Pre-Order Shout Factory Press Release: The Oh, God! Collection (1977-1984) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

"THINK GOD!"
Academy Award® winner* and comic legend George Burns stars as the good Lord in this heavenly trilogy of divine comedy! God comes to Earth in Oh, God! to spread the Good Word, but has a hard time convincing his chosen messenger, mild-mannered Jerry Landers (John Denver), who He really is. Jerry must in turn prove it to his disbelieving family as well as the rest of the world! God returns to Earth in Oh, God! Book II, this time spreading His Word through an enchanting little girl named Tracy Richards (Louanne), who comes up with a slogan to assure all that He still cares. In Oh, God! You Devil, George Burns takes on the dual roles of God and the Devil himself. Struggling musician Bobby Shelton (Ted Wass) unknowingly sells his soul for a life-changing transformation into a superstar rock idol. But when Bobby prays for his old life back, the fight for his soul will be settled in a high-stakes showdown between the Almighty Father and the Prince of Darkness in what has been called "the single best sequence of dual-image photography ever put on the screen" (USA Today).
*1975: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, The Sunshine Boys

Bonus Features​

DISC ONE: OH, GOD! (1977)

• Audio Commentary By Director Carl Reiner, Screenwriter Larry Gelbart, Actress Teri Garr, And Producer Jerry Weintraub
• NEW Audio Commentary By Film Critic And Theologian Dr. Donna Bowman
• John Denver Guest Hosts The Johnny Carson Show Featuring Interviews With Carl Reiner, George Burns, And Teri Garr
• Theatrical Trailer

DISC TWO: OH, GOD! BOOK II (1980)

• NEW Audio Commentary By Film Critic And Theologian Dr. Donna Bowman
• NEW Interview With Assistant Director Tom Lofaro
• Theatrical Trailer

DISC THREE: OH, GOD! YOU DEVIL (1984)

• NEW Audio Commentary By Film Critic And Theologian Dr. Donna Bowman
• NEW Interview With Actor Ted Wass
• The Jack Benny Program Episode Dated October 7, 1956 Guest Starring George Burns As The Devil
• Theatrical Trailer
  
  August 24, 2021

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[Ronald Epstein]

This was a bit of a shock to the system when I saw this.

It has been requested for Blu-ray release on this forum for many, many years now.

I had thought it would ultimately end up as an Archive Collection release.

I didn't even realize Warner was outsourcing to Shout Factory, but then again, I probably missed some titles that have.

In any event, this is very welcomed though I would rather have seen just a single release of OH, GOD! (which may be in the pipeline)

 

[Robert Crawford]

When I ran across the Amazon link this morning I was a little surprise by it.

 

[Mark-P]

Makes me wonder if now that they've gotten rid of most of their Warner Archive staff, if they are changing the rules, as in licensing out sub-standard transfers to Blu-ray?

 

[Dave Lawrence]

This is a wonderful surprise! I’d wondered if we’d ever get these films - even the first one - on Blu. Since I want all of the films, I’m relieved that Shout is releasing the entire collection at once and in a single package.

 

[ahollis]

Makes me wonder if now that they've gotten rid of most of their Warner Archive staff, if they are changing the rules, as in licensing out sub-standard transfers to Blu-ray?

What makes you think it’s substandard? Shout released two of the Val Lawton films and a couple of others and they were very good transfers.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Warner has been licensing to Shout/Scream for 2 years now but mostly Horror titles.

 

[Astairefan]

What makes you think it’s substandard? Shout released two of the Val Lawton films and a couple of others and they were very good transfers.

The fact that these three films are in a collection is reason enough to wonder. The Val Lewton titles were restored, yes, but they were released individually. With regard to box sets, Kino's Insider has said (and, while they meant it about their own releases, I get the impression it may apply to other labels as well), that they are not willing to put movies in box sets that they have put money into restoring (like, for example, the three Bob Hope films released at the beginning of March, which at one point were mentioned by the Insider as a *possible* box set, that obviously didn't come to be). The Val Lewton titles didn't do well for Shout, partly because of the cost of restoring them (whether they did the work themselves or shared the cost with Warner, I don't know), and, whether anybody wants to admit it or not, just the fact that they were restored meant they were likely NEVER going to be released as a boxset. Now, that doesn't mean that this WILL be the case for the Oh, God! series, as they may either be popular enough or cheap enough to remaster/restore to release in a boxset. But, again, it is enough to make you wonder.

 

[David Weicker]

I didn't see anything substandard about the Pink Panther collection - which is a similar release.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Specs added to original post now a press release

 

[Stephen_J_H]

What makes you think it’s substandard? Shout released two of the Val Lawton films and a couple of others and they were very good transfers.

The fact that these three films are in a collection is reason enough to wonder. The Val Lewton titles were restored, yes, but they were released individually. With regard to box sets, Kino's Insider has said (and, while they meant it about their own releases, I get the impression it may apply to other labels as well), that they are not willing to put movies in box sets that they have put money into restoring (like, for example, the three Bob Hope films released at the beginning of March, which at one point were mentioned by the Insider as a *possible* box set, that obviously didn't come to be). The Val Lewton titles didn't do well for Shout, partly because of the cost of restoring them (whether they did the work themselves or shared the cost with Warner, I don't know), and, whether anybody wants to admit it or not, just the fact that they were restored meant they were likely NEVER going to be released as a boxset. Now, that doesn't mean that this WILL be the case for the Oh, God! series, as they may either be popular enough or cheap enough to remaster/restore to release in a boxset. But, again, it is enough to make you wonder.

I doubt that these will be "substandard"; they simply fall into the category of another WB title released in the Shout Select series: Wildcats. Films that were hits in their day, but have somewhat faded into obscurity. There are no indications that the Oh, God! collection is in desperate need of restoration or otherwise fits into the Warner Archive model.

 

[Lord Dalek]

On the Critters box, Warner did new scans for the first two films but Shout had to use 15 year old transfers for 3 and 4. So it isn't guaranteed these are all new scans.

 

[Blimpoy06]

I'm happy the old extras from DVD are being porter over. Plus there are new commentaries! Shout knows how to please collectors of physical media.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

On the Critters box, Warner did new scans for the first two films but Shout had to use 15 year old transfers for 3 and 4. So it isn't guaranteed these are all new scans.

Not a truly direct comparison, as the Critters films were New Line titles, whereas the OG titles [forgive the abbreviation] have been in-house WB titles from the beginning. None of us knows where the film elements for those low-budget Critters titles are, never mind their current condition.

 

[darkrock17]

Would have been a nice addition to included at least an episode of The Burns & Allen Show as well. See where it all began with George's career.

 

[Malcolm R]

None of us knows where the film elements for those low-budget Critters titles are

Critters 3 is probably in Leonardo DiCaprio's basement, never to see the light of day.

 

[David Weicker]

Would have been a nice addition to included at least an episode of The Burns & Allen Show as well. See where it all began with George's career.

While I agree that it would be nice to include an episode of the show, his career (in fact, both of their careers) started waaaaaaaaay before that.

 

[ahollis]

The fact that these three films are in a collection is reason enough to wonder. The Val Lewton titles were restored, yes, but they were released individually. With regard to box sets, Kino's Insider has said (and, while they meant it about their own releases, I get the impression it may apply to other labels as well), that they are not willing to put movies in box sets that they have put money into restoring (like, for example, the three Bob Hope films released at the beginning of March, which at one point were mentioned by the Insider as a *possible* box set, that obviously didn't come to be). The Val Lewton titles didn't do well for Shout, partly because of the cost of restoring them (whether they did the work themselves or shared the cost with Warner, I don't know), and, whether anybody wants to admit it or not, just the fact that they were restored meant they were likely NEVER going to be released as a boxset. Now, that doesn't mean that this WILL be the case for the Oh, God! series, as they may either be popular enough or cheap enough to remaster/restore to release in a boxset. But, again, it is enough to make you wonder.

Shout has released several box sets that were good. Think, Friday 13th Collection as an example. I believe that Warners has turned over excellent transfers of any titles they have licensed out to others. But we will see.

 

[darkrock17]

While I agree that it would be nice to include an episode of the show, his career (in fact, both of their careers) started waaaaaaaaay before that.

I know that they both got their big break in show business with vaudeville, but for most of us though we know George and Gracie from their TV series.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I know that they both got their big break in show business with vaudeville, but for most of us though we know George and Gracie from their TV series.

The TV show was a continuation of their long running Radio show and they were in quite a few movies during that time.
The TV show started in the 50's. The radio show in the 30's. They were making movies in the 30's and 40's. Vaudeville was the 1920's.
So you are right that many people today know them from the TV show but they had a long career before that.