Viewing Wrap-Up

New-to-me viewings: 19

Re-watches: 4

Total for May: 23

Total for 2014 thus far: 130

New-to-me list:

  • Rhinestone (1984)
  • DisneyNature Bears (2014)
  • Brick Mansions (2014)
  • Dixiana (1930)
  • Paradise in Harlem (1939)
  • Nancy Goes to Rio (1950)
  • Millie (1931)
  • Delicious Dishes (1950)
  • Million Dollar Arm (2014)
  • Blondie Takes a Vacation (1939)
  • Neighbors (2014)
  • Dorfman in Love (2011)
  • Quicksand (1950)
  • Murder with Pictures (1936)
  • Jimmy the Gent (1934)
  • Sailing Along (1938)
  • The Thorn Birds (Miniseries, 1983)
  • Blended (2014)
  • David Holzman’s Diary (1967)

Viewing methods:

  • At the cinema – 4
  • From my collection – 7
  • Netflix DVD – 2
  • Netflix Instant – 3
  • TV/DVR – 4
  • WatchTCM – 2

By decade:

  • 1910s – 0
  • 1920s – 0
  • 1930s – 7
  • 1940s – 0
  • 1950s – 3
  • 1960s – 1
  • 1970s – 0
  • 1980s – 3
  • 1990s – 0
  • 2000s – 2
  • 2010s – 6

DVD collection update:

After last month’s restrained collecting I went a bit too crazy in May. None of these films were full price, so I don’t feel any post-purchase guilt, though I did buy more than I had hoped to throughout the month.

Picked up some stuff from TCM’s shop. Below I’ll list the film and the special features that are included.

  • Cabin in the Sky (1943)
    Warner/Turner 2006 release; Special features: Commentary with various cast, crew and scholars; Interview excerpts of Lena Horne; Studio Visit short; Louis Armstrong Ain’t It the Truth outtake; Theatrical trailer
  • The Exorcist (1973)
    Warner 2010 Extended Director’s Cut release; Special features: Commentary with director William Friedkin, theatrical trailers, TV & radio promo spots
  • San Francisco (1936)
    Warner/Turner 2006 release; Special features: Alternate ending, documentary profile of Clark Gable, two TravelTalk shorts, a cartoon short called Bottles and the theatrical trailer
  • The Shock (1923)
    Alpha Video 2003 release; no special features
  • TCM Greatest Classic Films: Astaire & Rogers, Volume 2
    Films:
    Flying Down to Rio (1933), Follow the Fleet (1936), Roberta (1935), The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)
    Features:
    Theatrical trailers for all four films; Beer and Pretzels comedy short; I Like Mountain Music cartoon short; The Calico Dragon cartoon short; Let It Be Me cartoon short; Puss Gets the Boot cartoon short; Starlit Days at the Lido musical short; Melody Master: Jimmie Lunceford and His Dance Orchestra musical short; Happily Buried musical short; Hollywood on the Air radio promo; Follow the Fleet: The Origins of Those Dancing Feet featurette
  • TCM Greatest Classic Films: Romance
    Films:
    Love in the Afternoon (1957), Mogambo (1953), Now, Voyager (1942), Splendor in the Grass (1961)
    Features:
    Theatrical trailers for all four films; Beep Prepared cartoon; Cast & director film highlights for Love in the Afternoon; Scoring session and cast film highlights for Now, Voyager

On Mother’s Day, I went out shopping with my mom and stopped at one of my favorite local record shops, which also sells used DVDs. I picked up three very exciting additions, in perfect condition. They had so many more classics in stock, but I was nice to my pocketbook and restricted myself! Here’s what I got:

  • The Damned Don’t Cry (1950)
    Warner Home Video release. Features include commentary by Vincent Sherman and a featurette titled The Crawford Formula: Real and Reel
  • Grand Hotel (1932)
    Warner Home Video release. Features include a documentary called Checking Out: Grand Hotel; A vintage newsreel and a musical short titled Nothing Ever Happens; Just a Word of Warning theatre announcement; Trailers for both this film and its remake, The Week-End at the Waldorf
  • Heroes (1977)
    No special features on this one! But I was so excited to find this film. As you may remember, I rated it 4.2/5 when I reviewed it in April.

Aaaaand then, I hit up the bargain section at Barnes & Noble for some “buy two, get one free” sale action. All of these picks were $4.99 or less and two of them were free (the sixth disc was one for my mom, which is why it isn’t listed here):

  • Barton Fink (1991)
    Fox Home Video release. Features include eight deleted scenes, the original theatrical trailer and a still photograph gallery.
  • Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
    Genius Products, Inc. 2006 release. The only special feature is a making-of featurette.
  • No Time for Sergeants (1958)
    Warner Home Video 2010 release. Special features not included, but the film is digitally remastered.
  • The Odd Couple (1968)
    Paramount Home Entertainment 2006 release. The only special feature is the original theatrical trailer.
  • TV: Grounded for Life, Season 2
    Bonus features include interviews with Asthon Kutcher (“Cousin Scott”), Kevin Corrigan (“Eddie”), Jake Burbage (“Henry”) and Griffin Frazen (“Jimmy”) as well as a blooper reel and highlight reel.

As the month was coming to a close, I found myself unable to pass up one more purchase:

  • TV: Pretty Little Liars, Season 1
    Bonus features: The cast plays ‘Two Truths and a Lie’; Making Of featurette; Behind-the-Scenes/On the Set featurette; Unaired scenes

I’ve been wanting to add PLL’s seasons to my DVD collection for quite a while but even used, they’re always pretty expensive, so I’ve been holding off. Target had this season on sale for $14, so I had to pick it up, seeing as the cheapest I’d ever seen it before was $16 and that was on a sub-par used copy. I saved a couple of bucks ($12 compared to the full price at Target), and got it brand new rather than used!

Last but not least, I got two DVDs as gifts from my mom, who has good luck finding things in the grocery store bargain bin. (HI MOM & thanks!):

  • Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)
    Special features include alternate opening scene, deleted scenes, “Who’s your man?” quiz, “The Big Fight” featurette, “Mark & Bridget Forever?” featurette and interviews with the cast
  • The Love Letter (1999)
    Special features include cast bios, production notes and deleted scenes