Universal Cult Horrors Collection 10/15/2009 (1 Viewer)

[John Morgan]

I would think that to make the street date, these discs and boxes must have been printed and pressed sometime ago, so I don't think cancelling these films is even remotely possible....even with negative message board comments.

 

[gunthertoody]

Where did it go? The link is dead.

Originally Posted by Paul Penna

From the TCM site:

turnerclassic.moviesunlimited.com/product.asp


Universal Cult Horrors CollectionNow Accepting Advance Orders!
Five-disc set includes "Murders in the Zoo," "The Mad Doctor of Market Street," "The Strange Case of Doctor Rx," "The Mad Ghoul," and "House of Horrors."
Available: 10/15/2009

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

I am not sure about the Pressed vs DVD-R? I thought TCM was starting up doing what Warner Archives is doing hence the prices? But I see even now the individual titles have been removed from Movies Unlimited. So what is the status... has anyone contacted TCM, MU, or Universal?

Eric

Originally Posted by Livius

From a CHB member:

 

[Tim Tucker]

Originally Posted by ahollis ">[/url]

I still have the Island of Lost Souls LD and it was and is still one bad transfer. I would guess that a lot of work is needed on the print. I also would surmise that the original negative does not exist.
[/QUOTE][QUOTE]Originally Posted by [b]Larry Sutliff[/b] [url=/forum/thread/293322/universal-cult-horrors-collection-10-15-2009#post_3610490]

 

[Jack Theakston]

The real story is that Paramount didn't do this, MCA did when they bought the Paramount package. They made one-light fine grains of everything and junked the camera negs. Paramount had prints still of all of their films into the '60s and donated them to UCLA. The nitrate on ISLAND OF LOST SOULS is what the MCA video transfer from 20 years ago was made from. That print is unusable now.

 

[Tim Tucker]

So are there any usable film elements left for Island of Lost Souls?

 

[Jack Theakston]

Probably not. Even the UCLA/Paramount print was not suitable enough to yield a very clean transfer. It's not a lost film, but it falls into that "half-lost" category.

 

[Tim Tucker]

It's disheartening to think that, barring the discovery of better elements, what we got back in the '80s may be it for this film.

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

TBH, the brief clip of Island of Lost Souls I saw on Universal Horrors (the documentary) looked ok to me, especially since it will probably end up part of a box set anyway. And besides, if Universal was that bothered about quality, why the pan and scan Deadly Mantis?

 

[Jack Theakston]

It's disheartening to think that, barring the discovery of better elements, what we got back in the '80s may be it for this film.

Even sadder is I think that the original master may have gone up in last year's fire.

 

[Ruz-El]

If this is available to me in Canada, I'll spend the extra money to get it. I would much prefer a proper release instead of an exclusive though.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Russell G

If this is available to me in Canada, I'll spend the extra money to get it. I would much prefer a proper release instead of an exclusive though.

Available in Canada? Heck we are not even sure this will is going to be available in the US.

 

[Nebiroth]

All save one have been pulled from the TCM site now.

I rather suspect that someone there screwed up, and that no hint of these was supposed to appear until very shortly, or even on, the day of release. And that Universal are very unhappy that someone let the cat out of the bag.

 

[Matt Stieg]

The real story is that Paramount didn't do this, MCA did when they bought the Paramount package. They made one-light fine grains of everything and junked the camera negs. Paramount had prints still of all of their films into the '60s and donated them to UCLA. The nitrate on ISLAND OF LOST SOULS is what the MCA video transfer from 20 years ago was made from. That print is unusable now.

Is it possible to utilize the old VHS/laserdisc transfer? While it wouldn't yield the most satisfactory results, it would be better than nothing. I think Universal originally used their old video transfers for the old '01 double feature DVDs and, while they didn't look that great, they didn't look that bad either. They could also, perhaps, include a little featurette explaining the state of the elements for Island of Lost Souls. (Of course, even if they did this, there would STILL be people bitching and complaining on the message boards. Given that the market for old movies is so small in general, and that there is so much bitching about studio decisions on message boards, I sometimes worry one of these days the studios are just gonna throw their hands up in frustration and forget about old movies altogether, outside of mainstays like GWTW).

 

[bgart13]

Originally Posted by James 'Tiger' Lee

TBH, the brief clip of Island of Lost Souls I saw on Universal Horrors (the documentary) looked ok to me, especially since it will probably end up part of a box set anyway. And besides, if Universal was that bothered about quality, why the pan and scan Deadly Mantis?

P&S Deadly Mantis? Wasn't it just open-matte?

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

Originally Posted by bgart13




P&S Deadly Mantis? Wasn't it just open-matte?

No, its very badly zoomed in. See here - http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/277904/req-bride-of-the-monster-legends-screencaps-required/30#post_3455514

 

[Dick]

Do all of the arguments regarding lost elements and whatnot for ISLAND OF LOST SOULS also apply to THE UNINVITED, the other of the most of-requested classic Universal horrors?


If those two could be released, plus CAT AND THE CANARY (1939, Bob Hope) and FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO, I would personally consider my Universal classics collection complete.

So close, yet so far away....

 

[Jack Theakston]

Fortunately, I think THE UNINVITED was spared this problem. Universal has a new repertory print on it that looks very good.

CAT AND THE CANARY has rights issues aside from the film itself that have to be sorted out before it hits DVD (in other words, don't hold your breath).

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Jack Theakston

Fortunately, I think THE UNINVITED was spared this problem. Universal has a new repertory print on it that looks very good.

CAT AND THE CANARY has rights issues aside from the film itself that have to be sorted out before it hits DVD (in other words, don't hold your breath).

I agree with you on THE UNINVITED elements. I heard the same feedback you did concerning a recent showing of a newly struck print and it was said to be exceptional. Also it is one of the better lasserdiscs that I have from that era.

I do wish they could straighten out the CAT AND THE CANARY issues, but not sure what the motivation would be now.

 

[Richard M S]

What a way to run a business! So are these DVDs being released or not?