To celebrate its 85 year history of films and filmmakers, MGM has teemed with Warner Bros. to make it even easier to watch many of its classics without even having to head to your local video store or get the titles via a service such as Netflix. Instead, they will begin offering 100 of their classic films online for On Demand and Digital Download.

Some of these classic titles include The Wizard of OZ, Singin’ In The Rain, Gone With The Wind, and other favorites such as Poltergeist, North By Northwest, 2001: A Space Odyssey and more. If you’ve never seen these classic films this is yet another way to get a chance to experience them.

Many of these are essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand the magic and power of movies. Plus, its a great way to get some entertainment without having to do much except click your mouse a few times. Then, just sit back, relax and enjoy some great movies.

For more, check out all the info and the official site or visit the MGM 85 store on iTunes. Finally, be sure take a look at what the pros call a “sizzle reel” highlighting this event and the films after the jump.

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One of the most visually stunning, action packed, clever and suspenseful of all Alfred Hitchcock movies, his 1959 masterpiece North By Northwest finally gets the Blu-ray treatment it deserves. Featuring a terrific remastering with lots of great supplemental material and beautiful packaging the movie really shines and Warner Bros. has clearly pulled out all the tops to bring this classic film to a new generation of audiences.

Just in case you’re not familiar with this Hitchcock masterpiece, it stars Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason and a young Martin Landau in a story featuring one of Hitchcock’s signature conceits: the wrong man. Grant’s Roger Thornhill, mistaken for superspy George Kaplan by a group of sinister agents led by James Mason’s Phillip Vandamm, is taken to a county house, forceably intoxicated and almost murdered. He barely manages to escape with his life, mostly due to his high tolerance for alcohol after years in the advertising business, but this sets in motion a series of events culminating in one of the most exciting and visually stunning climaxes ever filmed, at least up to that time.

Cary Grant is funny and cool as Thornhill and the rest of the cast take on their roles brilliantly. The script by Ernest Lehman is funny, action packed, dramatic and tight as a drum and, of course, the direction by the “master of suspense” Alfred Hitchcock is outstanding, making this, if not his best work, at least in the top three right along with Psycho and Rear Window.

Mention must also be made of the stunningly exciting action sequence involving Cary Grant, a deserted county road and a crop dusting plane. For the times, this action sequence was considered the pinnacle of cinematic achievement and even today, due to its quality and innovative direction and editing, its still ranks high. Of course, now that filmmakers have almost anything imaginable at their fingertips through the use of CGI, this action sequence may seem tame to some.

However, knowing when it was filmed and how, and also taking into consideration when it appears in the film, you have already been drawn into the world of this amazing film and completely go along with whatever happens. In short, it just works. And works exceptionally well.

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Here’s a list of some of the new movie and TV shows coming to DVD and Blu-ray this week that we’re looking forward to seeing. Also, there’s some classic, and not-so-classic, movies hitting Blu-ray for the first time this week as well.

Of all the new releases, we’re particularly interested in the Blu-ray versions of movies and TV shows such as G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, North by Northwest, It’s a Wonderful Life and The Rockford Files. Plus, there’s some classic Dr. Who coming out this week as well.

Check them out.

Movies

A Christmas Carol ~ Alastair Sim, Jack Warner (Blu-ray)

Aliens in the Attic ~ Kevin Nealon, Doris Roberts (DVD and Blu-ray)

Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics, Vol. 1 (The Big Heat / 5 Against the House / The Lineup / Murder by Contract / The Sniper) ~ (DVD)

The Claudette Colbert Collection (Three-Cornered Moon / Maid of Salem / I Met Him in Paris / Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife / No Time for Love / The Egg and I) ~ Claudette Colbert (DVD)

The Dead ~ Anjelica Huston, Donal McCann, Dan O’Herlihy, and Donal Donnelly (DVD)

Forrest Gump ~ Tom Hanks, Robin Wright Penn, Gary Sinise (Blu-ray)

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Two-Disc Edition + Digital Copy) ~ Channing Tatum (DVD and Blu-ray)

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