If you love a movie enough, odds are, you already own it on DVD. So, you might ask yourself, what would be the point of re-releasing a film on the same format? I’ve got two answers for you: collecting purposes and, more importantly, brand new bonus material. As part of the Paramount Centennial Collection, The Odd Couple and To Catch a Thief are coming to DVD March 24th alongside some never-before-scene special features.
First, you can get your fix of romance and excitement with Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief (1955). Cat burglar John Robbie (Cary Grant) may have retired from his hobby, but when a jewelry thief commits a string of crimes matching Robbie’s M.O., he must find the real thief to prove his innocence. Unfortunately, an American debutante named Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly) is getting in his way. Then, switch genre gears with The Odd Couple (1968), a comedy about a very unlikely pair. Felix Unger (Jack Lemmon) and Oscar Madison (Walter Matthau) are two divorced men who end up living together. The problem is, Felix is nice and neat while Oscar doesn’t consider cleanliness a top priority. Sure enough, numerous calamities ensue.
Both films come with an extensive amount of new bonus material. To Catch a Thief is accompanied by new commentary by Dr. Drew Casper, a Hitchcock film historian, “A Night with the Hitchcocks,” “Unacceptable Under the Code: Film Censorship in America” and “Behind the Gates: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.” Then there’s some old material including “Writing and Casting To Catch A Thief,” “The Making of To Catch A Thief,” “Alfred Hitchcock and To Catch A Thief: An Appreciation,” “Edith Head: The Paramount Years,” the original theatrical trailer, an interactive travelogue and two photo galleries. For The Odd Couple, the new stuff is commentary by Charlie Matthau and Chris Lemmon, “In the Beginning,” “Inside The Odd Couple,” “Memories from the Set,” Matthau & Lemmon” and “The Odd Couple: A Classic.” You also get the theatrical trailer and two photo galleries.
If you’re a longtime fan of these films, these DVDs could be great buys. While The Odd Couple and To Catch a Thief are a little beyond my years, I can understand the enjoyment someone can find in bringing back two classics, especially when they come with loads of new DVD extras. Both two-disc DVD sets will cost $24.99 each.
