WHV Press Release: Charlie Chan Collection (1 Viewer)

[TheSteig]

Yeah! I neglected to mention that that last batch were stored in an extravagantly substantial packaging. Much more than necessary for mere Monogram produced programmers to be sure. That probably accounts for most of the retail cost!

Pertaining to bluray? That is undoubtedly coming my friend.

Jeff T.

You think so ? The ones from TCM I dont know about because they seem to just do DVD sets of everything...maybe the Fox studio releases ?

 

[JeffT.]

Yes, you're right! I was thinking of the 20th Century-Fox films. Those are the "quality" entries. The Monogram Pictures series. Hmmmm! And I don't say that just because they are under the aspices of Warner Brothers. The bluray medium may be over qualified for these lower strata entries. But who knows?


Jeff T.

 

[dana martin]

Yeah! I neglected to mention that that last batch were stored in an extravagantly substantial packaging. Much more than necessary for mere Monogram produced programmers to be sure. That probably accounts for most of the retail cost!

Pertaining to bluray? That is undoubtedly coming my friend.

Jeff T.

This was such a vigorously enthusiastic discussion thread in anxious anticipation of the latest Charlie Chan DVD release.

I was (finally) able to get mine at a very ripe price substantially marked down from the initial exorbitant retail listed price when it was released in my country.

So now there are three Monogram Pictures titles still outstanding to complete the latter Monogram B-film series with Sidney Toler and Roland Winters that includes THE RED DRAGON (1945), THE FEATHERED SERPENT (1948) and THE SKY DRAGON (1949).

Now if only the "missing" 20th Century-Fox Warner Oland films could also be found (and in our lifetime): CHARLIE CHAN CARRIES ON (1931), CHARLIE CHAN'S CHANCE (1932), CHARLIE CHAN'S GREATEST CASE (1933) and CHARLIE CHAN'S COURAGE (1934). There has to be surviving prints somewhere.

This looks like a case for Charlie Chan!

Jeff T.

Bear in mind that this is all pretty much speculation at this point, but I understand that there are a few of us Charlie Chan fans that could possibly want more than those last three titles. In reference, blu ray, considering that Fox and MGM have the bulk of that, I can’t give an answer. But as for the titles that WB has control of, let’s just say that statement of “Pertaining to blu ray? That is undoubtedly coming my friend.” It may be a lot closer than we originally thought.

Currently on the WA streaming the first 4 titles that WB released in the CC Spotlight Collection are available in HD, and this very last set, with as good as the presentation looked ( its stellar for those who haven’t picked it up yet), I believe was downgraded for DVD.

As a lot of the latter Monogram titles are relatively short in running time average of around 67 min, it would be possible to place 3 or 4 films per disc. And WB could release a comprehensive collection of all of its titles at once as a 3 disc set. Dropping it to 2 films per disc makes it a six disc set, which I think would do well as a general release. If not I would expect to hear that WA may go this route. I would prefer that the disc would run in sequential order of the film’s release.

Just sounding off, what do you think….

 

[JeffT.]

(Mr.) Chan's the Man!

My own "thoughts" are that I am very pleased to see continued interest in the Charlie Chan DVD (and possibly bluray) releases.

The final three outstanding Monogram Pictures series will likely (or definitely) be made available in (at least) DVD albeit at the earliest a year from the current release. These are no ordinary releases as restoration work is being done on the films in question.

Beyond this it would be great if 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment made plans for an imminent bluray manufacture of its "classier" 1930s and early 1940s Charlie Chan film series...and it would be really fantastic to spectacularly launch this sensational bluray project with the debut release of the four aforementioned "missing" Warner Oland early 1930s Charlie Chan films fully restored and digitally remastered.

For goodness sakes surely the original 35mm print negatives were stored in more than just the (disastrous) New Jersey warehouse site! Get cracking and start finding these things.

Get Charlie Chan! Get Sherlock Holmes! Get Batman! Car 54, Where are You?! I don't care who! Find them!

Seriously though. It would be Chantastic if these films were recovered in our own present time.

And lastly a very Merry Christmas to my fellow "Charlie Chan" enthusiasts!

Jeff T.

 

[dana martin]

Happy New Year All,

how to say this with conviction, it's 2014, can we get the last 3 Charlie Chan's ....... in this coming year?

 

[KathyBeck]

Now it's 2015, can we get the last 3 Charlie Chans.....in this coming year?

 

[borisfw]

I'll take the last three also . Thank you .

 

[dana martin]

Now it's 2015, can we get the last 3 Charlie Chans.....in this coming year?

Amen! what's the hold up

 

[SAhmed]

Absolutely count me in too!


Regards,

 

[TheSteig]

Ill raise the bar - lets get the Warner Oland Chan films on blu ray !!

 

[SAhmed]

David,


Why not make the jump to 4K


Regards,

 

[TheSteig]

And 3D while we're at it



Thank you.......so much !

 

[KathyBeck]

Blu ray would be awesome.

 

[Camps]

Wassup with 1945's RED DRAGON??

 

[JoHud]

The only way these will get blu is if they re-release all the WB-owned Chans in one set.


I'm thinking these last 3 will be an Archive release. Possible at least one is still undergoing photochemical restoration.

 

[JeffT.]

I would like to see a general retail distribution release on "standard" DVD as the previous sets, but, with just 3 film left to go, is that practical?


I guess it will depend on just how well these Warner Brothers-owned Monogram Charlie Chan films have done so far.


On the topic of bluray most everything I buy now is on the bluray medium and I tend to avoid "standard" DVD as much as possible but there are (the occasional) exceptions like these Monogram Charlie Chans. In the case of THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN (1956) bluray edition which utilized an unrestored video transfer the more advanced medium really did nothing for it and they needn't have bothered.


When I saw this discussion thread active once again I thought there was some sort of announcement.


Jeff T.

 

[Matt Hough]

I have to say that a week or two ago due to this thread, I pulled off the shelf the Chan case that contained Charlie Chan in Rio and Dead Men Tell. I know these are Fox entries and not the later Monogram ones, but despite Fox's blurb at the start that the transfers came from the best available elements, the transfers were beautiful and upconverted so sharply that I could have been fooled into thinking they were high def.

 

[DeWilson]

Now it's 2015, can we get the last 3 Charlie Chans.....in this coming year?

What are the remaining three films - and which ones need restoration?

 

[JeffT.]

Why in Heaven's name are these things always left up to me to answer?


The three outstanding Monogram Charlie Chan films are THE RED DRAGON (1945) with Sidney Toler, THE FEATHERED SERPENT (1948) and THE SKY DRAGON (1949) the latter two with Roland Winters.


THE SKY DRAGON (1949) was the very last in the Monogram Charlie Chan film series.


I would say that they are all undergoing (or have undergone) full restoration same as the others released by Warner Brothers.

Jeff T.

 

[dana martin]

Just a complete observation, since the first set was issued by MGM, with the Chanathology set, which was followed by the wonderful sets from Fox, and continued with WB’s two sets; the fans of detective fiction have had a pretty great run, MPI have delivered both Rathbone and Brett’s Holmes with stunning presentations in my own opinion, Acorn has release all of David Suchet’s nuanced performances as Poirot, also in stunning HD presentation. Add that to the fact that WB/BBC are releasing Joan Hickson’s Miss Marple also in HD, is a dream come true fans, but also makes for an interesting question or is it a mystery, that the remaining Chan's have not been released yet? Even if that release was standard def