Jeri Jacquin

On 4K Ultra HD is the stunning COLUMBIA CLASSICS COLLECTION Vol. 4 to include such iconic films as HIS GIRL FRIDAY, GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER, KRAMER VS. KRAMER, STARMAN, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE.

Director Howard Hawk brings a 1940 comedy to theatres with HIS GIRL FRIDAY. Cary Grant plays Walter Burns, the editor for The Morning Post, discovers that his ex-wife Hildy Johnson, played by Rosalind Russell, is getting remarried. Hildy use to be Walter’s star journalist, seems ready to be a suburban housewife to new husband Bruce.

Walter has other plans as he tries to convince Hildy to do just one more story. A bookkeeper has been jailed and tried for the murder of a policeman and is to be executed. Hildy makes a side agreement with Walter but their past history makes working together full of ups and downs. But when the bookkeeper escapes, Hildy kicks her journalistic instincts into high gear and when chaos ensues, the two former spouses realize that nothing ever changes!

Grant and Russell together are a marvel in this film and director Hawk knew exactly how to bring the best out of both of them. The story is full of twists and turn but along with that is the camp that Walter and Hildy bring to it all. There is a reason that this will forever be a classic and the kudos go to Grant, Russell and Hawk for every bit of it.

The film also stars Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, Ernest Truex, Cliff Edwards, Clarence Kolb, Pat West, and John Qualen as Earl Williams.

This disc includes 4K Ultra HD Feature Presentation in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision Restored from the Original Camera Negative, Feature Presented in High Definition Sourced from the 4K Master, Audio Commentary Featuring Film Critic and Author Todd McCarthy, Screwball Style: The Iconic Costumes of Robert Kalloch Featurette, Breaking the Speed Barrier: The Dialogue of HIS GIRL FRIDAY Featurette, Lighting Up with Hildy Johnson Featurette, Ben Hecht Featurette and On Assignment: HIS GIRL FRIDAY Featurette.

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER lands in 1967 as director Stanley Kramer takes on the issue of family and belief systems engrained into them. Joanna Drayton, played by Katharine Houghton, is a young woman with a strong mind of her own which she gets from her mother Christina, played by the stunning Katharine Hepburn. Just as stubborn is her father Matt, portrayed by the equally stunning Spencer Tracy who seems set in his ways.

Joanna brings a special guest home to meet her parents and when she announces their intentions, the Drayton’s are shaken. Arriving with her is Dr. John Prentice, played by the incomparable Sidney Poitier and now it is time for the family to face their beliefs. These two people are in love and while Christina understands, Matt does not and so begin the back and forth of how to come to terms with what is said and what is done.

This is Hepburn (who won the Academy Award for her performance) and Tracy’s ninth time on film together and it would be their last as well as Tracy was ill at the time. What this film did and has done is bring all the questions of love, family and race straight to the forefront and has made it an instant iconic classic. I can watch this movie again and again because not only is it beautifully done, but these four actors put everything out in the open and their portrayal is legendary.

Other cast include Cecil Kellaway, Beah Richards, Roy E. Gleen Sr., and Isabel Sanford as housekeeper Matilda Binx.

The disc includes 4K Ultra HD Feature Presented in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision Restored from the Original Camera Negative, Audio Commentary Featuring Eddy Friedfeld, Lee Pfeiffer and Paul Scrabo, Theatrical Teaser, Introductions: Karen Kramer, Steven Spielberg, Tom Brokaw and Quincy Jones, A Love Story for Today Featurette, A Special Kind of Love Featurette, Stanley Kramer: A Man’s Search for Truth Featurette, Stanley Kramer Accepts the Irving Thalberg Award, 2007 Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award Presented to An Inconvenient Truth, and Photo Gallery.

In 1979, director Robert Benton brought the story by Avery Corman to the screen with KRAMER VS. KRAMER. Dustin Hoffman plays Ted Kramer, a man who works tirelessly as an advertising exec living in New York. Wife Joanna, played by Meryl Streep, turns his life around in a single moment when he comes home to her announcement that she’s leaving. Not only is she walking out the door, but leaving behind their very young son Billy, portrayed by Justin Henry.

Ted immediately goes into a mode thinking he knows exactly how to handle the situation, until he realizes he has no clue about what has been going on in his own home or raising a young son. Neighbor Margaret, superbly played by Jane Alexander, tries to not only clue Ted in on why Joanna left but then sees that they can be friends and help when she can.

Over a year later, after father and son finally have their life in a rhythm, Joanna returns and wants Billy back. Ted is hardly in the mood to give in to her demands and takes her to court. Once in front of a judge, Ted and Joanna go back and forth as to who is better for Billy as accusations fly. Somewhere in it all, it is Billy who will suffer the most.

Hoffman and Streep are not only superb in their roles but the issue of parents and children in a divorce are placed front and center. It is totally a heart-breaking story of a man who saw his career more important than his family and a woman who lost herself in the life of a wife and mother. In the middle is Billy, a young boy caught in the crossfire of the two adults who should be there for him.

Director Benton keeps the scenes tight without the superfluous noise from the outside world but instead let us get deep into the story. This is another film I can watch again and again because of its simplicity yet in-your-face courtroom scenes as they are relatable to so many. Winning 5 Academy Awards tells you that KRAMER VS. KRAMER falls sweetly into the icon category.

Other cast include Petra King, Melissa Morell, Howard Duff, George Coe, Howland Chamberlain, and JoBeth Williams as Phyllis Bernard.

The disc includes 4K Ultra HD Feature Presentation Restored from the Original Camera Negative, Audio Commentary with Film Professor Jennine Lanouette, Five Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes, Robert Benton on Directing, Justin Henry on Acting, Mothers and Daughters, Points of Pride, Theatrical Trailer, and Finding the Truth – The Making of Kramer vs. Kramer.

The world is about to be introduced to the 1979 alien film STARMAN starring Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen and directed by John Carpenter. When an alien discovers a message on a disk sent with Voyager 2, the invitation is about to be accepted. Jenny Hayden is dealing with the death of husband Scott and is alone in her home not realizing that a very intense journey is about to happen. As the alien crash lands and finds Jenny’s home, he uses a piece of hair from Scott to bring himself into a human form, Jenny is shocked and scared.

But Starman wants only one thing, to go to the crater in Winslow, Arizona so that he can go home. Jenny agrees believing she doesn’t have any choice and as they start their road trip, they learn about one another. Jenny teaches about life on Earth and the Starman shows her that humanity isn’t just for humans.

Following them is scientist Mark Shermin, played by Charles Martin Smith, who doesn’t want to hurt the Starman, but instead just talk with him. But once the military is involved, there is only one thing left to do – run!

STARMAN is an epic film about love, loss, adventure, understanding, learning, the list is endless. Bridges and Allen create such chemistry in these roles that it is hard to take your eyes off the screen. Their differences aren’t so different and Smith’s character is just so endearing that the film flows beautifully. Carpenter takes a story and gives it such life and richness proving he can scare us one minute and root for the alien the next. That is a gift and he shares it exceedingly well.

Other cast include George Fox, Robert Phalen, John David, Ted White and Lu Leonard as Roadhouse Waitress.

The disc includes 4K Ultra HD Feature Presentation Restored from the Original Camera Negative, Audio Commentary with Director John Carpenter and Actor Jeff Bridges, Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes, Behind-The-Scenes Time Lapses, They Came from Hollywood: Revisiting STARMAN Featurette, Make-Of Featurette, Music Video, Still Gallery and Theatrical Trailer.

Also included as a Bonus is STARMAN – The Complete 1986-1987 22-Episode Follow-Up Series, and Based on the Feature Film – Exclusively Presented in High Definition.

Nora Ephron makes her way into the collection as director in one of the most beloved stories as Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan show us how to be SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. Hanks is Sam, a widow who moves from Chicago to Seattle with son Jonah, played by Ross Malinger. On Christmas Eve Jonah decides he wants to help his dad deal with the grief. Listeners from all over are hearing what Sam has to say, including Annie Reed. Ryan is Annie, a writer for the Baltimore Sun and is engaged to Bill Pullman’s character Walter.

Annie hears Jonah and Sam and is drawn to what has been said. Boss Becky, played by Rosie O’Donnell, begins to encourage Annie to write Sam. Well, it is Jonah who replies and a meet is set up for the Empire State Building on Valentines Day, reminiscent of the 1957 film AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER.

Jonah decides that if dad isn’t going to meet up with Annie, then he is just going to have to make it happen for himself. Sam realizes that his son has gone to New York City on his own and takes off after him. What happens next is the stuff that romance is made of!

Hanks and Ryan made the 90’s with their films because of the fantastic chemistry these two actors had with one another. In this film it is endearing, cute, sweet, charming and full of love which should give anyone diabetes but it doesn’t. Instead, we follow along on this journey and it is absolutely everything. Director Ephron gives us one of the best and most iconic rom-com’s (well that and YOU’VE GOT MAIL in 1998) of all time.

Other cast include Gaby Hoffman, Victor Garber, Barbara Garrick, Caroline Aaron, Carey Lowell, David Hyde Pierce, Dana Ivey, Rita Wilson and Rob Reiner as Jay Mathews.

The disc includes 4K Ultra HD Feature Presented and Restored from the Original Camera Negative, 30^th Anniversary Critic Commentary with Karen Han and David Sims, A Conversation on SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE with Gary Foster and Meg Ryan, Audio Commentary Featuring Nora and Delia Ephron, Four Deleted Scenes, Love in the Movies Featurette, “When I Fall in Love” Music Video and Theatrical Trailer.

Finally, in 2002, writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson bring together Adam Sandler as Barry Egan and Emily Watson as Lena Leonard to tell the story of PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Barry is single and works in his company selling novelty goods. Dealing with seven sisters, he has serious anxiety from what they put him through. Seeing an accident, he meets Lena who happens to work with one of his sisters.

At his sister’s birthday party, all hades breaks loose and Barry wants a therapist. Instead, he settles for a little phone time but the therapist would have been cheaper. When Lena goes to Hawaii on a business trip, Barry arrives to her surprise. After spending time together and returning home, Lena is in a car accident and now Barry is set in motion for chaos and only Lena can turn it all around.

Sandler and Watson play their roles together in such a way that it is crazy but, in a way, they seem perfect together. Sandler’s performance with the social anxiety and range makes for strange situations that either cause jaw drops or laughing hysterically. That’s the way a good love story should make us feel – a little crazy. It is also dark but some of us find humor in that dark space.  PUNCH-DRUNK love actually won for Best Director at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.

Other cast include Mary Lynn Rajskub, Luis Guzman, Robert Smigel and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Dean Trumbell.

The disc includes 4K Ultra HD Feature Presented and Approved by Director Paul Thomas Anderson, Two Deleted Scenes, Mattress Man Commercial, Blossoms and Blood, Twelve Scopitones, Jon Brion Featurette, Recording Sessions and Theatrical Trailer.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 4 is a breathtaking group of films that are iconic and even beloved. To make it even more enticing, is the way these films are packaged. Encased in a colorfully designed box are the six films with three on each side that have unique cover. In the middle is a truly beautiful hard bound book Columbia Classics: Love at The Cinema.

The book contains The Romantic Professionalism of HIS GIRL FRIDAY by Julie Kirgo, Provocation, Not Prescription: The Role of Art in Effecting Social Change by Sarita Cannon, Kramer Vs. Kramer: Whose Side Are You On? by Esther Zuckerman, The Hopeful Humanity of John Carpenter’s STARMAN by Mike Ryan, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE’s Affair to Remember by Katey Rich, and Stronger Than Anything You Can Imagine by Mark Kermode. The eighty-page book speaks on the history & Impact of Films.

Celebrating 100 Years of Columbia Pictures, this collection is a must have for film lovers for the generations!

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