More Little Rascals on the way? Is there a need? (1 Viewer)

Was kind of surprised by this announcement from our friends at TVSHOWSONDVD.


There is already a complete collection available from Genius.


The Warner Archive completes that talkie collection with later years "Our Gang" releases.


The silents were supposed to come out two years ago but never happened.


There are tons of Little Rascals budget editions already available for

those that only want to collect a few titles here and there.


So, any reason to get excited about these new releases?

Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein already available for

those that only want to collect a few titles here and there.


So, any reason to get excited about these new releases?

Click to expand...

Hard to say.


However, these are going to be released by RHI entertainment, the official rights holders to a majority of Hal Roach material and, considering that the source material for the Genius collection were of rather old prints and were not completely uncut, these discs could be an improvement. I am hopeful we will see a better image quality on these releases.

I was excited at first seeing new releases and hoping that they had corrected the edited shorts, but seeing that these two collections are only 20 shorts, my fascination quickly died. If and when they release a "COMPLETELY UNCUT" set of Roach shorts, I'll double dip, but not before.

I bought the Genius set. Sadly, it remains unopened.


You need to realize that I had the Cabin Fever set prior to

this so I was in no hurry to rewatch The Little Rascals any

time soon.


Was the Genius set really that bad? I remember reading

some negative feedback -- but for the most part, did they

do a decent job with that release?

I was of the understanding that this is just the Genius release broken up into one disc volumes. Vivendi acquired Genius in September 2009. RHI and Genius had an on going agreement that Vivendi assumed.

There is nothing new here, just a re-packaging.


However, there were about six or seven shorts that were lacking in either being complete or poor transfer that could use some upgrading, but overall IMO I liked the set and have enjoyed it. I am still waiting on someone to complete the shorts collection with the silents. WAC gave us all the MGM shorts last year and I just watched some of them the other day.

I hope these are an improvement. RHI had released the whole series in 5 great laserdisc sets. They were complete and great prints and had the original titles. I wish I had not sold them now. I refuse to buy the Genius set because some are not complete and many have the Blackhawk films old VHS openings instead of the original openings and titles. If the new release is all uncut and includes all the original openings an titles then I will buy it if its the same as the Genius release then I will pass.

Perhaps the delay might mean a new transfer?

For anyone who doesn't know yet, Richard Bann posted on Facebook that these single disc Little Rascals releases would in fact be corrected and have the Blackhawk prints replaced with the restored 35mm originals. Just released this week, I have the first 4 discs now and I can confirm at least on disc 1 that this is indeed the case! Previously Blackhawk titles like Boxing Gloves, Bouncing Babies and Moan & Groan are all replaced with restored prints with original MGM titles and openings and the films themselves look much better. These DVD's are a good buy for the price. I haven't gone through the other discs yet but I expect to find the same situation. They have released discs through volume 7, which represents all the sound shorts, now corrected, from the original 8-disc Genius box set and includes some of the extra features from the original set.


What seems not to have occurred, and possibly inexpicably they are still completely unaware of the defects, is any restoration of the minor edits in Bear Shooters and (I'm guessing) Washee Ironee. However, if you've been holding out because of flaws in the 2008 Genius boxset, these 7 discs are the ones to get for not a bad price.

That's great news but at the same time extremely irritating. I paid good money for the first set and the only way for me to get a correct set is to double dip? BOOOOOOO!!!

Thanks for the info Brad. This is great news. I'm glad I stuck to my guns and refused to purchase the previous set with incorrect prints and some bad transfers. I will be purchasing these now.

The problem I had with some shorts on the Genius set wasn't necessarily the us eof Blackhawk prints in some instances... it was the authoring or "smudging" in some of them.. And sometimes the sound was not synched properly (I recall this with A LAD AN A LAMP).

I can confirm that Volume 5 has restored titles and prints for "Anniversary Trouble" and "Little Papa." The heavy contrast and vertical lines from the rough prints used for the boxed set are all gone - the other shorts on this disc are exactly the same as they were on the boxed set.

Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein

I bought the Genius set. Sadly, it remains unopened.


You need to realize that I had the Cabin Fever set prior to

this so I was in no hurry to rewatch The Little Rascals any

time soon.


Was the Genius set really that bad? I remember reading

some negative feedback -- but for the most part, did they

do a decent job with that release?

Click to expand...

As to Ron's question. I have the 1999 Cabin Fever release and the 2008 Genius release. Does these new releases coming out this month address those issues associated with those two prior boxsets?








Crawdaddy

Would someone please check to see if the audio is in synch on A TOUGH WINTER and A LAD N A LAMP? This was a problem in the Genius Box Set Release.

I compared A LAD AN HIS LAMP and the audio sync appears to be fixed to me. I could see how it was noticeably off on the 2008 Genius set.

"Washee Ironee" is still missing a few shots. It's strange because that part of the short doesn't really make any sense without the 25 seconds or so that is missing. It is on Volume 3 of the Cabin Fever release of long ago intact. It doesn't appear that any of these shorts have received new 35mm transfers in probably 20 years since the Laserdisc sets. Every edition has been interlaced, and, while they look fine, they are all rather old transfers. NOT THAT I'M COMPLAiNING!!!! I enjoy the hell out of these shorts, and I just wish there was one perfect set of them. These individual seven volumes have corrected the print and title problems, but it appears a few shorts are still a bit edited. :-(


Here is the missing footage - I just finished uploading this comparison:

Originally Posted by Chuck Pennington

"Washee Ironee" is still missing a few shots. It's strange because that part of the short doesn't really make any sense without the 25 seconds or so that is missing. It is on Volume 3 of the Cabin Fever release of long ago intact. It doesn't appear that any of these shorts have received new 35mm transfers in probably 20 years since the Laserdisc sets. Every edition has been interlaced, and, while they look fine, they are all rather old transfers. NOT THAT I'M COMPLAiNING!!!! I enjoy the hell out of these shorts, and I just wish there was one perfect set of them. These individual seven volumes have corrected the print and title problems, but it appears a few shorts are still a bit edited. :-(


Here is the missing footage - I just finished uploading this comparison:

Click to expand...

But when was the original editing done to remove the scene?

Originally Posted by DeWilson




But when was the original editing done to remove the scene?

Click to expand...

I think it is more an error than editing.

I have a question for the people who have seen both these new releases and the Genius set. How do the actual discs compare? Do they have the same menus, commentaries, extras, disc art? Have all the Blackhawk prints been replaced by the original versions (or close to the original versions - Washee Ironee, Bear Shooters)


David

Originally Posted by David Weicker

I have a question for the people who have seen both these new releases and the Genius set. How do the actual discs compare? Do they have the same menus, commentaries, extras, disc art? Have all the Blackhawk prints been replaced by the original versions (or close to the original versions - Washee Ironee, Bear Shooters)


David

Click to expand...

I just have volumes 4 and 5 (with the other 5 volumes on their way), but I can report the menus and layout are EXACTLY the same, save for maybe a "Volume 4" credit or something. The Blackhawk prints have been replaced with clean ones with original titles, at least on these 2 discs. All of the other shorts are just as they were on the Genius set. I'm quite pleased, though the edit in "Washee Ironee" is hard to understand. The very slight omission of dialogue in "Bear Shooters" makes it look like just another jump cut, as was par for the course in Hal Roach films.