OT: Two Tashlin Classics Coming to DVD

[Jaime_Weinman]

The Digital Bits (http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#1102) reports that Fox is finally planning to give us DVD releases of Frank Tashlin's two most famous movies, The Girl Can't Help It and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? But they're doing it in a roundabout way:

Other "Cinema Classics Collection" titles coming in early 2006 from Fox include... The Jayne Mansfield Collection (a box set including The Wayward Bus, The Girl Can't Help It and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?)


Lumping in two great Tashlin movies in a "Jayne Mansfield Collection" (with a third movie, "The Wayward Bus," that isn't by Tashlin and isn't very interesting) is a pretty sad way to treat two of the best movies of the '50s, but at least they're coming. Things are starting to look up a bit for Tashlin fans.

[corey3rd]

it's easier to market a Jayne Mansfield boxset. She's got fans and there's a chance that Mariska Hargitay will promote the release. Nothing against Tash, but his picture on the cover of a boxset isn't going to get as many handles as Jayne bombshell figure.

[rp-j]

The BBC showed a gorgeous new widescreen print of "The Girl Can't Help It" a couple of years ago which was made from the original negative for a UK re-release. Hopefully Fox will use that for the DVD...:)

[cabe624]

I'm glad these two classics are finally getting DVD treatment. FOX has been doing a decent job recently even on the transfers of their lesser-known films (the recent release of "The Detective" from 1968 has a fantastic looking transfer), so the quality of these presentations should be very good. Now all we need is for Paramount to get on the ball and release "Artists and Models", "Hollywood or Bust", "Rock-a-Bye Baby", "It$ Only Money", and the other Tashlin/Lewis classics.

[AndrewGilmore]

Great!! I've been wondering when the Tashlin/Mansfield flicks would be released- I don't have the time to get down to the video store these days.

Now all we need is for Paramount to get on the ball and release "Artists and Models", "Hollywood or Bust", "Rock-a-Bye Baby", "It$ Only Money", and the other Tashlin/Lewis classics.
I attended a lecture Jerry Lewis gave at the Free Library of Philadelphia last Saturday, and he announced that a Martin & Lewis DVD collection is coming out in January, so here's hoping some of the aforementioned titles will be included.

[Jaime_Weinman]

I attended a lecture Jerry Lewis gave at the Free Library of Philadelphia last Saturday, and he announced that a Martin & Lewis DVD collection is coming out in January, so here's hoping some of the aforementioned titles will be included.

Oh, I sure hope "Artists and Models" and "Hollywood Or Bust" are included. Martin and Lewis may not be at their best in those movies (they were on the verge of breaking up), but Tashlin's use of costumes, color, cartoony gags and satire add up to two of the most entertaining movies of the '50s.

Tashlin really did have a way, in his '50s prime, of improving the work of almost any performer he worked with. "Son of Paleface" is probably Bob Hope's best movie; the two Martin/Lewis movies are far better written and directed than any of their other movies, and of course Jayne Mansfield is mostly remembered for her work with Tashlin. He burned out rather quickly, but in his prime he was an amazing writer/director.

[corey3rd]

He burned out rather quickly, but in his prime he was an amazing writer/director.

Was it really a case of burnout? He died 4 years after his final feature was released. He worked over two decades making feature films - which is a pretty long time in a business where most directors don't make it to a second feature. Think of how many directors have a great early five years and then just clunk along. Tashlin had a long and glorious Hollywood career.

It is good to hear that a Martin-Lewis boxset is in the works since I netflixed the My Friend Irma/My Friend Irma Goes West barebones solo DVD. It'll be interesting to see if Paramount tries to put 2 titles per DVD (on the same side). And if they use the slim cases that hold 2 DVDs, they could squeeze all 16 ( or 15 if they don't want to duplicate the Stooge that's in Jerry's first collection) in the space of 2 DVDs.

It is a shame that Paramount probably won't give the boxset a Warners touch - because it would be nice to see various cartoons that animated Martin-Lewis during their prime.