Shearer, Stanwyck and Chatterton Highlight Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume 2

DVD Times is reporting the March 4th release of TCM Archives: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 2. This time we have 5 precode classics along with an all-new documentary, "Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood." Here's the much-anticipated lineup of films:

Norma Shearer in "The Divorcee" and "A Free Soul" on Disc One.

Bette Davis, Ann Dvorak, and Joan Blondell make "Three on a Match" along with Ruth Chatterton's racy business exec in "Female" on Disc Two.

And Disc Three brings us Blondell with Barbara Stanwyck and a menacing Clark Gable in "Night Nurse" along with the original documentary on pre-code films!

Warner Home Video has upped the ante this time with some additional extras, including two commentaries and original trailers for some of the movies.

Artwork and pricing to follow.

More "Forbidden Hollywood" DVD Sets Coming!

In a chat held the other night at the Home Theater Forum, Warner Home Video executives confirmed we can expect to see more Forbidden Hollywood DVD sets featuring the best Pre-Code films. Direct from the chat transcript:

[WayneH] I'm wondering if there will be more FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD sets and what flicks might make it in future volumes? Many folks were also saddened by the lack of extras in the first. Great movies, though!

[WARNER] Yes. FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD #1 was a huge success. We were disappointed that we couldn't add extras either. We had planned to include a documentary that turned out to have clearance issues which prevented its inclusion. As you are aware, we always try to release discs that are full with great extras, so we were bummed. We hope to make it up to you with this year's release, which we plan to have include SIX features, plus a brand-new pre-code documentary that we at WHV are producing right now as we speak. We hope to have two FH releases per year starting in 2008


Great news, and it also addresses the concern over the lack of features on what seemed to be a hurried Volume 1 release. It seems we will get at least one Norma Shearer title in this year's six feature set. Can't wait to find out what the lineup will be.

Previewing the "Forbidden Hollywood" Collection

LA Times writer Susan King offers a nice summary and sneak preview of the forthcoming TCM Archives "Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 1." King explains how desperate studio executives got around the lax content guidelines in place in the early thirties.

All three films in the set (the newly restored "Baby Face," James Whale's "Waterloo Bridge" (pictured above), and "Red Headed Woman") will air on TCM on December 4th, the evening before the official release of the DVD set. As a bonus, TCM will also air three other Pre-Code gems, including Stanwyck's "Night Nurse," "Union Depot" which pairs Joan Blondell with the dashing Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and the seedy sounding "Under 18" with our favorite cad of the era, Warren William.

TCM Archives: Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume 1 in December

Warner Home Video has officially announced its first collection of Pre-Code films, a 2-disc set featuring the original theatrical and uncensored versions of "Baby Face," Jean Harlow's "Red Headed Woman" and the rarely-seen 1931 release "Waterloo Bridge," directed by James Whale.

No art work has been released yet, but the MSRP is $39.98, and this long-awaited set will hit the street on December 5th. Not much in the way of extras, though Robert Osborne shows up for some intros. The full press release is at DVD Times.

Though I will be one of the first in line for this set, I am a little surprised at the list price for a three-film set, considering how many of Warner's sets offer such great value. They obviously believe interest will be limited. Hopefully, future volumes will offer more titles and better extras at a competitive price.