The Elia Kazan Collection
Description
Master director Martin Scorsese brings you this unprecedented collection of
fifteen cinematic treasures from fellow Academy Award® Winner Elia Kazan. From
classic film noir to timeless period pieces, Kazan made a singular impact on
the art of the motion picture, while evoking milestone performances from
Hollywood’s very best, including Marlon Brando, James Dean, Warren Beatty,
Natalie Wood and Walter Matthau. Also included in this extraordinary set is A
Letter to Elia (2010), the new, full-length documentary on Kazan’s life,
produced and presented by Scorsese himself. Disc 1 A Letter to Elia (2010):
Martin Scorsese directs and narrates this look at director Elia Kazan. From
his triumphs with films such as On the Waterfront to his controversial naming
of names during the McCarthy hearings, Kazan is shown in all his complexity.
Disc 2 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945): Based on Betty Smith’s novel, the film
tells the story of a girl who strives for a better life, despite her family’s
poverty, which is caused in part by her father’s alcoholism. Joan Blondell co-
stars as free-spirited Aunt Sissy. James Dunn won an Oscar for his role as the
girl’s father. Disc 3 Boomerang! (1947): When a local priest is murdered, a
nervous drifter is fingered as the murderer. He denies committing the crime,
but it’s up to a prosecutor (Dana Andrews) who believes the man is innocent to
convince the court. The film is based on a true story. The film was nominated
for an Oscar. Disc 4 Gentleman’s Agreement (1947): A journalist (Gregory Peck)
poses as a Jew, and soon discovers what is to be a victim of religious
intolerance. The film won three Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best
Director. Disc 5 Pinky (1949): A light-skinned black woman (Jeanne Crain)
who’s been passing for white at a northern nursing school returns to the
South, where she’s asked to care for an ailing white woman (Ethel Barrymore),
who wants nothing to do with her. Pinky must negotiate tricky racial politics
in life and love. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards. Disc 6
Panic in the Streets (1950): A public health worker (Richard Widmark) and a
police captain (Paul Douglas) have only 48 hours to stop a pneumonic plague
outbreak from spreading across New Orleans. Zero Mostel and Jack Palance co-
star in the film, which won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay. Discs 7 and
8 A Streetcar Named Desire (1951): Based on Tennessee Williams’ play, Vivien
Leigh stars as Blanche DuBois, a fading Southern belle who’s not quite what
she pretends to be. All is revealed when she comes to New Orleans to stay with
her sister (Kim Hunter) and her volatile husband (Marlon Brando). Leigh,
Hunter, and Karl Malden took home Oscars for their performances. Disc 9 Viva
Zapata! (1952): Marlon Brando stars as Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata
who takes on corrupt president Porfirio Diaz, topples him, and then becomes
disillusioned with his brother (Anthony Quinn) who takes Diaz’s place. John
Steinbeck wrote the film’s screenplay and Quinn took home a Best Supporting
Actor Oscar. Disc 10 Man on a Tightrope (1953): Fredric March stars in this
story of a Czechoslovakian circus troop whose members are drafted into the
military when the communists take over. But as they near the Bavarian border,
they decide to make a break to escape to the West. Disc 11 On the Waterfront
(1954): Marlon Brando stars in this controversial film about an ex-boxer
turned longshoreman who decides to stand up to his corrupt union bosses. The
film won eight Oscars, including Best Actor, Best Director, Best Picture, and
Best Supporting Actress for Eva Marie Saint. Discs 12 and 13 East of Eden
(1955): Based on John Steinbeck’s novel, this film is a loose retelling of the
Biblical Cain and Abel story. James Dean stars as Cal, who competes with his
brother Aron (Richard Davalos) for the love of his father (Raymond Massey). Jo
Van Fleet won an Oscar for her role as Cal’s opportunistic mother. Disc 14
Baby Doll (1956): Based on Tennessee Williams’ play “27 Wagons Full of
Cotton,” this film’s racy plot about a virgin bride (Carroll Baker) caught
between her husband (Karl Malden) and his rival (Eli Wallach) provoked an
outcry from the Catholic league. The film was nominated for four Oscars. Disc
15 A Face in the Crowd (1957): Andy Griffith stars as Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes,
a drunken drifter stumbles into fame and power on a new medium called
television. But will he be unmasked as a fraud? Disc 16 Wild River (1960):
Montgomery Clift stars as a Tennessee Valley Authority administrator who must
deal with the racial politics of hiring black workers. He also must evict and
old woman (Jo Van Fleet) from her home, but then he falls in love with her
daughter (Lee Remick). Disc 17 Splendor in the Grass (1961): Warren Beatty
made his film debut in this story of a girl (Natalie Wood) who love for a
local boy and pressure to be a “good girl” from her parents drives her to
madness. The film won an Oscar for Best Screenplay. Disc 18 America, America
(1963): This film is the loose adaptation of the real-life story of Elia
Kazan’s uncle who grew up as part of the Greek minority in Turkey. He travels
to Constantinople to escape persecution, but dreams of living in America. The
film was nominated for four Oscars.
Features:
Product Details:
- Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers
- Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Box set, Dubbed, Full Screen, Widescreen, Subtitled
- Language: English
- Runtime: 29 hours and 45 minutes
- Studio: 20th Century Fox, Fox
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : Unrated (Not Rated)
- Product Dimensions : 11.35 x 8 x 1.75 inches; 4.26 Pounds
- Media Format : Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Box set, Dubbed, Full Screen, Widescreen, Subtitled
- Run time : 29 hours and 45 minutes
- Release date : November 9, 2010
- Dubbed: : French, Spanish
- Subtitles: : English, French, Spanish
- Language : Unqualified
- Studio : 20th Century Fox