General Discussion Digital Movie/TV Deals (2 Viewers)

[Osato]

I bought some titles and may go back for more…

The 39 steps $5
Strangers on a train $5
The man who knew to much 1934 - $5
Stalag 17 - $5
Sullivan’s Travels - $5

I still have another 5-10 titles that I’d like to pick up as well.

 

[Robert Crawford]

There are still three Sherlock Holmes movies priced at $12.99 each:

1. Terror By Night
2. Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
3. Dressed to Kill

Edit: All fourteen of the Rathbone movies are on Vudu. There are only 13 of the 14 Rathbone movies are on iTunes or Vudu. By the way, the pricing on Vudu is $12.99 each which is the same for the above three movies on iTunes.

Robert Gitt, who did the restoration of these movies from 1993 until 2003, noted on the MPI BD set that "Pursuit to Algiers" was the worst of the fourteen movies because of the lack of OCN and other film elements. Much was taken from sources created in the 1950's & 1960's. I wouldn't think that would be the reason why it's not available for streaming???

The interesting thing to me is that the studio/copyright holder was listed as Paramount Pictures (CBS Legacy). I was under the impression that the first two were under Fox’s control and the remainder with Universal. Typo or ownership change?

All of the 10 Holmes films on sale for $4.99 on iTunes has the Paramount/Viacom logo after the end credits. MPI which released the 2011 Blu-ray collection must have lost the home video rights to Paramount/Viacom, at least as it pertains to streaming rights.

I can't find Pursuit to Algiers. It's the only Rathbone Holmes they don't have.

It's not on iTunes for some strange reason, but it's on Vudu.

 

[borisfw]

Good to hear that Pursuit to Algiers is on Vudu. That would make it seem likely that it should show up on itunes eventually.

 

[Tino]

Are the Rathbone/Holmes films good? I’m embarrassed to say I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of them.

 

[dpippel]

I've always loved them, and think that Rathbone is superb as Holmes. If you can get past the bumbling nincompoop portrayal that Nigel Bruce gives as Dr. Watson, they're very enjoyable.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Are the Rathbone/Holmes films good? I’m embarrassed to say I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of them.

I think they are wonderful, with two caveats to be aware of:

-The first two films, “Hound of the Baskervilles” and the “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” were made by Fox as “A” pictures and set more or less in the original time period as per the novels. They’re more high budget affairs.

-The remaining films were made by Universal during and after WW2, and moved the stories into contemporary settings, with some of the films even involving Holmes aiding Britain and America in the fight against Nazis. These were made as “B” pictures with lower budgets and shorter running times. I find them to be a lot of fun but they’re not meant to be up to the standards of the first two, which to me actually makes them more fun and more rewatchable, like episodes of a comfort food TV show.

 

[TravisR]

Are the Rathbone/Holmes films good? I’m embarrassed to say I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of them.

These were made as “B” pictures with lower budgets and shorter running times.

Those are the ones that I like best because they're basically like the Universal B-horror movies of the war era.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Are the Rathbone/Holmes films good? I’m embarrassed to say I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of them.

I've always loved them, and think that Rathbone is superb as Holmes. If you can get past the bumbling nincompoop portrayal that Nigel Bruce gives as Dr. Watson, they're very enjoyable.

I'm not sure many people that never has watched any of these movies until recently would like these movies. I think most of such people would be fine with Rathbone, but Bruce would annoy them to no end.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think they are wonderful, with two caveats to be aware of:

-The first two films, “Hound of the Baskervilles” and the “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” were made by Fox as “A” pictures and set more or less in the original time period as per the novels. They’re more high budget affairs.

-The remaining films were made by Universal during and after WW2, and moved the stories into contemporary settings, with some of the films even involving Holmes aiding Britain and America in the fight against Nazis. These were made as “B” pictures with lower budgets and shorter running times. I find them to be a lot of fun but they’re not meant to be up to the standards of the first two, which to me actually makes them more fun and more rewatchable, like episodes of a comfort food TV show.

Excellent points! Some of those later films are strictly propaganda WWII movies.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Those are the ones that I like best because they're basically like the Universal B-horror movies of the war era.

I love them all! I watched "Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman" yesterday and will be watching "Scarlet Claw" tonight. I spent the last couple of days comparing the 2011 MPI BD set against the 2012 Region "B" BD set as I was checking the end credits for all the films as I sampled the same for the ten movies on sale at iTunes. One way or another I plan on having the remaining four movies in my digital library, but not until they're priced at $4.99 each.

All of them are not Movies Anywhere titles so apparently the streaming rights are with Paramount.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Good to hear that Pursuit to Algiers is on Vudu. That would make it seem likely that it should show up on itunes eventually.

All fourteen of the Rathbone movies are on Vudu. Only thirteen are on iTunes. By the way, the pricing on Vudu is $12.99 each which is the same for the above three movies on iTunes.

Tonight, I double checked Vudu and "Pursuit to Algiers" isn't on Vudu either. They had two different listings for "Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon" with one of them being in SD only. So there are only 13 of the 14 movies on Vudu or iTunes.

 

[borisfw]

I wonder if there is some kind of rights thing with Pursuit? I hope not. I do have the blu ray set , but being able to stream them all is also nice. I love these films and have for many years. I am in the minority as i find Bruce's Watson enjoyable. A bit of a flake but not annoying. At least to me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I wonder if there is some kind of rights thing with Pursuit? I hope not. I do have the blu ray set , but being able to stream them all is also nice. I love these films and have for many years. I am in the minority as i find Bruce's Watson enjoyable. A bit of a flake but not annoying. At least to me.

Perhaps, I just don't know what the issue is. As you can tell I love these films which is why I have two different Blu-ray sets. I want them all in my digital library too. I'm not sure you're in the minority regarding Bruce's Watson. I think most fans of these movies find him enjoyable too which is the case for me too.

 

[Matt Hough]

In the middle of the series we get three near classics: The Scarlet Claw, The House of Fear, and The Pearl of Death. These are the ones I return to most frequently. I also like Terror by Night because I like mysteries set on trains.

 

[Robert Crawford]

In the middle of the series we get three near classics: The Scarlet Claw, The House of Fear, and The Pearl of Death. These are the ones I return to most frequently. I also like Terror by Night because I like mysteries set on trains.

I watched "The Scarlet Claw" on Saturday and plan on watching those other two films again on Sunday.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Same transfer from the BD?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Same transfer from the BD?

Yup!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Okay @Josh Steinberg and @Robert Crawford , you two convinced me to make some blind purchases on these Sherlock Holmes films. I picked up Hounds of Baskerville, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Scarlet Claw, The House of Fear, and The Pearl of Death. Is there any particular order these should be watched in?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Okay @Josh Steinberg and @Robert Crawford , you two convinced me to make some blind purchases on these Sherlock Holmes films. I picked up Hounds of Baskerville, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Scarlet Claw, The House of Fear, and The Pearl of Death. Is there any particular order these should be watched in?

I would watch in the following order:

1. The Hound of the Baskervilles
2. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
3. The Scarlet Claw
4. The Pearl of Death
5. The House of Fear

 

[JPCinema]

Good to hear that Pursuit to Algiers is on Vudu. That would make it seem likely that it should show up on itunes eventually.

I cannot find Pursuit to Algiers on VUDU