Mr. Bug Goes To Town coming from Kino Lorber

[InLikeFlynn]

Originally Posted by Leviathan

I know Kino Lorber said that they wouldn't do classic animation after the DePatie-Freleng discs flopped, but I hope this sells well enough for them to reconsider.

I don't get why they bothered to do any series aside from Pink Panther. You'd think it would be obvious that there was no demand for "Crazylegs Crane" or "The Blue Racer".

[Leviathan]

Originally Posted by InLikeFlynn

I don't get why they bothered to do any series aside from Pink Panther. You'd think it would be obvious that there was no demand for "Crazylegs Crane" or "The Blue Racer".

Those series aren't even well-liked by classic cartoon fans who buy most of thee sets. They had no hope of selling.

[Nailwraps]

Well I'm proud to have them in my collection.

On the topic, we definitely need Kino to start rolling out on animation again. I remind everyone they have deals with Paramount AND Universal; two companies that own a piece of Famous Studios animation library and now's a good time to make talks. Really, we need box sets of Betty Boop, and the WHOLE non-Popeye/Superman Fleischer/Famous studios library (though I have no objection of including some PD Popeyes and all of Superman especially if the negatives come straight from Paramount and can look better than what Warner put out for the latter).

[Gerby]

Yes! My most wanted on Blu Ray list is getting smaller!

[Areyakiddin]

Originally Posted by Nailwraps

Well I'm proud to have them in my collection.

On the topic, we definitely need Kino to start rolling out on animation again. I remind everyone they have deals with Paramount AND Universal; two companies that own a piece of Famous Studios animation library and now's a good time to make talks. Really, we need box sets of Betty Boop, and the WHOLE non-Popeye/Superman Fleischer/Famous studios library (though I have no objection of including some PD Popeyes and all of Superman especially if the negatives come straight from Paramount and can look better than what Warner put out for the latter).

The Superman OCNs are completely owned by WB and aren't stored by Paramount unlike the best surviving elements of the Popeye cartoons.

[milojthatch]

Originally Posted by InLikeFlynn

I don't get why they bothered to do any series aside from Pink Panther. You'd think it would be obvious that there was no demand for "Crazylegs Crane" or "The Blue Racer".

I think there is an audience for those titles, and I will always support releasing EVERYTHING, eventually. However, to your point, titles like "Crazylegs Crane" probably should be done as cheaply as possible and you should always release and prioritize the strongest titles you have to release first. While such titles have an audience, it's small.

[InLikeFlynn]

Originally Posted by milojthatch

I think there is an audience for those titles, and I will always support releasing EVERYTHING, eventually.

So do I, but

Originally Posted by milojthatch

Titles like "Crazylegs Crane" probably should be done as cheaply as possible and you should always release and prioritize the strongest titles you have to release first. While such titles have an audience, it's small.

Even if they had done that, I doubt they would have turned a profit. And Kino has said that it was the failure of these sets that prevented them from tackling more classic animation. There is greater and more important animation that needs to be restored and released in HD.

I have the same apprehension about Warner Archive eventually releasing the 50's Popeyes. They'd be nice to have to complete the collection, yes, but most of those cartoons are awful. There is great animation in the Warner vault that hasn't been officially released since the Laserdisc era, and the financial failure of the 50's Popeyes might be what prevents that great animation from finally getting released.

[milojthatch]

Originally Posted by InLikeFlynn

So do I, but

Even if they had done that, I doubt they would have turned a profit. And Kino has said that it was the failure of these sets that prevented them from tackling more classic animation. There is greater and more important animation that needs to be restored and released in HD.

I have the same apprehension about Warner Archive eventually releasing the 50's Popeyes. They'd be nice to have to complete the collection, yes, but most of those cartoons are awful. There is great animation in the Warner vault that hasn't been officially released since the Laserdisc era, and the financial failure of the 50's Popeyes might be what prevents that great animation from finally getting released.

And maybe that is all the fate for such titles. Again, that is why you prioritize the stronger titles. Once you get to the weaker or less known, who cares after that?

Yes, I know about the studio perspective and making money and blah, blah, blah. Looking at a lot of modern films and shows, it's funny how the "making money" part goes out the door for the right cause. However, maybe we don't talk enough about the customer's perspective.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Originally Posted by InLikeFlynn

I have the same apprehension about Warner Archive eventually releasing the 50's Popeyes. They'd be nice to have to complete the collection, yes, but most of those cartoons are awful. There is great animation in the Warner vault that hasn't been officially released since the Laserdisc era, and the financial failure of the 50's Popeyes might be what prevents that great animation from finally getting released.

It also doesn't help that all of the 50's Popeyes are PD (Paramount sold the rights to AAP/United Artists and were never renewed after the mid-70s) and many of the shorts have issues ranging from scattered negs (both Paramount and MGM/UA had some elements but not all) to incomplete/altered titles (AAP sloppily trimmed off the Paramount mountains on all but the last 1957 short they got).

[brenton2000]

Originally Posted by SpaceBlackKnight

It also doesn't help that all of the 50's Popeyes are PD (Paramount sold the rights to AAP/United Artists and were never renewed after the mid-70s) and many of the shorts have issues ranging from scattered negs (both Paramount and MGM/UA had some elements but not all) to incomplete/altered titles (AAP sloppily trimmed off the Paramount mountains on all but the last 1957 short they got).

Not all the 1950s Popeye cartoons are PD, plus the ones from 1955 and up don’t even have altered AAP titles.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Originally Posted by brenton2000

Not all the 1950s Popeye cartoons are PD, plus the ones from 1955 and up don’t even have altered AAP titles.

You're right that not all of them are PD but more of them had lapsed between the Turner purchase from MGM and the Time acquisition due to not getting renewal forums in on time.

All shorts sold to AAP had their titles replaced during the TV runs up to the early 80s (some PD DVDs using these masters), but a couple of 1956 ones and the last 1957 short did not because AAP rushed them to the airwaves as soon as they received the prints from Paramount.

Turner remastered a bunch of the 1950s Popeyes for Cartoon Network in the mid 90s from original elements and a good chunk of the 1955+ shorts did have the original Paramount titles restored.