THE BOWERY BOYS on DVD: continuing discussion of Warner's eventual release plans (UPDATE 4/19:... - Page 15

Ron, I appreciate you filling us in here, even if the news is only so-so.

I know this takes some time.. but what's it been, at least 5 or 6 years already?  I realize we can't do anything else but wait, but as I have regularly said (and which I hope Warner has heard), people aren't getting any younger. The Bowery Boys' fanbase - their core audience and the ones who are ready to pounce on these DVDs  - are only getting older.

That's about all I can say at this point.

I'm sure fans are disappointed by the news but at least we do get to see these on TCM.  I'm not sure if the delay got them put on TCM but I'm at least grateful that we can view them, which is better than what I was saying this time last year. 


EDIT TO ADD:  Looks like the first 10 BB movies will be shown on TCM July 23 for those who might have missed them.
Edited by Michael Elliott - 4/19/10 at 3:20pm

Ron (and WHV)...thank you very much for the update.  Disappointing news is still better than no news and I appreciate the honesty and non-sugarcoated reasoning put forth behind the latest delay.  The bigger picture is that while fans have no movies, 25% of the staff have no jobs. Those are the  people who are really hurting (as are people all across the USA) and the lack of Bowery Boys DVDs is pretty trivial compared to what those people are going through.

WHV did send out an e-mail recently hinting at positive changes in the Archives.  My speculation is that we're going to see more restored projects and perhaps even a switch to pressed releases.   

There's no "easy" way to express this, so apologies in advance. I don't like the fact that anyone is out of work, but if I am to be honest I'd have to say that while I feel sorry for them, in my own personal life it's not having certain movies on DVD for my leisure time which affects me. I mean, fortunately I AM working, so that's not a personal concern.  I'm not sure why I should be okay with not having them and view it as a trivial concern because "after all, some other people are out of work". (Like I said, there's no easy way to express this). Sure, I hope those jobless people get back to work. But I also hope I get my DVDs.

Very disappointing news...if only Esther Williams could been one of the Bowery Boys, we would have had these on DVD already

Not bad speculation - I wonder how MAMMY did sales wise - that title deserved to be pressed even in small qualities.  Someone suggest rubn a small batch pressed and latter batches burrend on demand, Look at the TCM releases that were going to be burrned and sales were so good they could press them,. But then, even pressing a small run isn't cost prohibitive.
Edited by DeWilson - 4/24/10 at 11:52am

Interesting, my copy of Bowery Buckaroos recorded from WGN is of better quality than the one just aired on TCM. And the WGN airing is an original Monogram print, it says "Monogram Pictures Corporation" on the opening title screen instead of "Pathe Pictures". I'm glad I decided to record these movies years ago from WGN, in many cases the quality is better than the current airings on TCM.

Leo Gorsey & The Bowery Boys in "Swim Time" with Esther Williams and Huntz Hall. :)

Just in case, anybody wants another opportunity to watch or record any of these titles again, on July 23rd starting at 7:15 a.m. ET, TCM is showing ten of these films in a row that were shown in the prior Saturdays. 



Crawdaddy

This is a great example of why I love Corporate America (for which I am  an active participant).

 

Ron posted:

 

 

 

Then yesterday I read this on the BD forum:

 

 

 

 

There is $8 billion excess in the bank account???  People lost their jobs at Warner last year?  Surely a release of the Bowery Boys could be done for under $500 million or so still leave $7.5 billion for which WHV could purchase the Bond Films, Mad World, and the Alamo :)

 

 

But how much of that $8 billion really "liquid"? Could they go and withdraw it all, pending shareholder approval?

 

 

Every year companies need to show that they are doing better than last year...so when they make cuts such as layoffs and budget, it is all done so that their profit margin is as good or better than last year. This doesn't mean they are hurting financially, thus they can still make acquisitions such as this. 
 

Here is the first part of the Variety articale and link.  In the articale you will also read that Home Video played an important part in Warners opearating income jump to 1.2 billion.

 

Thurs., May 6, 2010, 4:00am

Cash-rich Time Warner eyes MGM
CEO Jeff Bewkes hints at potential deals
By JILL GOLDSMITH

 

Homevid sales of 'Sherlock Holmes' boosted Time Warner's bottom line.

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said an acquisition of MGM "could make good sense" at the right price -- the latest media chief to signal potential acquisitions on the horizon as companies loosen their purse strings after hunkering down to weather a two-year economic slump.
In the media world at least, brighter days are here. Advertising, consumer spending and corporate profits are up. Bewkes, after reporting a big boost in earnings, said he has $5 billion in cash to play with. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. has $8 billion, and both are looking for ways to spend the dough.

 

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118018819.html?categoryId=1056&cs=1 
 

I've had my Bowery Boys movie collection for quite a while now (majority of them I recorded from WGN in Chicago) so I'm glad I don't have to wait on Warner's to put the films out on DVD. Since Warner's keeps spinning their wheels with this, I think BB fans should just record the movies from TCM now while they are airing them. One title I've been wanting to upgrade is Jinx Money. I recorded it this past weekend, put it on a DVD and it looks and sounds great.
 

Edited by Lecagr - 5/11/10 at 7:05pm

Oh, I'm certainly recording the BB films off TCM while I have the chance. I have no intention of waiting for Warner's DVDs forever until I die. The only question is, how long will TCM show the films and will they get through the entire series?

 

Still, if Warner does release official DVDs, I'll buy them just the same.

Jumping in late (better than never)...

 

I'm a second generation fan.  My dad turned me on to these wonderful movies back when TCM ran them during the summer of 1999.  I tape 75% of what they ran then & still have the tapes.  I'd gone on a hunt via eBay & assorted other "venues" to get a hold of all the other related movies (DEK, LTG, & ESK).  I have the entire collection, but like a lot of you, I would like to upgrade some of my movies.  I've been attempting to put my onto DVD, but have hit some snafus with some airings that weren't so hot.

 

I'm happy to hear that WHV at least has not completely dumped the project.  It's good to hear they're still moving forward with it, but I will echo those who have said that the original fans (like my dad) are not getting any younger.  We watched "Lucky Losers" off one of my TCM-recorded tapes & my dad commented how he was sure he'd seen that one in the theater when he was about 8.

 

I agree with those who have voted chronological, but skip any problems (ie: MR HEX, which I essentially purchased from a bargain bin & it certainly looks it).  Frankly, I think those of you who recorded it from WGN in the 80s probably have better quality VHS versions than the actual prints.  I know nothing about the business, but would that not be possible for Warners?  I'd be very happy to have 47 of 48 movies on DVD in my grubby little hands & know that the 48th is on its way rather than wait forever & a day for a good print of MR HEX.

 

Just curious & I have not read the entire thread, but has anyone touched base with Leo Jr about the project?  I don't know if he has any means/wares that could help the cause, but it could be worth a try.  Just a thought...

Welcome to the forum!

 

Regarding Mr. Hex...somewhere in this long thread is news from Ron that WHV did find the original negative for this film.  This is  no longer a sticking point.  The reason tha the TCM airing from a few weeks back looked so poor is that TCM is using old video masters and not any new restorations that WHV has.

 

Mr. Hex, and many of the other BB films, should look quite nice once they finally released.

Watched a few minutes of Smugglers Cove on TCM this past weekend. Of the four Bowery Boy movies from 1948, I'd say it's the weakest one. It plays more like a Roland Winters Charlie Chan film rather than a Bowery Boys. Like all Bowery Boy movies, there are humorous moments but overall it misses the mark more often than not. The 1949 Bowery Boy outings offer a mixed bag, Angels In Disguise is excellent, Fighting Fools is good, Hold That Baby and Master Minds are so-so.

 

1950 offered three very good Bowery Boy movies, Blonde Dynamite, Triple Trouble and Blues Busters. Lucky Losers isn't so lucky, I wouldn't exactly call it a loser but it certainly isn't a winner either. In the 1951 offerings, Let's Go Navy is the best one. Bowery Battalion and Crazy Over Horses are pretty good and Ghost Chasers is on the weak side. Let's Go Navy is notable in that this is the film where Huntz Hall's character Horace Debussy Jones transforms into the exuberant "Sach" that would continue till the end of the series. Crazy Over Horses is notable in that with this film, the format of the series changes to the slapstick style that would continue till the end of the series.

 

Of the later Bowery Boy movies, No Holds Barred, Bowery Boys Meet The Monsters and Bowery To Bagdad are fast paced and very funny. Spy Chasers comes pretty close to that level also. I've always had a special affection for Dig That Uranuim, it's sad though knowing it's Bernard Gorcey's last Bowery Boy movie and also the first time in the series where Leo Gorcey is noticeably inebriated. This would continue in Leo's final Bowery Boy outing, Crashing Las Vegas.

Edited by Lecagr - 5/18/10 at 6:42pm

Lecagr...

 

An excellent post and I agree with you on a number of the films coming up...but I must urge all horror movie fans to check out "Master Minds" when it airs June 26th on TCM.

 

Glenn Strange does a fabulous job emulating Huntz Hall's mannerisms when the 2 characters switch personalities. It's one of my favorite titles in the whole series.

 

To me, in Master Minds Glenn Strange acts queer when he takes on the persona of Sach. Not impressive. Conversely however, Huntz Hall is quite effective when he's transformed into Atlas the monster. In fact, Hall is rather frightening and gruesome, he's more scary as Atlas than Glenn Strange was! LOL

Opinions vary as Smugglers Cove is among my favorite films of the series.

 

 

 

 

 

Crawdaddy

 

I definitely agree. MASTER MINDS is one of the best of the Bowery Boys, and a title that nobody should miss out on if you're somewhat of a fan of this series. It's extra special if, like me, you have a fondness for the horror genre. The cast resembles a reunion from 1945's HOUSE OF DRACULA! 
 

I think Master Minds is one of their best too with Hall and Strange doing nice work in that film.

 

 

 

 

 

Crawdaddy

From the eleven so far I'd probably rank them as followed:

 

Bowery Bombshell
Angels' Alley

News Hounds
Live Wires

Mr. Hex
Bowery Buckaroos
Jinx Money
Spook Busters
Smugglers' Cove

In Fast Company
Hard Boiled Mahoney

 

Of all the films I'd probably only watch the first two again.  COMPANY and BOILED were really, really bad IMO but the rest were fair to decent.

Have to disagree about Master Minds, but Bowery Boys Meet The Monsters is very funny. Spook Chasers has a number of funny gags also.

 

One other very funny movie in the "spook" genre is Gildersleeve's Ghost with Harold Peary. Many funny moments in this movie, including the part where Gildersleeve (while being controlled by the invisible lady) dumps a pitcher of water onto Haley the police commissioner! Those who haven't seen this movie are urged to check it out, very funny film indeed. It starts off a little slow, but it's a laugh fest once it gets going.
 

I Like both MASTER MINDS and BB MEET THE MONSTERS - they are run films.

This weekend's showing of TROUBLE MAKERS is a good one featuring great support from Fritz Feld and the great Lionel Stander. Both actors work very well with Leo and Huntz.

I know its your 1st time viewing the series and sometimes a 2nd look will change opinions and maybe the series is just not for you but thats an interesting ranking.

Hard Boiled Mahoney is a respected Bowery Boys films by non-fans even in film books by Leonard Maltin.

News Hounds on the other hand is generally considered a weak entry in the series.

 

I also have to add what others have said Smugglers Cove and Master Minds are two greats of the series and Ghost Chasers is another favorite of mine.
 

I agree Trouble Makers is a good Bowery Boys movie. Of the first 12 films, the ones I enjoy most are Bowery Bombshell, Jinx Money, Mr. Hex, Trouble Makers, In Fast Company, and Angels Alley. The other six films I enjoy also but to a lesser degree.
 

 

Randy,

 

I can't tell you how many times I've watched these films over the years starting in the 1960s while living in the NYC area.  It's mainly subjective the level of appreciation a person have for these films as Smugglers Cove might not work for some posters here, but everytime I view that particular film, I laugh out loud at some of the gags or lines spoken in that film. 

 

 

 

 

 

Crawdaddy