Warner Archive Announcements Thread (17 Viewers)

[Robert Crawford]

In terms of potential future Archive releases, the following titles will be added to HBO Max next month:

Bombshell (1933)
The Informer (1935)
Libeled Lady (1936)
Ball Of Fire (1941)
Mister Roberts (1955)
The Curse Of Frankenstein (1957)
Clean And Sober (1988)

Source:https://decider.com/2020/09/24/new-on-hbo-october-2020/

As far as which of these will be remastered and which will not remains to be seen (and after last month, there’s no telling if all the remastered titles will even be released through the Archive in November), though I think there’s a strong chance that one or both of the Harlow films listed above will be remastered since George Feltenstein has mentioned in a recent podcast that they’re working on some Harlow films.

Libeled Lady looked really good on HBO Max so this might be one title that is released by WA. Mister Roberts hasn't been added to HBO Max yet. I thought Bombshell looked like my iTunes HD digital which is mediocre at best. Also, Ball of Fire didn't look that great either. The same for The Informer at first glance.

Wings of Eagles is exactly the same as my iTunes HD digital.

 

[Alan Tully]

Ha, probably none of them. Out of that list I'd have Mister Roberts & The Curse Of Frankenstein, but I wouldn't blind buy Curse after Warner dropped the ball with Dracula, I'd want to read a review or two first.

 

[Matt Hough]

Libeled Lady looked really good on HBO Max so this might be one title that is released by WA. Mister Roberts hasn't been added to HBO Max yet. I thought Bombshell looked like my iTunes HD digital which is mediocre at best. Also, Ball of Fire didn't look that great either. The same for The Informer at first glance.

Wings of Eagles is exactly the same as my iTunes HD digital.

I am cheered by your description of Libeled Lady which I'd love to have a good copy of. And I remember the sterling job WA did with The Thin Man with similar very shoddy elements to work with. Some classic movies are worth the expense of a costly restoration. I wish all movies in dire shape could be rescued to pristine condition, but it's not realistic.

 

[RafaelPires]

According to the Information contained in the menu on my HBO Max, these are the new entries indicated as “Remastered Classics”:
- Libeled Lady
- the Curse of Frankestein
- Marie a true story.

 

[Bob Cashill]

I looked at some of Frankenstein today. It’s a big upgrade from the disappointingly pallid Lionsgate Blu of a few years back and seems more characteristic of the US DVD, with more richness but not a huge jump overall. I need to see more (aspect ratio is 1.66:1.). Other opinions welcome.

 

[RICK BOND]

I looked at some of Frankenstein today. It’s a big upgrade from the disappointingly pallid Lionsgate Blu of a few years back and seems more characteristic of the US DVD, with more richness but not a huge jump overall. I need to see more (aspect ratio is 1.66:1.). Other opinions welcome.

Bob, Thanks for the Info on Curse of Frankenstein ! So it is a Big Upgrade from that UK Lionsgate Blu I bought day 1 when it was released. Well I guess we will probably be getting a Bluray release from WBArchive in November or December ? The Dracula Blu was released in December 2018. I hope it's not Dark like Dracula. I got the German Dracula Blu from Amazon 2 months ago. Region Free and much Better picture. It has.. Horror of Dracula and Dracula with the extra restored scenes in it ! Horror of Dracula Trailer also !

 

[Bob Cashill]

The UK Curse is very pasty-looking. I need to see the rest of what’s on HBO Max but it’s not a letdown, if not a revelation, either.

 

[Ken_Martinez]

How does bombshell look?

 

[Robert Crawford]

How does bombshell look?

I thought it looked liked my iTunes HD digital. I don't see any improvements during my sampling of it. I'll take a deeper look this weekend and might actually watch the movie in its entirety.

 

[Alan Tully]

The UK Curse is very pasty-looking. I need to see the rest of what’s on HBO Max but it’s not a letdown, if not a revelation, either.

I don't think it's ever going to look great, or anything like great. I remember reading ages ago that the original negative was faded beyond use, & the UK release was a scan that Warner sent of an old dupe made from b/w separation dupes. I dunno, that could be a load of old cobblers, like a lot of stuff you read on the net. We can only hope that Warner gives us the best possible transfer when they get around to releasing it...& while we're talking Hammer, let's not forget She (1965), that should look okay.

 

[RICK BOND]

I don't think it's ever going to look great, or anything like great. I remember reading ages ago that the original negative was faded beyond use, & the UK release was a scan that Warner sent of an old dupe made from b/w separation dupes. I dunno, that could be a load of old cobblers, like a lot of stuff you read on the net. We can only hope that Warner gives us the best possible transfer when they get around to releasing it...& while we're talking Hammer, let's not forget She (1965), that should look okay.

I hope Curse & She both get a Bluray release soon. All we can do like always is ...WAIT.

 

[Dick]

The UK Curse is very pasty-looking. I need to see the rest of what’s on HBO Max but it’s not a letdown, if not a revelation, either.

It is also downright blurry to my eyes. Totally lacking detail.

 

[Bob Cashill]

This and HORROR OF DRACULA require major restorations that they're unlikely to get. Hammer horror can look great--see THE GORGON (Indicator)--but without the elements it's not happening. Relative to the UK Blu and the pinkish transfer I've seen on TCM this is as good as we'll likely see, if underwhelming.

 

[JamesSmith]

Hmm. For November, I'm going to guess the official release news of Superman: the Animated Series, Head of the Class season 3. . . . and that's about it. Do you guys remember the old days of WB Archives? When they had a sort of six month pattern they followed on television releases? Not everything at once, but things were paced out. I have no ideas on what blu ray films to guess at.

--james

 

[Garysb]

I am cheered by your description of Libeled Lady which I'd love to have a good copy of. And I remember the sterling job WA did with The Thin Man with similar very shoddy elements to work with. Some classic movies are worth the expense of a costly restoration. I wish all movies in dire shape could be rescued to pristine condition, but it's not realistic.

Did 'Libeled Lady" always start without MGM Lion ? That is how it runs on HBOMAX. I thought the film wasn't starting from the beginning.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Did 'Libeled Lady" always start without MGM Lion ? That is how it runs on HBOMAX. I though the film wasn't starting from the beginning.

The 2005 DVD starts with the MGM Lion which isn't as noted by you the way the HBO Max stream starts with.

 

[Robert Crawford]

In addition to LIBELED LADY, I'm excited about BOMBSHELL.

How does bombshell look?

Yesterday, I watched Bombshell in its entirety, but I'm afraid I have some bad news about it. You can read my thoughts here.

 

[John Morgan]

I think this may already be restored, as my TCM recording looks way better than my DVD.

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It sure does and looks Blu ray quality. It has a Columbia logo on it somewhere, so I assumed Columbia, which has most of the Capra films, added it to their library.

 

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7 Faces of Dr. Lao, that's always been a favorite of mine. Love to see that on Blu-ray, someday.

 

[Matt Hough]

7 Faces of Dr. Lao, that's always been a favorite of mine. Love to see that on Blu-ray, someday.

It needs a lot of work. I love the film and watch the DVD a couple of times a year, but a new cleaned-up transfer would be a necessity. Even TCM only shows an old standard definition transfer of the movie.