Dear Warner Bros. Re: CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957) (1 Viewer)

[Dick]

I am hoping that criticism of your Blu-ray of HORROR OF DRACULA isn't discouraging you from tackling CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. This was the inaugural color (aka colour ) horror film, and introduced the Cushing/Lee pairing that lasted through many years and films. But it hasn't been presented well (ever) on home video. The promising UK release had nice color and tons of cool supplements, but was insufferably soft -- to my eyes nearly unwatchable on a large screen -- and I just can't imagine it has to be like this. DRACULA was taken from a restored source, and perhaps no such source exists (yet) for CURSE. But this is a major classic and begs...demands, really...a full restoration from somebody. If Lionsgate in the UK or you guys in the U.S. could collaborate on such a project (which I really hope is already in progress), perhaps we will finally get a decent Blu-ray of one of the few early Hammer classics that have yet to be released in HD in this country.

 

[aPhil]

Well, if Warner is listening (yes, I'm sure), then not only do we (me and at least someone else) want a major fix for "The Curse of Frankenstein",
some of us (me me and me) want Warner to do a new scan of "Horror of Dracula" because some of us cannot pretend that what you (Warner) recently released is acceptable for such a classic film.

After all the waiting for a Warner Blu-ray of Horror of Dracula, all we got is a properly colored version of what is technically an ancient and so-so transfer with the most awful contrast I can imagine --
No, it ain't good enough.

 

[Alan Tully]

As I understand it, Warner supplied the UK with a scan of an old dupe made from b/w separation masters, as the Eastman negatives have long since faded beyond use ( I could be wrong, it's been a few years since I read that). After the Horror Of Dracula release, I'm not really expecting too much, if anything, from Warner.

 

[skylark68]

I really hope we see this eventually. I just started getting into early Hammer films and really want to add this one to my collection.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I have a feeling we may get this one in September or October next year either from WAC or licensed to Shout.

 

[Bob Cashill]

FYI..."Roving researcher Gary Teetzel saw that ‘HBO Max’ is showing the Hammer- Terence Fisher The Curse of Frankenstein, took a look, and found that the eyeball close-up, missing on the Warner DVD, is has been restored. ( ↓ ) We do note that a ‘newly remastered’ movie that was on HBO Max last month (Sunrise at Campobello) is suddenly on the WAC release schedule. Does that maybe mean that… ? I haven’t heard about work being done on the Cushing/Lee classic, but it’s well known that we at CineSavant are quick to leapfrog to conclusions, especially optimistic ones. I’m not pretending I don’t know something either: if I had secret info I wouldn’t risk the connection by speculating like this." (CineSavant)

 

[RICK BOND]

FYI..."Roving researcher Gary Teetzel saw that ‘HBO Max’ is showing the Hammer- Terence Fisher The Curse of Frankenstein, took a look, and found that the eyeball close-up, missing on the Warner DVD, is has been restored. ( ↓ ) We do note that a ‘newly remastered’ movie that was on HBO Max last month (Sunrise at Campobello) is suddenly on the WAC release schedule. Does that maybe mean that… ? I haven’t heard about work being done on the Cushing/Lee classic, but it’s well known that we at CineSavant are quick to leapfrog to conclusions, especially optimistic ones. I’m not pretending I don’t know something either: if I had secret info I wouldn’t risk the connection by speculating like this." (CineSavant)

Hopefully the Long Wait will finally be over ! A November or December Archive release ? December 2018 they released Dracula. I will Never forget that month because I bought 3 WBArchive titles ! Dracula, The Sea Hawk, and Popeye Vol.1 That will Never happen again.