THE BOWERY BOYS on DVD: continuing discussion of Warner's eventual release plans (NEW UPDATE 10/2 Po (2 Viewers)

[Joe Karlosi]

The history of Best Of's has always been to include what people want the most and throw in a few that they don't in order to be able sell what won't sell as well on its own.

I'm not specifically asking you, Randy, but your comments made me think of something....
I don't know how many here are already familiar with the Bowery Boys comedies, but for those who aren't I think you'll find that, once you start watching them in order or otherwise, they're all pretty similar.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I get your drift, but those often-PD-dupey-Eastside Kids films are even harder to locate in pristine elements than when they officially became "The Bowery Boys" in 1946!

Which is why I said it's my perfect world and due to circumstances this probably won't happen.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I'm not specifically asking you, Randy, but your comments made me think of something....
I don't know how many here are already familiar with the Bowery Boys comedies, but for those who aren't I think you'll find that, once you start watching them in order or otherwise, they're all pretty similar.

I agree Joe as I'm a big fan and like all their films. I also like all the Abbott and Costello films and all the Laurel and Hardy films but there are definately quite a few people who like all these comedy teams but do not like certain eras by the team and I think we are talking about those people.
Which makes you correct Option 3 is what most seem to want here and I wish it was available as I do want them now but not really in Best Of sets. I prefer watching all comedy teams in chronological order but I feel the Bowery Boys are more important to be viewed this way than the others for the previously stated reasons.

 

[Steve...O]

It depends on what Warner has planned and none of us really know. Fox didn't release the Chan's in order but at the same time they didn't throw in the Toler films just because they wouldn't sell as well as the Oland.

Not to sidetrack this discussion, but Fox has indeed released the Chans in rough chronological order. SECRET was held back for Vol 3 because it didn't fit the theme of Vol 2. BLACK CAMEL was added to Vol 3 only because they were able to license it from Warners. The Toler films feature some of the best in the series and should sell quite well.
Regarding the Stanley Clements films..he's not Gorcey but these films aren't, in my opinion, the disasters that their reputation would make them out to be. At least he was sober when he was playing his part. In any case, these films still have the very funny Huntz Hall who was always my favorite BB anyway. I liken these latter films to the Fox era Laurel and Hardy features. They had terrible reputations but when Fox released their box sets awhile back, these films were given a fresh evaluation and many found them to be much funnier than previously thought.
To Bob F's question...if their OAR was widescreen, then yes, it would be preferable to release them that way. Will it be a deal breaker if they are presented full frame? No. I'll admit that it seems counter intuitive to watch a BB or A&C movie (or 3 Stooges short) in widescreen. One just doesn't associate them with the widescreen era.
Although I think a DEK collection is unlikely I would also welcome one. The films drifted into B-territory after ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES but they're not bad and Warners has their usual familar faces sprinkled throughout. Getting high quality, uncut East Side Kids would be near Utopia, but I'm not holding my breath.
Steve

 

[Michael Elliott]

Not to sidetrack this discussion, but Fox has indeed released the Chans in rough chronological order. SECRET was held back for Vol 3 because it didn't fit the theme of Vol 2. BLACK CAMEL was added to Vol 3 only because they were able to license it from Warners. The Toler films feature some of the best in the series and should sell quite well.

Films were still moved to fit a theme so they weren't in a direct order per say, which is why I brought them up since there are two options here and it seems like what Fox did could be a third option for Warner and the BB.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Quote:

Well said.

 

[Jari K]

This is a pro-OAR site and we try to discourage those that think otherwise.

If these were originally presented in WS, then of course that should be preserved in home video also. I have noticed that sometimes people want certain dubbing (e.g. Godzilla-films, even when it´s not the original track) etc since that´s how they saw the film "back in the days". As a film buff, I have never (truly) understood that. I mean I have seen Aliens maybe 5 times in 4:3 (also cut) "back in the days" when I was young (even in 4:3, it blew me away) and I never want to see the film in that way anymore. OAR all the way.
But anyway, back to the subject.

 

[Randy Korstick]

If these were originally presented in WS, then of course that should be preserved in home video also. I have noticed that sometimes people want certain dubbing (e.g. Godzilla-films, even when it´s not the original track) etc since that´s how they saw the film "back in the days". As a film buff, I have never (truly) understood that. I mean I have seen Aliens maybe 5 times in 4:3 (also cut) "back in the days" when I was young (even in 4:3, it blew me away) and I never want to see the film in that way anymore. OAR all the way.
But anyway, back to the subject.

I agree. The films in this series filmed for Widescreen should be presented that way. Hopefully Warners will not let us down the way Universal did with the Abbott and Costello's and their Sci-Fi set. Since Sony is doing their upcoming 50's Sci-Fi films in proper Widescreen ratio hopefully Warner will not drop the ball here especially since they are interested in fan feedback.

 

[Michael Elliott]

When was the last time Warner released something outside the proper AR??? I doubt we'd have anything to worry about here unless it was just impossible to do.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I agree. The films in this series filmed for Widescreen should be presented that way. Hopefully Warners will not let us down the way Universal did with the Abbott and Costello's and their Sci-Fi set. Since Sony is doing their upcoming 50's Sci-Fi films in proper Widescreen ratio hopefully Warner will not drop the ball here especially since they are interested in fan feedback.

I'll still take these relatively "minor" Bowery Boys films however I can get them, though 1.85 where applicable would be nice. It's not that I'm not an advocate for proper AR, but I just feel a lot is being asked for here. We'd be very fortunate to get all 48 films, period.

 

[booklover]

Also as someone else pointed out I think a bigger problem with mixed sets would be seeing a young slip and sach playing a ganster film, then seeing a much older slip and sach acting goofy and like little kids and then seeing a film and Slip is suddenly gone and replaced by Stanley Clemens and then going back to a young slip and sach in a ganster film. Thats a bit jarring and bound to happen in more than one set if they did them all in a best of release.

They could always include a small booklet, explaining the changes in cast members and such. Or even better-audio commentary by people familiar with the series-Brent Walker, David Hayes, etc.

 

[J Hall]

My first exposure to the Bowery Boys were at one of our local theatres in the early '60s. Each year, the theatre would have one of those corny monster stage shows at Halloween along with a double feature. One year, HOLD THAT HYPNOTIST was paired with HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and the next year it was SPOOK CHASERS with THE HYPNOTIC EYE. I loved both of the films...I thought Stanley Clements was great with Huntz Hall.

Around 1965, a local TV station began airing the BB series every Sunday evening. The first film scheduled was LOOSE IN LONDON and my first exposure to Leo Gorcey in the "leader" role. Even at my young age, I knew that Gorcey was superior in every way to Clements.

The following week, ANGELS IN DISGUISE was the second film to air. I could tell from the opening credits that this was something different as the film begins with Slip and Sach being beaten up in an alley as the police arrive to capture their attackers followed by Slip telling the story in flashback.

This continued for many years as the BB series continued airing on a weekly basis veering back and forth from the '40s crime stories to the '50s slapstick entries...and I have always enjoyed watching them in this fashion. I pulled out one of my old WGN tapes and watched the following 4 titles in this order...JUNGLE GENTS, TROUBLE MAKERS (one of my favorites), IN FAST COMPANY and DIG THAT URANIUM. I enjoy the variety and the different approaches and I still have a fond place in my heart for HOLD THAT HYPNOTIST as my first exposure to the Boys.

In my own rambling way, I do hope the films are released in some form sooner rather than later. I'm not getting any younger and would love to own all 48 films. Thanks to Warner Brothers for considering all of this...

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Some great stories here about how many of us first got acquainted
with The Bowery Boys. For me, it was local NYC channel
5 during the 70s that showed one of their films every Sunday at
12 noon (possibly following Wonderama).
Getting back to the present situation at hand, I sort of feel that
this thread isn't helping Warner Brothers one bit. The poll results
are so close that only (at this time) 5 votes separate going one
way or the other.
Be very interesting to see how the folks at the studio make a
decision based on the feedback here.

 

[Steve...O]

. For me, it was local NYC channel
5 during the 70s that showed one of their films every Sunday at
12 noon (possibly following Wonderama).
Getting back to the present situation at hand, I sort of feel that
this thread isn't helping Warner Brothers one bit. The poll results
are so close that only (at this time) 5 votes separate going one
way or the other.
Be very interesting to see how the folks at the studio make a
decision based on the feedback here.

In my opinion, the comments in this thread are more helpful than the raw vote. There are many comments in here that indicate that the membership would tolerate certain films being skipped to allow time for better prints to be found. Thus Warners could proceed with their chronological releases as originally planned with only certain titles being deferred. Less than 100 people have voted which makes the vote of not much value anyway.
My earliest memories of Leo/Huntz stem from Saturday mornings in the early 70s and cable TV. For years I thought it was the BB but later I realized it was the East Side Kids (Muggs vs. Slip). These films were a staple of TV then and proved so endearing that I enjoy them to this day. My love of classic B films were cemented in those years. Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Roy Rogers et al were all prominent as Saturday morning/afternoon fare at our house. A decade later the "classic" AMC stepped in and showed these films all over again.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Quote:

As Steve...O said -- I would suggest that Warner pay most attention to what has been written in the thread itself, and not just by looking at the poll numbers. Being a natural born paranoiac (well, to me this just means "acute awareness!") I wouldn't be surprised if some indifferent people are voting somewhere with no real stake in this, and may just want to have some fun or try to even the score! Or maybe not.... but either way, with all due respect to HTF, there are many more Bowery Boys fans out there who don't even know about this board!

 

[Randy Korstick]

Also as someone else pointed out I think a bigger problem with mixed sets would be seeing a young slip and sach playing a ganster film, then seeing a much older slip and sach acting goofy and like little kids and then seeing a film and Slip is suddenly gone and replaced by Stanley Clemens and then going back to a young slip and sach in a ganster film. Thats a bit jarring and bound to happen in more than one set if they did them all in a best of release.
They could always include a small booklet, explaining the changes in cast members and such. Or even better-audio commentary by people familiar with the series-Brent Walker, David Hayes, etc.

But why not just release them chronological and skip the problem films and avoid the hassle of a book that is the option people seem to want even though we can't vote for it.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

As I predicted, some people are obviously just trying to "even out" the voting results. It won't be long now before the vote is 50-50.

 

[Jay E]

I am not surprised that the poll results are so close as my vote was a tough one to make because neither option is what I want. I would like them to be released now in chronological order, skipping Mister Hex or any other titles that are still being searched for better elements.
The wording "best of" scares me and since I am not sure all the titles will eventually be released under such a banner, I voted for the second option.

 

[Randy Korstick]

or any other titles that are still being searched for better elements.
The wording "best of" scares me and since I am not sure all the titles will eventually be released under such a banner, I voted for the second option.

I did the same for exactly the same reasons.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

It's funny. I voted for the first option because I want them sooner rather than later, but isn't it interesting that ALL THREE of us in actuality want the same thing! -- "Chronological order but skip MR. HEX"...! I really think the poll as worded is confusing people. Warner can still start releasing them soon and chronolgically, except for the occasional buggy apple in the bunch which may be skipped.