open letter to UNIVERSAL (1 Viewer)

[Antonio S]

I have to agree most emphatically.
I read through the above list with my mouth hanging open. I really don't understand why so many great titles are being ignored. If Warner can make a profit from their releases, Universal could do the same.
The World in his Arms. One of the best filmed racing scenes between two wooden boats that I think that I've ever seen. Still have a picture of it in my mines eye, after all these years. Man, the power of film.
C'mon Universal, change the studio ratio of my DVD collection. Presently holding at 80% Warner. Yes, and anamorphic, please.

 

[Will*B]

I think that Universal's main priority should be rectifying the debacle of the DVD-18s. Every Uni DVD-18 I own is faulty; so I've stopped buying them. I won't be buying them again until they sort it out. It really is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Michael Allred]

If Universal are interested in re-issues, they should REALLY concentrate on releasing widescreen versions of all their crappy P&S/full frame DVDs (Parenthood, Twins, etc.)

Plus there are titles that deserve SE releases for the first time (like John Carpenter's They Live and Prince of Darkness) instead of giving movies that already have SEs (like Scarface) a third go-round.

 

[Brandon Conway]

I'd buy DREAMCHILD in a heart beat.

 

[AlanP]

"FLOWER DRUM SONG"
"BACK STREET"- 61
"MADAME X"-66
"PORTRAIT IN BLACK"

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Some more Universal Horror Classics...

SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM
THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD
HORROR ISLAND
THE BLACK CAT (1941 version)
MAN MADE MONSTER
NIGHT MONSTER
THE MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET
THE MAD GHOUL
CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN
JUNGLE WOMAN
THE JUNGLE CAPTIVE
CURSE OF THE UNDEAD

 

[Ray_R]

Why not proper (re)releases for:

The Shadow (1994)
TWINS (1988)
Death Becomes Her (1992)
Always (1985)
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957 - Excellent film! DVR'd from TCM awhile back. Thanks for reminding me, Jim!)
Parenthood (1989)
Kindergarten Cop (1990)

Updating later.

 

[Jim_K]

In all fairness over the past 12-18 months Universal wasn't that bad (not counting their choice of using DVD-18) in handling their classic catalog, especially when compared to Sony/Columbia.

They do tend to get carried away with greed as far as the re-releases of certain modern titles.

Though they do make some odd indecisions such as not fully capitalizing on the popularity of classic Horror/Sci-fi. Also their seeming indifference to the huge popularity of Film Noir is doubly baffling.

There are many titles under their control that I'd love to see released, but I'd be positively ecstatic if these get released:

Island of Lost Souls (1933)

A Sci-Fi set including among others:
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
Dr. Cyclops (1940)

A Noir set or a continuation of their dropped Noir line including:
The Glass Key (1942)
Ministry of Fear (1944)
Phantom Lady (1944)
The Blue Dahlia (1946)

I'd also love to get Lonely Are the Brave (1962), the Preston Sturges films and many more.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

Ditto for me on all the above comments.

There are two Universal-produced films in the Gordon McMurphy list that I believe aren't currently under Universal's control:

HELL'S HEROES (1930), which I think passed into MGMs hands when they remade the story as the 1936 and 1948 versions of THREE GODFATHERS (similar, perhaps, to MGM getting the 1932 Paramount version of DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE, when prepping their 1941 version with Spencer Tracy).

MR. PEABODY & THE MERMAID (1948), if I'm not mistaken, became part of the Republic catalog at some point, so is now in Paramount's hands.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Indeed, Universal have been sitting on a glittering gold mine of gems for over eight years now. Very frustrating and at their loss, too, as many of the films on the list would be relatively big sellers.

Over at the Criterion Forums, we compiled lists for all the major studios:

Warner Bros.

MGM /UA (now with Fox?)

20th Century Fox

Universal

Sony

Paramount

French Films Not Available on DVD with English subtitles

German Films Not Available on DVD with English subtitles

You may have to register to browse the forum; I can't recall what the set-up is.

 

[Peter Canavese]

The vintage catalog titles should go without saying (but thank you for saying them, all the same).

And what of Fierce Creatures, people? Never issued on DVD in widescreen, let alone anamorphic widescreen. How about an SE? This is a highly underrated film, unfairly bashed in comparison to A Fish Called Wanda.

 

[Bradley-E]

I wish they would license a bunch of titles to Criterion. There are so many films they have dropped the ball on for DVD.

My Universal/Criterion wishlist

"Brokeback Mountain"
"21 Grams" (The upcoming Universal CE is a joke)
"Far From Heaven"
"Sorcerer"
"Slap Shot"
"Day of the Jackal"
"Charley Varrick"
"The Seven Per-Cent Solution"
"The Pianist"
"The Motorcycle Diaries"