Forever Marilyn Collection - Blu-ray Disc Review

***SYNOPSIS***
Marilyn Monroe is an iconic sex symbol whose name still resonates today (who can forget when her skirt is blown up in 'The Seven Year Itch'). She passed away too young but her legacy lives on thanks to Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment release of the Forever Marilyn Blu-ray collection. We see her vulnerability, her cutie playfulness, and her underrated comedic chops. For me her best role was in the classic Some Like It Hot.

The packaging of the set is okay but would have preferred separate Blu-ray cases in a sturdy outer slip box. Instead we get a slim digipack style set with a very soft outer cardboard sleeve. The seven discs are housed in slots of either Book 1 or Book 2. It all works alright and do save space but they could have done a lot more for this major release.




***VIDEO QUALITY*** 
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Presented in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Wow , the colors on display are stunning. The most striking color is the bold reds and pinks. Black levels were absolutely perfect. Fine detail and sharpness was consistently strong. 9/10

How To Marry A Millionaire - Presented in the original 2.55:1 aspect ratio. An overall pleasing presentation that starts a bit flat but comes around by the end. Color saturation is just right throughout with good skin tones. Black levels were consistently strong. 8/10

River of No Return - Presented in the original 2.55:1 aspect ratio. This is a really nice improvement over the DVD version. Colors are more saturated and detail has taken a big step up. Black levels were a little below average compared rest of the set. Overall a good upgrade though 7.5/10

There's No Business Like Show Business - Presented in the original 2.55:1 aspect ratio. Color saturation is just gorgeous, once again if you notice a pattern here these older films just have such a lovely look that you don't get in modern digitally shot movies. Black levels were rock solid but I didn't notice some instances of crushed blacks. 8.5/10

The Seven Year Itch - Presented in the original 2.55:1 aspect ratio. Colors are somewhat subdued on this one but not bland. There are some specks of bold colors in the dream sequences. Black levels were good. Fine detail wavers from time to time but this is another nice upgrade. 8/10

Some Like It Hot - Presented in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio. This is the exact same disc that was released a while back and it is still a stunning presentation of this B&W classic. Black levels are consistent if not always inky. Contrast was close to perfect and highlights the subtle shades of white and grey. Sharpness was superb. 9/10

The Misfits - Presented in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio. This is a solid performer but there were problems with softness in closeups. . Grayscale performance was strong with deep blacks and well managed contrast. 7.5/10


***AUDIO QUALITY*** 
Audio is provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for six of the films were pleasing listens. The most beneficial upgrade is the music cues and scores. LFE isn't deep by any means. Surrounds exhibited some nice bleeding of the music to the rears. Dialogue was crisp and clean throughout. No pops or hisses.

The Misfits only has a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Dialogue is the best part of this track, it was clean and intelligible throughout. Bass was barely there and the musical score doesn't reach the highs that it should have.


***SPECIAL FEATURES*** 
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
* Movietone News: "Marilyn and Jane in Cement" (SD, 50sec)

* Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2min32sec)


How To Marry A Millionaire
* Movietone News: "How To Marry A Millionaire" Cinemascope (SD, 1min19sec)

* Trailer

River of No Return
* Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2min54sec)


There's No Business Like Show Business
* Trailers


The Seven Year Itch
* Commentary by Author Kevin Lally

* Isolated Score Track DTS-HD MA 5.1

* The Hays Code: Picture-in-Picture with Sexual Innuendo Meter

* Marilyn Monroe Interactive Timeline (1080p)

* Monroe and Wilder: An Intersection of Genius (1080p, 25min57sec)

* Fox Movie Channel Presents Fox Legacy with Tom Rothman (SD, 17min23sec)

* Deleted Scenes (SD, 3min32)

* Hollywood Backstories: The Seven Year Itch (SD, 24min25sec)

* Publicity (SD, 5min20sec)

* Still Galleries (1080p)


Some Like It Hot
* Audio Commentary

* The Making of Some Like It Hot (SD, 25min45sec)

* The Legacy of Some Like It Hot (SD, 20min22sec)

* "Nostalgic Look Back" Documentary (SD, 31min13sec)

* Memories of the Sweet Sues Featurette (SD, 12min03sec)

* Virtual Hall of Memories (SD, 21min04sec)

* Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2min20sec)


The Misfits
* Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 3min45sec)

Oscar Nominated film My Week With Marilyn coming to Blu-ray March 13, 2012

Anchor Bay Home Entertainment the Oscar Nominated (Best Actress) film My Week With Marilyn on March 13, 2012. The film stars Michelle Williams (Marilyn Monroe) and Kenneth Branagh (Laurence Olivier). The release will be a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. Audio will be provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Below is the official press announcement and planned special features:




ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT and THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY PRESENT THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILM MY WEEK WITH MARILYN – STARRING THREE-TIME OSCAR® NOMINEE MICHELLE WILLIAMS – ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD



Based On A True Story And Featuring An Award-Winning Cast,

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN Heads To Retail On March 13, 2012!





BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company announced today the Blu-ray™ and DVD release of the “warm, wonderful and enchanting” (Rex Reed, The New York Observer) film, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, starring three-time Academy Award® nominee Michelle Williams (BLUE VALENTINE), who is “flawless, brilliant and exhilarating” (Bruce Handy, Vanity Fair) in the iconic title role. Based on Colin Clark’s memoir, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN also stars Academy Award® nominee Kenneth Branagh (HAMLET) as Sir Laurence Olivier, Tony Award® winner Eddie Redmayne (THE GOOD SHEPHERD) as Clark, and Academy Award® winner Judi Dench (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE) as Dame Sybil Thorndike.





The film’s principal cast is joined by Dominic Cooper (AN EDUCATION), Emmy® Award winner Julia Ormond (“TEMPLE GRANDIN”) as Vivien Leigh, Zoë Wanamaker (HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE), Emma Watson (HARRY POTTER series), Dougray Scott (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE II) as Arthur Miller, Toby Jones (FROST NIXON), and Derek Jacobi (THE KING’S SPEECH). From acclaimed director Simon Curtis (“CRANFORD”), MY WEEK WITH MARILYN debuts on Blu-ray March 13th.



A strong contender this awards season, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN has received two 2012 Academy Award® nominations, including Best Actress in a Leading Role (Michelle Williams) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Kenneth Branagh). Williams won a 2012 Golden Globe® Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, while the film received nominations for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Kenneth Branagh). Additionally, the film received two Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (Michelle Williams) and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Kenneth Branagh).





Rex Reed, film critic for The New York Observer, hailed MY WEEK WITH MARILYN as “Pure perfection!” In her review for TIME magazine, film critic Mary Pols wrote, “Michelle Williams captures Monroe’s mystique and humanity with uncanny accuracy.” Wrote Vanity Fair film critic, Bruce Handy, “Michelle Williams is flawless, brilliant and exhilarating. I can’t think of a better performance in the role of an icon.” Pete Hammond, film critic for Deadline Hollywood, described the film as “One of the most purely entertaining films of the year!” Finally, in his review for The New Yorker, film critic David Denby called the film “Charming and touching. Expertly made… Michelle makes the star come alive.”





During Marilyn Monroe’s (Michelle Williams) first trip to London to film The Prince and the Showgirl with Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh), she befriends Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), an ambitious 23-year-old Third Assistant Director on the set. As their relationship progresses, Colin’s focus shifts from making his way in the film business to rescuing her from the pressures of celebrity life. When Monroe’s new husband, playwright Arthur Miller, makes a brief trip to Paris, Clark takes the opportunity to introduce her to the world outside of Hollywood fame. Based on the true story by Colin Clark, this memoir describes a magical week in which Monroe opens herself up to a stranger and finds in him a confidant and an ally.


**SPECIAL FEATURES**

* Audio Commentary with director Simon Curtis

* “The Untold Story of an American Icon” featurette.