The Danziger Collector's Edition

[dicky2006]

Any ideas on who the documentary could include? Just seen this on the Pegasus website and is scheduled for an April release.

[Arfur Teacake]

I would have to say it must include Brian Clemens as he is always good at the old waffle and self aggrandizement. But saying that he did a cracking job with the Danziger's very fast turn around along with very fast directors like Ernest Morris, Lance Comfort and John Gilling.

Clemens Danziger films which have been/are being released on DVD in the near future

Rock You Sinners (1957)
Part-Time Wife (1961)
Night Train To Inverness (1960) (Dennis Waterman)
Fate Takes a Hand (1962)
The Battleaxe (1962)
The Silent Invasion (1962)
Tarnished Heroes (1961)
Highway to Battle (1962)
Sweet Beat (1959)
She Always Gets Their Man (1962)
Two Wives at One Wedding (1961)

[julian_craster]

Rock You Sinners (1957)
Sweet Beat (1959)

These are not Danzigers films, or Brian Clemens scripted....

[julian_craster]

I hope that the 'documentary' is a proper BBC4 type one with interviews from writers, actors and academics (such as Steve Chibnall) and not just a 'promo' reel stringing together a series of film clips from the Danziger films that Pegasus have released on DVD. But I suspect the latter, as it would be cheaper and much less effort to produce !

[Arfur Teacake]

Rock You Sinners (1957)
Sweet Beat (1959)

These are not Danzigers films, or Brian Clemens scripted....

just testing you LOL

looking at it with hindsite you could not really see Clemens writing teenage exploitation movies - but I am sure he could if he had been asked.

[dicky2006]

The latest info on the release shows:
Danziger Studios - The Untold Elstree Story: For the first time on DVD this stunning documentary celebrates the history of the Danziger Film Studios at New Elstree, where between 1956 - 62 over 140 'B' features were produced. The studio, run by Jewish brothers Harry Lee and Edward Danziger, would give work to many up and coming actors including Gordon Jackson, Laurence Payne and Francis Matthews. Featuring interviews with many key individuals who worked at New Elstree, behind-the-scenes archive footage and rare photographs, this programme is a large slice of cinematic history for the true Danziger collector.

[flynn]

i would like to see the Elstree Story.i love all the info.on the studios.

[smudge]

Pre-ordered this on the strength of the documentary alone, so I hope it has a decent running time. There seems to be even less information in general circulation about the New Elstree Studios than there is on Merton Park, so this could be a very welcome addition to my collection.

Smudge

[julian_craster]

Do give us some feedback on the documentary ....

[flynn]

this seems a good price.

The Danziger - Collector's Edition DVD | Zavvi.com

[smudge]

Do give us some feedback on the documentary ....

Will do! Yes, the Zavvi price is very good, but they sometimes take a while to ship, so I went with Amazon.

Smudge

[dicky2006]

Just seen the first customer review posted onto Amazon. The documentary sounds very good and I suspect will be a must for many of us. Hope you will comment on here..

[Johnallan]

My order is in its way – will comment when received. I originally ordered The Tell-Tale Heart only but at £9.69 it seemed a poor buy compared to the 4 disc set at £16.99.

[smudge]

My set came this morning and I watched the documentary this evening. It is basically two hours of talking heads, discussing life and work at the studios. It is filmed in a very 'raw' style and this does grate at first. However once you get into the tellers' tales you very much go with the flow.

In the past most of the stories I've read/heard of in connection with Edward and Harry Lee have concentrated on the cheap side of 'cheap & cheerful'. From this documentary though you get a much more balanced view and people's sheer enthusiasm for working for them and at the New Elstree Studios simply shines through. Highlights have to be our own Francis Matthews and 'Avengers' scribe Brian Clemens, both of whose sense of fun and mischief seem very much to the fore. Good for them, too!

The jewel in the crown comes with a little break just beyond the first hour. This is in the form of another sample of Francis Matthews' family's home movie making from those dim and distant days - the only known recording of a production at NES and it is just wonderful to see. Albeit brief, this alone makes the set worth buying.

OK, the documentary could have been somewhat better executed - particularly the audio in parts - but there is so much information for the enthusiast here that this can be overlooked in the main. As I said, once you tune into the stories you do (for the most part) not think so much about the style.

Smudge

[Arfur Teacake]

The latest info on the release shows:
Danziger Studios - The Untold Elstree Story: For the first time on DVD this stunning documentary celebrates the history of the Danziger Film Studios at New Elstree, where between 1956 - 62 over 140 'B' features were produced. The studio, run by Jewish brothers Harry Lee and Edward Danziger, would give work to many up and coming actors including Gordon Jackson, Laurence Payne and Francis Matthews. Featuring interviews with many key individuals who worked at New Elstree, behind-the-scenes archive footage and rare photographs, this programme is a large slice of cinematic history for the true Danziger collector.

What ever anyone thinks of the films you just cannot argue with the phenomenal output this company put out in 10 odd years.
No modern day whines about getting funding for some typical British arty farty film about concrete and misery that takes weeks to make because the director is waiting for the right type of rain. These guys just got the money themselves,got on with the job and did it. Then they just disappeared in a puff of smoke so to speak.

[paul welsh]

i look forward to viewing the danziger documentary. back in 1996 i organised a plaque unveiling, which is still there, at the studio site along with 18 other plaques around elstree and borehamwood celebrating our film heritage.
i am surprised nobody has ever released on dvd 'the elstree story' produced as a support feature by elstree studios in the early 1950s to celebrate it's first 25 years and hosted by a young richard todd. back in the 1980s we discussed updating the documentary to celebrate elstree's 60th but copyright clearance fees for films made in the 60s, 70s and 80s like star wars, indiana jones, the shining, etc were far too expensive. i wanted richard to come back to host it but alas it never happened.

[dicky2006]

This is a bumper collection and the bonus is the documentary. First off, the documentary is clearly made by someone who has a great interest in the studios, the films made there and the technicians, writers and actors who worked upon them. This is a fascinating documentary that runs for some 2 hours and comprises interviews, film clips and rare footage such as colour film of the studios themselves shot by Francis Matthews at the time he was making a film for the Danzigers. There are many amusing anecdotes and memories of names perhaps long forgotten to many but for the film buff this is a must have. Above all the documentary dispels the myths about both filming standards and working at the Danziger studios.

Brian Cobby the male star of The Nudist Story recounts his audition for the part and Trader Faulkner tells of playing about 9 different roles within the television series Richard the Lion heart. Sheila Whittingham and Iain Gregory recount working on Richard the Lion heart. Brian Clemens has much to thank the Danzigers for and lets us into their soft side and the start they gave him to a long career writing for film and television. Then, Assistant director Geoffrey Helman recalls working their with affection. Production supervisor and later producer Brian Taylor gives his assessment of the studios and films. There are many more but you will only get a real feel for the experience of working for the Danzigers by buying and watching this documentary.

It does not cover everything and if I had wanted more detail it would have been about the long running Mark Saber series and the reason why the studios closed so suddenly but apart from that this is still a must have film covering a forgotten part of British film making. I still think this is a “must have”.

[Cooper S]

This sounds like an absolutely excellent release - many thanks to Smudge and Dicky for the reviews.

[Gerald Lovell]

Amazon already out of stock!

[Johnallan]

“You had to be disgracefully bad not to work for the Danzigers!” So said Geoffrey Bayldon in his final remark for this enjoyable and informative documentary. The contributors give us a wealth of reminiscences and funny stories that just are not recorded anywhere else, Francis Matthews in particular was on top form. Yes the conversations were recorded in an amateurish way with dodgy acoustics – the sort of thing I’ve done myself many times but that’s a minor quibble considering the material.
What came across to me more than anything was that no-one had a bad word to say about the Danzigers (at least not to camera). It seemed that most cast and crew were happy to work for them but for a host of different reasons.