The Kim Novak Collection (Picnic / Jeanne Eagels / Bell, Book and Candle / Middle of the Night / Pal Joey)

Kim Novak is one of the most fascinating figures (no pun intended) in the world of classic movies. One of the last products of the "studio system", Columbia initially tried to mold her into their own Marilyn Monroe, but although Novak's platinum blonde looks did emulate the Fox siren, her overall screen career allowed for much more variety and scope. Right or wrong, Novak never played the Hollywood game, was attracted to roles that weren't exactly popular but carried prestige, and when the appropriate time came, walked away from the spotlight with incredible poise and dignity.This five-movie set showcases Novak in some of her best work at Columbia. Three of the five movies have been released on stand-alone DVDs in the past ("Picnic", "Bell, Book and Candle"; and "Pal Joey"), but the prints in this set are newly remastered, and markedly superior to the earlier disc transfers ("Bell, Book and Candle" especially pops with bold colours that seemed quite muted by comparison with the older DVD).PICNIC - William Inge's searing portrait of small-town America, with William Holden as penniless drifter Hal Carter, who rolls back into his hometown just long enough to charm the fiancé of his best friend. On the eve of being crowned the queen of a local festival, Madge Owens (Novak, already playing against her "platinum" Columbia image by sporting a red wig) sees in Hal the possibilities of a big, wide world outside that she's never tasted. Rosalind Russell also impresses as the local schoolteacher desperate to escape her own small town "prison" by finagling a long-time boyfriend down the aisle.BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE - A bewitching good time is had by all in this delightful romantic comedy, based on the hit Broadway play by John Van Druten. Bored Greenwich Village witch Gillian Holroyd (Novak) casts a love spell on her dishy downstairs neighbour Shep Henderson (Jimmy Stewart) on Christmas Eve. In one of his first major film roles, Jack Lemmon is Gil's bongo-playing warlock brother, with Elsa Lanchester, Hermione Gingold, Janice Rule and Ernie Kovacs all in top comic form. Novak and Stewart filmed this delight right after "Vertigo", and what a contrast! James Wong Howes' cinematography is lush.JEANNE EAGELS - The Fifties was undoubtedly THE decade for film biographies of some of the great ladies of the early American stage. Doris Day had one of her great personal successes as Ruth Etting in "Love Me or Leave Me", Susan Hayward was superb as Lillian Roth in "I'll Cry Tomorrow", Ann Blyth dazzled in "The Helen Morgan Story"; and Kim Novak essayed the tragic JEANNE EAGELS. Making it's long-overdue home video debut in this set, Novak fans will adore her performance as the troubled Eagels who, despite acclaimed turns on stage and in the silent cinema, struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism. Jeff Chandler, Agnes Moorehead and Virginia Grey co-star.MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT - One film that Novak fought long and hard to be a part of was this rough-edged romantic drama from Paddy Chayevsky ("Marty"), in which she co-stars with Fredric March.PAL JOEY - Novak competes with Rita Hayworth for the affections of the caddish character of the title in this film version of the groundbreaking Rodgers & Hart Broadway musical. With raincoat and fedora in hand, Frank Sinatra is Joey, the womanising cabaret singer who sees the chance to break out with his own nightclub when he romances millionairess Vera Simpson (Hayworth in her final role at Columbia) but conflicted by his interest in sweet, simple showgirl Linda English (Novak). Novak's singing was beautifully dubbed by Trudy Erwin, one of the most satisfying, seamless meldings of star and ghost singer.Extra features are relatively slim but fascinating. Novak is interviewed by author/film historian Stephen Rebello on her memories from each film in the set; and there are selective-scene audio commentaries for both JEANNE EAGELS and PAL JOEY. Finally, "Backstage and At Home with Kim Novak" takes us on a visit to the notoriously-private Novak's Utah estate, where she talks about her love for painting and animals, and the reasons why she decided to retire from the screen at the apex of her fame.

It's been a great year for Kim Novak. Five of her films in this collection and two("Pushover" & "5 Against the House") from Sony's Columbia FILM NOIR CLASSICS I & II have all been re-mastered with beautiful new prints. If you factor in the recent re-mastering of "Vertigo"(Universal) and "The Man With the Golden Arm"(Warner) you just can't go wrong if you're a fan of this undefinable actress. I say that because I've always thought she was one of the most mysterious persons ever to appear on the screen. She was hired by Harry Cohn to be Columbia's answer to Fox's Marilyn Monroe. But that was unfair of both Cohn and Columbia. You always knew what you were getting with Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Mamie van Doren, and the rest of the "Blond Bombshells" of the Fifties. And you certainly knew what you were getting with some of Ms Novak's co-workers at Columbia: Lizabeth Scott, Cleo Moore and the great Gloria Grahame. But you never did with Kim Novak because there was always something beneath the surface that she wasn't going to let you see. That is best represented in her performance in "Vertigo". She seems to be telling the audience that she is more than just a pretty face up there on the screen. You can see a playful side of her by going on YOUTUBE and checking out her mystery guest appearence on "What's My Line" on Feb. 05, 1956. She uses a cockney accent to confuse the panelists as to her identity(and she almost succeeds). The real gem of this new collection is the rarely seen "Middle of the Night"(1959). Directed by Delbert Mann("Marty"); I agree with the commentary by Stephen Rebello that it is one of her greatest performances. In the commentary, Ms Novak mentions that the cast had a five to eight week rehearsal before filming started and it really shows. Her co-star, Fredric March, also gives one of his best performances. She also had the good fortune to work with great directors - Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger, Delbert Mann, George Sidney, Billy Wilder and Richard Quine to mention just a few. They all brought out the best in her performances. Sony should be commended for their continued excellence in not only this collection, but previous collections on Cary Grant, Frank Capra, Stanley Kramer, Samuel Fuller, etc. Let's hope we see future collections on such Columbia stars such as Jean Arthur, William Holden, Rita Hayworth, and Glenn Ford.

Good News for fans of Kim Novak, and in particular fans of the great 1955 hit "Picnic".According to Columbia Classics official website, all five of these great Kim Novak films will be digitally remastered in their original aspect ratios. It is about time that these great classics get the restored film treatment that they deserve.[...].Jump to 2010. The various color-fade processes used to boost color back into dozens of films in the earlierpart of the 2000's have disappeared, replaced by the digital intermediate workflows that have been adapted and adopted over the last few years for film restoration.So, instead of the trial and error approach of the previous work, we can now scan the faded original negative at a 4K resolution and work to digitally rebuild the colors that are missing from the film. Such is the case with two films we are currently working on in preparation for a new box set of films starring Kim Novak, Picnic and Bell Book and Candle. Both films suffer from severe fading in the original camera negative. Attempts over the last decade to restore these films using traditional means were only moderately successful. The digital restoration of these films, both shot by the great cinematographer James Wong Howe, ASC, will allow them to be shown as close to their original color as possible, in their proper formats (2.55:1 widescreen original CinemaScope in the case of Picnic.)Along with Picnic and Bell Book and Candle, the new set will include the George Sidney production of Jeanne Eagels (a personal favorite of Ms. Novak), Pal Joey and the Paddy Chayefsky-written Middle of the Night, also starring Frederic March. Some are new to DVD, but all five have been newly-restored and remastered for this new set