Classic Film Collection DVD Series
Warner Bros. and TCM Release Several Combinations of DVDs
May 12, 2009
The TCM Greatest Classic Films Collections have just released the second wave of great movies for movie buffs. Each set combines four of the best films in the selected genre.
TCM Greatest Classic Films: American Musicals
This set combines four of the most popular musicals filled with memorable songs and classic stars. Singin’ in the Rain (1952), Easter Parade (1948), The Band Wagon (1953), and Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) all rank as top rated musicals. The title songs alone are top rated popular songs. How many people walk down a street in pouring rain humming “Singin’ in the Rain?”
The classic Christmas song, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” made its debut in Meet Me in St. Louis. And Judy Garland’s famous “Trolley Song” was also from this film.
Garland and Fred Astaire teamed up for a clever duet called “A Couple of Swells” in Easter Parade, which includes 17 memorable songs by composer Irving Berlin.
TCM Greatest Classic Films: Broadway Musicals
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), Annie Get Your Gun (1950), Show Boat (1951), and Kiss Me Kate (1953) were all original Broadway musicals remade for the big screen. Legendary star Howard Keel starred in each of these four films, singing alongside Kathryn Grayson in both Kiss Me Kate and Show Boat, and with Jane Powell in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Betty Hutton played Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun.
Tunes that came out of these four films include “Ol’ Man River,” “When You’re in Love,” and perhaps the most popular one of all, “There’s No Business like Show Business.” Besides Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein, and Cole Porter added their songs to these films.
TCM Greatest Classic Films: WWII Battlefront Europe
The Dirty Dozen (1967), Where Eagles Dare (1968), Battleground (1949), and Kelly’s Heroes (1970) make up this wartime collection. Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, Trini Lopez, Richard Burton, James Whitmore, Van Johnson, and Don Rickles star in these timeless tales of war. Filled with drama and intrigue, all of these films portray soldiers in various situations, sometimes with some humor to go along with the fighting.
TCM Greatest Classic Films: War Collection Battlefront Asia
Each of these four films takes place in the Pacific theater. Bataan (1943), Back to Bataan (1945), and Destination Tokyo (1943) revolve around military action in World War II. John Wayne’s The Green Berets (1968) takes place decades later in Vietnam. Each of these films is nothing short of high drama.
TCM Greatest Classic Films: John Wayne Westerns
John Wayne was perhaps best known for his Western movies. Four of his best make up this collection: The Searchers (1956), Fort Apache (1948), Rio Bravo (1959) and The Cowboys (1972). Whether with costar Dean Martin, Henry Fonda, Walter Brennan, Bruce Dern, or Roscoe Lee Browne, John Wayne stands tall in the saddle and always comes out on top.
TCM Greatest Classic Films: Western Adventures
Robert Redford’s classic Western, Jeremiah Johnson (1972) was filmed in his home state of Utah. The Wild Bunch (1969) stars William Holden and Ernest Borgnine. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971) combined Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. And The Train Robbers (1973) stars John Wayne, Rod Taylor, and Ben Johnson.
These classic collections each contain four films and are offered for about the price of one movie alone. They make wonderful collections for any movie buff.
