Let Warner Bros. Burn That For You

By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 24, 2009 3:35PM

Johnny Depp's gangster epic Public Enemies doesn't come out until this summer, but you can wet your whistle by watching Al Capone, with Rod Steiger in the title role. Just don't look for it at your local video store. Warner Bros. Archive has launched an experimental new program, opening its vaults and giving the public access to some rare movies that have never been released on DVD. For $19.95 you can order a title directly from the website; a DVD is manufactured on demand, put in a case with custom art and shipped to you within a week. Or you can buy it as a download for $14.95 and watch it right away.

What's really exciting about this venture is the ability to see obscure movies that might not ever get released in authorized editions. Among the first 150 titles made available are some real gems: Abe Lincoln in Illinois with Raymond Massey; Robert Altman's Countdown, with Robert Duvall and James Caan as astronauts; Francis Ford Coppola's The Rain People; and several Greta Garbo movies (The Kiss, Love, Wild Orchids, and others). There are also plenty of campy treats, including Luciano Pavarotti in Yes, Giorgio; Doc Savage: Man of Bronze (with a score consisting of John Philip Sousa marches); the horror flick Brainstorm; Dragnet's hardass Jack Webb as The D.I.; and the long-reviled One Trick Pony, with Paul Simon as a has-been rock star (and appearances by Lou Reed and the B-52's). Warner Bros. intends to add about 20 new titles a month, including some TV series and TV movies.

What movies do you want to see released on DVD?