Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › Blu-ray › A&C - Buck Privates coming to Blu-ray in April
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

A&C - Buck Privates coming to Blu-ray in April

post #1 of 35
1/17/12 at 6:38am
Thread Starter 

According to a Classicflix email I just received, "Buck Privates" is coming to Blu-ray on April 17th courtesy of Universal.  This is the type of news that might finally get me off the fence and force a BR purchase for my household.  I'm pleasantly surprised by this, but I have to wonder just how much better the pic quality can be.  The dvd was remastered and looked really, really good as it is.

 

 

Gary "anyone shocked by this news?" O.

Reply
post #2 of 35
1/17/12 at 6:58am

I know Buck Privates was their first big hit as a starring comedy team, but I have to admit I would have expected A & C Meet Frankenstein before Buck Privates on Blu-ray.

Reply
post #3 of 35
1/17/12 at 7:02am
Me too, but they're probably saving that for October. Either way, the 100th anniversary celebration looks like it's getting off on the right foot with Mockingbird, All Quiet, Harvey and now Buck Privates!
Reply
post #4 of 35
1/17/12 at 7:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MattH. View Post

I know Buck Privates was their first big hit as a starring comedy team, but I have to admit I would have expected A & C Meet Frankenstein before Buck Privates on Blu-ray.


I think both will come, but they're holding back the latter for October timeframe.
 

 

Reply
post #5 of 35
1/17/12 at 7:41am

I hadn't even thought about it as a holiday-themed Blu-ray release, but, of course, it makes sense.

Reply
post #6 of 35
1/17/12 at 11:07am
This looks like it has some nice extras, especially:

100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics
100 Years of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era
100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters

http://www.classicflix.com/buck-privates-bluray-p-12189.html
Reply
post #7 of 35
1/17/12 at 7:34pm
Gary, remember that "Buck Privates" contains a great musical number, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Someone at Universal clearly knew they had a great song; it's staged economically but brilliantly. The biggest problem with the DVD is the Dolby Digital sound on this number--it's rather thin and strident. A lossless Blu-ray track should be much better. If the restoration people at Universal had good original elements to work with, the image should also be considerably more beautiful and refined. Black-and-white films from good negative elements can be startlingly improved on Blu-ray--the gray-scale is much more subtle, and the image can come glowingly to life in a way impossible on DVD, as if cleaned. I've watched "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" dozens of times on DVD, and can't wait for the Blu-ray.
Reply
post #8 of 35
1/17/12 at 7:49pm
Was the song introduced in this movie?
Reply
post #9 of 35
1/17/12 at 8:28pm
My co-author Ron Palumbo and I (Abbott and Costello in Hollywood) did a lot of work on the commentary track for the last DVD release. I'm a little disappointed that it won't be included in this release.

Bob
Reply
post #10 of 35
1/17/12 at 8:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Furmanek View Post

My co-author Ron Palumbo and I (Abbott and Costello in Hollywood) did a lot of work on the commentary track for the last DVD release. I'm a little disappointed that it won't be included in this release.
Bob



That is a big disappointment, for now I will have to keep the DVD along with the Blu-ray. 

 

Reply
post #11 of 35
1/17/12 at 9:37pm

Likewise.  Sorry to hear that.  Thanks for the heads up.  

Reply
post #12 of 35
1/18/12 at 5:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Angell View Post

Was the song introduced in this movie?


Yes, and it was Oscar-nominated. It lost to "The Last Time I Saw Paris" from Lady Be Good. It was a controversial winner because the song was not actually introduced in the film but was interpolated into it.

Reply
post #13 of 35
1/18/12 at 8:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Furmanek View Post

My co-author Ron Palumbo and I (Abbott and Costello in Hollywood) did a lot of work on the commentary track for the last DVD release. I'm a little disappointed that it won't be included in this release.
Bob

Sorry to read that, Bob. I would not have gotten rid of my DVD copy anyway, as it is in that nice complete "travelers trunk" collector's set,
but it would be nice if they ported over all the bonus content to the Blu-ray.

I'd love a commentary on "Africa Screams" from you if that ever gets a Blu-ray release.

I still pine for a proper release of that with the extras you did for the Laser Disc on Blu.
Reply
post #14 of 35
1/18/12 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Furmanek View Post

My co-author Ron Palumbo and I (Abbott and Costello in Hollywood) did a lot of work on the commentary track for the last DVD release. I'm a little disappointed that it won't be included in this release.
Bob

This is disappointing to me too. I wish Universal would port over all the commentary tracks and extras from the previous DVD editions. I wouldn't think disc space would not be a problem on Blu Ray. Also, and although BUCK PRIVATES is a very important film to Universal and Abbott and Costello, I wish they could have double billed it with BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME, which I think is a bit funnier and has one of their best chase scenes from any of their films.

And I sincerely hope when ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN comes to blu, they restore the opening original logo and UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL PRESENTS card as well. Didn't they also have a Realart THE END on that suitecase set too? But the film itself never sounded or looked better. They even got rid of a mastering problem from years past where a bit of music in the title was repeated. Just a little blip, but good to hear it fixed.
Reply
post #15 of 35
1/18/12 at 1:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Morgan View Post

This is disappointing to me too. I wish Universal would port over all the commentary tracks and extras from the previous DVD editions. I wouldn't think disc space would not be a problem on Blu Ray. Also, and although BUCK PRIVATES is a very important film to Universal and Abbott and Costello, I wish they could have double billed it with BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME, which I think is a bit funnier and has one of their best chase scenes from any of their films.
And I sincerely hope when ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN comes to blu, they restore the opening original logo and UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL PRESENTS card as well. Didn't they also have a Realart THE END on that suitecase set too? But the film itself never sounded or looked better. They even got rid of a mastering problem from years past where a bit of music in the title was repeated. Just a little blip, but good to hear it fixed.

The TCM broadcast the other night of A & C Meet Frankenstein had the correct title sequence with the U-I logo intact...but then the film after the titles was cropped to 16x9! I have to imagine that Universal made a master for their own HD channel and shipped it by mistake to TCM, who would obviously want the film in the correct aspect ratio.
Reply
post #16 of 35
1/18/12 at 2:03pm
From what I understand, the films coming to blu-ray as part of the Universal 100th are:

“To Kill a Mockingbird,”
“Jaws,”
“All Quiet on the Western Front”
“The Birds"
“Dracula”
“Dracula Spanish,”
“Frankenstein,”
“Schindler’s List,”
“Out of Africa,”
“Pillow Talk,”
“Bride of Frankenstein”
“The Sting"

Doug
Reply
post #17 of 35
1/18/12 at 3:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce View Post

From what I understand, the films coming to blu-ray as part of the Universal 100th are:
“To Kill a Mockingbird,”
“Jaws,”
“All Quiet on the Western Front”
“The Birds"
“Dracula”
“Dracula Spanish,”
“Frankenstein,”
“Schindler’s List,”
“Out of Africa,”
“Pillow Talk,”
“Bride of Frankenstein”
“The Sting"
Doug

I am pretty sure that THE WOLF MAN (1941) and ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN will be coming to Blu Ray too, among others that may not have been announced as yet. Isn't there supposed to be a BluRay Classic Horror set due around October?
Reply
post #18 of 35
1/18/12 at 3:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Morgan View Post

I am pretty sure that THE WOLF MAN (1941) and ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN will be coming to Blu Ray too, among others that may not have been announced as yet. Isn't there supposed to be a BluRay Classic Horror set due around October?

Possibly, but those are the only films I saw listed in the press release.

Doug
Reply
post #19 of 35
1/18/12 at 8:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Morgan View Post


I am pretty sure that THE WOLF MAN (1941) and ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN will be coming to Blu Ray too, among others that may not have been announced as yet. Isn't there supposed to be a BluRay Classic Horror set due around October?


A Classic Horror blu set has been rumored for this year. Given Dracula and Frankenstein are confirmed, I would hope we'd get BRDs for the rest of the classics. I'm actually hesitating on Image's blu for Phantom of the Opera until I see what Universal is doing, for example.

Reply
post #20 of 35
1/18/12 at 9:57pm
DRACULA was released theatrically in 1931 with a green tint. According to color tinting expert Jack Theakston:
Quote:
DRACULA's leaders are definitely marked "Color: Verdante." Verdante was Kodak's fancy name for their green-tinted Sonochrome stock (pre-tinted stocks that didn't interfere with the optical soundtrack pickup).

Here are some examples of how it originally looked in theaters.

450

470

450
Reply
post #21 of 35
1/19/12 at 3:46pm
Well, yechh!
Reply
post #22 of 35
1/19/12 at 9:20pm

contrary to the yechh!, i actualy like it , if that was the way of its original presentation, i do notice in the face shots of Lugosi, that it works better with the highlights at the eyes.  i remember that some time ago there was a discussion that they foung and almost pristine lavender print, but if they are dong this from the OCN, i would hope that we get the best possible version to date, and i do mean to date considering i have bought this 4 times already, , back to A/C looking forward to this and possibly A/C Frankenstein maybe Halloween??? just hope that sony decides to do something with the Stooges in Blu as well!

Reply
post #23 of 35
1/20/12 at 2:59pm

It's great that A&C will make their debut in BD. Their films have stood the test of time and are still quite funny.  I'm a bit taken aback by the $40 price tag though; even with discounts that's more than I'd want to spend on a catalog title especially given that a trio of Hitchcocks are coming next week at $16.99 from Amazon.  

 

The DVDs all look pretty good; anyone thing there's a realistic chance of an A&C BD collection coming down the road?  

 

Finally, I agree that's a shame that the commentary that Mr. Furmanek and Mr. Polumbo did isn't being ported. 

Reply
post #24 of 35
1/20/12 at 5:47pm
I just saw a listing on Amazon for Buck Privates. I hope it is a pre-release typo. They have the MSRP listed at 39.98, with their price at $27.99.

http://www.amazon.com/Buck-Privates-Blu-ray/dp/B006YNYQGQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1327110282&sr=1-1

That seems to be very pricey for this. I enjoy the movie quite a bit, but if they want any sales, that is much too expensive (unless they include several other A&Cs with it).

David
Reply
post #25 of 35
1/20/12 at 7:27pm
For some reason, some of the 100th Anniversary titles, like this and Out of Africa start at a list price of $39.95. I'm sure this is because of the digibook format, but that is still too high for a retail with relatively skimpy extras. Personally, a single A&C film doesn't warrant Criterion pricing, which some of these Anniversary sets are matching for some reason. Maybe the book content is meatier than it appears...

I'll likely wait until I can find it for 50% off.
Reply
post #26 of 35
1/21/12 at 5:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoHud View Post

For some reason, some of the 100th Anniversary titles, like this and Out of Africa start at a list price of $39.95. I'm sure this is because of the digibook format, but that is still too high for a retail with relatively skimpy extras. Personally, a single A&C film doesn't warrant Criterion pricing, which some of these Anniversary sets are matching for some reason. Maybe the book content is meatier than it appears...
I'll likely wait until I can find it for 50% off.



Definitely. I really wanted All the President's Men, but the Digibook Blu-ray pricing was just ridiculous, so I waited, and I got it at holiday time for less than $15.

 

Reply
post #27 of 35
1/21/12 at 12:33pm
This is way overpriced. I'd be in this for about $10 to $15, certainly not more than that.
Reply
post #28 of 35
2/2/12 at 7:18am
Thread Starter 

     Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Furmanek View Post

My co-author Ron Palumbo and I (Abbott and Costello in Hollywood) did a lot of work on the commentary track for the last DVD release. I'm a little disappointed that it won't be included in this release.
Bob


I too am sorry to hear this, Bob.  The book you and Ron wrote is by far my favorite A&C resource.  Such a fantastic, well researched piece of work.  It's invaluable for me.  Thanks for all you have done in helping to keep the memory of "The Boys" alive!

 

 

Gary "like others, I'm not happy with the price point either and won't consider picking this up until it drops to at least 50% off" O.

Reply
post #29 of 35
2/2/12 at 10:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Furmanek View Post

DRACULA was released theatrically in 1931 with a green tint. According to color tinting expert Jack Theakston:
Quote:
DRACULA's leaders are definitely marked "Color: Verdante." Verdante was Kodak's fancy name for their green-tinted Sonochrome stock (pre-tinted stocks that didn't interfere with the optical soundtrack pickup).

 

That's VERY interesting info Bob, thanks.  I knew that FRANKENSTEIN had some initial engagements with a green tint ("the color of horror!") but that it was quickly abandoned as exhibitors HATED the green prints, but I never knew that about DRACULA!

 

Your book, by the way, holds a special place on my shelf and thank you so much for writing it.  

 

I love Abbott & Costello (always have) and would never think of giving up my Universal Box, but I too would also add BUCK PRIVATES on blu to my collection if it was at a reasonable price.

Reply
post #30 of 35
2/2/12 at 11:50am
Is the price for this confirmed?
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Blu-ray
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › Blu-ray › A&C - Buck Privates coming to Blu-ray in April