Abbott & Costello Vol. 3, Halloween, Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields Titles COMING (1 Viewer)

[JeffT.]

The above image is from AMAZON.COM.

The Universal Studios 'Comedy Legends' edition of ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) has the correct Universal-International Pictures opening and closing titles including the correct pretitle logo and the only reference to Realart Pictures is the inclusion of the 1956 rerelease theatrical trailer.

I have THE BEST OF ABBOTT AND COSTELLO Volumes One thru Four sets but haven't bothered to specifically watch ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) which I have naturally assumed would be identical to the former single Abbott and Costello DVD release.

I myself have never seen ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) with the inserted Realart Pictures identifier title cards and this revelation comes as quite a surprise (albeit an unpleasant one).

Jeff T.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Those Realart logos first re-surfaced in the 90's when the studio activated their repertory department and ordered new 35mm prints for theatrical revivals. Apparently, the most convenient printing element was a 35mm safety dupe negative from the 1956 re-release.

Somehow, that dupe negative has been transferred to video and a lack of quality control has secured its inclusion in this set. I must say, other than the jarring Realart logo, the film looks and sounds better than any previous home video release. However, they really need to go back to the 35mm nitrate camera elements and create an all-new restoration/digital transfer.

As another example, the previous DVD versions of BUCK PRIVATES had the Realart end title. The new transfer in this set has the correct Universal credit.

Unfortunately, they are still using the altered main and end title transfer of ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS. The first release on VHS in the early 90's is the complete Universal version.

 

[JeffT.]

The way this is turning out before long there is going to be yet another Abbott and Costello collection DVD release this time with all the corrections accomodated and rectified. Frankly speaking this is one trap I just don't want to get involved with. I have invested enough in these already!

On one online source the main title card for ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940) is featured and it looks perfectly correct to me. But I don't want to see any problems with these films...what Abbott and Costello fan would?!

I have never seen BUCK PRIVATES (1941) with any Realart Pictures title cards either albeit I haven't really watched any of THE BEST OF ABBOTT AND COSTELLO, Volumes One thru Four sets.

Jeff T.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

My mistake Jeff. The title card is fine on Tropics. It's the pre-title cast card which has been replaced, as well as the End title card.

 

[Albert_M]

I have yet to see this collection in a store.

 

[John Morgan]

Isn't the END CAST list missing on ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS too? I think it was all original on an early VHS tape release. Also, one of the early releases of the W.C. Fields film YOU CAN'T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN had rerelease titles which Eddie Anderson's credit became more prominent. I think the last DVD release they went back to the original, so Universal seems to go back and forth...

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I listened to 3/4 of the very informative audio commentary for BUCK PRIVATES last night - I fell asleep (not due to the commentary you understand; just exhaustion from work!). Just wanted to tell Bob Furmanek that he did a great job along with Ron Palumbo. I didn't think I'd get to hear so many interesting details, but this was terrific. Also, the print was beautiful.

 

[JeffT.]

I believe that the (once) elusive Abbott and Costello rarities ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940), HOLD THAT GHOST (1941), PARDON MY SARONG (1942), IT AIN'T HAY (1943) and (possibly) HERE COME THE COEDS (1945) were all initially released to television in the early 1970s.

In Canada the tv syndication print specifically for ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940) was in excellent condition with the proper intact titles and correct running length.

I have to assume that the identical condition was similarly evident in the U.S. and if a complete untampered print of ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940) was previously made available on VHS why wasn't this also done for its DVD release?

Clearly there is a pressing need here for quality control and accuracy in selecting the correct source elements. Why is Universal Studios still holding on to the inferior Realart Pictures tampered source masters when these should be methodically disposed of and correctly replaced with the original Universal Pictures 35mm print negatives?

I think that someone had better make the effort and contact Universal Studios Home Entertainment and discuss this matter hopefully resolving it once and for all.

I happened to once see BUCK PRIVATES (1941) on a laser disc pressing and the video transfer was taken from a bona fide Universal Pictures print with absolutely no references to Realart Pictures (with the possible exception of the theatrical trailer).

While this Abbott and Costello collection may have initially done moderately well sight unseen once the cautionary word-of-mouth spreads about the definite flaws with ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940) and ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) I think that this will discourage continued sales...with the exception of staunchly diehard fans!

Jeff T.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Thanks so much Joe, your kind words mean a lot. I'm glad that you enjoyed the commentary and don't feel bad about falling asleep. After a hard days work, I do that a lot myself!

Jeff: all the titles you mentioned were initially distributed to TV in the early 1960's. TROPICS was a shortened version which eliminated the entire first reel of the movie! This made the wait to Bud and Lou's first scene a little shorter. When we were researching our book, we found an original continuity script and alerted Mike Fitzgerald in MCA's QC department. Mike had the vaults searched and discovered a complete element in Europe. It had the entire first reel and the correct Universal main and end titles. Unfortunately, it was missing the end cast credits. That's the version which was released on VHS.

Where this element surfaced with the replaced titles is anybody's guess! Sadly, Mike passed away about ten years ago and the quality control has been spotty ever since.

 

[ahollis]

I have all four volumes of “The Best Of Abbott and Costello” and was going to pass, but my inner desire for IT AIN’T HAY broke my resistance. So I have started at the beginning with ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS. While the new print looks a lot better than the one in the best of collection, they both have that same jerky beginning with a title card for the stars and then moving directly to a sidewalk walk background for the film title and the rest of the credits. Also both have the titled The End, that also looks out of place and there are no end credits. This looks as if it might have been hacked up by Realart and this how it was put back. It is as if there not any original main credit and end titles to be found.

Right now I am finishing up Buck Privates and found the print to be outstanding and better than the Best of Collection. I am looking forward to MEET FRANKENSTIEN since remarks have been positive about the transfer. I did look at the Realart beginning of the film and found interesting and went back and looked at the other opening titles on the Best of Collection. I found it interesting that there is still a Universal Logo at the start of the new release. I have intently read the discussion on the board about this; I do not find it distracting and seems to me an interesting piece of film history not seen before.

Now I know this has to have been on the mind of some of the posters here, but did the Universal Fire force them to use this Realart print in the package?

Now that we have a new collection and it is complete of Abbott & Costello, when can we expect a complete (Paramount/Universal) collection of W. C. Fields (Region 2 has it), a Complete Collection of Ma & Pa Kettle (we are missing two), and a complete collection of Francis, including the terrible FRANCIS IN A HAUNTED HOUSE. What about a complete collection of Deane Durbin?

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

I have a question, for the time being im happy with just the franchise collections.The question is how are the transfers of meet frankenstein, and meet jekyll and hyde on this new colldection , compared to the franchise collections ???????

 

[ahollis]

IMO Frankenstein is better. I looked at A & C Meet Frankenstein from both sets today and was impressed with new one. I have not had a chance to look a Jekyll yet.

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Thanks Ahollis,when you watch jekyll let me know.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I haven't watched all the films but have made comparisons on most of them over the last week and all of them are improved on the new set picture wise. Its mostly a contrast and sharpness adjustment but it makes a noticable improvement. The pictures are sharper and not as washed out as the previous releases, although the Best of Collections did look good as well.

I vote for a complete Ma and Pa Kettle and Francis box as well both with the titles previously unreased on DVD. Ma and Pa Kettle has 2 missing films and Francis has 3.

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Thanks Randy, those were the answers I was looking for.

 

[Mike*HTF]

I'd initally held off buying this box for what was essentially one film, but reading Randy's remarks about the quality and with the online sales, I'm not sure.

Thanks, I guess.

 

[Gary OS]

I felt the need to resurrect this thread and ask an important question that has been put on the back-burner for some time now:


When is Warner Brothers going to release their long anticipated Abbott & Costello set?


It's been something like 3 years since Warner mentioned they had a boxed set in the works that would include Rio Rita and the cleaned up UCLA version (thanks to Bob Furmanek) of Capt. Kidd, among others. Come on Warner, I know things have slowed down but this set deserves a release. Anyone know anything?

Gary "we are so close to having all the films released on dvd this set needs to get done" O.

 

[Randy Korstick]

here.. here. motion seconded!

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Randy Korstick

here.. here. motion seconded!

And while we are at it, can Universal please finish up the W. C. Fields films.

 

[Charles H]

And the remaining Mae Wests......?