Turner Classic Movies channel has been a boon for film fans over the years. Now it is getting it’s own collection of great titles that will be released in sets over the next year. And we have the official press release to prove it.
Burbank, Calif., November 10, 2008 – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, the studio with the world’s largest film library, is beginning an exciting new partnership with the authority in classic film, Turner Classic Movies. The two companies – sister divisions of Time Warner – plan to introduce the TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection, starting in early 2009. The partners will release a collection of 60 top films in 15 themed groups. The films will be available on DVD and promoted on TCM, starting February 3 with the first of four waves.
The launch of the TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection stands as the largest-ever partnership between Warner Home Video and TCM. The initiative combines the strengths of the companies in serving both serious film buffs and a new generation of movie lovers. The TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection is meant to whet the appetite of a wide range of film fans, giving them an easy way to build a personal library of classic films.
For the TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection, Warner Home Video has selected some of the greatest American films from the past 85 years and grouped them by themes. The films are packaged in four-title sets with each set price friendly at $27.92 SRP.
The first installments in the collection arrive February 3, 2009, with three genres timed to coincide with Valentine’s Day and the Oscar® season. They are Romantic Dramas (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire, Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden); Romantic Comedies (A Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, Adam’s Rib, Woman of the Year); and Best Picture Winners (Casablanca, An American in Paris, Gigi, Mrs. Miniver).
The 12 films in these three debut sets have been honored with 32 Oscar wins. Featured stars include James Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, James Dean, Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman and Leslie Caron. The films are bundled in premium keepcase packaging.
Later in 2009, the TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection will grow to include many other genres, including musicals, westerns, war films, mysteries, science fiction, horror, holiday and family films. A complete listing is included below.
Warner Home Video, which owns the world’s largest film library, is the market leader in classic DVD sales, with a 24% average market share. Warner has more Best Picture Oscar® wins (22) than any other studio and its films have garnered more than 300 Academy Awards®.
The TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection builds on the success of previous joint initiatives between TCM and Warner Home Video, including the TCM Archives series and the TCM Spotlight series. The launch of TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection promises to be successful, thanks to the considerable resources offered by both partners.
WAVE ONE — Release Date: February 3, 2009
Pricing: $27.92 SRP
TCM Greatest Classics: Romantic Dramas
Catalog #: 1000045330
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
A Streetcar Named Desire
Rebel Without a Cause
East of Eden
TCM Greatest Classics: Best Picture Winners
Catalog #: 1000045343
Casablanca
An American in Paris
Gigi
Mrs. Miniver
TCM Greatest Classics: Romantic Comedies
Catalog #: 1000045298
The Philadelphia Story
Bringing Up Baby
Adam’s Rib
Woman of the Year
WAVE TWO — Release Date: May 5, 2009*
TCM Greatest Classics: Musicals
Singin’ in the Rain
Easter Parade
The Band Wagon
Meet Me in St. Louis
TCM Greatest Classics: Musicals 2
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Annie Get Your Gun
Show Boat
Kiss Me Kate
TCM Greatest Classics: Westerns
Jeremiah Johnson
Train Robbers
The Wild Bunch
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
TCM Greatest Classics: Westerns 2
The Searchers
Stagecoach
Rio Bravo
Cowboys
TCM Greatest Classics: War 1
Kelly’s Heroes
The Dirty Dozen
Where Eagles Dare
Battleground
TCM Greatest Classics: War 2
The Green Berets
Destination Tokyo
Battan
Back to Battan
WAVE THREE — Release Date: September 1, 2009*
TCM Greatest Classics: Mystery
The Big Sleep
Dial M For Murder
The Maltese Falcon
The Postman Always Rings Twice
TCM Greatest Classics: Horror
Freaks
House of Wax
The Haunting
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
TCM Greatest Classics: Sci-Fi (4FE)
2001: Space Odyssey
Forbidden Planet
Soylent Green
Time Machine
WAVE FOUR — Release Date: November 3, 2009*
TCM Greatest Classics: Holiday
A Christmas Story
Christmas Carol
Christmas in Connecticut
Shop Around the Corner
TCM Greatest Classics: Comedy
Arsenic and Old Lace
A Night at the Opera
The Long, Long Trailer
Father of the Bride
TCM Greatest Classics: Family
National Velvet
Lassie Come Home
Flipper
Incredible Mr. Limpet
Each set will be available at Amazon.