Marx Brothers' Duck Soup to be edited? (1 Viewer)

[ArthurMy]

Okay, I've looked at a bit of all the films now. Duck Soup is the best of them - as I said, better contrast than the Image disc and, it seems to me, much more pleasing sound. I have no way of knowing if these are the same transfers used in the UK set, since I don't have that one. Also, Duck Soup was the only Image Marx title I had so I couldn't compare the others.

Coconuts is the roughest, but even when I've seen 35mm prints it's what it's looked like. There are several sections of the film that looked like they were dupe footage so the original negative may be lost or damaged beyond repair. It would be nice to know the facts on this -maybe Robert Harris knows. The sound on this seems to be less shrill than I remembered - I mean, it's early sound recording but, given that, it doesn't sound bad to my ears.

Animal Crackers is also not in pristine shape. Monkey Business looks and sounds reasonably good, but Horse Feathers seems is a bit on the soft side.

Again, I don't have the Image discs to compare on those titles. So, I don't think they've done any kind of "restoration" or cleanup on them (except maybe the audio), although, as I said, Duck Soup looks much better than the Image disc to my eyes. But, the price is right, the packaging is really nice and I'm happy to have it.

 

[soop.spoon]

Can you describe the packaging? Thanks.

 

[ArthurMy]

It looks like a book. It opens and spreads out either to the left or the right - in the middle is a lovely booklet. I really thought it was done well.

 

[John Hodson]

So, am I reading this right? Universal haven't done much (if anything) by way of restoration, the extras are pitiful...but the packaging is nice?

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I would have been a whole lot happier had they just sold the darned things in a brown paper bag and spent a teensy weeny bit more on the movies.

 

[Eric Peterson]

I couldn't agree more.

 

[Robert Crawford]

You do have a choice.

 

[John Hodson]

Indeed I do, and I fully intend to make it. And my choice - based on what I have read here, and once I have seen dvdbeaver's review - will probably be to tell Universal that up with this I will not put, in the only way that they understand.

By not giving them my dollars...

 

[Robert Crawford]

That's your choice as a consumer.






Crawdaddy

 

[John Hodson]

It's also my right as a consumer to bleat and wail and complain until I'm blue in the face about products (not simply this set) that I (and perception of quality / value for money is, I will accept, largely subjective) consider substandard. Whether Universal is listening, or even care, is another matter.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm all for people or companies exercising their rights, no matter the eventual outcome of doing so.






Crawdaddy

 

[John Hodson]

You're being quite elliptical today Crawdaddy...

 

[ArthurMy]

The set is not substandard, IMO, and the films are wonderful. Not knowing the shape of the film elements, it's impossible to know what could have been done to these films. If you have the Image discs or the region 2, then keep those. If you love the films and don't own them, I cannot possibly see how there's a downside to this set. The biggest disappointment is the bonus disc, which is only fifteen minutes long, but I don't buy DVDs for bonus materials, I buy them for the movies and, for me, the price was right on this set, I love the movies, I only had one of the Image discs and, as I've said, to my eyes Duck Soup (the only one I could compare) is an improvement in both sound and video.

But, everyone's different, and everyone does what they need to do.

 

[Herb Kane]

While I held the Image discs many times, for whatever goofy reason, I never bought them - shame on me.

Needless to say, I'll be picking these up next week and I really can't wait, and considering the age of these films, I'm not expecting perfection. From the sounds of things, Universal did the best they could with what they had to work with...

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Look, I am not out to take a personal swipe at
Universal. I own a vast collection of their DVDs
and they have been very good to this forum.

However, I think we all know that Universal is a
studio that has never held a candle to studios like
Fox or Warner Brothers who are more likely to put
money into restoring a classic title.

I knew from the moment Universal announced this set
that the films would not be restored. I'm not surprised
and I am not totally unhappy. This is what I expected.

I am certainly not defending Universal. I think all
of you have a right to be upset that these classics
were not treated with the respect they deserve. I too
wish that the studio had put more of an effort into
these gems.

All I can add is that as a huge Marx Brothers fan,
I'm just happy that these titles have been re-released.

 

[MarkBourne]

I'm with ArthurMy and Ronald on this one, in a big way. Yes, of course I'd love to see these films restored or otherwise given the spruce-up they need and deserve. Duck Soup, at least, deserves a Criterion treatment for all the usual, erm, criteria.

But for now I'm very pleased that they're back on the shelves at all (and today I'm grasping for all the good news I can get). If they'd remained OOP, there'd be no chance for them to gain new viewers and appreciators -- in other words, newborn Marx fans who might also press for better editions later on. Sure, more and better extras would have been nice, but they're by no means essential and their absence is no show-stopper. I have all the Image editions, but will still get this set and donate my Image discs to a new believer.

Hail, hail Freedonia.

 

[Peter Svensson]

Now I want to see a comparison between the new Silver Screen edition of Duck Soup and the older Universal R2/R4 edition. Dvdbeaver.com has compared the R2 edition with the old R1 Image edition, so it´s up to Gary to add the new R1 edition to the comparison.

 

[Eric Peterson]

That's where we differ. Bonus materials is a major kicker as to whether a BUY a DVD or not. When there are no bonus materials, I generally put the movie in my "To-Rent" queue. Since these movies won't be readily available to rent, I may make an exception. I would love to have a complete set of Marx brothers films, but I'm so angry with Universal and their shoddy treatment of their classics that I don't want to give them any of my money. As of now, I'll probably hold off and wait for used copies. There are plenty of classics coming out in the next few months and the only Marx Brothers movie that I don't have is "The Cocoanuts".

 

[Bob Furmanek]

In the past year, we've had all the Marx Brothers features released on DVD. I just saw LOVE HAPPY last night, and the quality is outstanding, taken from a pristine 35mm fine grain master. The MGM box set is fabulous, and these Paramount films will look as good as possible, until the studio archive does a full-blown restoration.

I only wish they had included the GE Theater show THE INCREDIBLE JEWEL ROBBERY in this set. MCA does own the rights to that program. Otherwise, as a life-long Marx Brothers fan, I've got nothing to complain about!

Bob

 

[John Hodson]

I'm struggling desperately between my need for these films and my tacit support of (what I consider right now to be - indulge me) Universal's sub-par effort.

You're right; this is the best they could do (I, too, was expecting it, but I can't pretend to be happy), and it seems to me we won't see the light of a decent restoration for years to come. What to do? (I think it's obvious)

A couple of final points from me; these are films much anticipated by fans the world over. I honestly wouldn't have given twopence for any extras had Universal had pushed the boat out and given us sparkling, shimmering monochrome wonders. The films are the thing.

Warners and Fox have shown us what is possible even with the poorest elements available, Universal have determinedly not. Shame.

Here's hoping for better things with the W.C. Fields films...