British Films You'd Like to See on DVD

[Juniper]

It seems a lot of classic British film tends to get a raw deal when it comes to DVD releases. What films would people like to see get a long over due release?



My choices would be:

• Rome Express (1932), thriller with Conrad Veidt.
  
• The Phantom Light (1934), mystery thriller with Gordon Harker.
  
• Bulldog Jack (1935), spoof with Jack Hulbert.
  
• Passing of the Third Floor Back (1935), drama with Conrad Veidt.
  
• The Tunnel (1935), sci-fi with Richard Dix.
  
• Doctor Syn (1937), adventure with George Arliss.
  
• The Frog (1937)/Return of the Frog (1938) Edgar Wallace adaptation and sequel with Gordon Harker.
  
• Crackerjack (1938), crime comedy with Tom Walls.
  
• Alf's Button Alfloat (1938), Crazy Gang comedy.
  
• Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror (1938), thriller with George Curzon and Tod Slaughter.
  
• The Terror (1938), horror/thriller with Wilfrid Lawson.
  
• Inspector Hornleigh (1939)/Inspector Hornleigh on Holiday (1939)/Inspector Hornleigh Goes to It (1941), comedy mystery series with Gordon Harker and Alastair Sim.
  
• Contraband (1940), Powell and Pressburger's espionage thriller with Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson.
  
• Where's That Fire (1940), Will Hay comedy.
  
• Pimpernel Smith (1941), wartime adventure with Leslie Howard.
  
• The Halfway House (1944), Ealing ghost story with Mervyn and Glynis Johns.
  
• Don't Take It To Heart (1944), ghostly comedy with Richard Greene.
  
• Night of the Demon (1958), horror with Dana Andrews.
  
• The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959), Hammer horror with Anton Diffring.
  
• Curse of the Werewolf (1961), Hammer horror with Oliver Reed.
  
• The Phantom of the Opera (1961), Hammer horror with Herbert Lom.
  
• Nothing But the Best (1963), black comedy with Alan Bates.
  
• Witchcraft (1964), horror with Lon Chaney Jr.
  
• Sebastian (1966), light-hearted spy thriller with Dirk Bogarde.
  
• Our Mother's House (1967), Jack Clayton's dark drama with Dirk Bogarde.
  
• Otley (1968), spy spoof with Tom Courtney.
  
• The Final Programme (1973), Michael Moorcock adaptation with Jon Finch.
  

[jaycad]

I think 'the phantom of the opera'(hammer 1962) is available on dvd but is scarce and would cost around £20?

I'd like to see 'the halfway house' released too!

[Juniper]

name='jaycad' timestamp='1280415421' post='457684']

I think 'the phantom of the opera'(hammer 1962) is available on dvd but is scarce and would cost around £20?

I'd like to see 'the halfway house' released too!

With the amount of Ealing getting released recently, hopefully we won't have to wait too long.

[picture show]

Add to that:

THE CAMELS ARE COMING (1934) Jack Hulbert.

Must be a print around somewhere because this comedy was shown on TV many years ago.



The title can be misleading,referring to the aircraft,the Camel pup.Not the animal although the action takes place in Egypt.A nice play on words.

[Steve Crook]

Alf's Button Alfloat (1938) - also with Alastair Sim as Eustace - The Genie of the Button



Contraband (1940) - is available on an American DVD. Can you play those?



Steve

[jimw1]

Not a film but a short TV Drama "Incident in Judaea"

Aired in 1991 around Christmas if my memory serves' Brilliant Alternative Story surrounding the Crucifixion.

Superb Performances by Mark Rylance and John Woodvine (As Pontius Pilate)

After extensive searching I have come to the Conclusion that it was never saved on Film.......



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0815455/fullcredits

[Brief Encounter]

I'd like ITV to do a few more star/themed boxsets:



All the Jessie Matthews films, since most aren't available.



The Gainsborough Melodramas (They Were Sisters, The Root of All Evil, The Brothers and Jassy are all unavailable).



A set of Petula Clark's early films, the few in which she had something to do...

[Harbottle]

Fortunately thanks to various helpful sources, (isn't the www wonderful) I've managed to obtain serviceable copies of many must see films which are still to be released. However a few that stubbornly remain hidden include:



Blackmailed (1951) Dirk Bogarde

Don't Panic Chaps (1959) Dennis Price

The Green Scarf (1954) Michael Redgrave

Hide & Seek (1964) Ian Carmichael

His & Hers (1962) Terry-Thomas

Mr. Topaze (1961) Peter Sellers - Destroyed??

Mrs. Gibbons Boys (1962) Kathleen Harrison

Mrs. Pym of Scotland Yard (1939) Mary Clare

Murder in Reverse (1945) William Hartnell

Noose for a Lady (1953) Dennis Price

Operation Snatch (1962) Terry-Thomas

Rookery Nook (1930) Ralph Lynn

The Spiders Web (1962) Glynis Johns

Squadron Leader X (1943) Eric Portman - Providing they can find a copy

Temptation Harbour (1947) Robert Newton

Ugly Duckling (1959) Jon Pertwee

[Nick Dando]

Night of the Demon is available on DVD.



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curse-Demon-...0434807&sr=8-1



Nick

[didi-5]

I'm happy I recorded and kept so much off the television

Makes that first list quite a bit smaller.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Juniper' timestamp='1280413956' post='457673']

It seems a lot of classic British film tends to get a raw deal when it comes to DVD releases. What films would people like to see get a long over due release?



My[*]Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror (1938), thriller with George Curzon and Tod Slaughter.

This is available on R1 with several other excellent films.



I'm just happy to see any pre-1950 films released on dvd. Network seem to own the rights to the old British Classics Collection - perhaps they could bring out some more of them (we might finally see the long-overdue dvd release of It's Not Cricket)

[Brief Encounter]

Captain, I don't think Network own the rights to the British Classics Collection. I'm not sure anyone would have exclusive rights to a series like that, more the case that Network are picking similar titles for release that VCI did, from the ITV/Rank/Granada film library. In fact I know that one title in the series should be issued by Odeon in a few months (not sure it's confirmed, otherwise I'd say what it is!).



As It's Not Cricket was a Gainsborough film, I imagine either Odeon or Network could license it, I don't think anyone else is licensing films from ITV sadly.

[Juniper]

name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1280424873' post='457725']Contraband (1940) - is available on an American DVD. Can you play those?



Steve

I only have a region 2 DVD player, I was thinking of upgrading but I've always wondered would there be the problem of NTSC compatibility as well with American DVDs? I suppose I should of mentioned it's the lack of British films available in Britain that I've always found bewildering, I know some are available in the US. I suppose being a Powell and Pressburger film, Contraband must be nearing DVD soon any way, unless there is some legal rangle. I wonder if this is the reason for so many British films being unavailable or just the usual lack of interest this country has in it's own movie heritage.

I'm happy I recorded and kept so much off the television. Makes that first list quite a bit smaller.

Yes, I've got some of the films from my list taped off TV, such as Contraband, Pimpernal Smith, Night of the Demon*, Nothing But the Best, Otley and The Final Programme, but it would be nice to have them on DVD.



*Just seen dpgml's thread - excellent news!

I'm just happy to see any pre-1950 films released on dvd.

I remember when Channel 4 used to show many british films of the 30s on TV late at night, many from my list, but also lots of others: The Aldwych Farces, Henry Kendall's comedy mysteries and the Tod Slaughter films (although the latter are now available on DVD). Shame they can't do a channel devoted to this era. If I'd known they were to become so rare I'd of taped more of them.

[TomDaws]

The Old Dark House (Robert Morley version)

[julian_craster]

The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959), Hammer horror with Anton Diffring



This is available on a R1 DVD....

[WickedLadyKiller]

Pimpernel Smith is available on DVD. It's a Spanish-language version, but you can simply play it in un-subtitled English.



I got my copy from these chaps - http://www.starscafe.com/ Payment can be made via PayPal for those, like me, who are wary of handing out CC details to companies they know little about.



They also have The Gentle Sex, which makes me wonder by the great Leslie Howard's films are available in Iberia but not so readily in the UK?

[dpgmel]

Rather like Harby said, since joining this forum I've managed to acquire quite a few films that have never seen the light of day ( yet ! ) on official dvd's, for which I thanks everyone .



My wishlist would go and on but suffice to say but any legit releases of anything featuringany of hte following would be guaramteed at least one buyer



Tod Slaughter

Wilfred Lawson

Seymour Hicks

George Arliss

Griffith Jones

Anthony Newley



Apologies to the countless others I've left off for the sake of brevity.



...and before anyone says anything I know the list speaks volumes about the style of scting I go for

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Brief Encounter' timestamp='1280445663' post='457814']

Captain, I don't think Network own the rights to the British Classics Collection. I'm not sure anyone would have exclusive rights to a series like that, more the case that Network are picking similar titles for release that VCI did, from the ITV/Rank/Granada film library. In fact I know that one title in the series should be issued by Odeon in a few months (not sure it's confirmed, otherwise I'd say what it is!).



As It's Not Cricket was a Gainsborough film, I imagine either Odeon or Network could license it, I don't think anyone else is licensing films from ITV sadly.

I didn't realise that - I assumed that Network had bought the package. There was some real gems in the collection so hopefully they'll all appear eventually. And maybe the BFI could release some of the older feature films they have the rights too.



I'm justreeling from the discovery that bootlegs are being exchanged on the forum

[Steve Crook]

name='Juniper' timestamp='1280478965' post='457869']

I only have a region 2 DVD player, I was thinking of upgrading but I've always wondered would there be the problem of NTSC compatibility as well with American DVDs? I suppose I should of mentioned it's the lack of British films available in Britain that I've always found bewildering, I know some are available in the US. I suppose being a Powell and Pressburger film, Contraband must be nearing DVD soon any way, unless there is some legal rangle. I wonder if this is the reason for so many British films being unavailable or just the usual lack of interest this country has in it's own movie heritage.

Just about every TV set, DVD player or video player sold in the UK in the last 10+ years will have no problem playing anything in NTSC format. NTSC is a lower standard and PAL equipment can lower its standards a bit and accept NTSC format. The problem is the other way around. NTSC equipment finds it hard to raise its standards to cope with the PAL format so usually only the top-end equipment sold in the States will play anything from anywhere outside the NTSC area (north America and a few colonies)



So the only real problem is the region coding on DVDs - and there are many (including me) who regard that as an illegal restraint on free trade and so have no compunction about getting round it



Most DVD players sold in the UK are really "region free" and will play DVDs from any region. But they sometimes don't advertise the fact, and sales people in warehouse type outlets don't know enough to be able to tell you. But if you look up the make and model of your DVD player in Google, along with a phrase like "region free", then you might well be pleasantly surprised.



Some of them will play DVDs from any region without you having to do anything, or just by making a one-off change. Some require you to enter a special code every time you play a DVD from a different region.





Or then there's always the DVD player in your computer. That will play DVDs in any format from any region. Or the actual hardware will. The media player you use might try to impose its own ideas of region control. The Microsoft Media Player is particularly bad in this respect. But you can always download the free VLC Media Player. It doesn't bother with region control and it's not by Microsoft (which is always a positive feature)





As for the Powell & Pressburger films, there are still some which haven't been released anywhere, on video or DVD. The Americans have only just recently had the benefit of seeing A Matter of Life and Death on DVD. Sony had the rights to that one and although Criterion wanted to do it on DVD, Sony wouldn't relinquish the rights. Sony first announced they would release it on DVD back in April 2003. They finally released it, on a double DVD with Powell's Age of Consent, in January 2009!



The DVD of Contraband was released by Kino, not by any of the major DVD companies. It all depends on who has the rights to a DVD release. The Kino DVD doesn't have any extras but it's the full version (8 mins were cut from the original US release)



Steve

[orpheum]

Oh to see again "Underneath The Arches".Why is it that every other film featuring Flanagan and Allen is available but not this one.I cant even see it at the BFI as they dont have a viewing copy.I last saw it in around 1967.Utterly frustrating.It would be great if soemone could issue this on DVD.