THE BOWERY BOYS on DVD: continuing discussion of Warner's eventual release plans

Let them voice their skepticism.  It's a free forum here.  Unfortunately they just don't base it on any kind of informed consensus.  It only tells me that these individuals are just not knowledgeable about classic film series that have devout cult fan followings.

Besides, I relish the opportunity to say, "I told you so!"

Is it necessary for me to reiterate that the original 6 BOWERY BOYS VHS tape releases completely sold out and are now (expensive) collector's items?!

I think that The Bowery Boys are much better known than Harold Lloyd among the younger generations.

Are Abbott and Costello any more popular or better known with these people?   Yet Universal Studios Home Entertainment has continued to release and rerelease their films on DVD. 

Classic screen comedy teams (and comedians) are generically classic comedy and The Bowery Boys rightfully fit in there with Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, The Three Stooges, Martin and Lewis, W.C. Fields, Bob Hope et el.

What is also being overlooked is that aspect of some vintage entertainment that has the unique quality of entertaining (and appealing to) generation after generation.

Jeff T.
Edited by JeffT. - 10/23/09 at 7:38am

Well said JeffT and Joe.
Let me add I think its pointless to suggest that these won't sell unless they are on TV channels like spike. If they were most younger viewers would just immediately change the channel because some "old black and white movie" is on. Younger viewers either already like old movies and old comedy teams or they don't you can't force them on them on TV there are too many viewing options today for that to be possible. If they like old comedy teams they will research more and seek out the films that are available which is why the bowery boys will sell once they are out. When I was young and started collecting old movies on VHS in the early 80's I was a big fan of Abbott and Costello and after purchasing those titles I started looking up other comedy teams of the era and purchasing them. I did not need to be shown the films randomly on TV.

Also I know this is a long thread and some are new to it but if you read through it you will see there is no question of whether they will release all 48 or not. The reason we don't have any releases now is they are waiting to find better prints of a few films so that they can release all 48 films. The only question is whether the release of all 48 films still happens on DVD or the archives. Hopefully it is on DVD in several box sets.

I just don't get why the Bowery Boys would be money in the bank. They are fairly obscure at best, and practically invisible in the UK.

Not dissing them or anything, but I wouldn't expect them to sell on the level some posters here suggest. A 4-film set is a good way to find out - not too expensive to put off novices, but at least something out of the gate.

Actually your wording is somewhat imprecise and what should be said is whether THE BOWERY BOYS films series will be in the "condition" that people would like them to be.

This is what could (conceivably) spoil it for potential consumers.

In some instances Warner Brothers Home Entertainment is not renowned for utilizing fully restored and digitally remastered source elements.  A good example of this is the disappointing THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN tv series DVD releases which was a big letdown after such an agonizingly long wait for the first season (1952-53) DVD set.

However it can be hit-and-miss with Warner Brothers.  The three Allied Artists 1950s SF B-film classics ATTACK OF THE 50 FT. WOMAN (1958), QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE (1958) and THE GIANT BEHEMOTH (1959) were all in excellent condition.

I was very happy with the anamorphic widescreen video transfer for WORLD WITHOUT END (1956) so just who can rightly predict what condition THE BOWERY BOYS films will be in?!

To reiterate if Warner Brothers invests the time and effort to fully restore and digitally remaster THE BOWERY BOYS film series then this would give this lucrative 48 film property renewed life in tv syndication once again ultimately paying for the expense.

I was all for a "Best of the Bowery Boys" DVD sampler but this was also overruled for a choronological complete film series DVD release.

Lastly, if the people in the U.K. have absolutely no access to THE BOWERY BOYS film series than that only makes the impending (?) DVD release in North American of this thoroughly enjoyable and highly entertaining movie property all the more desirable for many of your fellow countrymen I am sure.

Don't take my word for anything here is a sample of just what we have all been talking about:

www.youtube.com/watch

Jeff T.

Robert Osborne is the chief architect of the disastrous direction Warner Home Video has been following in marketing its catalog? Really? Can you elaborate please?

The primary film library of TCM comes from Warner Brothers which owns this all film specialty tv service.

Take the time to watch the channel.  There's Mr. Osborne fronting for "The Bette Davis Collection, "The Joan Crawford Collection" "The Nora Shearer Collection" or "The Barbara Stanwick Collection."  Just who do you think is inspiring Warner Brothers the idea (or notion) to market these particular films?!  These are a reflection of his own personal tastes and preferences.

These may well be great actresses in their day and critically acclaimed films but if there is anything suspect about what would be of interest (or in this instance disinterest) to the today's "younger" aged DVD consumer demographic it is surely these.

Someone will undoubtedly argue that there are younger classic DVD collectors who are actually buying these box sets but unfortunately both the AMAZON.COM (U.S.) and AMAZON.CA (Canada) online retail sales ranks just don't reflect outstanding numbers.  And frankly I think these are an excellent indicator of overall sales.

And at least what is being reported by one of the Warner Brothers Home Entertainment representatives online (which was addressed in one of these film discussion threads) DVD films sales have NOT been good.  Well you can plainly see the reason why.  Nobody but nobody is buying these things!

More revelently to this discussion thread I would like further information on what other Bowery Boys films are not in satisfactory shape.  Can more specific information be provided on the actual titles just to give us a more complete understanding.

Or with the recently reported discovery of the new 35mm print elements has this problem now been entirely resolved?

Jeff T. 

Please this is nonsense about Robert Osborne because he's not a Warner executive, but just a television host for TCM.  Decisions regarding marketing of titles is made at the executive level with input from their respective staffs. 




Crawdaddy

Not to mention the fact that he isn't the one that sets the broadcasting schedule for TCM.  If he has an agenda to push, it would be helpful to have some actual control over what is being shown.

Robert Osborne gets exactly one evening per month to select 3-4 movies of his choosing for airing on TCM.  Other than that he has absolutely nothing to do with any decisions over what gets broadcast or released on DVD.  I have seen him promote a variety of DVD releases, even those from other studios besides WB, all in the name of being a on air host for the network. 

The illustration provided of what DVD sets he chooses to promote was narrowed down in such a way as to suggest that some may have another agenda regarding Osborne and his "preferences." Whether that was intended or not, the reality is that Osborne carries no clout with anyone over DVD releases other than that which a viewer chooses to give him.

A&C, L&H, Marx, 3S, M&L and Bob Hope are on television each month and getting new fans each month who would be willing to fork over some cash to buy movies.  These people are common figures in American history in some sorts.  The Bowery Boys are not.  They're films aren't even considered very good so comparing them is pretty much apples and oranges.

You say "some" aren't knowledgeable about classic films so let me ask you this.  Why is it that only six titles have been released the past three decades?  If these are such hot sellers then you'd think Warner would have released more to VHS or would have released them to DVD already. 

You're gettin' kinda rough there, ain't ya, mac? Pretty broad generalization you're making, too. I guess you got some kinda evidence to back that up?

Jeff T. was comparing "classic-era" comedians (Hope, A&C, etc.) to other "classic-era" comedians (BBoys). Sounds like oranges and oranges to me. What you're objecting to is a matter of "degree", not a matter of "kind".


Edited by BrianRi - 10/26/09 at 1:14am

Yeah if you don't like the films you don't have to purchase them but don't keep dissing people that want them and act like your starting a campaign for Warners to not release the Bowery Boys at all. I remember for years a few in this thread speaking against the bowery boys release campaigning for studios to release their 40's and 50's horror and sci-fi titles. Most of those are now out. Most of them didn't play on TV anymore for them to receive new audiences, most of them are not considered to be any better films than the Bowery Boys films and many of them did not sell well on DVD but that didn't stop these same individuals from continually campaigning for more 40's and 50's horror and sci-fi to be released. I have no doubt the Bowery Boys will sell better than many of these films did. Again if you don't want or care about the Bowery Boys then fine you don't need to purchase but don't stop those who don't want them just as you wouldn't want others trying to stop your favorite older cult titles from being released.

Honestly, I don't think there's anyone in this thread actively rooting against BB releases.  The whole thing started when somebody suggested that BB would sell as well as Sony's latest Three Stooges releases.  The bottom line is they won't, and I hope to hell that is not the standard that Warner is going to hold them to or we're in trouble.  Nobody is starting a campaign to undermine BB.  We were simply injecting a small dose of reality to the rose-colored sales predictions.  Frankly, if this comes as a surprise to Warner than this series is as good as dead after the first release.  I have more faith in Warner to understand the market and not blindly expect Stooge sales.  If they still choose to release, then we're good to go.

Oh, you can't judge by that. That was back in 1992 on VHS when things were different; Warner has since been much more interested in releasing much of their vintage catalog titles to DVD. 

How many Laurel & Hardy R1 DVDs have been properly released? Not many ... so does this mean they aren't potential sellers? Not really.

Edited by Joe Karlosi - 10/26/09 at 2:52pm

Allow me to step in here for a moment.

I can't and won't speak for the studio.  However, I do
know what has been going on behind the scenes
regarding the delay in the release of these titles.

I think the fact that we have been waiting this long
is partly due to the fact that the studio wants to put
a considerable amount of effort into THE BOWERY
BOYS releases.  These ARE important films and 
they realize this.  As such, they want to make certain
they have the best available elements and that the
customer gets the very best release in their hand
that the studio can provide them.

There are a few other things involved in the delay
but I assure you that from the things I have heard,
the studio is very proud of these films and is very
concerned about making these releases the best
that they can be. 

I would be surprised if the Bowery Boys would do as well on DVD as The Three Stooges, simply because the BB's have been out of common circulation for awhile. However, I wouldn't write in stone definitive statements like "the bottom line is they won't" when nobody really KNOWS (and if they do know, then I'd like 6 winning lottery numbers, please!).  Sure, it's unlikely -- but nobody knows -- and even if the BB do NOT sell as well as the Stooges - so what?

This is not aimed at anyone in this thread, but I'm just speaking in general....
I really get so tired of all the "this sells", "that doesn't sell", "this will sell, that won't sell", "this came out on VHS because it sold", "this won't come out on DVD because it only sold on Laserdisc but not VHS" stuff that's gone on for a decade now when discussing home video releases. We already heard all that stuff with regard to so many old horror and vintage catalog movies, and Warner (and other companies) DID put them onto DVD, eventually. Everyone acts like there has to be some sort of big payday or something for each and every film, or series of films, that gets released, and that's not always going to happen. Nor does it need to. There are sometimes singles to be hit, to add up to runs; not everything has to be smashed out of the ballpark.  

Joe,

An excellent post.

The Bowery Boys will never sell as well as The Three Stooges.
The Three Stooges gained far more popularity during and after
their careers.

However, in their own right, The Bowery Boys have a very 
healthy fanbase which you can see by the fact that this thread
is now 12 pages long.   

I too would like to ask that we cease the "this will sell" and "that
will sell" dialogue in this thread.  It serves no purpose especially
when there are Bowery Boys fans participating here.  I think
Warner is aware that these titles aren't going to sell as well as
say, Ben Hur, but that hasn't stopped people over at the studio
who share the same love of these films with their consumers
from doing the best job they can with their release.

Regarding their popularity, consider the following. My friend was asked to put together a reel of vintage trailers for a show at a movie palace in Rome, New York. His reel contained primarily horror titles and some comedies from the forties and early fifties. You know which trailer got the biggest reaction? The Bowery Boys "Triple Trouble" from 1950!

If that audience reaction is any barometer, I would say the Bowery Boys are still very much alive and kicking among movie fans and the general public as well.