Replacing my old DVDs with Blu-ray versions continues with my latest acquisition: The Maltese Falcon. This classic film starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor, directed by John Huston, has a plethora of added features: commentary by Bogart biographer Eric Lax, featurette The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird, breakdowns of 1941: studio blooper reel, makeup tests, Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart, Warner Night at the Movies 1941 short subjects gallery: Newsreel, musical short The Gay Parisian, 2 classic cartoons: Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt and Meet John Doughboy, Trailers of this Movie, 1941’s Sergeant York and 1936’s previous Falcon movie adaptation Satan Met a Lady. Audio-only bonus: 3 radio show adaptations–two featuring the movie’s original stars, plus another starring Edward G. Robinson. GRADE: A
I must admit that I rarely watch the “extras” on DVDs. FALCON remains one of my all-time favorites. Huston did a wonderful adaptation and the casting was nearly perfect.
This one of the iconic movies, Jeff. I sample the “extras” but don’t watch them all.
One of the truly great films. But like Jeff I almost never watch the extras.
I’m always interested in interviews with people involved in the film, Patti. The other stuff…not so much.
I’m another who rarely watches the extras, though I watched every minute of the material on the long versions of Jackson’s LOTR DVDs. I have this on DVD, so don’t feel any need to see it “bluray’d”
The Blu-ray editions of Lord of the Rings are on my must-buy list, Rick!
I do watch extras, and if they are engaging, as they are about half the time, I watch them through…or listen to them, which happens likewise about half the time that I get through the whole thing (the adult Diane Lane and Laura Dern commentary on their adolescent film LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FABULOUS STAINS was one of those I definitely enjoyed through).
And I really suspect I’ll own a copy of this one sooner rather than later.
Like you, I’ll dip into the “extras,” Todd. Some Blu-rays have more good stuff than the regular DVDs.