Displaying items by tag: MGM
Fantasmagorical: Remembering “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” on its 50th Anniversary
“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang should be fondly remembered as the bastard child of Mary Poppins and James Bond.” — John Cork, co-author of James Bond Encyclopedia
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the golden anniversary of the release of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the musical-fantasy adaptation of Ian Fleming’s 1964 novel starring Dick Van Dyke (The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Poppins).
Produced by Albert R. Broccoli (the James Bond series) and directed by Ken Hughes (The Trials of Oscar Wilde, Cromwell), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was highlighted by Irwin Kostal’s score and musical numbers by The Sherman Brothers, including their Oscar-nominated title song. Co-stars included Sally Ann Howes (Brigadoon stage production), Lionel Jeffries (The Trials of Oscar Wilde), Gert Frobe (Goldfinger), Anna Quayle (A Hard Day’s Night), Benny Hill (The Benny Hill Show), James Robertson Justice (The Guns of Navarone), and Robert Helpmann (The Red Shoes). [Read on here...]
- film retrospective
- The Digital Bits
- Michael Coate
- History Legacy & Showmanship
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
- 50th Anniversary
- MGM
- John Cork, James Bond Encyclopedia
- Ken Hughes
- Ian Fleming
- Albert R Broccoli
- Sally Ann Howes
- Lionel Jeffries
- Gert Frobe
- Anna Quayle
- Benny Hill
- James Robertson Justice
- Robert Helpmann
- Dick Van Dyke
Pick-Ups for the Week of June 21, 2016
Welcome to a new edition of Pick-Ups!
Thank you for tuning in. I’m back from a break with some new reviews for you. By the way, did you folks go out and see The Conjuring 2? If you haven’t yet, you’re in for a treat. It’s easily one of the best horror films of the year. And if you’re seeing it at the Alamo Drafthouse, like I did, you’re in for a selection of some nice horror shorts. Definitely go out and see it if you can. [Read on here...]
- James Goldstone
- Kino Lorber Studio Classics
- Kino Lorber
- 20th Century Fox
- United Artists
- MGM
- Universal Pictures
- Rollercoaster
- thriller
- caper
- crime
- comedy
- horror
- Victor Salva
- Joseph Sargent
- Bluray
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
- Jeepers Creepers 2
- Jeepers Creepers
- PickUps
- The Digital Bits
- Tim Salmons
- Dailies
Pick-Ups for the Week of July 6, 2015
Welcome back to my Dailies feature, Pick-Ups!
It’s designed to feature older Blu-ray and DVD releases that we haven’t gotten around to reviewing until now (sorry about that!), as well as highlight select international releases and other unique titles on disc.
I try to do this column on a weekly basis, so be sure to check back regularly for more titles that are worthy of your attention. [Read on here…]
Pick-Ups for the Week of June 15, 2015
Welcome back to my Dailies feature, Pick-Ups!
It’s designed to feature older Blu-ray and DVD releases that we haven’t gotten around to reviewing until now (sorry about that!), as well as highlight select international releases and other unique titles on disc.
I try to do this column on a weekly basis, so be sure to check back regularly for more titles that are worthy of your attention. [Read on here...]
Pick-Ups for the week of June 8, 2015
Welcome back to my Dailies feature, Pick-Ups!
It’s designed to feature older Blu-ray and DVD releases that we haven’t gotten around to reviewing until now (sorry about that!), as well as highlight select international releases and other unique titles on disc.
I try to do this column on a weekly basis, so be sure to check back regularly for more titles that are worthy of your attention. [Read on here...]
Doctor Who: S8, Dolls, Chris Marker’s Level Five, Genesis: Three Sides Live, MGM/ Skuzzles BDs & more!
[Editor’s Note: Be sure to like TheDigitalBits.com page on Facebook for great Blu-ray, DVD and film discussion with other readers and for live updates on your mobile device when new content is posted here!]
Well… the response to my Star Trek and Blu-ray 4K columns of the past couple days has been very positive and positively overwhelming! I’ve gotten tons of e-mails and messages about both topics and I’m going to do my best to get back to everyone but it might take a few days.
Meanwhile today, the esteemed Dr. Jahnke has reviewed a classic and iconic David Lynch film on Blu-ray from Criterion… the long-awaited Eraserhead. Some of you longtime readers might recall that, ten or fifteen years ago, there was talk of the film coming to Criterion on DVD, but it failed to materialize. It’s now part of the Collection at least and it sounds as if they’ve really hit it out of the park. Don’t miss it. [Read on here…]
- Teen Wolf
- Killer Klowns from Outer Space
- Boy Meets Girl
- Drive Hard
- Ghost in the Shell: Arise Borders 1 & 2
- A Merry Friggin Christmas
- Adventure Time: The Complete Fourth Season
- Are You Here
- Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort
- Hart to Hart: Season Three
- The Doctor and the Devils
- Dolls: Collector's Edition
- Skuzzles
- MGM
- Genesis: Three Sides Live
- Chris Marker
- Level Five
- Doctor Who: The Complete Eighth Season
- Bluray
- BD
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
- Adam Jahnke
- Tim Salmons
- Star Trek
The Alamo Under Siege
Anybody know a good screenwriter? Here’s true scenario that would offer a perfect studio pitch.
And it’s a thriller, in a way, with a determined adventurer racing against time to seek justice for a hero from a past generation – one who sacrificed finances, reputation and goodwill to slay a dragon that was, in the long run, perhaps beyond even his reach.
This story is about John Wayne. This story is about Robert Harris. This story is about America and the importance of its cultural maintenance. And, ok, it’s also about personal obsession. Duke Wayne did what he said. No backing out. No cutting corners. No half assed. [Read on here...]
More on The Alamo (UPDATED 5/31), plus Captain America: Winter Soldier & Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. announced
[Editor’s Note: The section of text below regarding The Alamo has been updated on 5/31 to reflect important corrected information. Please give it another read to ensure that you have the most accurate/updated info.]
We’re closing out the week here at The Bits today with some big announcement news for you Marvel Universe fans, as well as an update on the situation with The Alamo.
But first, our own Bud Elder has turned in a new View from the Cheap Seats column in which he talks about location scouting in his native Oklahoma and takes a look at a great new book on John Wayne. He also spotlights some of the better recent classic film releases on disc from Olive, Twilight and more. By the way, you can listen to quick movie reviews from Bud on 104.5 KRXO radio in Oklahoma City. So don’t miss the column and be sure to give Bud’s Movie Minute a listen on the radio and online. [Read on here…]
Tell MGM it's time – NOW – to save John Wayne's The Alamo before it's lost forever
So... you might recall that last week I had dinner with film restoration expert (and former Bits contributor) Robert A. Harris and some other friends. (You can find a complete archive of his work on the original Digital Bits website here.) Robert, as it happens, is in town working on another fine classic film restoration project which will be announced in due course. But during our conversation last week, Robert alerted us to the fact that another beloved classic film is not faring nearly so well. That film, as you might already suspect, is The Alamo (1960), directed by and starring the legendary John Wayne. [Read on here…]