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Jim Patterson · Guest

Why are 20th Century Fox Home Video sitting on so many gems that could be making big money on DVD ? Don't they realise that this year marks the 60th anniversary of Glenn Miller's disappearance ? Don't they realise that they have the only two feature films in Miller and his fabulous band appeared - SUN VALLEY SERENADE (1941) and ORCHESTRA WIVES (1942) ? The soundtracks of these two films constitute the Miller band's best-ever recordings.

And next year marks the 50th anniversary of that great and very successful Fred Astaire musical DADDY LONGLEGS - in which Fred introduced Johnny Mercer's excellent "Something's Gotta Give"

If Universal have had the good sense to release the Fred And Ginger box set, why can't Fox get on the bandwagon and put these classics out. There are more than enough fans out here who are clamouring for these titles.

And Ken Barnes would be the perfect producer to give us the kind of DVD presentation that they deserve.

Come on Fox !

J.Berendsen · Guest

I couldn't agree more with Jim Patterson re. the Fox catalogue - the two Gllenn Miller films are made-to-order for this year's 60th anniversary. If the record companies are smart enough to release Miller on CD, why don't Fox issue these two films ?

As for the Fred Astaire-Leslie Caron "Daddy Longlegs," it's amazing that they haven't released this on DVD. Ken Barnes - who had the pleasure of knowing and working with the great Astaire - is the perfect producer for a 50th anniversary DVD. So I can only echo Mr. Patterson's plea. Come on, Fox.

Carl Trevver · Guest

Of course, the two Glenn Miller films should be out on DVD - plus
"Daddy Longlegs." But don't foprget vol 2 of the Fred and Ginger.

All of these are essential collector's items.

Ron Patmore · Guest

If Fox Home Video ever decide to issue this much-loved Astaire film and those two Miller movies, count me in. They can take my order right now. And I know of at least 20 of my friends who feel the same way.

Come on Fox.

Tim Marcus · Guest

"Daddy Long Legs" was Fred Astaire's first film in Cinemascope. The only time I've seen it was in a dreadful pan-scan TV showing and it's excellent dance sequences - particularly "Sluefoot" - were ruined. If Fox could issue this - especially with a Ken Barnes-Laureate presentation - I'd be first in the queue.

Come on Fox

D Thurlow · Guest

With the 50th anniversary of this great Astaire musical, I just hope that Fox have the good sense to engage Ken Barnes to produce the DVD.

Definitely a collector's item. And I'll add the same cry as everyone else.
Come on Fox.

Celia Hall · Guest

I have three children - all of them teenagers - and none of us can get enough of the classic musicals..especially where Fred Astaire is concerned.

We would love to see DADDY LONGLEGS in a wide screen special edition DVD. And if Ken Barnes can produce it - with the help of Fred's charming daughter,Ava - it would certainly have a place in my collection alongside
HOLIDAY INN ( fabulous DVD ) and the delightful FRED & GINGER Box set.

Incidentally, when are we going to get Fred and Ginger - box 2

Martin Foyle · Guest

This would make a perfect DVD - released theatrically in 1955 in Cinemascope and 6-track magnetic stereo sound - for a 50th anniversary special edition a-la Laureate with Ken Barnes producing and Ava Astaire McKenzie introducing it. I'm thinking of that Movietone News clip of Ava and her father at the Los Angeles premiere of Daddy Longlegs.

A scene that I cherish from this film is the Ray Anthony Orchestra and Fred's fabulous dancing in the "Slue Foot" sequence and,of course, the great "Something's Gotta Give" scne with Leslie Caron.

This is classic Astaire and it MUST be issued on DVD.

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Thanks, Mark, for your always interesting comments. Point taken

Ken

Colin East · Guest

Looking at Ryan's list of Fred Astaire films still unreleased on DVD, I note that Daddy Longlegs is conspicuous by its absence. Does this mean that
it IS on DVD somewhere in the world ?

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Yes, Mark Fisk is absolutely right. There is a bootleg version of "Daddy Longlegs" ( probably more than one ) kicking around in Singapore and Hong Kong. Some friends of mine picked it up and declare it to be "total rubbish." It's obviously been recorded off-air ( with Japanese sub-titles) in dreadful quality ( both sound and picture) and hideous pan-scan which makes the dance routines - particularly "Slue Foot" - so frustrating to watch.

I'm sure that Ryan didn't mean to infer that this constitutes a legitimate DVD of the film. So maybe he should reconsider his list of "untouched" Astaires for DVD and add "Daddy Longlegs."

By the way, I have mentioned the many requests for this film - and the two Glenn Miller films to Steve Collins of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and have urged him to consider releasing these on DVD. So let's see what happens.

Ryan · Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Ft Myers, FL US

My goodness, I didn't realize that list would still be read this much later. I certainly did add Daddy Long Legs since it hasn't had a proper release, and removed You Were Never Lovelier which has been since released. I agree the Asian DVD's have lousy visual quality and horrid, just horrid audio quality. There must, however, be more than one version of Asian DVD of the film because mine is in widescreen rather than pan & scan like the one Ken notes. I mentioned that as its one redeeming feature in that earlier message with the list. But I still don't recommend it, if you still have a laserdisc player, watch Daddy Long Legs on that. It truly needs to be seen in widescreen unless you want to miss half the film. For "Sluefoot" and my favorite number "Something's Gotta Give" the choreography made use of the Cinemascope parameters so much that they lose all credibility when they're panned and scanned. Even in regular non-musical scenes there are actually people standing on the sides of the widescreen picture, who don't make it into the film at all when done pan & scan. I played my VHS copy of DLL on my television while I inserted the Asian DVD in my computer and synched the two up, it really is a remarkable difference. That makes me think mine must be a different version than Ken's friends', it also has Chinese rather than Japanese subtitles (which you can remove-unlike Japanese DVD's like The Sky's the Limit), and I think I remember it being from Taiwan, it was a while ago. Thank you, Ken, for mentioning DLL's release to Fox, hopefully I can take it back off the list sometime.

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Hi Ryan,

I must apologise for not keeping up to date on your comments re.DLL. But sometimes I'm a little remiss in covering everything on the website.

As luck would have it, I have just obtained the laserdisc version through a friend of mine who spotted it in a private sale. I had to bid for it and finally picked it up for £65. A lot of money, to be sure. But worth it. The film is very nicely rendered in its full 2.35:1 and in excellent stereo.

The orchestrations - especially over the title sequence - are mainly by the great Billy May and sound wonderful. Back in the 1970s, I worked with Johnny Mercer, with whom I enjoyed a good friendship ( he was a guest at my wedding) and I asked him how he came to write both music and words for "Daddy Longlegs." ( J.M. was mostly a lyricist) He said
"Somebody thought I could do it. But I think they insisted on using 'Dream' - just in case I didn't come up with anything else." Of course, he did come up with "Something's Gotta Give."

Later I discovered that it was Fred Astaire who suggested to Fox that Mercer do both words and music. Fred himself told me that "Dream" was his favourite song. So there's another bit of trivia surrounding DLL.

Ryan · Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Ft Myers, FL US

Now that was interesting. Think to work with Astaire and Mercer! I would really love to hear an actual recording by Fred Astaire of "Dream," but it doesn't seem to be out there. Just the little snippet in DDL. I also like the laserdisc of this film very much. Other great Astaire laserdiscs: Band Wagon (3 disc set) includes an extra number, as does Easter Parade, and Swing Time features a commentary.

Clive Pauncefort · Guest

After turning out such a superb box set ..FRED & GINGER ( with four of their best RKO films ) - why not finish the job and give us Volume 2 ?