MGM is getting into the DVD-on-demand business.
But what just does that mean?
Many people know that most of the classic films of the fabled studio have belonged to Warner Brothers for years.
And the studio that once gave us The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind and Ben-Hur has been bought and sold several times in recent decades. In fact, it’s currently on the sales block again.
Over the last few years, MGM titles have been handled by Fox Studios’ DVD arm. As of right now, that will remain the same.
MGM, though, is ready to join Warner and Sony in starting a program that will make some of the most demanded titles in their library available to film buffs at last.
What primarily constitutes MGM’s library at present are films released by United Artists over the years. Also part of the library are eclectic cinematic pickings from a pool of production companies that have gone bankrupt over the last 25 years, including Avco Embassy, American International Pictures, Filmways, Fries Entertainment, Atlantic Releasing, Nelson Entertainment, Orion Pictures, Cannon Pictures, MCEG, The Samuel Goldwyn Company, Trans World Entertainment, Island Alive and others.
In all, it’s an impressive reservoir of films that have been much-requested and, in many cases, unavailable on DVD in the past.
Presented like Warner’s Archive and Sony’s Columbia Classics lines in the DVD-R format, some of MGM’s releases will include a trailer as a lone extra. Current plans are to release them at a steady clip.
Among the highlights of the first batch are:
Rolling Thunder (1977): Quentin Tarantino had such affection for this brutal revenge drama penned by Paul Schrader he named his now-defunct distribution company after it. William Devane plays the Vietnam vet scorned by his wife, family and neighbors when he returns home. When a group of thugs steal his coins, he joins forces with pal Tommy Lee Jones to get all medieval on them.
Vigilante Force (1976): A variation on Death Wish set in the boondocks of California casts Kris Kristofferson as a Vietnam vet who enlists his pals to take justice on rowdy oil workers who have taken over the town. Jan-Michael Vincent and Bernadette Peters also star in this in-your-face actioner from George Armitage (Miami Blues).
The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1978): The great Larry Cohen (Q) takes a tabloid approach to FBI main man Hoover’s life, with Broderick Crawford in the lead as the cross-dressing crimefighter.
99 River Street (1953): Film noir enthusiasts can celebrate the release of this much-asked-for effort from Phil Karlson with John Payne as a cab driver and former boxer entangled with an adulterous wife, a jewel thief and an aspiring actress in situations often leading to violence.
Futureworld (1976): A sequel to the popular Westworld, with Peter Fonda and Blythe Danner as reporters trying to uncover the mysteries of a robot-filled theme park. Yul Brynner returns as the automaton gunslinger from Michael Crichton’s original.
Flight from Ashiya (1964): Speaking of Brynner, Yul not want to miss his performance in this high-octane adventure saga in which he joins George Chakiris and Richard Widmark on a reflection-filled air trek to save a group of Japanese ocean travelers stranded in the South China Sea.
Still of the Night (1982): Roy Scheider is the therapist attracted to Meryl Streep, the mistress of his late patient, in Robert Benton’s noirish supennser.
The Satan Bug (1965): Crackerjack biological terror tale in which demented scientist Richard Basehart threatens to unleash vials of lethal germs as investigators George Maharis and Anne Francis chase him down.
The Landlord (1970): Hal Ashby’s directing debut stars Beau Bridges as a privileged young man who purchases an inner-city apartment building with plans to knock it down and build his own luxurious digs. As he gets to know his tenants, he gets other ideas in this socially conscious dramedy co-starring Diana Sands, Ossie Davis and Lou Gossett, Jr.
The Best Man (1964): Gore Vidal’s award-winning play is turned into an intense political drama with presidential hopefuls Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson battling each other for their party’s nomination. Franklin J. Schaffner (Patton) directs this powerful look at Washington backstabbing and deal making.
Diary of a Madman (1963): Stylish, overlooked creeper with Vincent Price as an evil magistrate who becomes possessed by a ghost in this adaptation of a story by Guy de Maupassant.
Between the Lines (1977): A young, soon-to-be-popular cast of actors are featured in this winning dramedy about the staffers who filter in and out of a Boston alternative weekly newspaper. Joan Micklin Silver directs John Heard, Stephen Collins, Jeff Goldblum, Lindsay Crouse, Gwen Welles, Jill Eikenberry and Marilu Henner.
Trapeze (1956): Tony Curtis is the new aerialist in the circus who seeks help from disabled trapeze artist Burt Lancaster. Gina Lollobrigida is the lovely tumbling expert who gets between them in Carol Reed’s thrilling circus-set drama.
Valentino (1977): Ken Russell brings his frenzied filmmaking to the life and times of screen legend Rudolph Valentino. Dance great Rudolf Nureyev plays the silent star, while Michelle Phillips and Leslie Caron add support.
The Gallant Hours (1960): James Cagney is stirring as Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey, who commanded the U.S. troops to victory against the Japanese at Guadalcanal.
The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan (1979): Lindsay Wagner is the woman trying to salvage her troubled marriage while moving into a Victorian home. She finds an antique dress within, tries it on, and finds herself whisked into the past—and a love affair with her house’s long-ago owner.
Two for the Seesaw (1962): Robert Mitchum is the unhappily married man who falls for dancer Shirley MacLaine during a trip to New York. When he gets divorced, he fails to tell MacLaine, leading to romantic complications in this adaptation of William Gibson’s play helmed by Robert Wise.
The 7th Dawn (1964): High adventure, romance and political intrigue mesh in this rugged tale of former Malaysian guerilla leader William Holden caught in the middle between English authorities and his old comrade-in-arms turned Communist insurrectionist, as well as between British gal Susannah York and Eurasian ally Capucine.
Fitzwilly (1967): Dick Van Dyke plays the butler who joins fellow domestic help in a series of robberies to help aging millionaire employer Edith Evans, whose fortunes have been dwindling. Barbara Feldon is the new secretary who senses something is amiss in the mansion.
Cold Turkey (1971): Hilarious satire from Norman Lear in which preacher Dick Van Dyke rallies his fellow small town dwellers to quit smoking in order to win a contest sponsored by a tobacco company. Bob Newhart, Jean Stapleton, Tom Poston, Bob and Ray also star.
Highway Patrol: Season 1: MGM will also be issuing TV series, and we’re thrilled at the arrival of this classic cop show. Broderick Crawford stars as Dan Matthews, the gruff chief of the California Highway Patrol who barks out orders to patrolmen using cars, motorcycles and helicopters to catch the bad guys. This ten-disc set from the syndicated show’s initial season (1955—it ran until 1959) offers thrills and spills along with guest stars such as Clint Eastwood, Stuart Whitman, Leonard Nimoy, Guy Williams, Kirk Alyn and Ed Nelson throughout the series’ run.
As Dan Matthews would say “10-4, 10-4.”
For a closing note, MGM’s current video distributor Fox is reportedly about to announce their own movies-on-demand program as well. More news on that front when we get a confirmation of which titles will be issued in Fox’s “First Wave.”