The Adventures of Robin Hood - Criterion Collection Laserdisc Preservation

The Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, presents

In Michael Curtiz’s swashbuckling spectacle about the infamous outlaw and his band of merry men who “robbed from the rich and gave to the poor,” Robin Hood (Errol Flynn) fights nobly for justice against the evil Sir Guy of Gisborne (Basil Rathbone) while striving to win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland).

Flynn joyously embraces the role widely considered the best of his bountiful array of swashbuckling legends. Delivering his lines and performing dashing acrobatics (he did most of his own stunts) with breezy élan, he darts across the intricate sets of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD as if there are rocket boosters secreted in his tights. It was one of the earliest films to use three-color Technicolor and, at the time, the most expensive film Warner Bros. had produced. Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s outstanding score won an Oscar, as did the art direction and the editing.

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Audio: English PCM 1.0 Mono / Audio commentary 1.0 Mono Subtitles: English / French / German / Spanish Main title: 1080p Supplementary material: 480p Laserdisc source

1938 102 MINUTES COLOR MONO 1.33:1 ASPECT RATIO THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD is under exclusive license from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment TM ® © 2020 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. © 2020 The Criterion Collection.

All Rights Reserved. Cat. no.

CC1166L. ISBN 1-55940-003-X. Warning: unauthorized public performance, broadcasting, or copying is a violation of applicable laws. Printed in the USA. First printing 2020.

1938

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Audio commentary from film historian and author Rudy Behmer in which he discusses the making of the `1938 Warner Bros. classic, the people involved in the production and the evolution of the Robin Hood Legend An excerpt from Robin Hood (1922) with Douglas Fairbanks, presented with Rudy Behlmer’s comments Rare home movies of the film in production, including behindthe-scenes sequences from the Chico, California location and on the Nottingham Castle set at Warner Bros. studio in Burbank. Rudy Behlmer provides commentary An excerpt from Ivanhoe, MGM’s 1952 classic, in which Locksley (Robin Hood) and his men attack the castle Robin Hood through the ages, an extensive collection of illustrations from rare books, music, film and T.V. versions depicting the Robin Hood legend

BLU-RAY EDITION

The Criterion Collection is dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions of the highest technical quality, with supplemental features that enhance the appreciation of the art of film. Visit us at Criterion.com

Design and Layout - pineapples101@gmail.com

LD 66

The Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, presents

In Michael Curtiz’s swashbuckling spectacle about the infamous outlaw and his band of merry men who “robbed from the rich and gave to the poor,” Robin Hood (Errol Flynn) fights nobly for justice against the evil Sir Guy of Gisborne (Basil Rathbone) while striving to win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland).

Flynn joyously embraces the role widely considered the best of his bountiful array of swashbuckling legends. Delivering his lines and performing dashing acrobatics (he did most of his own stunts) with breezy élan, he darts across the intricate sets of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD as if there are rocket boosters secreted in his tights. It was one of the earliest films to use three-color Technicolor and, at the time, the most expensive film Warner Bros. had produced.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s outstanding score won an Oscar, as did the art direction and the editing.

SPECIAL FEATURES l

l l

l

Audio: English PCM 1.0 Mono / Audio commentary 1.0 Mono Subtitles: English / French / German / Spanish Main title: 1080p Supplementary material: 480p Laserdisc source

1938 102 MINUTES COLOR MONO 1.33:1 ASPECT RATIO THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD is under exclusive license from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment TM ® © 2020 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. © 2020 The Criterion Collection.

All Rights Reserved. Cat. no.

CC1166L. ISBN 1-55940-003-X. Warning: unauthorized public performance, broadcasting, or copying is a violation of applicable laws. Printed in the USA. First printing 2020.

1938

l

Audio commentary from film historian and author Rudy Behmer in which he discusses the making of the `1938 Warner Bros. classic, the people involved in the production and the evolution of the Robin Hood Legend An excerpt from Robin Hood (1922) with Douglas Fairbanks, presented with Rudy Behlmer’s comments Rare home movies of the film in production, including behind-the-scenes sequences from the Chico, California location and on the Nottingham Castle set at Warner Bros. studio in Burbank. Rudy Behlmer provides commentary An excerpt from Ivanhoe, MGM’s 1952 classic, in which Locksley (Robin Hood) and his men attack the castle Robin Hood through the ages, an extensive collection of illustrations from rare books, music, film and T.V. versions depicting the Robin Hood legend

BLU-RAY EDITION

The Criterion Collection is dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions of the highest technical quality, with supplemental features that enhance the appreciation of the art of film. Visit us at Criterion.com

Design and Layout - pineapples101@gmail.com

LD 66

The Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, presents

In Michael Curtiz’s swashbuckling spectacle about the infamous outlaw and his band of merry men who “robbed from the rich and gave to the poor,” Robin Hood (Errol Flynn) fights nobly for justice against the evil Sir Guy of Gisborne (Basil Rathbone) while striving to win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland).

Flynn joyously embraces the role widely considered the best of his bountiful array of swashbuckling legends. Delivering his lines and performing dashing acrobatics (he did most of his own stunts) with breezy élan, he darts across the intricate sets of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD as if there are rocket boosters secreted in his tights.

It was one of the earliest films to use three-color Technicolor and, at the time, the most expensive film Warner Bros. had produced. Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s outstanding score won an Oscar, as did the art direction and the editing.

SPECIAL FEATURES l

l l

l

Audio: English PCM 1.0 Mono / Audio commentary 1.0 Mono Subtitles: English / French / German / Spanish Main title: 1080p Supplementary material: 480p Laserdisc source

1938 102 MINUTES COLOR MONO 1.33:1 ASPECT RATIO THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD is under exclusive license from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment TM ® © 2020 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. © 2020 The Criterion Collection.

All Rights Reserved. Cat. no.

CC1166L. ISBN 1-55940-003-X. Warning: unauthorized public performance, broadcasting, or copying is a violation of applicable laws. Printed in the USA. First printing 2020.

1938

l

Audio commentary from film historian and author Rudy Behmer in which he discusses the making of the `1938 Warner Bros. classic, the people involved in the production and the evolution of the Robin Hood Legend An excerpt from Robin Hood (1922) with Douglas Fairbanks, presented with Rudy Behlmer’s comments Rare home movies of the film in production, including behindthe-scenes sequences from the Chico, California location and on the Nottingham Castle set at Warner Bros. studio in Burbank.

Rudy Behlmer provides commentary An excerpt from Ivanhoe, MGM’s 1952 classic, in which Locksley (Robin Hood) and his men attack the castle Robin Hood through the ages, an extensive collection of illustrations from rare books, music, film and T.V. versions depicting the Robin Hood legend

DVD EDITION

The Criterion Collection is dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions of the highest technical quality, with supplemental features that enhance the appreciation of the art of film. Visit us at Criterion.com

Design and Layout - pineapples101@gmail.com

LD 66

VIDEODISC PRODUCTION CREDITS Produced by Isaac Mizrahi and Rudy Behlmer Associate Producers, Charles Tashiro, Kathryn Kanehiro Film to tape transfer supervised by Maria Groumbos Film to tape transfer operated by Roger Skip Kimball, Howard A. Anderson Co., Los Angeles, CA Supplement design by Kathryn Kanehiro Audio essay production by Lisa Brenneis Supplement materials courtesy of the Rohauer Collection, James Morehead, Rudy Behlmer, Paul Sigman, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, UCLA Film and Television Archive and Turner Entertainment

Producer-author Rudy Behlmer’s books include Inside Warner Bros., emo from David O. Selznick, America’s Favorite Movies: Behind the Scenes, and The Films of Errol Flynn. He wrote and narrated the audio essay on the Criterion Collection laserdisc edition of Scaramouche.

Few motion pictures have ever matched the 1938 Warner Bros. production of The Adventures of Robin Hood for sheer entertainment. Even today this film ranks high on any list of all-time favorites. Warner Bros. first considered filming The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1935 with contract star James Cagney slated for the title role, but in November of that year Cagney walked off the lot for a lengthy dispute and one month later the studio presented newcomer Errol Flynn in Captain Blood. After that film’s extraordinary impact, The Adventures of Robin Hood was tailored for Flynn and given a budget of $1,600,000—the largest sum allotted to a Warner film up to that time.

(The cost eventually reached $2,000,000.) Although non-stop action was the keynote of The Adventures of Robin Hood, there was also above average dialogue, spirited performances, and impressive spectacle. An important element in this unique mesh was the excellent casting, including the premier swashbuckler Errol Flynn, who at twenty-nine was at his peak and perfect for the role, with just enough seasoning. He was “hero” personified. Olivia de Havilland was by now his ideal screen romantic interest, having been paired effectively with Flynn in two previous films. Their romantic scenes were played with believable ardor, grace and more than a touch of humor.

In addition to all the other ingredients, Warner Bros. used the then-new three-color Technicolor process. It was a wise decision, as the legendary subject with its many lush forest scenes, costumes and pageantry, was perfect for full color. Seen today, the hues are still extraordinary and the film is one of the best examples of the old Technicolor process, which has been obsolete since the mid-1950s. Some of the favorite incidents of the Robin Hood legend were used on the screen for the first time: the bout with quarterstaves between Robin and Little John (Alan Hale) on a log spanning a stream, Robin’s first meeting with Friar Tuck (Eugene Pallette) and his forcing the rotund cleric to carry him piggyback across the stream, and the King (Ian Hunter) coming to Sherwood disguised as a monk. Finally, all the various archery contests described in the many legendary versions were amalgamated into one major archery tournament, wherein Robin splits his opponent’s arrow (actually accomplished by archery champion Howard Hill) and wins the Golden Arrow prize.

Robin and Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone), chief conspirer under Prince John (Claude Rains), become rivals for Lady Marian (Olivia de Havilland), a Norman ward of King Richard the Lion Heart. This triangle, not present in any of the old ballads, originated in the popular De Koven-Smith light opera version of Robin Hood in 1890.

Since there was a little something suggested from all sources, Flynn (or occasionally a stunt double) was required to engage in some lithe leaping, wall-scaling, vaulting, vine-swinging—and of course, swordplay—to take into account the Douglas Fairbanks heritage. Audiences then and now loved the movie, many people going back to see it time and again. During World War II, it was one of the most popular films shown to

members of the armed forces overseas on bases or on ships. In 1948, ten years after its first release, Warner reissued the film in theaters everywhere with new Technicolor prints, treating it in the manner of one of their big, fresh attractions. The public flocked once again, the picture performing better than most new films at the box office and certainly better than the usual revival of an old movie. It was reissued another time— but in black and white only and on a more limited basis—just before being sold to television in the mid-1950s, where it has been a perennial favorite. In a poll taken in 1977 for TV Guide, program directors of television stations throughout the country were asked to name the ten most popular, most often shown movies in their markets. Robin Hood was number five, preceded by—in order of popularity—Casablanca, King Kong, The Magnificent Seven, and The Maltese Falcon.

The Adventures of Robin Hood avoids the pitfalls that plague so many other films in the historical romance genre. The subject had been extraordinarily popular for over six hundred years, and Warner Bros. had the good sense not to alter drastically the material or to make it seem considerably more than it was. All the elements are handled in a relatively simple and straightforward manner. The dialogue is not too flowery or archaic in an attempt to be faithful to the period; vigor and pace always offset the pomp and ceremony, and nothing tedious mars the proceedings. Rather than lasting two hours or longer, as so many costume adventure films do, Robin Hood runs its course in a brisk one hour and forty-two minutes. During that time, the film is crammed with incident and action—all of it pointed and interestingly staged. There is a prevailing humor, not forced or awkward, but light-hearted, impudent, and indigenous.

Relatively little about the picture dates, except in a charming way. The characters, costumes, castle, and forest are idealized, but then the film is not a document of medieval life; rather, it is a fairy tale illustrated by Technicolor. The “love interest,” usually clumsy and arbitrary in costume adventure films, is here properly motivated and nicely woven into the plot fabric. And the rich Erich Wolfgang Korngold score serves as marvelous connective tissue, sweeping the film along and providing a splendid added dimension. Many other productions of the Robin Hood legend followed. Some, like Disney’s live-action feature of 1952, The Story of Robin Hood, presented a substantially similar story with variations in the details. But the definitive Robin Hood for most people since 1938 is the Warner Bros. version, wherein many elements of popular entertainment are beautifully fused: fairy-tale romance, spectacle, color, action, pageantry, humor, the triumph of right over might, the exultation of the Free Spirit, the charm of the greenwood, and a vague nostalgia for a partly mythical age of chivalry.

By Rudy Behlmer

APR 9, 1990

VIDEODISC PRODUCTION CREDITS Produced by Isaac Mizrahi and Rudy Behlmer Associate Producers, Charles Tashiro, Kathryn Kanehiro Film to tape transfer supervised by Maria Groumbos Film to tape transfer operated by Roger Skip Kimball, Howard A. Anderson Co., Los Angeles, CA Supplement design by Kathryn Kanehiro Audio essay production by Lisa Brenneis Supplement materials courtesy of the Rohauer Collection, James Morehead, Rudy Behlmer, Paul Sigman, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, UCLA Film and Television Archive and Turner Entertainment

Producer-author Rudy Behlmer’s books include Inside Warner Bros., emo from David O. Selznick, America’s Favorite Movies: Behind the Scenes, and The Films of Errol Flynn. He wrote and narrated the audio essay on the Criterion Collection laserdisc edition of Scaramouche.

Few motion pictures have ever matched the 1938 Warner Bros. production of The Adventures of Robin Hood for sheer entertainment. Even today this film ranks high on any list of all-time favorites. Warner Bros. first considered filming The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1935 with contract star James Cagney slated for the title role, but in November of that year Cagney walked off the lot for a lengthy dispute and one month later the studio presented newcomer Errol Flynn in Captain Blood. After that film’s extraordinary impact, The Adventures of Robin Hood was tailored for Flynn and given a budget of $1,600,000— the largest sum allotted to a Warner film up to that time. (The cost eventually reached $2,000,000.) Although non-stop action was the keynote of The Adventures of Robin Hood, there was also above average dialogue, spirited performances, and impressive spectacle.

An important element in this unique mesh was the excellent casting, including the premier swashbuckler Errol Flynn, who at twenty-nine was at his peak and perfect for the role, with just enough seasoning. He was “hero” personified. Olivia de Havilland was by now his ideal screen romantic interest, having been paired effectively with Flynn in two previous films. Their romantic scenes were played with believable ardor, grace and more than a touch of humor.

In addition to all the other ingredients, Warner Bros. used the then-new three-color Technicolor process. It was a wise decision, as the legendary subject with its many lush forest scenes, costumes and pageantry, was perfect for full color. Seen today, the hues are still extraordinary and the film is one of the best examples of the old Technicolor process, which has been obsolete since the mid-1950s. Some of the favorite incidents of the Robin Hood legend were used on the screen for the first time: the bout with quarterstaves between Robin and Little John (Alan Hale) on a log spanning a stream, Robin’s first meeting with Friar Tuck (Eugene Pallette) and his forcing the rotund cleric to carry him piggyback across the stream, and the King (Ian Hunter) coming to Sherwood disguised as a monk. Finally, all the various archery contests described in the many legendary versions were amalgamated into one major archery tournament, wherein Robin splits his opponent’s arrow (actually accomplished by archery champion Howard Hill) and wins the Golden Arrow prize.

Robin and Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone), chief conspirer under Prince John (Claude Rains), become rivals for Lady Marian (Olivia de Havilland), a Norman ward of King Richard the Lion Heart. This triangle, not present in any of the old ballads, originated in the popular De Koven-Smith light opera version of Robin Hood in 1890. Since there was a little something suggested from all sources, Flynn (or occasionally a stunt double) was required to engage in some lithe leaping, wall-scaling, vaulting, vine-swinging—and of course, swordplay—to take into account the Douglas Fairbanks heritage. Audiences then and now loved the movie, many people going back to see it time and again. During World War II, it was one of the most popular films shown to members of the armed forces overseas

on bases or on ships. In 1948, ten years after its first release, Warner reissued the film in theaters everywhere with new Technicolor prints, treating it in the manner of one of their big, fresh attractions. The public flocked once again, the picture performing better than most new films at the box office and certainly better than the usual revival of an old movie.

It was reissued another time—but in black and white only and on a more limited basis— just before being sold to television in the mid-1950s, where it has been a perennial favorite.

In a poll taken in 1977 for TV Guide, program directors of television stations throughout the country were asked to name the ten most popular, most often shown movies in their markets. Robin Hood was number five, preceded by—in order of popularity—Casablanca, King Kong, The Magnificent Seven, and The Maltese Falcon.

The Adventures of Robin Hood avoids the pitfalls that plague so many other films in the historical romance genre. The subject had been extraordinarily popular for over six hundred years, and Warner Bros. had the good sense not to alter drastically the material or to make it seem considerably more than it was. All the elements are handled in a relatively simple and straightforward manner. The dialogue is not too flowery or archaic in an attempt to be faithful to the period; vigor and pace always offset the pomp and ceremony, and nothing tedious mars the proceedings. Rather than lasting two hours or longer, as so many costume adventure films do, Robin Hood runs its course in a brisk one hour and forty-two minutes. During that time, the film is crammed with incident and action—all of it pointed and interestingly staged. There is a prevailing humor, not forced or awkward, but light-hearted, impudent, and indigenous.

Relatively little about the picture dates, except in a charming way. The characters, costumes, castle, and forest are idealized, but then the film is not a document of medieval life; rather, it is a fairy tale illustrated by Technicolor. The “love interest,” usually clumsy and arbitrary in costume adventure films, is here properly motivated and nicely woven into the plot fabric. And the rich Erich Wolfgang Korngold score serves as marvelous connective tissue, sweeping the film along and providing a splendid added dimension. Many other productions of the Robin Hood legend followed. Some, like Disney’s live-action feature of 1952, The Story of Robin Hood, presented a substantially similar story with variations in the details. But the definitive Robin Hood for most people since 1938 is the Warner Bros. version, wherein many elements of popular entertainment are beautifully fused: fairy-tale romance, spectacle, color, action, pageantry, humor, the triumph of right over might, the exultation of the Free Spirit, the charm of the greenwood, and a vague nostalgia for a partly mythical age of chivalry.

By Rudy Behlmer

APR 9, 1990

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T H E AD V E N T U R E S O F RO B All Rights Reserv e d .

Cat. IN HO O no.

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Criterion Collection - Laserdisc Preservation Adventures of Robin Hood, The: Special 50th Anniversary Edition #66 (1938) [CC1166L] https://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/50256/CC1166L/Adventures-of-Robin-Hood-The:Special-50th-Anniversary-Edition Blu Ray - Region A/B/C DVD - Region All Audio: English PCM 1.0 Mono / Dolby Digital Audio Commentary Subtitles: English / French / German / Spanish Main title: 1080p Supplementary material: 480p Laserdisc source

Artwork Criterion Blu Ray Case - Inlay 273mm x 160mm Standard Blu Ray Case - Inlay 269mm x 148mm Standard DVD Case - Inlay 272mm x 182mm Criterion 4 Page Booklet - Exterior Fold down middle 240mm x 160mm Criterion 4 Page Booklet - Interior Fold down middle 240mm x 160mm Standard 4 Page Booklet - Exterior Fold down middle 235mm x 145mm Standard 4 Page Booklet - Interior Fold down middle 235mm x 145mm Blu Ray Disc Art 115mm x 115mm