Exciting Discovery of DRACULA Film Element! (1 Viewer)

[Simon Howson]

Put the title on iTunes, if it sells well there, release it on DVD.

That would be cheaper than pressing a whole lot of discs that end up sitting in warehouses.

 

[Robert Harris]

I'm told that the element has positive date codes which relate to either 1930 or 1950, and 1950 would be doubtful for a lavender as Kodak changed to nitrate 1365 duplicating in 1937.

RAH

 

[Richard--W]

Compare the original 1999 DVD to the editions that came later. It looks and sounds the best of all the editions, but that's not saying much. I wish I had the laser disc to compare it to. I'm not criticizing Universal in saying this; I have no doubt they make the best home-video they can from the best source available.

As Jack Theakston says, the film has looked liked garbage for a long time. The first time I saw Dracula projected in 35mm, about 38 years ago, it looked significantly better than it does now.

Something really must be done to upgrade Dracula. There must be better elements out there somewhere. Some kind of hands-on search and double-check of elements throughout the world. No film this important and influential and popular should be accepted looking like garbage.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Perhaps I'm nuts or going blind but I thought the recent DVD looked great. Universal's THE INVISIBLE MAN is what they need to re do as it looks the worst of all the titles they've released from the genre. The print shown on TCM is a lot better.

However, I'd still rather have THE LAST WARNING, ISLAND OF LOST SOULS or various other titles still in the vaults.

 

[Craig Beam]

Amen to ISLAND OF LOST SOULS. Why the hell hasn't this been released????

 

[Richard--W]

I agree these other titles need attention from Universal, but I reject the notion that it has to be a one or the other proposition. Where did you get the idea that you give up one to get the other.

Dracula has never looked worse.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Yes, we need an upgrade for THE INVISIBLE MAN too (ditto ISLAND OF LOST SOULS), but I found that, after all is said and done, for the time being I'm settling with the 1999 disc of DRACULA. I did a comparison of all three DVDs and found I preferred the first one, especially the sound. This is all a matter of opinion, of course, and neither the 1999 nor the LEGACY versions are "complete", as one is missing a music cue and another mutes Renfield's screams.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

We need both LOST SOULS and the upgraded Dracula. Hell, put em together as Bela Lugosi Collection vol. 2 if Universal needs to justify it somehow.

 

[Patrick McCart]

The Invisible Man was remastered for the Legacy set and looks fantastic.

By the way, I never heard whether or not the Legacy Series 2-disc of Frankenstein had a better transfer or not. Dracula has a DVD Beaver comparison (showing that it's a much better transfer than the 1-disc or Monster Legacy versions), but never one for Frankenstein.

 

[JohnMor]

Patrick, yes the 2-disc Legacy 75th Anniversary Edition of Frankenstein is a huge improvement over the previous ones. Much bigger than the (visual) difference in Dracula. I was VERY happily surprised that the triple dip WAS worth it in that case. Maybe, if time permits this weekend, I can post some comparisons. (We all now screen caps aren't the be-all and end-all, but you can get some idea of the improvement that way.) Can't guarantee I'll find the time though.

 

[Jim Peavy]

I'd like to see screen caps from each, too. As with Patrick, I never heard anything about the 75th anniv. Frankenstein release (though I'm pretty happy with the Legacy collection one).

 

[alucardthe69th]

Been reading this tread with much interest, though too am rather sceptical if this is genuine.

However with regards to the 75th Anniversay Edition of Dracula I also thought the picture was an improvement over previous editions - although it did reveal much more noise and dirt than before, and yes the sound was terrible.

Anyway if this proves to be the real deal

and not just some jerk messing us all around then I for one shall be re-dipping into the very dry inkwell of Universal's beloved Drac.

 

[dana martin]

well with the lates finds of Metropolis, and the possibility of an uncut ANATO (Marx Bros) was this ever found out to be a true statement

 

[Lord Dalek]

Nope.

 

[ColbyCo82]

I have never seen a good print of Island of Lost Souls. Does anyone know if the original negative still exists? or will they have to work from later material?

 

[Jack Theakston]

The camera neg of ISLAND no longer exists.

 

[Ruz-El]

shame :frowning:

 

[ColbyCo82]

There has to be some reason Island hasnt made it to DVD. I know the VHS apparently didnt sell that well, but we have so many horrible films on DVD that have never sold well. Lost Souls has a big following. It features Bela Lugosi and Charles Laughton. It was banned in several countries in 1933. All these things seem to say it could sell today. It could at least make it into a pack of horror films maybe with Murders in the Zoo or Murder by the Clock or even Supernatural.

 

[dana martin]

Reading thru this thread I got to thinking which I know can be a bad thing when it comes to what the different studios should be doing at any given time. But scheduled this Halloween timeframe

Sony – Icons of Horror Hammer films
Sony (Classic Media) Rodan / War of the Gargantuans

Fox - Fox Horror Classics Volume 2

MGM - Childs Play
MGM - Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection

Universal – Vertigo and Psycho Legacy sets

WB – The Picture of Dorian Gray

That is not really a bad haul for the classic horror film buff, I would like to see UNI take and do another Ultimate Classic Sci-Fi set and Horror Archive, still plenty in that vault to work with.

But some of the other studios could do the same

 

[BillyFeldman]

I wasn't around when this thread was created. Reading through it, it would seem that this was just another hoax, to be filed next to the complete Magnificent Ambersons.