A Star Is Born/Meet Me In St. Louis

A Star Is Born:
Marked Judy Garland's return to movies after a four-year absence, director George Cukor's first musical and first colour film, and a showcase for great Harold Arden/Ira Gershwin songs in state-of-the-art stereo. One of the most beloved show-business stories of all time, it represents a career peak for many involved. Garland is singer Esther Blodgett, an undeniable talent on the rise. She catches the eye of Norman Maine (James Mason), an alcoholic actor in career decline. The intense love transforms them both. Only one will survive Hollywood's slings and arrows. Shortened after its premiere, the movie underwent one rebirth in 1983 when film historian Ronald Haver found almost all the cut sequences and supervised a reconstruction to near its original length. Its new rebirth is the digital transfer from a refurbished element, with revitalized digital audio and incorporating picture and musical material recently uncovered. Star always had a shine to it. Now watch it sparkle as never before.

Meet Me In St. Louis:
"Meet Me in St. Louis", sings Judy Garland, and that's an invitation movie fans heartily accept. In a role that was one of her favourites, the 22-year-old star headlines this warm turn-of-the-century delight.
The enduring popularity of this terrific blend of nostalgia and bright humour proves that quality storytelling and filmmaking (Vincente Minnelli) never go out of style. The sets are eye-pleasing marvels of design, the camera glides effortlessly within them and Garland has perhaps never been more winning as she pines for The Boy Next Door, comforts seven-year-old Margaret O'Brien (awarded a special Oscar as 1944's outstanding child actress) with have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and whisks along to the clang-clang of The Trolley Song. Clang-clang, ding-ding, zing-zing: don't miss it!