/UPC: 1000446620/6000079798

Note: All enhanced content and premiums listed above are subject to change.

Academy Awards® and Oscar® are both registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Blu-ray Disc™ and Blu-ray™ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.

Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs™ offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WBUltra.

 

ABOUT DIGITAL HD WITH ULTRAVIOLET

Digital HD with UltraViolet allows fans to watch a digital version of their movie or TV show anywhere on their favorite devices. Digital HD with UltraViolet is included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs. Digital HD with UltraViolet allows consumers to instantly stream and download movies and TV shows to TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones through UltraViolet retail services like CinemaNow, Flixster, Target Ticket, VUDU and more. For more information on compatible devices go to wb.com/ultravioletdevices. Consult an UltraViolet Retailer for details and requirements and for a list of HD-compatible devices.