Charlie Chan Collection #2 on the way (1 Viewer)

[Steve...O]

Chan Vol 2 is supposed to be released next Tuesday (12/5). I haven't seen a single online review which leads me to believe Fox hasn't sent out screeners for this title. My e-tailer of choice also tells me that they haven't received their shipment in either (they usually come in by Wednesday of the prior week).

I wonder if the confusion on the release date (Fox originally showed a Friday 12/15 date which some e-tailers are still using) has caused their warehouse to delay shipping these out?

 

[Charles H]

DVD has it coming out on 12/12 and it has been consistent in this date. It does not have any listing yet for WILL ROGERS: VOLUME 2.

 

[John Stell]

Mine shipped yesterday from DVD Planet.

 

[Steve...O]

My set arrived today. From a cursory glance, it looks very good.

I would appreciate the membership who have this reporting if their copy of "Racetrack" has the paper insert with the poster one side and the chapter listing on the other. Mine didn't and I know someone else who didn't get it either. The other 3 films all have the paper poster inserts.

Steve

 

[Mike*HTF]

Hi Steve,
Got my set today - my copy of Racetrack is missing an insert - it's the only one, too.

 

[bob kaplan]

i received my Vol. 2 collection and have watched OPERA...mmmuch nicer transfer than the LaserDisc. Does anyone know if ( guess you might call me greedy) there might be a volume 3? i would love to have CHARLIE CHAN AT THE WAX MUSEUM with a nice, clean transfer.

 

[Steve...O]

Just for kicks I did an A/B comparison of the commercially released Key Video of OPERA to this DVD and to say it is night and day is to understate the improvement in this title. The prior transfer was overly dark and murky, but the DVD has much better contrast and a more detailed image. Gone are most of the speckles and frame jumps that marred the prior version.

In truth all 4 of the movies in this collection have been substantially improved. For years I watched these on AMC complete with torn frames, bouncing images, etc. but didn't mind because the films were so enjoyable. Now I can appreciate the visual aspects of these films as well. RACE TRACK in particular looks amzaingly sharp, but they're all very good.

Fox also served up another set of wonderful documentaries that those interested in cinema history will find worthwhile:

The bio on Keye Luke does a great job of covering his entire career and includes a touching interview with his niece.

Genre fans have long recognized the name of Bruce Humberstone as a capable director. But he was also quite the character in real life. His daughter recants some incredible tales of his exploits including a story concerning John Barrymore that one won't soon forget.

Layne Tom appeared in 3 films as a Chan son. As he tells his life story you will both laugh and be sad. He appears to have had a very successful life after leaving the movie industry, but he's a natural storyteller and a very entertaining fellow to listen to.

Finally film historians Rush Glick and Scott McIsaacs provide some interesting insight into this era of Chan films and the making of them.

As for Vol 3? I think we can be quite optimistic that these will continue. Vol 1 reportedly was a sales success for Fox, which is why the relative lack of fanfare around Vol 2 is a bit puzzling. Fox is also releasing the entire 8 film Moto series and apparently plans on releasing the entire 7 film Lloyd Nolan/Michael Shayne series as well.

All in all, I think that while Vol 1 was highly enjoyable, this is even better. Thank you Fox!

Steve

PS - If I can make one plea to Fox for future volumes: I love the individual cover art, but could you please switch to slim cases? These are taking a lot of shelf space. A mail in poster offer would be nice too

 

[bob kaplan]

i totally agree with the slim case idea. i really enjoy releases such as these, but between Fox and Warner....my shelf space is dwindling!!

 

[Steve...O]

Costco has Vol 2 selling for just $30.99. Chan Vol 1 and Moto Vol 1 are also part of this promotion (same sale price). I haven't seen this show up at Sams Club though.

The documentary CC at the Movies has a segment about the Nazi symbolism that was removed from CC at the Olympics (which was set at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin) by Fox after the film's release. However if one looks closely there is still one shot of a swastika visible on the tail of the dirigible as well as several visions of the Heil Hitler gesture. Incredibly fascinating stuff. I guess this DVD serves not only as entertainment, but a history lesson as well.

Steve

 

[Gary OS]

I'm loving my set! Great stuff. BTW, I didn't have an insert for "Racetrack" either.

Gary "hope we get at least two volumes per year" O.

 

[Steve...O]

There are four more volumes needed to finish off the series. With Moto out of the way as of next February Fox should release one per quarter which means that the series should finish either in Q4 '07 or Q1 '08.

From what I hear, the Chan boxes are only classic boxes that did well for Fox this year. They would be wise to keep these coming. It would be nice though if they dropped the price on subsequent boxes like they did the Mike Shayne set (from $59.99 to $29.99)

Steve

 

[David_Blackwell]

I watched a couple of the Chans so far (Charlie Chan At The Olympics still has some print damage in parts). Still the chan sets are fantastic work from Fox.

 

[Tim Tucker]

I think these are all the remaining Fox titles:

Warner Oland
Charlie Chan's Secret (1936)
Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937)
Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo (1937)

Sidney Toler
Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938)
Charlie Chan in Reno (1939)
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939)
Charlie Chan in City in Darkness (1939)
Charlie Chan in Panama (1940)
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (1940)
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940)
Murder Over New York (1940)
Dead Men Tell (1941)
Charlie Chan in Rio (1941)
Castle in the Desert (1942)

These can easily fit in four more volumes, though a couple will have to contain 5 films. I'm interested in seeing how Fox addresses the changeover in lead actor.

BTW, does anyone know how Warner got the rights to The Black Camel?

And FYI, my Volume 2 had inserts for all four DVDs.

 

[BernieV]

I hope I'm not offending anyone, but I have to say I have little love for the Sidney Toler Chans. I think I'll stop after the Warner Oland collections.

 

[Steve...O]

Hi Bernie,

No offense taken, but I will say this Oland fan does think some of the Tolers are among the best in the series (Treasure Island, Wax Museum, Reno, Dead Men Tell) and most of them were never released on VHS.

Supposedly the reason Treasure Island (perhaps the consensus pick for the best in the series) was never released on VHS was because Fox didn't want to pay a rival studio $500 or some such number to clear the rights to the song San Francisco which is played briefly at the beginning.

Steve

 

[John Morgan]

I would have to add CHARLIE CHAN IN PANAMA and CASTLE IN THE DESERT as two more Toler favorites.

 

[David_Blackwell]

My review of volume 2:
http://enterline2.tripod.com/charliechan_vol2.html

Happy Holidays.

 

[Steve Phillips]

I want the sets to keep coming, but I hope they reduce the size of the packaging. I'd prefer thin cases, but even if they'd switch to two double keep cases the sets would take up half the space.

The SRP needs to come down also.

 

[Steve...O]

Has anyone heard any rumblings about Vol 3? Fox has released a Chan or Moto set about one every 3 months. Moto 2 comes out a week from Tuesday so does that mean Chan 3 is slated for May?


Agreed. I wasn't sure there'd even be a Vol 2 when I saw the $60 MSRP price tag on Vol 1. These boxes cry out for slim cases especially since the films aren't being sold individually.

Steve

 

[Mike*HTF]

I get the sinking suspicion every time I pick up one of these sets that eventually they're going to come out with an "Ultimate Charlie Chan Collection" or a "Complete Mr. Moto Edition" all in thinpacks for about 3/4 of the original price. And if they do, of course, I'll double dip (swearing under my breath).