Universal preparing THE MARX BROTHERS and MOVIE MONSTERS 2 COLLECTIONS and MORE for HD! (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Mason]

Lots of great news there, but the Marx Brothers and My Man Godfrey restorations have me incredibly excited. Finally! Hope some amazing Blu-ray releases will follow sooner rather than later.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Also - re: My Man Godfrey and Shanghai Express. I wonder if these would be handed over to Criterion for the potential BD releases since they did so on DVD?

 

[Brandon Conway]

Just to be clear - a 4K restoration doesn't necessarily mean a blu-ray release is coming. That isn't mentioned in the Q2 report.

True. But the cost of putting them out on BD after the restoration/remastering costs have already been spent is minimal. At that point it's a way to recoup the investment to some degree.

 

[Squire]

Great news for Marx Brothers fans! The Universal films are better (IMO) than those schmaltzy MGM ones!

 

[moovtune]

Keith,


Something tells me that was information not meant to go out wide.


Generally speaking, all studios keep release information tightly to their chest.

Which is why I'm a bit nervous about your thread title indicating everything is coming to Blu-ray and that's not my intention of posting the info. Only that things are being worked in the restoration area.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Excellent news on the Marx Brothers - I love both the Paramount (Universal owned) and MGM ones, but hopefully one studio releasing one set will encourage the other to do the same. Either way, for too long "Love Happy" has been their only movie on Blu so at least that status quo can change soon.

 

[Rob Willey]

Also - re: My Man Godfrey and Shanghai Express. I wonder if these would be handed over to Criterion for the potential BD releases since they did so on DVD?

Total speculation on my part, but I would guess no. Criterion released the Spartacus DVD, but Universal just announced it is releasing the 4K restoration Blu-ray.

 

[Alan Tully]

Ron, just to be clear - a 4K restoration doesn't necessarily mean a blu-ray release is coming. That isn't mentioned in the Q2 report.

Yeah, I was thinking that, but it's a strong(ish) possibility of some great releases next year, that'll do. I wonder what the story with One-Eyed Jacks is? Probably some interesting stuff going on behind the scenes.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Total speculation on my part, but I would guess no. Criterion released the Spartacus DVD, but Universal just announced it is releasing the 4K restoration Blu-ray.

Spartacus is a far easier film for Universal to market themselves, though.

 

[Squire]

Excellent news on the Marx Brothers - I love both the Paramount (Universal owned) and MGM ones, but hopefully one studio releasing one set will encourage the other to do the same. Either way, for too long "Love Happy" has been their only movie on Blu so at least that status quo can change soon.

Paramount, yes. We were talking about Universal releasing them and I forgot for a second that their early films were actually through Paramount. Thanks!

 

[JoeDoakes]

FINALLY! Marx Brothers! I hope Horsefeathers isn't the edited version Uni has been putting out for the past couple of decades.

I don't think they released edited versions by choice. If they found missing footage from some of those Marx Brothers films it would be major news so I wouldn't get your hopes up on that.

 

[Mr. Handley]

Looking forward to the Marx Brothers and the classic horror titles.

 

[Reed Grele]

We have been BEGGING Universal for a Marx Brothers Blu-ray collection for years.


I knew the elements were in bad shape. Looks like Universal took their time with this and we may see an exceptional release of their very best films.

As Groucho says in Animal Crackers:


"Well, art is art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west, and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce, they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now, uh... Now you tell me what you know."


What I know is that all of the re-mastered Marx Bothers and Universal monster films on BD will be pre-ordered as soon as there's a link here.

 

[bigshot]

I don't think they released edited versions by choice. If they found missing footage from some of those Marx Brothers films it would be major news so I wouldn't get your hopes up on that.

The footage was edited by Universal for television release. If they go back to Paramount's elements, hopefully it will be there.

 

[LouA]

I read last year the Universal was working on their 1950's Sci-Fi films for a Blu-ray box set release. Anyone know if that will happen? Meanwhile I'm in for the monster films .

 

[Nick Eden]

What connection does Universal have with Paramount's ONE-EYED JACKS?

My thoughts as well. Public domain maybe, but the official owner is still Paramount?

 

[Everett S.]

My thoughts as well. Public domain maybe, but the official owner is still Paramount?

I thought Universal purchased all of the pre 1956 films from Paramount @ the start of the VCR era, accept the Cecil B DeMille films?.

 

[rdf8585]

I'd be VERY interested in restored versions of those Marx Bros films, but only if they are properly packaged. That means no cardboard sleeves.... has to be regular plastic cases.


PS: Universal really should release the 1933 film MYRT & MARGE, if only on MOD. Three Stooges fans would eat that title up as it's about as good as it gets during the Healy era.

 

[Mike2287]

Literally some of the best home video news in weeks! Can't wait to see how these all develop.

 

[Worth]

Ron, just to be clear - a 4K restoration doesn't necessarily mean a blu-ray release is coming. That isn't mentioned in the Q2 report.

Right. I'd agree that it makes a blu-ray release more likely, but that doesn't make it inevitable, let alone imminent.