BLU-RAY DVD OF A STAR IS BORN DO NOT FORGET RONALD HARVER

Judy Garland shines in this adaption of the often told story. The movie is a famous for its trouble production as the movie itself. What is not known to most people who grew up watching this film was that the film its self was cut by 30 minutes after it premiered. The effects on the film and Judy Garland herself took a toll. The movie in its shorten version made very little sense. The film lost many of Judy Garlands best scenes that she ever did. The film also lost some musical numbers.

In 1983 the movie was "RESTORED" as much as possible by the late Ronald Harver. Ron worked his ass off to find all the deleted footage. He turned Warner Brothers upside down to find all the missing footage. (In the 1950's it was not common practice to keep deleted scenes outtakes or alternated footage). With help of the AFI the Motion Picture Academy he was able to go coast to coast looking everywhere where any deleted footage might be. Some footage was never found but Ron Harver did a marvelous job using production stills to help complete the restoration this was done in 1983.

Its so sad is that Warner Brothers did not keep the deleted footage. The only reason why "Lose that Long Face" was restored was that in fact a film editor had stolen the negative. When A STAR IS BORN restoration was premiered without LOSE THAT LONG FACE re-inserted the editor was turned in by someone and I think he was fined or jailed. I am glad he had it though. The number is brilliant.

There is still about 8 minutes that can still be called missing. Rumors abound that after another 26 years after the first restoration that the final missing footage has been found. Again its rumors. The late Roddy McDowall has been rumored to have had this missing footage along with other missing footage from other movies.

In the very near future the movie will be released on Blu-Ray Dvd. I hope if there is a Making of special on the Blu-Ray that the efforts of Ronald Harver are not ignored. He was the true hero of this movie. He was a fan from the beginning. He always knew there were missing scenes from the movie. After growing up in Northern California he ended up working at AFI. To make a long story short he felt it was his mission in his life to help restore this movie. All the years as a fan of the movie were very helpful in his restoration. You can tell this movie in its restored format was restored with great love and attention. This movie would most likely not have me as a fan today if it were not for Ronald Harver.

So I am hoping that the Blu-ray DVD includes a story about him and all the work he did to help restore the movie. His passion for this movie was his gift to the world.

PS IF YOUR A FILM COLLECTOR WHO DOES HAVE THE MISSING FOOTAGE PLEASE CONTACT ME. THE MISSING FOOTAGE IS MISSING HOLLYWOOD HISTORY. IT COULD BE YOUR GIFT TO ALL AND FUTURE FANS OF JUDY GARLANDS. AFTER ALL YOU CAN BE COME A HERO

Ronald Harver I know you must be reading this in heaven so let me say "Thank You for your hard work". You are Hollywood's first SUPER HERO.

stan39520@yahoo.com

Nicollette Sheridan is needed on Desperate Housewives

Since Marc Cherry killed Edie off the ratings are down. The show still needs the actress Nicollette Sheridan more then Marc Cherry. Now this is how the can bring back Nicollette Sheridan.

In order to bring her back (Nicollette Sheridan ) the show can re-cast the actress (Nicollette Sheridan) as the nice sister of Edie (remember its a soap)but later on we find out that she is not the sister but Edie herself who is out to kill Susan.

THE WIZARD OF OZ RESTORED AGAIN THIS TIME FOR BLU-RAY DVD

Okay in the last 20 years I can think of lots of 5 times I herd the adds for an all new restored version of "THE WIZARD OF OZ". In 1989 there was the restoration done for the 50th anniversary. In that version the opening black and white footage was replace with the original Sepia-tone that was first shown when the movie premiered in 1939.

In 1994 MGM Home Video released yet another restored version on LASERDISC. Now to me it wasn't a much improvement over the 1989 50th anniversary laserdisc however the box set was full of goodies that still rival the today's blu-ray release. (More on that later)

In 1998 in time for the 60th Anniversary the movie was restored an re-issued again this time for a theatrical release. It was amazing to see it on the big screen however the movie was maybe brighter but again not a big deal. The first DVD was released in 1999 and the picture and sound were great. They were better then 1994 Laserdisc set that I had but it lacked all the extras the laserdisc had. A year or 2 Later when the rights to the WIZARD OF OZ fell to Warner Brothers there first  DVD set had lots of goodies but again not as much as my 1994 laserdisc box set.

Finally in 2005 Warner Brothers released an ultimate DVD set of this movie again RESTORED. This time there was a vast improvement on all previous vhs, laserdisc and dvd releases. They even had a great DVD set that rivaled the Laserdisc Set. Now its 2009 time for the 70th Anniversary restoration release.

Well this is a great movie and I thought that there is no way to make a blu-ray release look any better then the 2004 dvd release. Well I am wrong. The picture and sound are just mind blowing. Its hard to imagine that this movie is 70 years old.

Now the only thing I noticed that is different over the 2004 DVD release is that the devil is in the details. The background is sharp very sharp. This movie is a feast for the eyes. If you do not have a blu-ray player yet I advise you to get one. This blu-ray alone is worth buying the full blu-ray package.

Well worth the price!!!