Rating: 
Summary: A Class Act
Review: There's an awful lot to gain and little to lose for the Marilyn Monroe fan who invests in this groundbreaking DVD series of movies she made in the Fifties for 20th Century-Fox. Even people who have one or two of these movies "in the can" in previous DVD or VHS might still consider this a worthwhile collection.Picture quality is astonishing. The people who carried out the restoration and video remastering aren't afraid to talk about it, too, because each disc has a few technical notes after the movie ends. This technology didn't even exist just a few years back. The technical notes compare the new DVD with a prior restoration (noticeable difference) and with the originally-released VHS (puts VHS to shame). By and large the color is magnificent, stable and true. If there is any tendency, it is to go with flesh tones, to understate the color with a champagne tone. The exception to this is "Bus Stop," which used three-strip Technicolor. The magenta strip had shrunk and so that element of the three-strip process had to be restored FRAME BY FRAME! Extraordinary. As owner of an old-fasioned "mono" TV, I do sometimes have trouble with the sound. You may remember that when musical CD's were brand new, they drove people crazy with overexaggerated dynamics. Something of the same thing is at work here: get the volume up high enough to hear people speak and the music--particularly incidental music--can blast you though the sofa. Solution: fiddle with the options given you. I usually do best to turn off the Surround 5.1 and go with ordinary stereo or whatever the film originally used. The "bear trap" scene in "How to Marry a Millionaire" was not looped, it was zone-miked (and not terribly well) and I had so much trouble with that I had to turn on the closed-captioning. And no, I'm not a deaf person in denial. In my opinion, all these films are terrific, with one exception: "There's No Business Like Show Business." I can't analyze why, because it isn't a matter of salaciousness, dirty words or bad taste, but to me that movie epitomizes vulgarity. Everything else is terrific. Not to be missed is a documentary, "The Final Days." The first half details Marilyn's contribution to her last motion picture, "Something's Got to Give," with Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse. As the whole world knows, the film ceased production when Marilyn died from overdosing on alcohol and pills. On a lighter note, the preservationists followed this sad account with a "tag" version of the first two acts of "Something's Got to Give," and it was shaping up to be quite a good movie. (Movie buffs can also tell which director was at work in which scene: Jean Negulesco, who loved to fill the Cinemascope canvas; or George Cukor, who preferred classic mise en scene.) But--don't overlook the central fact that "Marilyn Monroe--The Diamond Collection" is the ultimate in new technology and most of the best of her work assembled. It belongs in any fan's home.
Rating:
Summary: A must-buy for all classic movie lovers.
Review: This boxed set collection is not only a must-buy for MM fans but also for classic movie lovers! The special features on every disc is worth the buy. The picture resolution is amazing, especially viewing the "restoration comparison" features. Plus, the extra special disc "The Final Days" is a worthwhile feature with the specially edited "Something's Got To Give." This special feature tells you that MM is a true actress. It's too bad we will never be able to view the finished film b/c of her untimely death. Go to your nearest videostore and purchase the boxed set!
Rating:
Summary: A dream come true.
Review: This DVD set is truly a dream come true for any Marilyn fan. I have been a fan for 25+ years now and love all of her films. The quality of this set is fantastic. The reconstucted 40 minutes of "Something's Got to Give" is enough to make you cry. Her acting is fabulous and she looks great. I was torn into a millions bits watching this. Those 40 minutes, especially the scenes with Marilyn, have to rank as probably the greatest in my movie watching experience. This is no exaggeration. I am a huge Marilyn fan and I was moved. The experience is worth the price of the set.
Rating:
Summary: Marilyn Monroe-PINK DIAMOND!
Review: This has to be the greatest collection of monroe movies anywhere!-Bus Stop-"Why I'd go anywhere in the world with you now!" "Aaaaaghhh! You ain't got the manners of a monkey, I hate you and I despise you! And give me back my tail!!!" "I told you my name is not Cherry, it's Sharie'!" Gentlemen prefer blondes-"Daddy daddy daddy, what did you buy me this week, I should have the tiara, after all she has you!" "Hi I'm Lora-li Lee, and I don't want to marry your son for his money, I want to marry him for your money!" Seven year itch-When it's hot in the summer you know where I put my panty's, in the ice box!" "If your wife tells you got cranberry sauce on your collar, tell her she's got cherry pits in her head!" "Potatoe chips and Champagne, how romantic!" This Diamond collection is a blessing for every Monroe nut, enjoy!-love Marilyn!
Rating:
Summary: AN ABSOLUTE MUST-HAVE!
Review: This is the best DVD collection I ever bought in my entire life! Five of her greatest films that you will cherish forever!
Rating:
Summary: Warning!...Intoxicating Six Pack!....You May Smile Forever!
Review: This review refers to the "Marilyn Monroe-Diamond Collection" DVD Collectors Edition(20th Cent Fox)... Okay you've been warned. If you watch these films back to back your mouth muscles will tire from smiling so much! They are, like Marilyn herself, simply irresistable. They are also jammed packed with lots of other wonderful stars, fabulous music, snappy dialouge, and they are restored beautifully in the original widescreen and glorious technicolor.The set includes five fun films from the 50's, a captivating documentary, and an edited, reconstructed version of her final but unfinished project. You'll find Marilyn and pals Lauren Bacall and Betty Grable foraging for rich husbands in "How To Marry A Millionaire"(1953). The men they set their caps for include David Wayne, Rory Calhoun, Cameron Mitchell and even William Powell.
Marilyn and Jane Russell sail for France and declare "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend" in the delightful romp "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"(1953). This one co-stars the wonderful Charles Coburn.
Next up from 1954 Marilyn shares the spolight in "There's No Business Like Show Business" with Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor. This one will delight musical lovers with it's lavish song and dance numbers, and wait till you see some of Marilyn's outfits!
Even happily married Tom Ewell is not safe from Marilyn's charms in "The Seven Year Itch". The wife's away for the summer and poor Tom must find a way to cool off poor Marilyn from the hot weather! Hmmm....Delightful....and of course, this one has the famous skirt scene.
Can a girl with a past and a naive rancher find love? It's a pleasure finding out in this poignant tale of "Bus Stop"(1956). it also stars Don Murray, Arthur O'connell, Betty Field, Eileen Heckart and a very young Hope Lange. Marilyn shows us her tremendous dramtic skills in this one.
And then there's the very touching "Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days". Narrated by James Cobourn, it's an open and honest look at what took place in the last few months of Marilyn's life, and the problems she was having while filming her final film. Immeditaley following the documentary there is an edited, reconstruction of the scenes shot for the film. This film, also starring Dean Martin, "Something's Got To Give", which was to be a remake of the Grant/Dunne film "My Favorite Wife", finally saw an audience as "Move Over Darling" with James Garner and Doris Day. If you are a Big Fan of MM or are considering this as a gift for some who is, this set is definatly the way to go. If you are like me, you know that eventually you will put out the money for all of them anyway!. Also I did not see "The Final Days" for sale separatly. This boxed set is an absolute bargain!. All the films look fabulous. All wonderfully restored. Each Disc has it's own bonus features, including comparisons of the restoration, and some theatrical trailers. There is a "Movietone Newsreel" relating to the cinemascope process on the documentary disc. The technical info here says that these discs are in 5.1, and although the sound on all the discs is excellent, they are not 5.1. Bus Stop, Millionaire and Show Business are all in 4.0, Seven Yr Itch is in 3.0, and Gentlemen in Stereo and full frame.That is what they say on the box and that is exactly how my DVD player decoded them. As I said they sound wonderful, but I thought I would mention that for those that it may make a difference to. 20th Century has put together a wonderful must have package, that you'll enjoy time and time again....enjoy ...Laurie
Rating:
Summary: Five out of six ain't bad.
Review: This set, for the most part, is an absolute dream. Monroe really shines in the SEVEN YEAR ITCH, BUS STOP, HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE, and GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES. The runt of the litter is, of course, THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS. Come on, guys, what the hell were you thinking? With LET'S MAKE LOVE, DON'T BOTHER TO KNOCK and NIAGARA, a predominantly Ethel Merman movie with cameos by Monroe was chosen for the Diamond Collection? I hated that movie. It was mostly Ethel Merman not being able to shut up even if her life depended on it. NIAGARA not on DVD - what's that about? But, moving on, THE FINAL DAYS was the clincher, an unedited, uninterrupted version of the great American Movie Classics documentary. When I watched this last June, I thought it would be interesting to see the lost footage. My God, I had no idea how great she was all this time. "Something's Got to Give" would have been a smash if finished and released. Monroe's scenes are very poignant and very funny. I loved her first scene coming home for the first time in 5 years. This was Marilyn Monroe as she had never been seen before. It would've been great. Buy this set - pretend THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS isn't in the box. In its place, rent THE MISFITS or SOME LIKE IT HOT.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic collection!
Review: We own it, we love it---- it's classic Marilyn, and if you're not a big Marilyn fan yet, this collection will turn you into one. My husband and I really enjoy these.
Rating:
Summary: IT'S ABOUT TIME WE GET THESE MOVIES ON DVD!
Review: WHAT A TREAT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE RELEASED ON MY BIRTHDAY! I can't wait to buy these EXCELLENT Marilyn Monroe movies. I hope the DVDs have better sound and picture quality than the ones on VHS.
Rating:
Summary: FOX GOT TO GIVE MARILYN SOMETHING, AND THEY DID-ALMOST!!!!!!
Review: Yes, this truly is THE one Marilyn collection that DVD buyers would love to get the best. And, yes, would have been greater if Fox use "Let Make Love" instead of "There's No Business Like Show Business", to make DVD collectors happy to get, but, that would ended up to be a rough in this one (So does "Show Business", but why enjoyed the "Tropical Heat Wave" number, and forget the rest?)! The set's bread-and-butter is the documentary co-produced by Fox, American Movie Classic and the Marilyn Estate, "Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days", which described the making of her unfinished film, "Something Got To Give", which the 37-minute reconstruction is the Centerpiece of the DVD. Highly Recommended-despite the flaws!
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