Warners has been farting around with this title for a few years, now, but has finally officially announced the long-awaited special edition of Forbidden Planet. Two of them, actually. The cheaper of the two (which should easily run under $20 at vender prices) is an eye-popping bargain, the sort of package that allows you to replace the old, barebones disc–as I will–without getting too irate about it. I mean, damn, an entire obscure Robbie the Robot movie is included as an extra!
The Forbidden Planet: 50th Anniversary 2-Disc Special Edition (SRP $26.99) features anamorphic widescreen video (mastered from newly restored film elements) and newly-remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Extras include additional scenes and rare “lost” footage (known in select circles as “The Saucer Footage”), excerpts from The MGM Parade TV series, a pair of later programs that feature Robbie the Robot (the 1958 MGM feature film The Invisible Boy and the Robot Client episode of MGM’s The Thin Man TV series), 3 documentaries on the making of the film (including TCM’s original Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us, and the all-new Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet and Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon), and a gallery of Sci-Fi film theatrical trailers.
The more expensive Ultimate Collector’s Edition, meanwhile, will include the 2-disc SE DVD release in a tin case, along with a collectible Robby the Robot replica with moveable limbs, a reproduction lobby art card portfolio for Forbidden Planet and The Invisible Boy, and a Forbidden Planet original theatrical poster mail-in offer. The MSRP for this one is $60, so figure to pay $40-45.
The details for the 8-disc The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection are out, with a promised street date of 11/28 (aimed at Christmas, obviously) and a MSRP of $80. Four of the discs are dedicated to the first movie, with two discs for each of the subsequent ones. (Including, yes, Superman 4: The Quest for Peace.) Moreover, all 17 of the classic theatrical Fleisher Superman cartoons are included as part of the four-disc part, remastered and supposedly looking better than ever.
The Superman 4 set includes a screenwriter’s commentary. It will be interested to see how candid he is about the film’s awfulness, especially since much of it must be laid on Christopher Reeve himself. Does anyone want to say anything bad about this guy, even if its true? Time will tell.
Meanwhile, the long-awaited and never seen Richard Donner cut of Superman II (he was fired and director Richard Lester brought in) will be released *separately.*
For full details on the zillions of documentaries and other stuff in the set, check out the appropriate link at the invaluable Digitalbits.com.
In less rarified news, a company named Code Red has announced the previously unavailable (in this country) uncut version of the ’70s Italian Exorcist/Omen/Rosemary’s Baby knock-off Beyond the Door. The disc is scheduled for some time in 2007.
Meanwhile, the good folks at Dark Sky continue to impress, announcing a remastered, drastically ungraded disc of The Devil’s Rain, featuruing a director’s commentary, and a double bill DVD of two obscure Brit films, Blood of the Vampire and The Hellfire Club.
