Universal Monsters; 75th Anniversary releases, Karloff and Chaney Collections? (1 Viewer)

[Joe Karlosi]

DRACULA looked scratchy and splotchy to me at times, still. So wouldn't HD just call more attention to that?

 

[MichaelEl]

In the very first comparison, Edward Van Sloan's whole arm is missing in the newer version. It doesn't say whether or not the two frames are exactly the same, though. The crucifix shot - which is further down the page - is supposedly a comparison of exact frames, and it's zoomed in quite a bit on the Anniversary edition.

What I'd like to see is a comparison between the 75th Anniversary edition and the Legacy set.

 

[JohnMor]

Also, on the second and third comparisons there's evidence of zooming with missing image along the top and left of each frame, as with the first comparison.

I was on the fence about more double-dips this year, but I think I'll get these.

 

[ScottR]

The Sloan grab was only a subtitle example. It wasn't the same frame. I can't see the cropping on the hand with the crucifix. The frame with the headline looks more centered, and is better I feel. I still don't know whether I should pick this up or not..and if there is cropping, then why it occured in the first place. It always seems like we take one step forward and two steps back with the Universal Monsters, doesn't it?

 

[Dave Mack]

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev...acula_1931.htm

Looks better to me. I can handle grain. The last release was grainy AND soft. This looks alot sharper and has way better contrast to me.

But, in motion will be the test...

 

[Randy Korstick]

They both appear on the "Monsters HD" channel in Hi-Def so that is cetainly possible.

 

[Albert_M]

I own the Legacy Collections of both... which only came out, what 2 years ago? These collections had several other films as well in them... Is the difference in quality of these incredibly old movies really worth it? The bonus features?

 

[Michael Warner]

I really don't want to double-dip on these titles with HD on the horizon but I want the "Universal Horrors" documentary so I can retire my VHS. I'll probably just buy the new "Dracula" disc since that one seems to have a sharper transfer than the Legacy edition.

 

[Kramer Lowry]

 

[James@R]

This is absurd. When are they going to treat these films with the respect they deserve?!!

Anyway, I realize Frankenstein is just a 75th release, but it would've been really cool to see the entire Karloff trilogy given a SE boxset treatment.

 

[Kramer Lowry]

 

[Seretur]

It's certainly not helping that this 75th Anniversary release is also known as a Legacy Series release, while the boxsets done as Van Helsing tie-ins (and containing a lot of related movies) were known as Legacy Collection releases.

So it's a choice between getting a really good version of the 1931 US and Spanish versions, or a slightly less good version of those two titles plus three others for literally one dollar more. (Well, okay, you also get the Sommers taint, which is a huge minus, but a bearable one...)

It's too bad the Beaver hasn't included the Legacy Collection in their comparison. Still, the Legacy Series looks to be the definitive version... so far.

 

[Larry Sutliff]

I picked up DRACULA today for the perceived improvement in picture, and the extras, and while I haven't watched anything yet, the packaging alone makes me want to go back to the store and buy FRANKENSTEIN. It's really a classy package.

 

[JohnMor]

I watched Dracula last night, and it was a vast improvement. The transfer had a very high bitrate, hovering between 9 and 13. However, one weird change Uni made: the Philip Glass track is now 2.0 instead of the 5.1 that the prior two dvd versions had. Oh well. I prefer the original mono music-less track anyway.

 

[Peter Raber]

From what I remember, the Dracula soundtrack on the Legacy Collection had an inordinate amount of hiss in it. The Spanish version in the same set had much better sound with a lot less hiss.

Does this new Dracula disc still have a lot of hiss or have they fixed that. From what I read earlier in this thread it seems like the sound is no better than the Legacy Collection.

The only way I would buy this is if the sound was vastly improved.

 

[Jack Theakston]

I would rather there be this hiss on the soundtrack than Universal overprocess the sound and remove important frequencies just as much as I would rather them leave grain in a film instead of DNRing the hell out of the picture. That's how it was shot and therefore, that's how it should look.

 

[JohnMor]

The sound is VERY hiss-y on this. Haven't compared it to the other two versions (which I still have) but it sounds like I remember the Legacy Collection sounding, which is less bess-y than the Classic Monsters Collection IIRC.

 

[Jay Pennington]

?

The max of the DVD spec is 9.8.

 

[JohnMor]

I should have been more specific: I was simply quoting the display on my Toshiba SD-3990. I'm sure it's not scientifically accurate, but it does provide a comparison against other DVDs in the same player. I can't remember the last DVD that displayed anywhere near that on that player.

On my PC it averaged 8.76.

 

[Jay Pennington]

8.76 is nothing to sneeze at, itself.