Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection Volume 2 (4k UHD) (1 Viewer)

[Gerani53]

Speaking of the inimitable Claude Rains, just watched THE INVISIBLE MAN 4K again last night. In my opinion, not only is this the best transfer of Set 1, it's one of the best 4K UHD black and whites, period. Instead of the extreme, piercing lights and darks of so many b/w 4Ks, there is legitimate gray-silver in the visual palette, which gives your besieged eyes a break. Here's hoping Set 2 provides the same perfect balance for the three b/w offerings. The fourth, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, mastered way back in the '80s, but off a gorgeous Technicolor IB nitrate print, should look splendid with the 4K push.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

They wouldn't have made a 4K transfer in the 80s for Phantom, considering such a thing didn't exist.

 

[dana martin]

We can only dream.

I can imagine the cover art might even look something like this:

View attachment 149408

I got three different Blu-ray releases of the 1925 film. One from Image, BFI and Kino.

it's odd that with all of this going on I wonder if the Silent Restoration program is still going on at Universal, and the thing is those restorations done in 2k or 4K by or in conjunction with Universal, ended up getting released by two Boutique Labels. Kino and Flicker Alley.

Hunchback 1923 Kino
Phantom 1925 Kino

Cat and the Canary 1927 still waiting to see if this has been restored and hopefully a release

Man Who Laughs 1928 Flicker
The Last Warning 1929 Flicker

right there is a bang up 5 film; if the files were 4k, great release, that will never happen. Oh but one can dream!

 

[battlebeast]

You guys are naming the top tier stuff- I'd vastly prefer The Mummy sequels to The Phantom Of The Opera.

They have to leave SOMETHING for vol. 3!

 

[aptiana]

I'll wait and see if Zavvi do the individual titles like last year and get those rather than the set

 

[Garysb]

FYI Volumes 1 and 2 of the 4K sets are the same 8 films contain in the initial blu ray release
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection [Blu-ray]. Could mean the next release may be individual character boxsets for Dracula, Frankenstein etc if they follow the same release pattern in 4K as they did in blu ray, only with 2 volumes per character to keep the cost down.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Not buying this as all my digital copies will convert to 4K plus the visual upgrade is minimal compared to DVD to Blu. Pass.

 

[Kilgore]

I have the 30 film Blu-ray Universal Monster Collection and that will do me fine. That, and I don't have a 4k display/receiver etc. But even if I did, I don't know if I would upgrade.

 

[RICK BOND]

I found "The Man Who Watched Trains Go By" to be an excellent film.

Yes, it is an Excellent film. Claude Rains is Great in that movie. One of my favorites. The ClassicFlix Bluray looks Excellent also. An underrated Gem with the beautiful Marta Toren who sadly only lived to the age of 30.

 

[Gerani53]

They wouldn't have made a 4K transfer in the 80s for Phantom, considering such a thing didn't exist.

I figured they'd simply convert the master they made back in the '80s to the 4K UHD format. After all, that same transfer has been used over the decades for VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, and most recently Blu-ray.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

The old master for tape and laser would have been a standard definition analog transfer at 480i. The master for the Blu-ray would have been a 1080p high definition digital film transfer (possibly also the DVD). For the 4K they would be scanning the film elements at 4K.

 

[Kent K H]

The old master for tape and laser would have been a standard definition analog transfer at 480i. The master for the Blu-ray would have been a 1080p high definition digital film transfer (possibly also the DVD). For the 4K they would be scanning the film elements at 4K.

Definitely not the same scans/restorations as the old tapes/laserdisc, etc. They have extra features showing how they cleaned up the picture and sound when they went back and shored them up for hi-def. The sound work was as, if not more, impressive than the work they did on the visual side.

 

[mskaye]

Definitely not the same scans/restorations as the old tapes/laserdisc, etc. They have extra features showing how they cleaned up the picture and sound when they went back and shored them up for hi-def. The sound work was as, if not more, impressive than the work they did on the visual side.

Anyone know what the best surviving film element remanis for BRIDE ? It looked beautiful on the last blu-ray. My guess as to how close to the OCN is a nitrate fine grain. Do the OCNs exist for any of the classic Uni horror films ?

 

[Gerani53]

There have been spectacular, almost miraculous advances in film restorations over the years, no question. I'm just curious if the source material underneath all of the 4K technical upgrading will be the same print of PHANTOM '43 that we've been seeing since the age of video began. I hope it is, because that version was Technicolor IB nitrate. What we really want, of course, is the kind of super-modern restoration only Warner Bros. seems to be doing... Technicolor recombines, where the original three Technicolor negatives are merged to replicate the original dimensional experience. Anyone who has bought and viewed PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX, IVANHOE, or THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN knows exactly what I'm talking about. Lord only knows if Universal still has the three original negs for PHANTOM... but if they do, this would be the perfect opportunity to bring them together for a state-of-the-art presentation.

 

[brynmill]

I am assuming that all the legacy set film titles were done in 4K at the time.

My only gripe with these 4k sets is the unnecessary inclusion of regular Bluray discs which to me are pointless. Same as bluray releases which include a DVD of the same title. Pointless and waste of time/resources/money.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I am assuming that all the legacy set film titles were done in 4K at the time.

My only gripe with these 4k sets is the unnecessary inclusion of regular Bluray discs which to me are pointless. Same as bluray releases which include a DVD of the same title. Pointless and waste of time/resources/money.

However, I haven't seen much reduction of pricing when they do omit the Blu-ray.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, it is an Excellent film. Claude Rains is Great in that movie. One of my favorites. The ClassicFlix Bluray looks Excellent also. An underrated Gem with the beautiful Marta Toren who sadly only lived to the age of 30. View attachment 149537 View attachment 149538

A fine European film noir.

 

[jayembee]

My only gripe with these 4k sets is the unnecessary inclusion of regular Bluray discs which to me are pointless. Same as bluray releases which include a DVD of the same title. Pointless and waste of time/resources/money.

With many labels, the reasoning is generally sound: most don't put the extras on the UHD, so you need the BD for them.

But Universal is one of the few (two? the only other one I can think of offhand is Lionsgate) who actually do put the extras on the UHD, so why they include the BDs is mystifying.

 

[B-ROLL]

With many labels, the reasoning is generally sound: most don't put the extras on the UHD, so you need the BD for them.

But Universal is one of the few (two? the only other one I can think of offhand is Lionsgate) who actually do put the extras on the UHD, so why they include the BDs is mystifying.

Some companies are putting commentaries on the 4K. The Star Trek The Motion Picture Directors Cut Special Edition 4K disc includes three. Other special features are on blu-rays for deluxe sets.

 

[aPhil]

With many labels, the reasoning is generally sound: most don't put the extras on the UHD, so you need the BD for them.

But Universal is one of the few (two? the only other one I can think of offhand is Lionsgate) who actually do put the extras on the UHD, so why they include the BDs is mystifying.

Agreed.

If I had a 4K player and a 4K television, why would I want an old "untweaked" Blu-ray included?

I have 2 players that are 4K, but my HDTV will die before I replace it --

The only Universal 4K disc that I have purchased is Psycho, and the reason for that one is Universal put the latest tweaks and restoration (plus, yes, those very extra few seconds) on the Blu-ray disc as well as the 4K — And that Blu-ray looks the best I have ever seen Psycho — It looks great!!!

I don't care to purchase discs with only the 4K disc getting the tweaks (however slight) and improvements (however little) with an old Blu-ray disc thrown in (no matter how good it is).

Yes, Universal restored these films in 4K, but they seem to have tweaked them even more before bringing them to the 4K format —
And those improved tweaks are what I want on a Blu-ray.