Universal Horror
- Cinephrenic
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:58 pm
- Location: Paris, Texas
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- Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2006 11:36 pm
The Mummy (1932) Universal Legacy Series
DVD Times announces a special edition two disc Universal Legacy Series release of the Mummy on July 8th. This is great news because it is going to have a documentary about Universal Horror on the second disc.
- reaky
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: Cambridge, England
- HerrSchreck
- Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am
I wonder if it's going to be new or the old Brownlow Universal Horror doc. My wager is that its the Brownlow, since it never seemed to get out on disc. I have a vhs from a TCM broadcast. It's pretty good.
I absolutely adore The Mummy. One of my favorite (and one of the strangest, most original, and difficult to classify) "fantastic" films of all time... more fantasy than "horror". You never even see a mummy w his wrappings walking around... save the two pieces of wrappings trailing behind and out the door while Bramwell Fletcher goes mad with insane laughter (and perfect diction). Even his slumming bohemian painter in Svengali (love this film) talks like... some kind of... perfect... diction guy.
Karl Freund, man. The Mummy & Mad Love. Nuff said.
EDIT: whoops reaky beat me to the guess.
I hear he was a pretty good photorapher as well. SOme film about a doorman at the Days Inn on the Lumpenstrasse.
EDIT#2: well now you know I dont have those HD-telecine reissue 2-disc sets of Frank & Drac. I own so many issues of these films I just couldnt spring for them... it's universal re-re-re-re-re-re-release strategy hell at it's most absurd.
I absolutely adore The Mummy. One of my favorite (and one of the strangest, most original, and difficult to classify) "fantastic" films of all time... more fantasy than "horror". You never even see a mummy w his wrappings walking around... save the two pieces of wrappings trailing behind and out the door while Bramwell Fletcher goes mad with insane laughter (and perfect diction). Even his slumming bohemian painter in Svengali (love this film) talks like... some kind of... perfect... diction guy.
Karl Freund, man. The Mummy & Mad Love. Nuff said.
EDIT: whoops reaky beat me to the guess.
I hear he was a pretty good photorapher as well. SOme film about a doorman at the Days Inn on the Lumpenstrasse.
EDIT#2: well now you know I dont have those HD-telecine reissue 2-disc sets of Frank & Drac. I own so many issues of these films I just couldnt spring for them... it's universal re-re-re-re-re-re-release strategy hell at it's most absurd.
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- Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:54 pm
So now that the new 2-disk edition of The Mummy is out, does anybody know how it compares to the Legacy Collection set?
For someone thinking about buying one or the other: Is the new one an improvement that makes it the choice for similar money? Or does having the sequels included make the Legacy Collection the better choice?
For what it may be worth relative to documentary overlap: I have the Legacy Collection sets of Frank and Drac (and Wolfman and Invisible Man), but *not* any of the other editions (such as the 75th Anniversary).
For someone thinking about buying one or the other: Is the new one an improvement that makes it the choice for similar money? Or does having the sequels included make the Legacy Collection the better choice?
For what it may be worth relative to documentary overlap: I have the Legacy Collection sets of Frank and Drac (and Wolfman and Invisible Man), but *not* any of the other editions (such as the 75th Anniversary).
- reaky
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: Cambridge, England
According to this thread at the CHFB, Universal have actually managed to crop the image more than on either of the earlier releases. Plus there's the UNIVERSAL HORROR documentary for the third time! The level of incompetence is staggering. Anyone looking forward to the WOLF MAN anniversary edition, with no doubt a fourth chance to see Brownlow's doc?
- Antoine Doinel
- Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:22 pm
- Location: Montreal, Quebec
- Contact:
- HerrSchreck
- Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am
They claimed that the recent, new "Legacy" Drac & Frankenstein rereleases were-- for the first time-- from new high definition transfers. I don't see that (or didnt see it when I held the sucker in my hands) specified on The Mummy's packaging (which, if not hd-sourced, would be a shame since it's always been my favorite of all the "original" universal monster films from the early 30's-- certainly the most unusual of the bunch. However as it stands now the only edition which I might consider picking up these new HD-transfered new editions of is Dracula.. since the older, extras loaded edition (with all the sequels including the sublime Dracula's Daughter, the package came out around the time of Van Helsing or wutever the frick they called the thing) transfer of the original film is abysmal, and -- believe it or not -- looks worse than my old MCA-Universal vhs edition of the film.
Gary's caps give a little bit of a sense of the improvement of the newer edition vs the old... but in motion the old one really was bad. (I'm also assuming the edition being compared to the new Legacy edition contains the same old transfer as was used in the old Legacy collection I'm talking about (which coincided w Van Helsing).
Gary's caps give a little bit of a sense of the improvement of the newer edition vs the old... but in motion the old one really was bad. (I'm also assuming the edition being compared to the new Legacy edition contains the same old transfer as was used in the old Legacy collection I'm talking about (which coincided w Van Helsing).
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- Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:53 pm
Frankenstein Legacy Collection - damaged goods
Just received the Frankenstein Legacy Collection through the post from DVD Pacific. What a horrible box! It is also very worn and the plastic bits the discs are held in by are smashed and broken meaning that the discs fall about if the box is in upright position on a shelf. Always had a great service from DVD Pacific (and this isn’t bad service – it was very quick) but wondering if it’s worth bothering them for a replacement set – anyone had experience with DVD Pacific in connection with this sort of thing? The discs seem to play ok but just disappointed the box is such a wreck.
Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this question.
Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this question.
- Der Müde Tod
- Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:50 am
Re: Frankenstein Legacy Collection - damaged goods
DVD Pacific has nothing to do with it. This is a special packaging for this Legacy collection - they have hired dedicated monsters to individually smash the boxes!Sheriff Chambers wrote:Just received the Frankenstein Legacy Collection through the post from DVD Pacific. What a horrible box! It is also very worn and the plastic bits the discs are held in by are smashed and broken meaning that the discs fall about if the box is in upright position on a shelf. Always had a great service from DVD Pacific (and this isn’t bad service – it was very quick) but wondering if it’s worth bothering them for a replacement set – anyone had experience with DVD Pacific in connection with this sort of thing? The discs seem to play ok but just disappointed the box is such a wreck.
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- Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:16 am
I'll say it for the last time...
Universal NEEDS to stop repackaging these films and simply release a FORD-AT-FOX mega set of their COMPLETE 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's horrors in one all-inclusive collection!!!
A giant box with slimline cases bearing original poster art, all extras previously attached to these films along with every single new supplement produced and no thinning or rehashing of content!
Every single monster movie and it's sequel need to be included. Including the latter b-grade cheapies that haven't made it out yet! And a nice book full of information with dates, filmography and production photos, stills, etc. should be included.
I would pay a thousand bucks for that if done right!
No stupid monster head packaging or van helsing promo trailers and crap. Just every single classic Universal horror film in a giant fucking box with original poster art and a shitload of special features!
It'd certainly make more sense than those retarded UA gift sets or superfluous MGM musical collections that seem to be pouring out of the floodgates as of recent!
Universal NEEDS to stop repackaging these films and simply release a FORD-AT-FOX mega set of their COMPLETE 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's horrors in one all-inclusive collection!!!
A giant box with slimline cases bearing original poster art, all extras previously attached to these films along with every single new supplement produced and no thinning or rehashing of content!
Every single monster movie and it's sequel need to be included. Including the latter b-grade cheapies that haven't made it out yet! And a nice book full of information with dates, filmography and production photos, stills, etc. should be included.
I would pay a thousand bucks for that if done right!
No stupid monster head packaging or van helsing promo trailers and crap. Just every single classic Universal horror film in a giant fucking box with original poster art and a shitload of special features!
It'd certainly make more sense than those retarded UA gift sets or superfluous MGM musical collections that seem to be pouring out of the floodgates as of recent!
- Finch
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
- Location: Edinburgh, UK
At least if they don't want to release those films themselves, they could licence them to Kino, speaking of whom I'd like to see them reissuing The Old Dark House in the superior print which definitely exists: some footage is shown in the Branagh narrated documentary, the title of which escapes me just now. Of the titles outstanding, I'd most like to see THE ISLAND OF LOST SOULS and the Ray Milland film THE UNINVITED sounds interesting.
- tryavna
- Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:38 pm
- Location: North Carolina
- reaky
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: Cambridge, England
Here in Cambridge there'll be a film festival starting on September 18th, and in a Karloff strand they're showing THE OLD DARK HOUSE. The brochure states "Print source: Universal". Can't wait to see if this is a gorgeous 35mm print. I'm also ecstatic about the opportunity to see a double bill of THE BLACK CAT and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN on a cinema screen.
- HerrSchreck
- Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am
There apparently IS a 35mm print of this film which has been discovered in the intervening period since the preservation of the public utilization of the Harrington 16mm personal copy, which is the source for the Kino dvd (and prev vhs) and which once was believed to be the sole extant print of this title. I believe it is the Eastman House which is the source-- or at least preservation location-- for this 35 which has since been discovered-- and exhibited at least once on the circuit. Whether or not this originally came FROM universal, or was uncovered elsewhere and then delivered to Uni as rights-holders, I'm not sure.
Does anyone know whether or not this thing has even been broadcast on tv?
Imagine Special Edition 2-disc CC's of a restored 35mm Old Dark House and Island of Lost Souls?
The mind reels... but since we know these two exist, and that there are no discs of these from 35, Universal is hugely remiss... unless Kino has renewed the rights on House, and an updated dvd is coming from them.
Hell if they did it for that halfass SHE-- which is fun, dont get me wrong, but its no masterpiece-- Kino can do it for House. And sooner or later, Souls must come out of limbo, either from Uni or CC. One or the other.
Does anyone know whether or not this thing has even been broadcast on tv?
Imagine Special Edition 2-disc CC's of a restored 35mm Old Dark House and Island of Lost Souls?
The mind reels... but since we know these two exist, and that there are no discs of these from 35, Universal is hugely remiss... unless Kino has renewed the rights on House, and an updated dvd is coming from them.
Hell if they did it for that halfass SHE-- which is fun, dont get me wrong, but its no masterpiece-- Kino can do it for House. And sooner or later, Souls must come out of limbo, either from Uni or CC. One or the other.
- reaky
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: Cambridge, England
Shreck, there's a Library Of Congress 35 mm print, seen by many on this thread from the CHFB. It really does need a proper release - I think it vies with BRIDE for the title of Whale's masterpiece.
- Finch
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
- Location: Edinburgh, UK
- Danny Burk
- Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:38 am
- Location: South Bend, IN
- Contact:
- dx23
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:52 pm
- Location: Puerto Rico
Re: Universal Horror
Specs from DVD Times:
Universal Studios Home Entertainment have announced the Region 1 DVD release of The Wolf Man (1941) Special Edition on 15th September 2009 priced at $26.98 SRP. The 1941 film by director George Waggner makes another appearance on DVD in the run-up to the new 2009 film starring Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins and Hugo Weaving amongst others.
Previously released as part of their ‘Monsters collection’, this new 2-Disc Special Edition offers all the content of the previous release on Disc 1 (with added Spanish subtitles, and the loss of Production Notes and Cast & Crew Biographies). Disc 2 offers the Universal Horror documentary found on numerous releases from Universal (the 2-Disc SEs of the classic horrors Frankenstein, Dracula & The Mummy) and the Jack Pierce featurette that was on the recent SE of The Mummy (1932). The two other featurettes on the bonus disc appear to be new, but we could be wrong…
Disc 1: Main Feature
* Full Frame
* English DD2.0 Mono
* English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles
* Monsters by Moonlight
* The Wolf Man Archives
* Trailer Gallery
* Feature Commentary with Film Historian Tom Weaver
Disc 2: Extra Features
* The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
* Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney Jr.
* He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
* Universal Horror (documentary narrated by Kenneth Branagh)
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- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:39 pm
- Location: Lebanon, PA
Re: Universal Horror
Given the upcoming remake this is hardly a surprise, but ... sheesh ... again?
- HerrSchreck
- Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am
Re: Universal Horror
When you're feeling blue and need a laugh, look no further than Universal and their handling of their classic horror films..