Second Chorus (1940) & The Fabulous Dorseys (1947) To Blu-ray

Dance, Romance, and Jazz: Fred Astaire Hits High Note in Newly Restored Second Chorus!

Experience the magic of the Big Band era in this definitive two-disc special edition from Film Masters, loaded with exclusive collector's bonus features.

ROCKPORT, Mass. — September 22, 2026 — For Immediate Release — Film Masters, whose mission is to celebrate the preservation of classic film by releasing high quality restorations, announces a Special Edition blu-ray release featuring two musical classics that celebrate the era of Big Band Cinema. Coming November 10, 2026 is Second Chorus (1940), the lively Fred Astaire romantic comedy featuring the big band act of Artie Shaw, paired with The Fabulous Dorseys (1947), a loose biopic on the brothers who became legendary bandleaders.

In what is sure to be the best looking restoration to date, Second Chorus sees Fred Astaire practically leap off screen with a new 2K scan from original 35mm archival elements. Astaire’s banter with Burgess Meredith and chemistry with Paulette Goddard makes this film a pleasure to watch again and again. A rousing commentary by film historian and fan favorite Karie Bible, dance historian/tap dance preservationist Rusty E. Frank, and musician/music historian Nick Rossi sees this as one of Film Masters’ most authoritative commentaries to date

The Fabulous Dorseys, scanned in 4K from original 35mm archival elements, also gets the red carpet treatment for this new Special Edition release. Film historian and author Jennifer Churchill joins Film Masters for a full length commentary and a look at the real life Dorsey brothers. Churchill provides insights on the true story of the Dorsey Brothers compared against the film’s dramatization. The print is crisp and shows off the film in stunning detail.

Says Film Master’s President, Phil Hopkins, “For decades, Second Chorus has suffered a sad existence, buried in muddy, low-quality prints that failed to do justice to its pedigree. This new 2K restoration from a 35mm archive print is a vital rescue mission for Hollywood history. Film Masters is proud to help rescue this compromised classic from obscurity and restore its rightful prestige. Paired with definitive, expert commentary from Karie Bible, Rusty Frank, and Nick Rossi, this release ensures a vital piece of musical film history is properly preserved.”

NEWLY RESTORED SPECIAL FEATURES : 

Full length commentary for Second Chorus by Karie Bible, Rusty E. Frank, and Nick Rossi.

Full length commentary for The Fabulous Dorseys by Jennifer Churchill.

Expanded documentary, The Fabulous Forties: Big Bands on Screen.

24 page full color booklet with new essays by Rusty E. Frank, Nick Rossi, and Karen Burroughs Hannsberry.

TECH SPECS:

Films are presented in their original aspect ratios. Blu-ray discs are region free and include English SDH. Audio is DTS-HD/Dolby AC3s.