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Sorry to be off-topic.

zedz wrote:

Gregory wrote:

zedz wrote:I'm sure you'll have the chance to buy [The restorations put out in recent years on their various Legacy editions (DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN, THE MUMMY, THE WOLF MAN] five or six times on BluRay over the next ten years.

Are you sure you're sure? What are they waiting for? Blu-ray has been around for five years now and we haven't even seen the first releases of a lot of older films like these that are held by the big studios and were huge money-spinners on earlier formats.

I'm pretty sure I'm sure I'm sure. Unless the entire format goes south (which is entirely possible), I bet we'll see several milkings of those particular titles before we see any of Universal's rarer / more interesting black and white holdings make Blu.

For pre-1980s material, let's say, it seems to me that Blu-ray has generally been a good thing for small labels but a big failure for the business model of the big studios, built during the more profitable precedent of the DVD-boom era. And consistent with the pattern established in that era, Universal has been trailing far behind the other big studios in releasing this material on blu, even as low as the bar has been set by Warner, Fox, etc. They're not even close. Even with something like Hitchcock, we're coming up on a year now waiting for the announcement of the second of their Hitchcock blu titles, again, five years into the format.
What's especially discouraging is that the '30s monster films are not only longstanding major earners, they're horror films, and horror fans are especially reliable when it comes to buying each new upgrade. So the fact that Universal hasn't even done the first blu releases of Frankenstein et al. seems like an obvious case of squandering the most bankable potential sales they have. We should have already been on the second releases of these films by now, 2-disc sets with the sequels included.
But hey, there's still time for them to announce 80th anniversary Blu-ray editions in time for Halloween.

Anybody watch these re-issues yet? Are they better picture quality than the Silver Screen box? that's got down in price by 10 bucks...still seems like the better deal if you ask me...

DVD Verdict has some reviews of the new releases but does not talk about any comparison to the older dvd releases but if theses new releases are the same prints that TCM was broadcasting in the last couple of months then they are from a better print or have been thru some restoration.

Very old news, but the supposedly extras-less 8-disc Marx Brothers UK Universal set, does indeed have extras from the US set.

Trailers are available on select titles, and the 3 interviews with Harpo, Groucho, and Harpo's son are on the Cocoanuts disc.

The review at AVForums doesn't state this, and it's the only review I can find.

Don't know why the very slow release of the Marx Bros on blu-ray while Hollywood re-releases the same popular titles over and over again on blu-ray...

atcolomb wrote:Don't know why the very slow release of the Marx Bros on blu-ray while Hollywood re-releases the same popular titles over and over again on blu-ray...

Certainly part of the reason would have to be the lack of decent elements; the Paramount films especially survive in very rough shape. I have the feeling that if Universal rolled out anything from THE COCOANUTS through DUCK SOUP on Blu-ray, it would have to be a restoration similar to ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. Without the resources to do that, it's probably a case of "why bother?" Of course, Warners owns the MGM films (A NIGHT AT THE OPERA through A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA) and we know their attitude towards upgrading anything apart from four or five "classic" titles.

The shredded Horse Feathers on blu-ray would be a joke.

A few years back I watched A Day at the Races on Turner Classics HD and was very impressed with the PQ. There is no reason WB can't put these out except for their strange and perplexing choices of what they do release for blu ray.

As far as Universal, I can't imagine any of the MB films being in worse shape than The Island of Lost Souls. They definitely need major restorations. I am not sure why Universal will not attempt to restore themselves or license them out to someone who will. Surely they would be worth it.

4 years back I asked CC on their FB page if they could license Duck Soup from Universal and their answer was, "We wish!".....Which to me, it sounds like they tried but Universal wasn't interested. Those bast#%^s.

Universal did just re-issue these on DVD in 2011 in individual editions, which I believe were the same transfers from the Silver Screen Collection box set. Disappointing indeed.

Drucker wrote:Universal did just re-issue these on DVD in 2011 in individual editions, which I believe were the same transfers from the Silver Screen Collection box set. Disappointing indeed.

...and the Silver Screen Collection itself was reissued last year in this simplified edition that presents all five features (plus the limited extras) on two discs. Even more disappointing!

I did a comparison between the my Silver Screen edition of Duck Soup and the one broadcast on TCM-HD and TCM did use a cleaner copy of the movie with less damage shown. I guess a restoration is needed before they are released on blu-ray and will they spend the extra money for that?

The main thing I'd like to see restored is the audio. Sometimes it's so bad on the Silver Screen discs that you can hardly understand the dialogue.

Dear Masters Of Cinema:
Since you have access to Universal's backcatalog which includes the 8 Marx Brothers films, please do a boxset.

DVDBeaver on "Love Happy" Olive BD looks miles ahead of the Universal DVD.

Is even a good looking version of Love Happy worth seeing?

I have seen it and it's my less favorite Marx film. Better off seeing the other movies or a documentary of the boys.

I recently saw "Duck Soup" on Netflix, and it's actually listed as being in HD....whether it's real HD or just upscaled, I can't tell, but it certainly looks crisper than all home-video versions I've ever seen.

Duck Soup is the be all end all for me as far as seeing a blu ray upgrade. I doubt that Universal would go through the process. Maybe they have finally allowed a boutique to license it and do it justice.

There's a new digital restoration of Duck Soup being screened in theaters in Europe: https://twitter.com/ipswichftt/status/5 ... 8910861312" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't restorations usually happen right before a new release? Hope this is the case!

In addition to film quality restoration, I hope they leave it uncropped. It appears some of the Paramount films are cropped, as I discovered with the Cocoanuts: http://i.imgur.com/E3INPJv.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but it kind of sucks not being able to see Groucho's feet when he dances in Animal Crackers, for instance. You could see it clearly in the theatre, then when you go back home to watch on DVD, you'll notice his feet are cropped off...

Perhaps related to the above post, but I see that Amazon Instant Video and the iTunes Store are offering "Duck Soup", "A Night at the Opera" and "A Day at the Races" in HD. I bought "Opera" and while it's obviously not restored, it looks sharp and beautiful.

This came from a Nitrateville post. They are looking for an assist. Link below for more.

"Universal Studios Marx Brothers Blu-Ray Update!!! Help wanted!!!

[...]

I have had further dialog with the folks at Universal that are working on the restorations of the Paramount Marx films this morning and I can report the following:

1. YES, they are using the 35mm print of "Cocoanuts" that resides in the UCLA archives. So far, it is the best print known to exist. So expect a MUCH better quality Blu-Ray on that film.

2. They have located sound track elements for "Cocoanuts" that are BETTER than my original 16" soundtrack discs. So expect a much better SOUNDING Blu-Ray on that film as well as much better visuals.

3. I have given them the information that Joe Adamson supplied about the whereabouts of continuity scripts--what they do with that information is now up to them.

4. I asked about the missing sequences from "Duck Soup" with Zeppo dancing with Raquel Torres etc. They know NOTHING about this--but promised me that if I can find out who said this footage exists and they can speak to that person, they "would be forever in my debt" and really want to find it, and include it in the newly restored "Duck Soup", if it exists.

Contact Info.

Don't know how reliable.

Post from Home Theater Forum wrote:Great news from Mr. Gerry Orlando...

"According to the new issue of CLASSIC IMAGES, the source material for Universal's new restoration of ANIMAL CRACKERS is a Pre-Code negative from the British Film Institute....which includes the lines deleted from the American reissue! This means that when Universal's restoration is released, we're FINALLY going to be able to see and hear those deleted lines that resulted in awkward jump cuts in scenes....including Groucho's long-elusive deleted line in the "Hooray For Captain Spaulding" number which was considered too risque for the American re-release!"

FrauBlucher wrote:Don't know how reliable.

Post from Home Theater Forum wrote:Great news from Mr. Gerry Orlando...

"According to the new issue of CLASSIC IMAGES, the source material for Universal's new restoration of ANIMAL CRACKERS is a Pre-Code negative from the British Film Institute....which includes the lines deleted from the American reissue! This means that when Universal's restoration is released, we're FINALLY going to be able to see and hear those deleted lines that resulted in awkward jump cuts in scenes....including Groucho's long-elusive deleted line in the "Hooray For Captain Spaulding" number which was considered too risque for the American re-release!"

Wonderful news, if true!

Poster from Home Theater Forum wrote:I just received the May Classic Images this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the article on the Marx restorations which includes comments from the Universal team.

The article does state that DCPs are being made of the titles and that home video options are being considered.

Maybe they'll license out to the boutiques. Here and overseas.