“As God is my Witness I’ll Never be Hungry Again.”
And, you won’t ever be hungry again after picking up the 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition of Gone With The Wind. At least, you won’t be hungry for a quality home video release. That’s because as of 2009, Warner Home Video has officially taken the title of lead publisher of quality DVD and Blu-ray Ultimate Collector’s Editions. The Gone With the Wind DVD Ultimate Collector’s Edition is no exception.
In 1939, Victor Fleming brought to life Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The film captivated audiences with its cinematic storytelling of a timeless love affair. The story highlighted the several periods of the Civil War in the South, while simultaneously calling into question issues of race, sex and class. Clark Gable stars as Rhett Butler, a handsome bachelor who has had his heart stolen by Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh). While they compete in matters of the heart, it becomes painfully apparent that Scarlett’s desire to leave behind her upbringing has caused her to miss out on both life and love. The story is tragic, but it is not without it’s dark comedic moments as Scarlett and Rhett continue their tug-of-war battle of love. In one scene, Scarlett cheats on Rhett with an extramarital touch of affection. Rhett indulges Scarlett’s passing fancy by forcing her to wear a red dress at the birthday party of the husband and wife whose marriage she abused. In this case, Scarlett O’Hara resembles Hester Prynne in “The Scarlett Letter.”
The Ultimate Collector’s DVD is surprisingly released in 4:3 instead of 16:9 letterbox. Although this is disappointing, the image quality still has a dramatic improvement over the previous releases. I’ve seen several releases of “Gone With The Wind” over the years, and none can come close the comparing with this DVD release. In the era of digital it’s also good to see that Warner left in certain things like the “Exit Music” and “Intermission” title cards to keep the authenticity. There are always those directors and studios out there, who shall remain nameless, that modify classics for the sake of going overly-digital. Thankfully, this digital upgrade was only modified to deliver a more pristine picture, and not modified for content. I didn’t find that the audio went through as much of an upgrade as the image quality. This could be due to the imitations of DVD compression when compared to Blu-ray. Hopefully, the Blu-ray release has had a better audio upgrade. I already know that the image on Blu-ray quickly trumps its DVD counterpart.
One thing you’ll notice about this collection is that it’s more like a gift box than anything else. The box is adorned with red velvet. The moment I touched it, I couldn’t help but quoting the infamous “Coming to America” barbershop scene and saying, “What is that velvet?” Before you even get to the DVDs, you’ll have to dig through, what feels like, countless pieces of printed extras. You’ll find inside: telegrams from production regarding casting, a CD soundtrack sampler, frameable art prints and a reproduction of the 1939 original program. Once you get past those goodies (it’s like a candy shop in this box), you’ll find two DVD cases. The first case includes the remastered movie, parts 1 and 2. The second case includes 3 bonus DVDs.
Disc 5 is the new bonus disc, featuring a documentary called “1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year.” This is a great documentary for film buffs. 1939 heralded not only Gone With The Wind, but also The Wizard of Oz. There is a second featurette “Gone with the Wind: The Legend Lives On that explores the film through interviews and visits to historical sites. Warner has also packaged “Moviola: The Scalrett O’Hara Wars,” a 1980 WBTV Special.
“Gone With The Wind” is without a doubt one of the most timeless narratives ever made into a feature film. The legacy transcends the all generation gaps. No matter how old you are, you can probably quote “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” – even if you never saw the movie. The film bears a startling 233-minute runtime, and still manages to hold your attention. Not many movies, if any, can claim that feat. This Ultimate Collector’s Edition is an excellent release and immediately belongs in your collection.
Special Features:
Disc 1 The Movie, Part 1:
- Remastered feature with Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio
- Commentary by historian Rudy Behlmer
Disc 2 The Movie, Part 2:
- Remastered feature
- Commentary by historian Rudy Behlmer
- Offer for a numbered Limited Edition copy of the Original 1939 Poster
Disc 3 About The Movie:
- The Making of a Legend documentary (1989 TV Special) (Narrated by Christopher Plummer)
- Restoring a Legend - Chronicles the film/video restoration process
- Dixie Hails Gone with the Wind -1939 Premiere newsreel
- 1940 MGM historical short - The Old South
- Atlanta Civil War Centennial 1961 premiere newsreel
- International prologue
- Foreign language version sample scenes
- Theatrical Trailers
Disc 4 About The Cast:
- Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland - Exclusive 2004 Documentary
- Cast profile - Gable: The King Remembered
- Cast profile - Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
- The Supporting Players - Cameo portraits of an unforgettable ensemble
Disc 5 New Bonus Disc:
- Warner Bros. Home Entertainment presents 1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year – New documentary about Hollywood’s watershed year narrated by Kenneth Branagh
- Gone with the Wind: The Legend Lives On — Exploring the legacy of the most beloved film through illuminating interviews, footage and visits to historical sites, events and museums
- Moviola: The Scarlett O’Hara Wars 1980 WBTV Special never before on home video
- Trailers
Box Includes:
- 20-page reproduction of the original and complete 1939 Souvenir Program
- 40-page Production History Book with photos and production notes
- Eight Frameable 5×7 Art Prints
- CD soundtrack sampler featuring eight tracks
Title: Gone with the Wind (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition) [DVD]Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh
Directed by: Victor Fleming
Studio: Warner Bros
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2009
Rating: 9.0 / 10
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