Max Fleischer Superman cartoons on Blu-ray October 9th !

[HDMe]

Originally Posted by Alhlan Ain Ajeeba

While those looked good and Warner restored them, they were NOT H-D.

I know that... and it was actually my point. We don't know if this release is going to be HD either. We've already seen upscaled SD released on Blu-ray... so I wouldn't hold my breath until we learn something definitive on this.

[Pirate King]

Hmmm...... I will wait for reviews. It is really much to early to make a decision. But if they look good, then yes, I am interested.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Originally Posted by bigshot

If it isn't the Warner restorations offnthe original film elements, I don't want it. I've seen enough faded prints and cut copies of Terror on the Midway to last a lifetime.

Warner goofed up a lot of the audio on their DVD set and also on some occasions had the incorrect opening on some shorts, I believe, so "Warner or nothing" really doesn't make sense. I'll go with whoever does the best job.

I'll wait till I see/hear about the video quality and also whether any content (audio, frames) are missing before I get excited for this Blu-ray set.

As of now, I have two DVDs for the Superman shorts:



The Warner one has better PQ, but the Bosko one is more complete with the original openings and the closings are complete without dialog and music being abruptly cut off.

Can someone please just give these shorts the quality control they deserve?

[Jim Purcell]

Originally Posted by zbinks

I'm pretty sure the Fleischer cartoons are public domain. There were multiple releases of these cartoons by multiple companies on DVD.

While it makes sense that anyone can publish the content because they are in the public domain, Warner must be involved some how, because they own the TRADEMARKS on the name Superman, the 'S' Shield, and Clark Kent/Superman's likeness. You can't just plaster the Superman Logo and Big S on the cover of your Blu-ray release without paying Warner for the right to do so.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by Jim Purcell

While it makes sense that anyone can publish the content because they are in the public domain, Warner must be involved some how, because they own the TRADEMARKS on the name Superman, the 'S' Shield, and Clark Kent/Superman's likeness. You can't just plaster the Superman Logo and Big S on the cover of your Blu-ray release without paying Warner for the right to do so.

Companies are allowed to take still images or art from the public domain property to advertise on the outside of the case. Vivendi can use the version of the Fleischer Superman on the cover, they could not use any other Superman image. Warner would have no input on Vivendi's release.

[bigshot]

Terror on the Midway is cut on every release except Warners'. Look at the scene in the beginning wherenthey pan across the circus posters to the shadow of the monkey. I'd rather have that fxed than a title card.

[HDMe]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Companies are allowed to take still images or art from the public domain property to advertise on the outside of the case. Vivendi can use the version of the Fleischer Superman on the cover, they could not use any other Superman image. Warner would have no input on Vivendi's release.

Exactly... you nailed the workaround.

What you can't do is make your own cover and use any old "S" shield and image of Superman... because any other version would require you to license it... but IF you take a likeness and use the shield as featured in the public domain films, then you're home free.

The key is that the entire contents of the films are in the public domain... so any part of them used to advertise themselves is fair game too.

Similarly... you couldn't take the public domain Fleischer versions of the art and use it to sell some other copyrighted Superman thing... that would be a no-no as well.

[Adam4Rizzel]

I'd really like to see a Blu-Ray.com review of this! Please don't forget about it!

[Hartley]

Someone already put these out on the shelves at Sunrise Records the other day, but I decided against grabbing it because like most of you here, I'd rather wait for a review first. Reaaaaally hoping this release does justice to these shorts, they're a huge influence that helped push me into pursuing a career in animation!

[solarrdadd]

i'll be picking this up for sure! the old stuff like these are the best.

[Clark Kent]

Here's the pre-listing info, direct from Amazon and usually supplied by the distributor.


Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound created by the "Feel the Sound" process
Production credits
"Feel the Sound" demo and set-up
Restoration demo
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume One
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume Two
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume Three

Amazon also claims this is a 2-disc set, though I am surprised a budget operation wouldn't try to cram the entire Fleischer cartoons on one BD. Distributor is listed as ABC Family - Gaiam, I think Vivendi has moved away from their original name.

[Alhlan Ain Ajeeba]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Here's the pre-listing info, direct from Amazon and usually supplied by the distributor.


Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound created by the "Feel the Sound" process
Production credits
"Feel the Sound" demo and set-up
Restoration demo
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume One
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume Two
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume Three

Amazon also claims this is a 2-disc set, though I am surprised a budget operation wouldn't try to cram the entire Fleischer cartoons on one BD. Distributor is listed as ABC Family - Gaiam, I think Vivendi has moved away from their original name.

Also, the only reason this is being put on 2 discs is to gouge the price. These shorts all together would be less than 3 hours. They would fit on one blu ray with room to spare. Hope they wont screw these up, but then again its from Gaiam who brought the benji films to blu ray that look like dvds.

[HDMe]

Originally Posted by Alhlan Ain Ajeeba

Also, the only reason this is being put on 2 discs is to gouge the price. These shorts all together would be less than 3 hours. They would fit on one blu ray with room to spare. Hope they wont screw these up, but then again its from Gaiam who brought the benji films to blu ray that look like dvds.

That actually makes no sense... IF they wanted to gouge the price, they would put everything on one disc and still charge the same!

It costs them more to use 2 discs... so if gouging were the game, they would use a single disc.

[Alhlan Ain Ajeeba]

Back cover from dvd empire.

[Kryptonic]

Provided the transfers are excellent, I will bite when it reaches a reasonable price down around $15.

[PuppyJonathan]

Originally Posted by Alhlan Ain Ajeeba

Back cover from dvd empire.

Region 1???

[Batmon77]

im getting this. i dont own any of the old Superman stuff.

[The Valeyard]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Here's the pre-listing info, direct from Amazon and usually supplied by the distributor.


Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound created by the "Feel the Sound" process
Production credits
"Feel the Sound" demo and set-up
Restoration demo
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume One
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume Two
Preview of Cartoon Crazys - Volume Three

Amazon also claims this is a 2-disc set, though I am surprised a budget operation wouldn't try to cram the entire Fleischer cartoons on one BD. Distributor is listed as ABC Family - Gaiam, I think Vivendi has moved away from their original name.

Those specs are from the old WinStar DVD release from the early 2000s. The shorts were broken up into two discs. If they used the WinStar masters to create the Blu-Ray, then I have no hope for this release. The added sound effects were horrible. And (on the DVDs) there was no original theatrical sound option.

Looks like North Hampton Partners Limited (from the DVD releases) became "NHP LD" on the Blu-Ray release.

[bigshot]

AVOID

This appears to be the horrible release where they wallpapered modern sound effects in stereo over the tops of the original soundtracks, obliterating music and dialogue.

They couldn't even spell Japoteurs correctly on the cover.

[Porkchop Express]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

i'll be picking this up for sure! the old stuff like these are the best.

Same here. I had this on dvd and have no idea what happened to it.