TCM Greatest Classic Legends: Kirk Douglas (Lust for Life / The Bad and the Beautiful / Young Man with a Horn / Before I Forget)

Climbing up on the couch or in bed watching old movies is a luxury that I will never give up. Having collections like this is the reason why. I have always loved Kirk Douglas and all of his movies. When I was a little girl, he was so big on the screen and as a young adult his characters were mesmerizing. . . . it is like looking at a huge canvas splashed with such vibrant colors you almost have to put your dark glasses on just to look at it, but look at it you must and for a very long time. He is simply unbelievably captivating.All of these movies are captivating as well. I vaguely remembered his turn on Van Gogh, but sitting through it again as an adult was fascinating. The movies of those days actually required you to use your imagination as well as your visual capabilities, as the movies of today do everything for you, no participation on your part is required. To see Anthony Quinn at his peak and Douglas as well is a reward that I am glad I will be able to keep in my collection forever. Delicious!As for the Bad and the Beautiful, OMG what a group of actors!!! All are indeed beautiful and electrifying on this little screen. Simply amazing! It makes all of the actors today pale by comparison and sadly, they will never know 'great' acting.If Amazon has anything going for it, it is definitely these vintage movie collections. I want them ALL. I can watch them over and over again. I plan to spend many a night and day with Mr. Douglas and company and thank him for all that he has done to make my life just a little more vibrant . . . kind of like Van Gogh himself.Watching in Los Angeles.

I have always adored Kirk Douglas and don't think I've ever seen him give even an "iffy" performance, but this collection is stunning because it showcases his talents at different points in his stellar career. There is no one BEST performance in the lot. They are all BEST performances because when this man went before the camera, he always gave it his all...his personal best. He always understood who he was portraying and shaded his characters with nuances that only an intimate of that character might be aware of. I usually hesitate on collections of any kind because they normally throw in a clunker you wouldn't buy otherwise...but not so with Kirk Douglas. All you can wish for is more of the same and he shines in everything he does! The extra added fourth attraction of having him speak about himself as he is today is more than I could have asked for.

I have been impressed with Kirk Douglas's acting since the mid 1950s, when I began taking films quite seriously as an influence as well as commentary on life in these United States. He is a superb actor, and his personal reactions, insights and beliefs about life and family are a close match for my own. Therefore, I applaud his acting and his more personal contributions to our U.S. culture in literature -- I loved "My Stroke of Luck" and also the documentary "Before I Forget" -- his acting with son Michael in "its All in the Family" (or some such title) semi-autobiographical -- is much appreciated. Thank you for this, and other of favorites of mine of his work include Spartacus, Town Without Pity, and the Vikings.

Kirk Douglas has been one of my heroes for decades. His acting had a visceral quality that sought the heart and soul of the characters he portrayed. This compilation contains some of his best works from his early career. His rendition of Vincent van Gogh in "Lust for Life" is beyond memorable. However, the real bonus is "Before I Forget", a one man show in which he recalls memories that shaped him as a person. While Kirk is most remembered as a dramatic actor, he has a terrific sense of humor that comes out in his live performance. His film of Spartacus (not included) is probably the best Epic film of all time because it dealt with slavery at the apogee of the Civil Rights revolution. He broke the insidious Hollywood Black List by crediting Dalton Trumbo as the screen writer for this important film.

All four movies are placed on one spindle and one has no label - it will be a challenge not to scratch the movies, rendering them unplayable.Further thoughts after seeing Lust for Life:1) No special features2) Poor remastering - the original vivid colors are washed out3) The apparently Mono only sound is recessed and diffuse - the only way to hear clearly is to crank the volume way up

all selected features are top notch. well worth viewing

Young man with a horn is a terrific movie featuring the direction of legend Michael Curtiz and adorable Doris Day ..as well as Hoagy Charmichael in support of Mr Douglas. The Bad and the Beautiful ...is one of the few best movies ever made about the business of making movies... so we have two all timers along with the very good Lust For Life. The bonus DVD (and yes this is 4 DVDs not flippers) is a more recent evening with Mr Douglas talking about his life. Unlike many such sets that have a classic film (a couple of duds) and a disc that can't be bought on its own ...this is a solid set and for the price is a solid 5 stars from this avid film collector.

Lust for Life and The bad and the Beautiful are undeniable Hollywood masterpieces of the 1950s. While I have never warmed to Douglas as an actor the way I have say with Bogart or Mitchum, there is no denying he made so fabulous movies. His stock in trade was intensity but he was able to channel in with amazing results as you seen in these two great movies which make this set worth buying just for these two titles. Gorgeous prints as well. The other titles are a matter of taste dabbling as they do in sentimentality and ego.

Very good thanks

"Lust for Life" Douglas and Anthony Quinn are two actors at their best. The movie is a treaure."The Young Man with a Horn" Noble effort, but it falls on its face too often, not because of the three stars who do their best to make it work, but because it is terribly underwritten. And Warner Brothers, that was Lauren Bacall you threw away with this movie. Shame on you."Before I Forget" a special momento as Douglas looks back."The Bad and the Beautiful" Oh, oh, oh. This is one of the best dramas ever to come out of Hollywood. That it came from MGM and yet was so brilliantly done in every gritty or glittering detail is amazing. MGM seldom touched the heavens with its dramas,but this one did, with room to spare. The cast is superb, the writing fantastic, the filming beyond even a book to accurately describe. Douglas holds it all together - a phenomenal piece of acting. But this movie makes it appear that even Lana Turner can act with the best, and she never shone again like this. Dick Powell, Gloria deHaven, Barry Sullivan, Walter Pidgeon, and all the others, wonderful! I wish it had been in colour, but suspect that it would have lost too much, and not suggested as strongly a Hollywood even then fading into history.And all four in one set! Buy it.

Truly a remarkable insight journey into the real life story of his life as told by the man himself Kirk Douglas

A great set of films