Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection (1931-1954)

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

I honestly think that if Universal intended the, let's face it, weaker sequels to be released on Blu-ray, then they would pair them with the better-known movies. You know, as anthology releases, as they did with the DVD releases. I don't think that those movies will ever be released on Blu-ray.

I disagree. I think they wanted to go with their strongest hand for the first set and certainly people would have complained if they left off, let's say, "The Invisible Man" and included "The Mummy's Hand" instead. I think that was the right decision. If it sells well, they'll do other boxes, although I think subsequent boxes will have fewer films in order to keep the package price down. And if doesn't do well, you might eventually see some cheap releases of the lesser films, but without any kind of restoration and probably only 1 or 2 films per release. Also, even though the primary films are in this set, there's nothing saying that they still can't release a Dracula set or a Frankenstein set, even though those that buy this first set would complain about the double-dipping. (Personally, I wouldn't have put "Creature" on this first set - it's from a different era and has a completely different tone than the classic films.)

As I wrote in an earlier post, they don't necessarily have go to with the lesser sequels for the next releases. There are plenty of non-franchise horror films that could make for a pretty good set. They could do one box of the 1930s films: Murders In the Rue Morgue, The Old Dark House, The Black Cat, The Raven, The Invisible Ray and Tower of London. Or (and even though Universal doesn't necessarily have the exclusive rights anymore), they could do the silents: Hunchback, Phantom of the Opera (even though there's already been a recent release), The Cat and the Canary, The Man Who Laughs and The Cat Creeps. And an Abbott & Costello set with their four horror comedies. The only franchise horror films that I'd want (and not all that badly) would be Son of Frankenstein, Dracula's Daughter and The Werewolf of London. The 1940s and 50's sequels are all pretty bad, IMO, although the completists would probably want them all.

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by MykeHavoc

Holy cow. How much did you spend on that? Looks like they sell for a few grand now! I've got a life-long goal of creating a monster museum in my house and I figured I'd start with full size busts for the heads and build the bodies and then recreate each corner of the basement as a particular scene from their respective films. I'm talking like spending decades on this. I plan for it to be finished by retirement (I'm 26 now)

Speaking of "monster museums", I've always wondered what happened to the collection of the late Forrest J. Ackerman, the editor of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" and other magazines of the 1960s and beyond. He had tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of objects and photos related to SciFi and horror films stored in what was called "The Acker-Mansion". I always felt that a museum should have purchased his collection and put it on display, perhaps the Museum of the Moving Image in New York.

Anyone know?

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

I disagree. I think they wanted to go with their strongest hand for the first set and certainly people would have complained if they left off, let's say, "The Invisible Man" and included "The Mummy's Hand" instead. I think that was the right decision. If it sells well, they'll do other boxes, although I think subsequent boxes will have fewer films in order to keep the package price down. And if doesn't do well, you might eventually see some cheap releases of the lesser films, but without any kind of restoration and probably only 1 or 2 films per release. Also, even though the primary films are in this set, there's nothing saying that they still can't release a Dracula set or a Frankenstein set, even though those that buy this first set would complain about the double-dipping. (Personally, I wouldn't have put "Creature" on this first set - it's from a different era and has a completely different tone than the classic films.)

As I wrote in an earlier post, they don't necessarily have go to with the lesser sequels for the next releases. There are plenty of non-franchise horror films that could make for a pretty good set. They could do one box of the 1930s films: Murders In the Rue Morgue, The Old Dark House, The Black Cat, The Raven, The Invisible Ray and Tower of London. Or (and even though Universal doesn't necessarily have the exclusive rights anymore), they could do the silents: Hunchback, Phantom of the Opera (even though there's already been a recent release), The Cat and the Canary, The Man Who Laughs and The Cat Creeps. And an Abbott & Costello set with their four horror comedies. The only franchise horror films that I'd want (and not all that badly) would be Son of Frankenstein, Dracula's Daughter and The Werewolf of London. The 1940s and 50's sequels are all pretty bad, IMO, although the completists would probably want them all.

Hey, I hope I'm wrong on that. It would definitely show that there's a market for more obscure stuff out there, as opposed to the continuous re-releasing of the big movies we've seen by now but continue to buy (not an assault on anyone, I'm as guilty of this as everybody else). I'd love to see the silent movies on BD, but I just don't see them getting a standalone release, or those being included in a set with mainly obscure (for the average consumer) sequels. If we see the sequels, it will be in those anthology releases, forcing the fans to double dip, if they want to. Personally, I thought most of the sequels aren't that good (The Bride of Frankenstein excluded, obviously) so if that ever happens, I doubt that I'll double dip.

I do have to say that it's great that we're even discussing this. I didn't think we would get those classic horror movies at all.

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Films!!!!!!! I've had several different players and not one of them ever played a cover. If you just want an attractive cover, subscribe to Playboy.

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

This post needs a round of applause.

I could say in response, "If you don't care about an attractive cover, why buy the BD? Why don't you download?"

While I agree that there's a strange obsession on this site with slipcases, steelbooks, cover design, etc., and I also find it very strange that anyone would take the time and effort to design their own cover for a commercial release, there's also a case to be made for great design in any commercial product.

A great BD cover is no different than a great book jacket or a great LP album jacket/packaging. In my opinion, it definitely adds to the experience. I wouldn't not buy a film that I definitely want to see if it had bad packaging, but I'm sure glad when it does. I think one of the things we've lost in the downloading world (and even to a certain extent, in the CD world, except for box sets, because of the smaller size) is great package design.

Why do people collect movie posters? It's not just to remind us of the films but because many of them have really beautiful design and if you can get an original, were also beautifully printed: either silkscreened or engraved.

You can't tell me that looking at some of the designs in the attached link doesn't get you more excited about the products. And if it doesn't, I sincerely believe that one would be better off downloading. Isn't great graphic and packaging design one of the reasons we love Criterion releases, among others?

http://kellerhouse.com/#/?item=76

[HonestJohn]

If I had unlimited funds or a lot of disposable income I would defiintely purchase the logo-less US version. I do not however and cannot rationalize spending $58.00 on an attractive box and Spanish Dracula which I've already viewed once on DVD. The UK version was $53.31 shipped for those just tuning in. For all of you that can afford the US set, more power to you, it's a very nice case design and I would be very happy to own it.

[madlost1]

Originally Posted by HonestJohn

If I had unlimited funds or a lot of disposable income I would defiintely purchase the logo-less US version. I do not however and cannot rationalize spending $58.00 on an attractive box and Spanish Dracula which I've already viewed once on DVD. The UK version was $53.31 shipped for those just tuning in. For all of you that can afford the US set, more power to you, it's a very nice case design and I would be very happy to own it.

The spanish dracula will be included on the uk set.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[HonestJohn]

Originally Posted by madlost1

The spanish dracula will be included on the uk set.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Really? Great news. So I guess that's $58.00 extra dollars just for the outer US box then. Thought the jury was still out regarding Spanish Drac being included. Where did you get the info?

[BJQ1972]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

I could say in response, "If you don't care about an attractive cover, why buy the BD? Why don't you download?

You can't tell me that looking at some of the designs in the attached link doesn't get you more excited about the products. And if it doesn't, I sincerely believe that one would be better off downloading.
http://kellerhouse.com/#/?item=76

Personally, if they came in a plain brown cardboard box I wouldn't care. I care more about things like compression and frame rate, so until a typical HD download/stream is is around 30GB and they play at 24fps, then I will keep on buying physical media. People who would throw away 30 or 40 pounds in order to buy something without very small BBFC logos need to look at their priorities.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

I could say in response, "If you don't care about an attractive cover, why buy the BD? Why don't you download?"

While I agree that there's a strange obsession on this site with slipcases, steelbooks, cover design, etc., and I also find it very strange that anyone would take the time and effort to design their own cover for a commercial release, there's also a case to be made for great design in any commercial product.

A great BD cover is no different than a great book jacket or a great LP album jacket/packaging. In my opinion, it definitely adds to the experience. I wouldn't not buy a film that I definitely want to see if it had bad packaging, but I'm sure glad when it does. I think one of the things we've lost in the downloading world (and even to a certain extent, in the CD world, except for box sets, because of the smaller size) is great package design.

Why do people collect movie posters? It's not just to remind us of the films but because many of them have really beautiful design and if you can get an original, were also beautifully printed: either silkscreened or engraved.

You can't tell me that looking at some of the designs in the attached link doesn't get you more excited about the products. And if it doesn't, I sincerely believe that one would be better off downloading. Isn't great graphic and packaging design one of the reasons we love Criterion releases, among others?

http://kellerhouse.com/#/?item=76

:round_of_applause:

[HiDefBear]

I'm going with the UK release as well. It's insane that the US version costs twice as much (and I'm talking about discounted US Amazon versus discount UK Amazon). Insane.

[MPeriolat]

I've seen The Black Cat mentioned a few times on the thread and just seen it on TCM a few weeks ago. Quite an entertaining yarn for the time frame. Out of curiosity, does more frequent airings on TCM indicate that Universal might be planning a release or purely coincidence?

[IronFingaz]

Originally Posted by MykeHavoc

Holy cow. How much did you spend on that? Looks like they sell for a few grand now! I've got a life-long goal of creating a monster museum in my house and I figured I'd start with full size busts for the heads and build the bodies and then recreate each corner of the basement as a particular scene from their respective films. I'm talking like spending decades on this. I plan for it to be finished by retirement (I'm 26 now)

$500+shipping straight from Sideshow Collectibles when it went up for order. Got #48/100 Would love to get the Silver Screen Edition Premium Formats of all the Monsters but they're expensive and some hard to get now

Damn! That's some project

[Doctor Blu-ray]

Between this set, the Marilyn Monroe set, the Hitchcock set and the Bond 50 set, oh and not forgetting the Indiana Jones set.......the year is turning out to be an extravaganza of entertainment. Talk about opening the flood gates!

[TNAJason]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

I could say in response, "If you don't care about an attractive cover, why buy the BD? Why don't you download?"

While I agree that there's a strange obsession on this site with slipcases, steelbooks, cover design, etc., and I also find it very strange that anyone would take the time and effort to design their own cover for a commercial release, there's also a case to be made for great design in any commercial product.

A great BD cover is no different than a great book jacket or a great LP album jacket/packaging. In my opinion, it definitely adds to the experience. I wouldn't not buy a film that I definitely want to see if it had bad packaging, but I'm sure glad when it does. I think one of the things we've lost in the downloading world (and even to a certain extent, in the CD world, except for box sets, because of the smaller size) is great package design.

Why do people collect movie posters? It's not just to remind us of the films but because many of them have really beautiful design and if you can get an original, were also beautifully printed: either silkscreened or engraved.

You can't tell me that looking at some of the designs in the attached link doesn't get you more excited about the products. And if it doesn't, I sincerely believe that one would be better off downloading. Isn't great graphic and packaging design one of the reasons we love Criterion releases, among others?

http://kellerhouse.com/#/?item=76

Maybe because I rather have a physical disc at my fingertips that I didn't have to spend time to download,burn to a disc,and buy blank discs and a software to burn the discs? Or having to have my laptop to watch a movie? If I pay for a download,losing it somehow,and possibly not being able to download it again without paying again?

[madlost1]

Originally Posted by detroitsquirrel

even better is that the spanish dracula is going to be in the uk version as well

Originally Posted by zoodermin

how do you know that?

Originally Posted by mifunefan

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=757

Originally Posted by honestjohn

really? Great news. So i guess that's $58.00 extra dollars just for the outer us box then. Thought the jury was still out regarding spanish drac being included. Where did you get the info?

[DetroitSquirreL]

it has lately become a joke that as soon as someone makes a comment they are posted against to back up their point, statement, etc. by another member....not just in this thread...all over the forum...seeing it more in the last few months then before

[Lemmy Lugosi]

Just cancelled my US copy and ordered the UK version. Thanks for the info/heads up, folks. Saving $50 is an easy decision!

[HonestJohn]

Originally Posted by madlost1

Thanks, did a general Google Search yesterday and came up with that same post stating info came from Amazon.UK direct.

Originally Posted by DetroitSquirreL

it has lately become a joke that as soon as someone makes a comment they are posted against to back up their point, statement, etc. by another member....not just in this thread...all over the forum...seeing it more in the last few months then before

I'm sorry, but I haven't seen one instance of what you're describing at all. Do you have any posts that would backup what you're saying???

[Grim Reaper]

http://www.engadget.com



Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection will arrive on shelves October 2nd, and pack eight classic horror movies, all restored so they can be seen in the highest quality possible. Among the releases is Creature from the Black Lagoon restored for Blu-ray 3D (yes, like Dial M for Murder it was originally shot and released in 3D back in 1954), as well as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man and Phantom of the Opera. This is all a part of the ongoing Universal centennial celebration that's seeing its vaults unleash many of our favorites for the first time in high definition. After the break you can check out a featurette detailing the process undertaken to prep Dracula for Blu-ray release, as well as a press release with details on all of the flicks and which extras are included for each movie. Of course, the downside of a pack like this is that it's pricey -- the MSRP is $160, but it's available for preorder on Amazon currently priced at $112.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=AXGnOvTZSIg

[jrsl76]

We appreciate the intention and the Nelson video was unnecessary, but it might behoove you to search before a new post.