Blondie: The Popular, But Still Unreleased 1938-1950 Columbia Comedy Feature Series! (1 Viewer)

[JoeDoakes]

Yes, I too would like to see these released.

 

[Bob Gu]

I have the 2003 DVD edition from Platinum (which I guess became Echo Bridge), the box carries a Hearst Entertainment copyright. Hearst owns King Features. So technically it is not a public domain release. I was always puzzled that they did not release all 28 movies, then, or now.Bridgestone Multimedia/Virgil Films released all 28 on VHS in the '90s. I assume they also used the TV syndication openings, and were also a legit release approved by Hearst. I remember seeing them in the Critic's Choice and Movies Unlimited catalogs. Some of them are still available at Amazon.

And while were at it, what is the status of the TV Blondie incarnations? Arthur Lake and Pamela Britton in the '50s and Will Hutchins and Patricia Harty, with Jim Backus as Mr. Dithers, in the '60s. There were some animated versions also, were there not?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

They're definitely not public domain.

 

[Will Krupp]

This set:

http://www.amazon.com/Blondie-Vols-1-Penny-Singleton/dp/B0001JXP2A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416859886&sr=8-1&keywords=blondie+dvd

is the one I have and they're very very watchable. They are the TV prints we grew up with (with the new credits and the extra footage in the beginning to pad them to 75 minutes) but they are in great shape from what I remember and, if memory serves, the picture quality was more than adequate for bargain DVD's.

 

[DeWilson]

... Will Hutchins and Patricia Harty, with Jim Backus as Mr. Dithers, in the '60s....

Supposedly those have been lost/destroyed. Bruce Lee appears in one episode and they have been searching for a print of his episode for decades! It's his only U.S. TV appearance that hasn't surfaced.

 

[Tony Bensley]

This set:

http://www.amazon.com/Blondie-Vols-1-Penny-Singleton/dp/B0001JXP2A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416859886&sr=8-1&keywords=blondie+dvd

is the one I have and they're very very watchable. They are the TV prints we grew up with (with the new credits and the extra footage in the beginning to pad
them to 75 minutes) but they are in great shape from what I remember and, if memory serves, the picture quality was more than adequate for bargain DVD's.

Hi Will!

While it's nice to know that this set is legitimate (That wasn't my original assumption regarding this set!), I can't help but think that the BLONDIE series deserves a lot better than cut off endings, and the inevitable artifacting that has to occur with well over 5 hours of content on each single DVD, even assuming that these discs are dual layered! Three features totaling less than 4 hours ought to be the absolute maximum for each disc!

CHEERS!

Tony

 

[Professor Echo]

This set:

http://www.amazon.com/Blondie-Vols-1-Penny-Singleton/dp/B0001JXP2A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416859886&sr=8-1&keywords=blondie+dvd

51q+XnMIcLL.jpg

is the one I have and they're very very watchable. They are the TV prints we grew up with (with the new credits and the extra footage in the beginning to pad them to 75 minutes) but they are in great shape from what I remember and, if memory serves, the picture quality was more than adequate for bargain DVD's.

Thanks for answering my question, Will! I'm going to pick it up just to sample these again after so many years. It's worth the minimum investment until something better comes along.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Thanks for answering my question, Will! I'm going to pick it up just to sample these again after so many years. It's worth the minimum investment until something better comes along.

Hi Glen!

We can only hope that something better DOES come along!

CHEERS!

Tony

 

[Will Krupp]

Thanks for answering my question, Will! I'm going to pick it up just to sample these again after so many years. It's worth the minimum investment until something better comes along.

For that price you CAN'T say no!!!

plus, they seem to be much easier to come by then they were when I picked them up about 8 years ago (I THINK Platinum owned the set then) I seem to remember having to go through hoops to find them!

 

[Will Krupp]

Okay I popped this set in tonight to re-check the quality. There are A LOT more compression artifacts than I remember from cramming so much on each disc and the transfers are on the soft side but the prints themselves are clean and of decent to good quality. They are, of course, interlaced 60fps transfers but I wouldn't have expected anything else seeing as I'm sure these are old TV masters. Still very watchable (especially for the price) and such great movies that this will suffice until something better comes along.

 

[ahollis]

This set:

http://www.amazon.com/Blondie-Vols-1-Penny-Singleton/dp/B0001JXP2A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416859886&sr=8-1&keywords=blondie+dvd

51q+XnMIcLL.jpg

is the one I have and they're very very watchable. They are the TV prints we grew up with (with the new credits and the extra footage in the beginning to pad them to 75 minutes) but they are in great shape from what I remember and, if memory serves, the picture quality was more than adequate for bargain DVD's.

Got this one too. I always wished they had released the other titles.

 

[Will Krupp]

Me too, Allen, though my favorites are all in this set. I would have liked to complete the run of the "first" series (1938-1943) as I don't much enjoy the "second" series (1945-1950)

Going from memory, I THINK the only titles missing from the first series are the last four:
BLONDIE'S BLESSED EVENT (1942)
BLONDIE FOR VICTORY (1942)
IT'S A GREAT LIFE (1943)
FOOTLIGHT GLAMOUR (1943)

oh well, maybe some day!

 

[Oliver Ravencrest]

I'd buy these movies. I remember watching these on Sunday afternoons as a kid and enjoying them. I don't think I saw all of them and can't remember which ones I did see.

 

[borisfw]

Hi Boris!

So, if I've counted these correctly, you have 27 out of the 28 BLONDIE Films?

CHEERS!

Tony

Hi Tony

I did have all 28 films . But I recorded them off AMC back in the VHS days . When I dubbed them over to dvd-r one tape was not playing well so I never dubbed it over . I still have the tape somewhere , I might try to get it to play again.


On the Blondie films shown on AMC , after the Columbia logo at the end of the credits a Hearst logo pops up at the end .

 

[Tony Bensley]

Since it appears that King Features Syndicate does (Assuming that hasn't changed since the mid 1990's!) have the necessary film elements for the entire BLONDIE series, perhaps they could partner up with Warner, as they did for the Popeye cartoons?

I should think that a Warner Archive release could be doable! All 28 Features could be issued in 3 separate volumes of 8 to 10 Titles each on 3 or 4 dual layered DVD's for each volume. For the inevitable set that contains fewer Titles, Trailers for some or all of the Films, and a few select BLONDIE Radio Programs could also make for nice Bonus Features!

CHEERS!

 

[mark brown]

Is this the set that came in a lunch pail several years back? I recall they weren't that bad and watchable.

 

[Tony Bensley]

And it even includes a knockoff Public Domain DVD of Shirley Temple's THE LITTLE PRINCESS! Good Grief!!

Did I say that the BLONDIE series deserves MUCH better?!!? I mean, the Lunch Box looks nice and everything, but in my opinion, it's what's inside that counts!

CHEERS!

P.S. Regarding Shirley's THE LITTLE PRINCESS, this is what I recommend for a more ideal viewing experience:
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Princess-Shirley-Temple/dp/B000LC4ZEO/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1416951793&sr=1-1&keywords=the+little+princess+shirley+temple&pebp=1416951808499

 

[BobO'Link]

This set:

http://www.amazon.com/Blondie-Vols-1-Penny-Singleton/dp/B0001JXP2A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416859886&sr=8-1&keywords=blondie+dvd

is the one I have and they're very very watchable. They are the TV prints we grew up with (with the new credits and the extra footage in the beginning to pad them to 75 minutes) but they are in great shape from what I remember and, if memory serves, the picture quality was more than adequate for bargain DVD's.

That's the same set I own and agree about the quality. While I'd love to have them in original form this will do for now. BUT should the series get a *proper* release I'd jump in line to get a copy!

 

[Rodney]

Has Sony/Columbia ever came out with a statement regarding this series? It makes no sense to me for them to not at least consider restoring/remastering this set and putting it out.

I would think that the success of the Bowery Boys would show them the viability of this.


-Rodney

 

[ahollis]

Has Sony/Columbia ever came out with a statement regarding this series? It makes no sense to me for them to not at least consider restoring/remastering this set and putting it out.
I would think that the success of the Bowery Boys would show them the viability of this.

-Rodney

Sony/Columbia do not control these titles anymore. They belong to King Features/Hearst Publishing.