Mickey Rooney was 17 when he made the first “Andy Hardy” movie, and the last one was released shortly after he turned 38. Now, at long last, with a second box set in release, the entire franchise is on DVD for the first time, along with a number of other vintage titles.
“The Andy Hardy Film Collection, Volume 2” (Warner Archive, 1937-58, not rated, b/w, five discs, $59.95, 10 films, nine trailers, bonus features on “Love Finds Andy Hardy”: introduction, radio promo, “Hardy Family Christmas” promo). Yes, these films are dated, but to a certain audience they also represent essential Americana as girl-crazy Midwest teenager Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) gets in and out of scrapes over the course of 16 movies made over two decades.
Six of the films were haphazardly collected in “Volume 1,” so some in “Volume 2” are also out of order, but it leads off with the first, “A Family Affair,” starring Lionel Barrymore as Judge Hardy, and featuring Rooney’s Andy as just one of the family. This was a stand-alone film; until it was a box-office smash, no one thought about doing a series.
For the rest, Lewis Stone replaced Barrymore (who was busy as Dr. Gillespie, mentor to “Dr. Kildare” in another popular MGM film series), and over time the franchise focused more and more on Andy. Indeed, of the first six pictures in the series, only one has “Andy” in the title. But from No. 7 on, they all do.
Among Rooney’s love interests here are Judy Garland, Lana Turner, and in her film debut, Esther Williams. The last in the series, and the only one filmed in a widescreen format, “Andy Hardy Comes Home” followed a 12-year gap and was intended to revive the series, but by 1958 the motif already felt out of step. (Available at www.WarnerArchive.com)
“The Bruce Lee Legacy Collection” (Shout!/Blu-ray, 1971-78; R for violence; 11 discs, $119.99, four movies, deleted/alternate scenes, audio commentaries, documentaries, featurettes, trailers/TV spots, photo galleries; coffee-table book packaging, 68-page book).A Blu-ray “Enter the Dragon” was released last month, and now Lee’s other four starring movies are gathered here with upgraded Blu-ray picture and sound, loads of extras, including three feature-length documentaries, and a gorgeous photo-filled book.
The movies are also restored to their original titles: “The Big Boss” (1971), “Fist of Fury” (1972), “The Way of the Dragon” (1973) and “Game of Death” (1978). You can find cheaper versions of these films under many alternate titles (“The Chinese Connection,” “The Iron Hand,” “Return of the Dragon,” etc.) but most are lousy quality on public-domain “budget” DVDs. They’ve never looked better than they do in this set.
All are interesting films with some astonishing fight scenes, many of them choreographed by Lee himself. Even “Game of Death,” which was completed with a double after Lee’s death, has some eye-popping action in the final act, which had been filmed first.
“Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes” (Warner Archive/Blu-ray, 1984, PG, $19.95, audio commentary, trailer). Hugh Hudson followed “Chariots of Fire” with this attempt to tell the story of Tarzan (though that name is never spoken) from a more realistic, less sensational viewpoint. Christopher Lambert is great in the lead and the first half, set in the jungle, is masterful. When he returns to England, things slow down but are still quite good, and Ralph Richardson is especially notable. The voice of Andie MacDowell, in her film debut, was redubbed by Glenn Close. (Available at www.WarnerArchive.com)
“Ishtar: Director’s Cut” (Columbia/Blu-ray, 1987, not rated, $19.99, trailers). The notorious flop that stalled writer-director Elaine May’s career and caused bad blood between May and stars Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman doesn’t feel a lot different in this “director’s cut,” which is officially unrated but still in its original PG territory. Beatty and Hoffman are untalented singer-songwriters who get mixed up in Middle East espionage. Whatever May changed, it’s still a mediocre comedy. Isabelle Adjani and Charles Grodin co-star. (This is the first ever U.S. disc release; it’s still not on DVD.)
“A Boy and His Dog” (Shout!/Blu-ray, 1975; R for violence, sex, nudity, language; $26.99, audio commentary, featurette, radio spots). This satirical thriller is the very definition of a cult movie, one that failed at the box office but has built up an appreciative audience over time. A 26-year-old Don Johnson (playing 18) stars as an amoral scavenger with a telepathic dog in an apocalyptic America where he stumbles onto an underground city. This Blu-ray upgrade offers the best-ever video transfer, and writer-director L.Q. Jones and author Harlan Ellison are newly interviewed.
“Swamp Thing” (MGM/Scream/Blu-ray, 1982, PG, two discs. $26.99, Blu-ray and DVD versions, audio commentaries, featurettes, trailer, photo galleries). Nice Blu-ray upgrade for Wes Craven’s uneven “Beauty and the Beast” adaptation of the comic book. A scientist (Ray Wise) working to end world hunger is doused with his serum and turns into a walking salad. Campy, aimed at a youth audience, despite the violence and Adrienne Barbeau’s brief nude-bathing scene. Louis Jourdan offers a humorously hammy performance as the villain.
“The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek” (Warner Archive, 1944, not rated, b/w, $18.95, featurettes). Hilarious, if a bit shrill, social satire from the great Preston Sturges about a woman (Betty Hutton) who drunkenly marries a sailor but has no idea who he was. When she realizes she’s pregnant, her longtime boyfriend (Eddie Bracken) tries to help but only manages to further complicate things. (Available at www.WarnerArchive.com)
“The Bronte Sisters” (Cohen/Blu-ray, 1979, not rated, $34.98, in French with English subtitles, audio commentary, documentary, trailers; eight-page booklet). Slow but interesting, well-made story of the titular 19th century English writers played by three of France’s finest actresses. Isabelle Adjani, Isabelle Huppert and Marie-France Pisier are the sisters living cloistered, repressed lives when they become literary sensations. (Also on DVD, $24.98)
“Brother Sun, Sister Moon” (Warner Archive, 1972, PG, $18.95). Offbeat, New Age take on the life of Francis of Assisi, a wealthy heir who renounced worldly possessions and ultimately confronted the pope (played by Alec Guinness). Co-written and directed by Franco Zeffirelli, who later did the well-regarded TV miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth.” (Available at www.WarnerArchive.com)
“Fernando Di Leo: The Italian Crime Collection, Vol. 2” (Raro/Blu-ray, not rated, 1969-75, three discs, $49.98, three movies, in Italian with English subtitles, five documentaries, trailers, booklet). Second collection of action pictures by Italian filmmaker Fernando Di Leo, a Quentin Tarantino favorite. These are rough, tough, R-level cops ’n’ gangster yarns, two previously released by Raro (“Shoot First, Die Later,” “Kidnap Syndicate”) and one making its U.S. debut here (“Naked Violence”). (Also on DVD, $39.98)
“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” (Warner Archive, 1973, G, $18.95, trailer). In the early 1970s, the title novella by Richard Bach was all the rage, but this live-action adaptation — a “spiritual” parable about a seagull ostracized by his flock when he tries to assert his independence — was universally panned. Voices by James Franciscus, Hal Holbrook, Juliet Mills and unbilled Richard Crenna and Dorothy McGuire; songs by Neil Diamond. (Available at www.WarnerArchive.com)
Chris Hicks is the author of "Has Hollywood Lost Its Mind? A Parents Guide to Movie Ratings." His website is www.hicksflicks.com. Email: hicks@deseretnews.com