NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!!! Mommie Dearest SE!!! June 6!!!

[Escapay]

DavisDVD has the cover art and a release date for a Mommie Dearest Special Edition!

Cover Art: (which IMO looks pretty lame)



Release Date: June 6, 2006 (woohoo, a day before my birthday!)

There's no word on extra features yet.

I HATE how it's called Hollywood Royalty Edition. If Paramount wants to make crappy-but-it's-supposed-to-be-funny ways of saying Special Edition, they should've done something more associated with the film than "Hollywood Royalty". Why not "No Wire Hangers Ever Edition"? Or "I'm Mad at the Dirt Edition"? How about "TINA! BRING ME THE AXE! Edition"?

Anyways, I'm sooooo glad that this film's getting an SE! Now if only Paramount will get around to making Special Editions for Clue, D.A.R.Y.L., The First Wives Club, Ghost, Grease, Ordinary People, and Pretty in Pink...

Escapay

[2099net]

Anyways, I'm sooooo glad that this film's getting an SE! Now if only Paramount will get around to making Special Editions for Clue, D.A.R.Y.L., The First Wives Club, Ghost, Grease, Ordinary People, and Pretty in Pink...

Escapay

Don't forget Dudley Moore and Daryal Hannah in Crazy People - It could be a "It's Boxey But Safe" edition

[The Little Merman]

One glimpse of that cover by a small child, and they are scarred for life!



*tlm

[Lazario]

I think this is a great idea. It probably won't be a very good updated edition... Say, what ever became of that Airplane! special edition? Anyone here ever get that, how great was it...? So Paramount keeps putting all these special edition re-releases, anyone but me noticing how many?? I think it's great. Even if this company could have been doing this the whole time and not have so many of these re-releases spilling all over each other.

[Escapay]

Say, what ever became of that Airplane! special edition? Anyone here ever get that, how great was it...?

I keep putting off getting it whenever I see it at Wal-Mart simply because I never feel like shelling out the $14 for it. I heard it's an okay upgrade, but it's not worth upgrading unless you want deleted scenes and some dry interviews.

Anyways, I agree about Paramount's sudden urge to re-release movies in SE edition (The MI movies are getting re-releases in April to support MI3, which gives me reason to finally pick up the first, which was the only good one of the two). Some SE's are long overdue (Breakfast at Tiffany's), while some are just headscratching as to why it needed one in the first place (Tommy Boy).

With Paramount's track record for SE's at the moment, I'm expecting the following for Mommie Dearest:

1. A Making-of featurette around 20-25 minutes or so
2. A fluffy piece about the infamous "NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!" scene.
3. A piece about how true they stayed (or strayed) to the book and to real-life that'll be around 10-15 minutes
4. The trailer, though it may be dropped...
5. A commentary by Christine Crawford, or some other people involved in the film.
6. The photo gallery from the current DVD, perhaps with a couple more photos.
7. Deleted scenes, if any.

Escapay

[my chicken is infected]

How about the "Don't Fuck With Me Fellas Edition"?

[Escapay]

How about the "Don't Fuck With Me Fellas Edition"?

Hehe, that would be good but I'm sure we gotta keep the cover G-rated.

I think "I AM NOT ONE OF YOUR FANS!!! Edition" would be good, but too long.

"Could you...could you call... Edition" could be used to promote the very tiny soap opera aspect of the movie.

Escapay

[my chicken is infected]

"She Negotiates Everything Like A God Damn Hollywood Agent Edition"

"Scary Eyebrows Edition"

"Shoulder Pads To Make You Look Like A Linebacker Edition"

"Cold Cream Queen Edition"

"IT'S NOT CLEAN!!!! Edition"

"Christina! Christopher! Damnit! Edition"

"I'm Not Mad At You, I'm Mad At The Dirt Edition"

"I'd Rather You Go Bald To School Than Looking Like A Tramp Edition"

"You Spoiled It Just Like I Spoiled You Edition"

"Why Must Everything Be A Contest? Edition"

"Adopted Children Are The Luckiest Because They Were Chosen Edition"

I have too much time on my hands.

[Lazario]

With Paramount's track record for SE's at the moment, I'm expecting the following for Mommie Dearest:

1. A Making-of featurette around 20-25 minutes or so
2. A fluffy piece about the infamous "NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!" scene.
3. A piece about how true they stayed (or strayed) to the book and to real-life that'll be around 10-15 minutes
4. The trailer, though it may be dropped...
5. A commentary by Christine Crawford, or some other people involved in the film.
6. The photo gallery from the current DVD, perhaps with a couple more photos.
7. Deleted scenes, if any.

Stow it away, Esc, Airplane! may have gotten their deleted scenes, but Paramount remains much more a stickler for these than trailers. As for the trailer... you can count on it being on the new DVD, I know Paramount well and I haven't seen them do a special edition yet without a trailer. Have you? Besides, with a cult film like this... Which is I think why they went the extra mile for Airplane! to get those deleted scenes. I wish they would do the same with the Naked Gun series, really soon, but also they can't forget the bloopers. Paramount denied Clueless it's deleted scene, because it's not really a cult film. But anyway, anything's possible. Including it's possible they've made a special edition without the trailer. I just haven't encountered it yet, and I've been reading up on these DVDs online. You're right that Paramount could be doing a little more for the movies in terms of featurettes. I have heard a lot of people were disappointed by Breakfast at Tiffanys featurettes. But at least they're making the effort - God knows they have the resources, last thing left is time. And that's an eterenally tossup variable.

[Escapay]

Not an update on the DVD front, but for anyone who's never seen Mommie Dearest, I found this kickass music video on YouTube that...well, it shows what the movie is about, set to Abba's Mamma Mia (though the music doesn't start until midway through).

(Warning, it's got some language and violence that's not really...well Disney-appropriate)

Abba vs. Mommie Dearest

BTW, didn't see how I missed your reply Laz, so I'll address a couple stuff:

I know Paramount well and I haven't seen them do a special edition yet without a trailer. Have you?

Star Trek: Generations and Ferris Bueller's Day Off are the only two that come to mind at the moment.

I wish they would do the same with the Naked Gun series, really soon, but also they can't forget the bloopers.

Ditto. I always see the Naked Gun movies in my Wal-Mart $5.50 bin, but never pick them up because I'd rather pay more for SE's if they every get made...

Escapay

[bambifan56]

That is one scary looking cover

[Lazario]

By the way, in keeping with the theme of Paramount and their new dazzling wave of special editions, and releases of films long-since waited for... Sliver is finally getting a release on DVD (I know, I was shocked too when I found out, but it's true!) soon, and it's Unrated. And due for special edition treatment are : What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Plunder of the Sun, and Event Horizon.

[Escapay]

By the way, in keeping with the theme of Paramount and their new dazzling wave of special editions, and releases of films long-since waited for... Sliver is finally getting a release on DVD (I know, I was shocked too when I found out, but it's true!) soon, and it's Unrated. And due for special edition treatment are : What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Plunder of the Sun, and Event Horizon.

Wow, they're giving an SE to What's Eating Gilbert Grape? I think I've heard of Sliver, though I don't think I've seen it.

Now if only Paramount will get around to SE's for Harold and Maude, Clue, and The First Wives Club.

Escapay

[Lazario]

Sliver was an erotic thriller with Sharon Stone as a late-30's edgy-journalist who's having a dry spell with her sex/love-life. She moves into this luxury-esque condo / highrise apartment complex where select tenants are murdered, commit "suicide," or otherwise die mysteriously. She gets involved with Stephen Baldwin and he's too young for her but he's such a good lover that he gets her all confused and whatnot, then there's all this sleazy drama about multiple guys in the building who are interested in her and their questionable pasts, and all the while there's a constant theme of compulsive voyeurism, feeling unsafe, and that creepy feeling that perhaps you're being watched, but with an ironic twist - all the people who are stalked are voyeurs and have indulged in watching other people. We just learn later as the movie progresses who has a shady side and who's just there to be plot-pushers. A lot of sex scenes, I've only seen the R-rated version and even that's steamy. Not as graphic as Basic Instinct, but with a lot more moaning, actually. Though nobody in the entire film gets a sliver or splinter. Not much wood in the movie, everything is very plastered or polished, very futuristic or modern-looking. A lot of it has to do with technology too. It was from 1993, so it's just a few years shy of having an internet-stalking scene.

More than anything, I'd say it's infamous for having a very confusing and disappointing ending. And there's a famous alternate ending that no one's seen except some critics and possibly a test audience, and the change in endings is almost singularly responsible for the film's very negative critical reviews.

[Escapay]

DavisDVD listed the specs:

-Anamorphic Widescreen
-Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 tracks
-Commentary with filmmaker (and fan) John Waters
-"The Revival of Joan" featurette
-"Life With Joan" featurette
-"Joan Lives On" featurette
-Photo Gallery
-Theatrical Trailer

SRP is $14.99 (pretty cheap!)

Let's see how accurate I was from my original prediction of the specs:

1. A Making-of featurette around 20-25 minutes or so
Well, any of the 3 featurettes could be that piece, I'd bet my money on "The Revival of Joan"

2. A fluffy piece about the infamous "NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!" scene.
Again, this could be contained within one of the 3 featurettes, though I guess it'd fall under "The Revival of Joan", which sounds most like a making-of featurette

3. A piece about how true they stayed (or strayed) to the book and to real-life that'll be around 10-15 minutes
I'm guessing "Life with Joan" could cover this.

4. The trailer, though it may be dropped...
It's not dropped, hooray!

5. A commentary by Christina Crawford, or some other people involved in the film.
Half true, as the commentary doesn't have Christina.

6. The photo gallery from the current DVD, perhaps with a couple more photos.
Not dropped, though I hope they add new pictures.

7. Deleted scenes, if any.
I'm guessing anything deleted was lost...

Also, they mentioned the specs for What's Eating Gilbert Grape: Collector's Edition (6/20, $19.99):

-Commentary with director Lasse Hallstrom and writer Peter Hedges
-"The Characters of Gilbert Grape" featurette
-"The Voice of Gilbert Grape" featurette
-"Why We Love Gilbert Grape" featurette
-Photo Gallery
-Trailer

Geez, these Paramount SE's seem to be pretty cut and paste these days. Slap on a commentary, make two or three featurettes that are between 10-20 minutes each, throw some photos in and call it a gallery, and thankfully carry over the trailer (unlike Disney, Universal, Sony...). Gotta give them props for being consistent. Get to Clue now, goddammit! If there was one movie that I'd kill for a special edition, it'd be Clue!

Escapay

[Lazario]

-Commentary with filmmaker (and fan) John Waters

This is interesting, I didn't know he was a fan. He never mentioned it on any of his commentary tracks. I know, I've listened to 8 out of 10 of them. He of course being a sort of low-rent culture guru, he mentions dozens of movies he likes per commentary and Joan Crawford/Mommie Dearest never came up.

Geez, these Paramount SE's seem to be pretty cut and paste these days. Slap on a commentary, make two or three featurettes that are between 10-20 minutes each, throw some photos in and call it a gallery, and thankfully carry over the trailer (unlike Disney, Universal, Sony...). Gotta give them props for being consistent. Get to Clue now, goddammit! If there was one movie that I'd kill for a special edition, it'd be Clue!

Well, if you know of any petitions going, let me know - I watched that movie 3 times the other day. It would be nice, and I would imagine the whole cast wouldn't object to talking about such a harmless and fun movie as Clue. It really depends upon how big the Clue-cult is, because I think we all know Mommie Dearest has probably 1 of the 5 to 10 biggest movie cults out there. Paramount had to cough up a special edition sooner or later, or they would have been kettle-drummed and stoned out of DVDtown.

If you're trying to say Paramount isn't trying hard enough... I agree. However, compared to their former track-record, they are making what I'd call a valiant effort to somewhat make up for their cheapie crimes of the past.

SRP is $14.99 (pretty cheap!)

4. The trailer, though it may be dropped...
It's not dropped, hooray!

And that's what gets my $15 bucks. I would have absolutely refused to purchase this if it didn't have the trailer. But that's a very reasonable price.

On a related / not-at-all related note, I took a look at last week's release of Sliver, and Paramount... YOU SUCK! No trailer, no commentary, no alternate ending!!! No nothing. I am beyond livid. They kept us waiting nearly 9 years for WHAT? Nothing.

[Escapay]

If you're trying to say Paramount isn't trying hard enough... I agree. However, compared to their former track-record, they are making what I'd call a valiant effort to somewhat make up for their cheapie crimes of the past.

Pretty much, yeah, that was I was saying. Paramount's only now starting to release respectable SE's but they do such a quick job that the end result still leaves much to be desired.

I mean, take The Ten Commandments. It's one of a few movies from the classic Hollywood that still has yearly airings on broadcast tv (Wizard of Oz and It's A Wonderful Life being a couple others). It's CB DeMille's greatest epic, his last film. It's perhaps one of the best Biblical films in terms of grandeur on the screen, not accuracy in the story. And yet Paramount gives its 50th Anniversary a rather shoddy treatment. Sure, the 1923 original (with commentary and tinted footage) is a wonderful bonus. But Paramount could have at least provided a BETTER documentary. The 36-minute piece we get is so damn fluffy that it's not worth watching more than once. Katherine Orrison's commentary does a much better job of being a behind the scenes expert, and she wasn't even part of the production at the time! Ben-Hur got a spectacular 4-disc treatment, with their original 1 hour documentary and an all-new documentary as well. Paramount could have scrounged up a few more cast and crew people and done more interviews and offered that as an extension of the 36-minute piece. Instead they force us to double-dip on the 2-disc set just to get the silent movie. They've proven they can do wonderful multi-disc collections in the past (Star Trek DVDs, Top Gun, and Titanic, though they really had no hand in it except R1 distribution), when the hell will they give any pre-1975 titles the same treatment? Bastards.

On a related / not-at-all related note, I took a look at last week's release of Sliver, and Paramount... YOU SUCK! No trailer, no commentary, no alternate ending!!! No nothing. I am beyond livid. They kept us waiting nearly 9 years for WHAT? Nothing.

I thought it was an unrated edition? Or does that just mean more T&A? Sorry to hear that Sliver's a shoddy edition, though. I'd feel the same way if Paramount offered Star Trek: The Motion Picture in its insane extended TV edition and not the director's edition...

In other Paramount news, another cult title, Bugsy Malone, comes to DVD either next week (4/11), in a barebones DVD as well. Poo. It's not listed on Amazon, which is odd, even though it's long been announced at dvdactive, thedigitalbits, and shows up on dvdaf...

Escapay

[Lazario]

I thought it was an unrated edition? Or does that just mean more T&A?

Just more T&A (most likely), none of the death scenes were the least bit graphic (except for one post-mortem that was a little unflattering for the poor actor). With what they did show, there's probably 25-30 seconds of stuff that was cut. In the end, not a big deal. I mean, I doubt they ever filmed a direct shot of William Baldwin's genitalia (in the R-rated version, he pulls the sheet covers of his bed slowly off his legs and Sharon Stone gets an eyeful in the reverse shot) or Sharon Stone's private place during her masturbation scene. So really, all that could have been missing from the R-rated version are probably more thrusts during their 2 or 3 sexual encounters, or boob shots of her.

As for all of the Paramount classics, dramas, and historical films... I guess the people working on these featurettes and so on/forth aren't very interested or knowlegable in history, so they get a certain amount of interviews and call it a wrap, not knowing how poorly it will edit together in the end. They should really hire a few people out from Warner, maybe. But God do I know how you feel about that, I feel like the people who made that dinky 30-minute (less if you minus all the clips and intro/outro promo stuff taken from trailers) Scream trilogy documentary on the DVD boxset of the Scream trilogy should be drug out into the street and shot. They seriously need to re-distribute that one, with an uncut version of the first film in anamorphic (Buena Vista's lovely handiwork ). I'm glad I don't work for Paramount home entertainment, I really don't envy the people whose job it is to interview people about old movies forever.

36 minutes? That's what all 6 of those featurettes add up to?

And, double-dip? Paramount's pulled a triple-dip on The Ten Commandments :
http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=av ... V||||49007

I'm sure you knew about the 3-disc version released nearly 3 weeks ago? I didn't. But I know how you feel, I don't like it either when a studio releases a DVD over and over again - especially. But you must have been collecting DVDs before I started, I always say how glad I am that I started collecting late in the game because now I know exactly what's out there and there's less chance I'm going to pick up a DVD that's about to be re-released in a better edition.

[Escapay]

They seriously need to re-distribute that one, with an uncut version of the first film in anamorphic (Buena Vista's lovely handiwork ).

Yeah, I've been holding off on buying the boxset (it's only $22.99 at my Sam Goody), because the first is non-anamorphic.

36 minutes? That's what all 6 of those featurettes add up to?

Unfortunately, yes. Each one simply re-iterated everything that Katherine Orrison said in her commentary, though there's a few notable anecdotes give by Eugene Mazzola and Lisa Mitchell. Otherwise, all 6 featurettes are really poorly done.

And, double-dip? Paramount's pulled a triple-dip on The Ten Commandments :
http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=av ... V||||49007

I don't really count the 2004 SEC as a double-dip from the 1999 edition, but as an upgrade. So for me, the 2006 50AE is a double-dip from the 2004 SCE, even though it's the third DVD edition of the film.

I'm sure you knew about the 3-disc version released nearly 3 weeks ago?

I remember first hearing about it last September or so, and was so excited at the prospect of a 4-disc edition (at the time the only specs was "50th Anniversary Edition, including 1923 original"). I think the announcement came shortly after Ben-Hur's 4-disc came out. I was so disappointed, of course, in December or so, when I found out it was merely the 2-disc set + the 1923 original.

But you must have been collecting DVDs before I started, I always say how glad I am that I started collecting late in the game because now I know exactly what's out there and there's less chance I'm going to pick up a DVD that's about to be re-released in a better edition.

Well I didn't really start to "collect" (as in buy rapidly) until last year. Before it was, "See a movie, if it's cheap and I like it, I'll buy it." I wasn't as "educated" on double-dips or waiting for better editions. But I guess it's better to collect late in the game, because you'd know what's been out for awhile and when it'd be due for an upgrade or double-dip (Mommie Dearest, for example).

Escapay

[Lazario]

Still, you're definitely more news-conscious than I am. I get my news by going on Amazon.com and searching for titles or companies under special edition (or just edition).