ClassicFlix Newsletter - Volume 3, Issue 2
THE UNEXPECTED
We're happy to share news today of an upcoming Rare Television line release of the 1952 Twilight Zone-esque suspense series The Unexpected (1952).
The half-hour series ran one season for a total of 39 episodes. We have scanned the first 13 episodes (all from 16mm) and plan to release them in Volume 1 on DVD early next year.
Many well-known guest stars appear in this rarely seen anthology series including Raymond Burr, Gale Storm, Craig Stevens, Marshall Thompson, Hans Conried, Marie Windsor, Anthony Caruso, Marjorie Reynolds, Jim Davis, Coleen Gray, Dan O'Herlihy, Bobby Driscoll, Kenneth Tobey, John Hoyt, Rochelle Hudson, Paul Guilfoyle, Paula Raymond, Dan Seymour, Lois Collier, Michael Ansara, and many, many more.
Below is a raw scan from an episode entitled "Born Again" starring Billy Halop.
NOTE: Although contemporary press accounts and current websites list Herbert Marshall as the host of this program, his presence is absent from the 16mm prints we've acquired.
SILVER SERIES SALE ENDS TOMORROW
Our annual Silver Series sale ends tomorrow. All four Blu-rays in the line are only $9.98 each and our first release in the line from 2017, The Complete Hal Roach Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly Comedy Collection, which has been out of print since last fall, is now back in print and on sale as well.
Going out of print—All good things must end and our license is up on two early Silver Series releases: The Complete PRC Michael Shayne Mystery Collection starring Hugh Beaumont and the dramatic weepie I Met My Love Again (1938) starring Henry Fonda and Joan Bennett.
They will be available for a few more months or while supplies last.
STREAMING/DVD BY MAIL SURVEY RESULTS
In our last newsletter at the end of April, we asked for participation in a survey to gauge opinions on which type of future ClassicFlix service our fans would like to see: a streaming only service, a DVD-by-mail only service or a combined streaming and DVD-by-mail service.
The results were:
The results happen to also be in order of most expensive to start up to the least expensive and, based on the survey results, it's not likely a DVD-by-mail service of any kind could be supported at this time.
Also based on the survey we're not sure if a streaming only service could be supported given the responses, but we may initiate a crowdfund in the near future to help with up front costs to start a ClassicFlix streaming service. If the streaming crowdfund is successful, we may, at a later date, do a follow-up crowdfund for a DVD-by-mail service.
MEET JOHN DOE
Reviews are in for our recent Blu-ray release of Frank Capra's Meet John Doe (1941). Some highlights and links:
Read the reviews above and, if you haven't already, pick up a copy of Meet John Doe today!
SCHEDULE, SILENT RASCALS AND OTHER FAQ
Regarding our upcoming schedule, due to slow sales and the increased costs of spending extra time and money on three major restorations of Our Town (1940), Cause for Alarm! (1951) and Meet John Doe (1941), we've had to slow things down a bit.
Our silent Our Gang (Little Rascals) project is also a monumental task in terms of time and money, but we're focusing all our resources on making it the next release which we'll announce soon—The Little Rascals - The Restored Silents, Vol. 1.
After The Rascals, we will likely announce other releases in the below order with fall street dates:
- Thanks, as always, for supporting our label!