New from Universal: Francis the Talking Mule - The Complete Collection in April (1 Viewer)

[JoHud]

Well, finally? Vol 1 of the first 4 films was released 10 years ago. Now it looks like we'll finally get the full collection on April 29. Looks like it will be cheap too, at a $19.99 list price so it won't be much of a nuisance for double dippers like myself who bought Vol 1. This is not MOD or TCM, but wide retail.

Francis the Talking Mule Complete Collection features the hilarious escapades of the delightfully funny, old army mule...who happens to talk! Including all 7 movies from one of the most beloved comic series, Donald O'Connor stars as bewildered soldier Peter Stirling, who is helped out of one tricky situation after another by the unlikeliest of heroes, his pal Francis.

Join the smart-alecky talking mule who continues to enchant audiences with his yackety-yakking, wise-cracking antics that the whole family can enjoy!

DISC 1:


[*]Francis the Talking Mule (1950, 91 min.)
[*]Francis Goes to the Races (1951, 88 min.)
[/list]DISC 2:


[*]Francis Goes to West Point (1952, 82 min.)
[*]Francis Covers the Big Town (1952, 87 min.)
[/list]DISC 3:


[*]Francis Joins the WACS (1954, 91 min.)
[*]Francis in the Navy (1955, 81 min.)
[*]Francis in the Haunted House (1956, 80 min.)
[/list]

 

[ahollis]

Surprise, surprise, surprise. I have the first volume also but will gladly double dip on those titles to get the complete collection.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Nice to see Universal is releasing something new from its "classic" catalog. I sure wish it was part of a broader program.

 

[JeffT.]

I have the original incomplete set "standard" DVD release too!

I hope that isn't part of the MOD DVD-R program. Yipes!



Jeff T.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I hope they realize the last three are composed for widescreen...

 

[JoHud]

I hope they realize the last three are composed for widescreen...

I hope so too but going by other Universal DVDs, it's quite probable they'll be open-matte.

 

[Mike*HTF]

Good news--had been hoping they would release the rest of this series.
Guilty pleasure, this.

 

[LouA]

I have the original incomplete set "standard" DVD release too!

I hope that isn't part of the MOD DVD-R program. Yipes!



Jeff T.

I agree, and I hope it's not two sided discs either.

 

[JoHud]

As the linked announcement states, this is not MOD but wide retail like the War and Western collections they released in the past year or two. Universal also hasn't been using double sided DVD discs lately so I don't think it will be an issue here.

 

[LouA]

As the linked announcement states, this is not MOD but wide retail like the War and Western collections they released in the past year or two. Universal also hasn't

Sounds great. I'll be pre-ordering today.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Good News I was wondering if we would ever get the last 3 films. I hope they are original widescreen too but knowing Universal and their bad treatment of their 50's widescreen films I doubt it.

 

[JeffT.]

The last two Ma and Pa Kettles in the series THE KETTLES IN THE OZARKS (1956) and THE KETTLES ON OLD MACDONALD'S FARM (1957) were presented in widescreen (I am pretty sure on this) in the complete DVD collection and not only that but OZARKS was in stereophonic sound as well. I'll have to watch them again!Strictly speaking the Francis the Talking Mule films produced from 1954 onward should be widescreen.Anyway, thank you for the good word!Jeff T.

 

[ljgranberry]

I have the original incomplete set "standard" DVD release too!

I hope that isn't part of the MOD DVD-R program. Yipes!



Jeff T.

I noticed on the poster that David Janssen was in this film. Is this the one where Francis helps Dr. Richard Kimble track down the one-armed man?

 

[[email protected]]

The Francis Collection for sure, and I'm kind of relieved it’s not a TCM release, or the cost would be tripled. And as for the Hope collection, nothing new, so I'll definitely pass on that one.

 

[JoHud]

What the dickens is holding up Let's Face It (1943)? It's the only Universal-owned Bob Hope movie left unreleased and they still haven't gotten around to bringing it out? I would have bought that collection just for that movie.

 

[[email protected]]

I was wondering the same thing. No VHS, Laser, or DVD. The film ran on TV in Chicago up until the late 60s, then just disappeared, could be a copyright issue, since it was based on a Broadway play.

 

[JeffT.]

Believe it or don't David Janssen actually appeared in three Francis the Talking Mule films including FRANCIS GOES TO WEST POINT (1952), FRANCIS IN THE NAVY (1955) and FRANCIS IN THE HAUNTED HOUSE (1956).Mr. Janssen was under contract for a short period with Universal Pictures generally cast in nothing roles.For myself the gentleman will always be (enthusiastically) remembered for THE FUGITIVE (ABC 1963-67) in his greatest characterization. The ABC Television Network wanted to continue the series for a fifth season (1967-68) but David Janssen decided to throw-in-the-towel and in retrospect this may have been unfortunate.It is too bad that Donald O'Connor couldn't have remained with the Francis film series but (likely) couldn't bear the humiliating ridicule he must have been repeatedly subjected to.It would be nice if Universal Studios Home Entertainment made available THE MAD GHOUL (1943) and its like (I can't specifically recall all of the titles in that particular five horror film batch) in a similar more affordable "standard" DVD release.Jeff T.

 

[[email protected]]

I think a great Universal 10 B movie horror collection; House of Horrors / The Strange Case of Doctor Rx / Murders in the Zoo / The Mad Ghoul /The Mad Doctor of Market Street / The Black Cat (1941) / Man Made Monster / Horror Island / Night Monster / Captive Wild Woman.

Even though these titles are already in MOD, I wish Universal would re-release a non flip disc version of The Bela Lugosi Collection.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I wish Universal would re-release the 2 Universal 50's Sci-Fi film collections in their correct widesscreen ratios. Only 2 of the films were, the majority of the other films should have been widescreen. These 2 releases were always a huge dissapointment because of that. But Universal has a bad track record with their 50's widescreen films. Its surprising nice that the last 2 Kettle films are widescreen but the previous 3 should also be widescreen and the last 2 Universal Abbott and Costello movies should be widescreen but never released that way even though they have had multiple releases.

 

[JoeDoakes]

And don't forget as well a new Bob Hope movie collection is also forthcoming on that same release date and here is that listing...http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Hope-Classic-Comedy-Collection/dp/B00IF0KASY/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1392348553&sr=1-1&keywords=bob+hope

And the list of films on there...Give Me a Sailor,The Cat and the Canary, Nothing But the Truth, The Paleface, Thanks for the Memory, The Ghost Breakers,My Favorite Blonde, Sorrowful Jones, Never Say Die, and Caught in the Draft

No new titles on that one, however.