ABBOTT & COSTELLO dvds and "...Meet Captain Kidd" (coming to DVD?) (1 Viewer)

[Randy Korstick]

Yeah its a good day of archive releases. I want the Danny Kaye title also.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Bob Furmanek
Just in time for April 1.

Is this legit?

Same here, my order has been processed, so this is a nice April Fool's Day surprise. They did not even let any of this out on their Facebook page as they usually do.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I am rather disappointed about this. These are titles WHV talked about for years and they really deserved a pressed release. I would also have like to see Marlowe be pressed, although I am slightly less disappointed about it. It would be nice if, for the most desired titles, WA would take a page from the TCM/Universal Vault Collection and press a limited number of titles so those of us who care can the film in our desired format. I think this might also help boost WA's sales as it would force people to hurry up an buy. To be honest, this is one case where I wish the WA announcement was an April Fool's Day Joke.

 

[Mark-W]

Bob,

From the email, and see below:
"Abbott and Costello fans, your requests have been heard! This week, we are pleased to present two of "the boys'" most highly sought after films on DVD for the first time.
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD (1952) REMASTERED When waiters Rocky and Puddin' Head (Abbott and Costello) accidentally come into possession of a treasure map, they find themselves shanghaied by the notorious pirate, Captain Kidd. Master thespian Charles Laughton was enticed to return to the role he made famous by the prospect of learning how to do proper double-takes from a true master, Mr. Lou Costello. Produced independently byBud Abbott's production company, the piratical romp was one of the boys' only forays into color. Although the Super Cinecolor process they chose proved to be a far from ideal, this premiere DVD release (remastered from preservation elements created as part of UCLA's 2002 photochemical restoration) is as good as the film has looked in decades."

So they did finally get the remastered UCLA copy to work from. YEAHHH!

See here:
http://www.wbshop.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-WB-Site/default/Search-Show?q=1000205102&trailer=true&adid=0411WACNRaEml



mw

 

[ahollis]

The April's Fool joke that they are not going to be released today, but Tuesday April 5th. All orders are good and will be fulfilled but nothing shipped until after Tuesday. Ha ha.

 

[ahollis]

As I was watching Abbott & Costello Meet Captain Kidd, I realized that this was the last Abbott & Costello film missing from DVD. While Africa Screams and Jack & The Beanstalk are PD prints and not near as good transfers as what Warner and Universal have given us, this is it, their legacy is now complete and on DVD. And let us not forget their complete television show is also available. I am not sure there is another actor or comedy team that is so well represented. A true honor to their comic legacy.


Edit: I did not indicate that I had just watched the Rio Rita WAC DVDr before popping in Captian Kidd.

 

[Matt Hough]

It is always gratifying when something like this happens, the completion of an artist's career output available for viewing in its entirety. You're right that it doesn't happen very often.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Rio Rita was also missing from DVD but since it was released the same time as Captain Kidd their film output is definately now complete.
A nicer version of Jack in the Beanstalk and Africa Screams would be nice though.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Randy Korstick
Rio Rita was also missing from DVD but since it was released the same time as Captain Kidd their film output is definately now complete.
A nicer version of Jack in the Beanstalk and Africa Screams would be nice though.

I think that was a given since they both came out at the same time.

 

[John Sparks]

Roan's double feature of "Jack and the Beanstalk" and Africa Screams" are pretty good copies. JATB is a tad soft but the best version of AS is the one from 1997 from Silver Screen Collectors Edition.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

/forum/thread/15394/abbott-costello-dvds-and-meet-captain-kidd-coming-to-dvd/60#post_3799780
It is always gratifying when something like this happens, the completion of an artist's career output available for viewing in its entirety. You're right that it doesn't happen very often.

This is so gratifying for me. I've always loved most of the comedy teams from the 30's, 40's and 50's but Abbott & Costello are far and away my favorite of all time. They've held a special place in my heart since I was a preschooler, and that fondness has never waned. Of all that DVD has offered, the collections I have of Bud & Lou are my most cherished. The fact that we now have all the feature films and their entire TV series is truly fantastic.


Gary "glad to see both these films officially released - now I can retire my vhs & off TV copies of both" O.

 

[Jari K]

If you don't own it already, "Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection" box set is now on sale on Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001EXE2Y2

 

[[email protected]]

I see Amazon now charges a sales tax.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I believe they started charging tax in January, 2013. At least for California they did.

 

[[email protected]]

My last month’s order on January 28th, there was no sales tax, so it’s a new here in Indiana.

 

[ahollis]

I see Amazon now charges a sales tax.

It depends on what state you live in. More states are requiring sales tax on internet orders each year.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Roan's double feature of "Jack and the Beanstalk" and Africa Screams" are pretty good copies. JATB is a tad soft but the best version of AS is the one from 1997 from Silver Screen Collectors Edition.

Hi John!


Just this afternoon, I received the above Roan DVD and I must confess that, while the color looks decent overall, I'm a bit disappointed in regards to the pixelation, which becomes apparent when I sit about 6 feet from our 32 inch 720p Flatscreen. I'd hate to see how this would look on a 1080p! I know that this digital transfer is from the year 2000, but I have plenty of other titles from the turn of the millennium that don't have this issue! My other slight beef is that this set isn't listed as two DVD-Rs (I had assumed they would be pressed discs!) on Amazon, though they indeed, are!


This is too bad, as I had previously considered purchasing the Roan DVD of THE BIG TREES, starring Kirk Douglas, but having viewed part of their edition of JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, I think I'll hold off, and hope that a better edition might turn up someday, as I do for JATB!


CHEERS!


Tony


P.S. Having taken a second look at the discs, I noticed that while they are each labelled as Roan, they bear the year 2011, instead of 2000! Also, the only other physical evidence of these being DVD-R's (Besides on the DVDs themselves!) is a sticker that has been affixed at the bottom of the DVD Cover around the binding area! Now, I'm wondering whether I've fallen victim to piracy? Any thoughts?

 

[Tony Bensley]

Wasn't this the only A&C film to be in color? I have this on VHS and it tends to lose a lot of color and sometimes gets blurry while watching it through in one setting.

Hi Richard!


ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD, which was released the same year as JACK & THE BEANSTALK, was also filmed in the same Cinecolor process, in which the colors are not as vivid as in the much more expensive 3 Strip Technicolor process, which I believe in the early 1950s, was just beginning to lose a bit of favor, due at least in part to declining box office receipts, in turn caused in no small part because of the then increasing popularity of the Television medium. Both of these A&C Features were also produced by Bud & Lou's own Production Company!


CHEERS!


Tony

 

[mdnitoil]

My copy of JATB is from Good Times. It retailed for about 5 bucks, was a pressed disc and features the original sepia tone for the framing sequences. Considering it's a Good Times product, it's likely they "borrowed" from the old Image laserdisc release. Regardless, it's the best copy I'm aware of on DVD.

 

[John Sparks]

Hi John!


Just this afternoon, I received the above Roan DVD and I must confess that, while the color looks decent overall, I'm a bit disappointed in regards to the pixelation, which becomes apparent when I sit about 6 feet from our 32 inch 720p Flatscreen. I'd hate to see how this would look on a 1080p! I know that this digital transfer is from the year 2000, but I have plenty of other titles from the turn of the millennium that don't have this issue! My other slight beef is that this set isn't listed as two DVD-Rs (I had assumed they would be pressed discs!) on Amazon, though they indeed, are!


This is too bad, as I had previously considered purchasing the Roan DVD of THE BIG TREES, starring Kirk Douglas, but having viewed part of their edition of JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, I think I'll hold off, and hope that a better edition might turn up someday, as I do for JATB!


CHEERS!


Tony


P.S. Having taken a second look at the discs, I noticed that while they are each labelled as Roan, they bear the year 2011, instead of 2000! Also, the only other physical evidence of these being DVD-R's (Besides on the DVDs themselves!) is a sticker that has been affixed at the bottom of the DVD Cover around the binding area! Now, I'm wondering whether I've fallen victim to piracy? Any thoughts?

Tony,


My copy of the Roan (both movies) disc is pressed and two sided. The packaging says 2006, maybe this was the time Troma bought them out. The disc says 2001, which is the year it originally came out from Roan.


Bob Furmanek's LD was the best edition of "Africa Screams." The best on DVD, like I said above is the Silver Screen Collection Edition from 1997. The packaging was still in its infancy because this disc slid out from the bottom.


Good luck trying to find the Silver Screen Edition!


EDIT: I just looked at Amazon and there are a ton of these movies from different companies. There is one for "Africa Screams" put out by Hal Roach and Image. The reviews say it's the best copy from the original film source but fails to mention Bob...probably because they ripped it off from him. I just may buy it to find out.


Off topic by a hair, Roach put out an edition of "Gulliver's Travels" years ago. A company named Thunderbean was able to get a beautiful copy and transfer it to DVD last year. There was no comparison between the two. Hal's was garbage and Thunderbean's was glorious...beautiful Technicolor.