Universal Horror Archive/Sci-Fi Classics vol. I & II

[Person]

I sent out a message to Criterion on this one, I'll post the response when I get an answer.

I could see them bagging that beast, you know. It would be a glorious release. Here's hoping.

[Props55]

I believe ISLAND OF LOST SOULS would be a real coup for Criterion. From all reports the existing elements are in rough shape and it would probably take their complete bag of digital tricks to bring a transfer up to par. Lack of extras could be a problem but, should the basic rights not be too high, a barebones budget edition like MOST DANGEROUS GAME would be more than enough to please.

Schrecko is righto. Get a used VHS if you must (or better yet find someone to burn you a copy from the laserdisc as I did) but don't pass up an opportunity to see this or waste time waiting for the perfect home video edition. This film is the real depression era horror deal. No comic relief, no romantic interludes, no soft pedaling the grim gruesome details. In its spare, single-minded way it is the most honest and brutal of all the early sound horrors.

[HerrSchreck]

This is what I don't understand.. my vhs is absolutely fine. Certainly no worse than Frankenstein or Dracula or Mummy yadda. Considering the condition of so many release films, and the miracles of restoration of films that were in the total dumper (Bridal Party @ Hardanger anyone?), this film is as easy as falling out of bed. The elements must have gone thru a degenerative holocaust since the mid-late 90's (which means no safety print was struck, in which case someone should be fired and arrested) because I what I see on the official Uni vhs is absolutely glorious.

[Via_Chicago]

The Music Box Theatre in Chicago showed Island about a week ago, presumably in a 35mm print from Universal. While I wasn't able to make it, I'm sure there are ways of finding out its condition. Keep in mind that, like Columbia/Sony, while Universal's DVD division is terrible, their archive is actually doing extremely impressive work. I can't imagine that if Universal has recently struck beautiful prints of most of James Whale's oeuvre, or Vidor's So Red the Rose, that they haven't struck a print of Island from the negative. No way. I refuse to believe that.

[HerrSchreck]

No can fathom prob here...here's what looks like a clip from the official vhs from Universal.

Clearly we're dealing with an old transfer, probably analog, compressed down to nothingness to run on the web-- the point is you can see how clear the print is from damage. This is the state of the print used for the Universal VHS. No damage during credits, no contrast problems any more unmanageable than typical vintage material from the era, a la a Paramount vSternberg/Dietrich, etc. A bitta boosting and we're in the chips.

Forward!

[Person]

Turn the brightness down by 10% and the contrast by 15% and set the color bar to zero (to get rid of any chroma crap) and that DVD-R would look pretty good on a plasma of 42" or less, I would imagine. If the element that was used for the LD is still in the Universal vault and is in the same condition, an experienced telecine op could produce a fine HD transfer. Yeah, Criterion really ought to look into this one.

[tryavna]

It has been something like 30 years though and all I really remember is that Hedy Lamarr made a fetching heroine and Brent was his usual bland leading man. Also the AMBERSONS grand staircase had a pivotal supporting role and Tourneur's (and Masuraca's?) mood painting equalled their work for Lewton

I'll use this opportunity to muse further regarding casting choices and note again that Brent resumes his bland good-guy status (after being artfully used as a red herring and later revealed as the heavy in THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE) and that Lukas is recycled as a villain after spending most of WWII as a righteous anti-fascist defender of European freedom. Throwing the usually villainous Dekker into the mix as an undependable sidekick makes me think that someone in casting at RKO had a real knack for upsetting audience expectations for the betterment of the story arc. I really need to see this again.

Well, I had the benefit of having just rewatched it about a month ago. It comes on pretty regularly on TCM.

Interesting points about RKO casting decisions, and I wonder how true it holds beyond Experiment Perilous. Certainly, Lewton made some fantastic choices, so perhaps Tourneur picked it up from him? Would he have had much say in Dekker's and Lukas' casting? Probably not for the leads, though.

As far as the movie itself goes, it's fun, but it's always a movie I end up enjoying less than I think I will or should. There's something about it that just doesn't hold together, unlike most of Tourneur's other work from the 1940s (which generally does hold together beautifully). I can't put my finger on it, but I think it has to do with the pacing. It's much too plodding until it reaches the climax, at which point it suddenly explodes (literally!) but isn't very easy to follow.

[jaredsap]

The Music Box Theatre in Chicago showed Island about a week ago, presumably in a 35mm print from Universal. While I wasn't able to make it, I'm sure there are ways of finding out its condition.

It was a 16mm print from UCLA's archive. I'm told its condition was good, but clearly there are major problems -- possibly being worked on -- with this film in the 35mm arena.

[Via_Chicago]

The Music Box Theatre in Chicago showed Island about a week ago, presumably in a 35mm print from Universal. While I wasn't able to make it, I'm sure there are ways of finding out its condition.

It was a 16mm print from UCLA's archive. I'm told its condition was good, but clearly there are major problems -- possibly being worked on -- with this film in the 35mm arena.

Thanks for clearing that up Jared. That's a little disconcerting.

[Person]

Oh! How great is that transfer of Dr. Cyclops?! Fuck, it looks like a movie from the mid 60s. Astounding transfer. A fun, crazy movie, too.