Most Improved: Universal and Paramount (1 Viewer)

[Matt Butler]

What Eric said.

Im sorry but having to reissue Monty Python correction discs....twice!; as well as having forced trailers does a good studio make.

I will add to my previous post that all of the studios have titles in dire need of anamorphic reissues.

Sting, Escape from Alcatraz, Ghost and Darkness, The Ref, Happy Gilmore, THE STING.. to name a few.

But I will say that I am looking forward to the Monster reissues and I do like the franchise collections. I have the Smokey & Banidt one and I am happy with it.

 

[Chad Ferguson]

Personally I see Paramount still as one of the weakest studios out there. I find their Speical Editions lacking and have yet to compare to the stuff Fox and tristar are doing. While I give them credit for their TV releases and some of their classics such as Once upon a time in the West. I still can't help but feel like they are over priced and lacking features. Just my 2 cents though.

 

[ian_g_f]

NBC "Chimes" were G-E-C and signified the 30 second station brake that occured 30 seconds before the half-hour.

"I dont know if they still play them as I have not watched TV in years"

I guess not as they were last played in the late 70's.

I seem to remember that the G-E-C was supposed to stand for General Electric Co. but have no idea if General Electric ever owned NBC.

 

[Shaughan]

Ian gets the Kudos!

And yes, GE Corporation still owns NBC as they have done since its inception

 

[Brandon Conway]

Paramount has always had one thing going for them: they have yet to release a non-OAR only title.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

"You may fast-forward to main menu"- Well ---- you too!!!

 

[Robert Crawford]

I really disagree with you! Nowadays, I usually don't have time for much supplemental material anyway, but Paramount gives me the best dvd presentation of their film catelogue titles for less than $10.00 a dvd which means I buy as many of them as possible, so I can watch my favorite films at a very affordable price.






Crawdaddy

 

[Will K]

With the exception of Jade, but I understand that was at William Friedkin's request.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Eric
Paul mentioned alot of what has rated Universal high with me.
Mostly alot of catalog titles:
1.)To Hell and Back Again
2.)Jimmy Stewart Westerns
3.)The Monsters Legacy Collection with the statues
4.)Franchise collections: Airport, Abbott and Costello, Francis, Ma and Pa Kettle, Road films Collection. All at great bargain prices with the same the same transfers given to single releases. There were a few problems with these disk with layer changes reported but as usual these were player related.
5.)Some more horror films coming later this year such as The Legacy and Sssss.
6.) Double Indemnity
7.) Film Noir Collection
Sure they may not be releasing enough special editions. But finally getting good transfers of many of their catalog titles which fans wold have bought as single releases in collections at great prices is reason to praise them.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

When I started collecting DVD's, I was probably most critical of Paramount. However, times have changed, and I feel they have immensely improved the most over the past few years. I haven't gotten around to watching it yet (yeah I know, I've had it for a while now), but I inserted my Once Upon A Time in the West disc and looked at certain scenes. Awesome DVD. Their release of the Jack Ryan collection was great too, and they look to be improving much much more. Their prices have gotten much better.

I find Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Fox, and the Criterion Collection to be at the top of the game. Great presentations of their films, and the extras are just icing on the cake.

The funny thing about Universal and MGM is the matter of relativity. They're bad in certain respects (Non-OAR The Sting), but they do some good as well. However, they simply pale in comparison to the other studios. Otherwise, I'm happy with all of the studios as this point.

 

[Magnus T]

One thing that Universal has going for them is that they release unrated DVD's, something most other studios don't do. The quality of the unrated dvd's are debateable though, I guess, and the reason for them being released.

 

[Robert Floto]

One of the things I find interesting in regards to The Sting is that this Academy Award Best Picture Winner HAS been released in its OAR...on VHS!!!

And to make the bare-bones, non-OAR DVD even more irritating, that VHS has supplemental material!!! It's a freakin' special edition!!!

Okay...I'm all right now...

 

[Matt Stieg]

Universal still blows. Their treatment of their monster movies from the '30's and '40's is shameful. Mnay of them are in need of restoration imo, and Universal just doesn't seem to care. They take the DVD's out of print for two years, and when they bring them back all we get is one film that didn't make it to DVD the first time around (House of Dracula). At this rate, it's going to be years (if ever) before we see Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Black Cat, Night Monster, and other gems.

On top of that, aside from a few mediocre Image DVD's in 1998, they've not released one of their Hammer films on DVD.

Absolutely pathetic.

 

[Mark Basile]

I know "Schindler's List" is a big title, and kudos to Universal for delivering two great editions of the film, but what are Universal's other BIG titles planned for this year?

The folks above are right about the re-releases though...Twins, Timecop, Happy Gilmore, Backdraft, and others that are in dire need of 16x9 transfers are no where to be seen. Not even a rumor whisper.

 

[Drew Reiber]

I feel Paramount's attention to DVD has improved with their special editions, but their standard releases have only become worse. They don't even include trailers anymore.

Universal's software standards are in the toilet, so I can't even buy their product before reading the post-release reviews I can find. Their special editions are ok, but their standard releases are also pathetic.

The lack of Collector Editions lately, especially through those crappy re-releases of their Image/John Carpenter discs have given me the sense that Universal just doesn't care.

 

[Dave H]

I have no beef with Paramount. Most transfers are very solid - they have very good quality control - and have been as good as anyone with OAR. I can't ask for much more. Extras aren't a big deal to me....though it appears they have gotten better.

 

[Shaughan]

Well on a more positive note, the FTC approved the merger of GE's NBC networks and Universal Studios yesterday. The games and music assets will NOT be part of the merger.

So it should be complete by next month sometime (takes a few weeks to get the suitcases of cash and cocaine plus the hoard of strippers from Hollywood to D.C.) and part of the expected changes are a re-vamp of the HV marketing.

So expect to see some changes from Uni HV in the very near future. Good or bad changes is anybody's guess.

 

[Robert Floto]

Just to harp on that whole The Sting thing again...

The Digital Bits is now saying that they are releasing The Sting II on August 3. I wonder what the aspect ratio of that disc will be...:rolleyes

 

[Andy Patrizio]

Paramount has had trouble with its string of bombs lately (The Core, Paycheck, Timeline, Tomb Raider), so they have other things to worry about. Their Trek 2 disc SEs have all been great, though.

Universal... what can I say about a studio that has no PR division for online and refuses to work with online publications? It's the only studio that I have no working relationship with at all, and not for a lack of trying.

Never mind their stream of barebones DVDs and forced viewing of trailers. Most inexplicable: a barebones "21 Grams" DVD but that hairball called "The Cat In The Hat" was loaded. Go figure.

 

[MikeHughes]

Well, I think Paramount has improved a lot in the recent years. If I remember the great Star Trek 2-Disc releases, Indiana Jones Trilogy(funny, no one mentioned it), Shogun TV-Mini-Series(I love them dearly for that. Hai, Toranaga-sama! ), Once upon a time in the west(what a good looking bugger that is *gape*), Zulu(well, at least they released a smmashing CE over here) and other classics like the original "The Italian Job".
The situation with Universal seems to be the same over here in Germany/Europe as it is in the states. There just doesn't seem to be any quality control whatsoever. There are some rare occasions where one can get a glimpse at what they are capable of if they put their mind(and qc of course ) to it. Schindler's List, E.T., Cape Fear(Remake), Trainspotting DE(UK), Citizen Kane SE(UK), several Hitchcok discs. But then again there is this sheer endless line of unsurpassed crappiness. But maybe, there is hope.