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...will result in a Warner Archive-like program, it seems. TCM's press release contains all the details, including plans for Murders in the Zoo and Remember the Night (among others) in the near future and some early Cary Grant titles in January. They will be available only at the TCM website as singles or in boxed sets.

This tree could bear some delectable fruit.

-Harold

Harold, you've got that right.

Cary Grant and Claude Rains, may I say, squee?

Preston Sturges I've never seen? Yipee!

There are problems a-brewing with this alliance, however:

1. Despite the advertising, one source claims that no contracts have been signed for the deal. I don't know how this will affect the street date.

2. The MSRP is significantly higher than if Universal was just releasing these titles on their own... on DVD-Rs, no less. It would probably be less expensive just to press them.

Jack Theakston wrote:There are problems a-brewing with this alliance, however:

1. Despite the advertising, one source claims that no contracts have been signed for the deal. I don't know how this will affect the street date.

2. The MSRP is significantly higher than if Universal was just releasing these titles on their own... on DVD-Rs, no less. It would probably be less expensive just to press them.

Maybe so, but I think it also means more Universals *running* on TCM.

Whether someone at Universal feels the exposure will help offset any additional cost/overhead remains to be seen, but the *potential* is for this to be a good thing for everyone - most importantly the vintage film lover.

(hoping againt hope for a Maria Montez doc on TCM with a box set to match.)

I do wonder what TCM's business plan is sometimes. Reportedly, they paid good money to license the TV rights for the Roach stuff that RHI owns, but I've seen nary a thing show up yet.

Likewise, though, I don't know how TCM buying Universal's classic movie package transitioned into home video licensing.

Jack Theakston wrote: Reportedly, they paid good money to license the TV rights for the Roach stuff that RHI owns, but I've seen nary a thing show up yet.

Jack, I keep hearing this but when the deal first got done they ran a whole bunch of Boyfriends, Thelma-Zasu/Kelly and Chase shorts. They have run some Laurel & Hardy at times. I think everyone would like a regularly scheduled Hal Roach time slot, but it doesn't appear they intend to do that. I do wonder if they have gotten transfers for all the films, since they do seem to be running all films that have already run. I haven't seen a new film in a while.

Jim, I guess I'm missing them, then. But it's nice to hear that they are being shown at all. It's been at least 15-20 years since I can remember anyone running the L&H shorts regularly (and the last time they were, they were those abominable colorized versions).

Jim Reid wrote:
Jack, I keep hearing this but when the deal first got done they ran a whole bunch of Boyfriends, Thelma-Zasu/Kelly and Chase shorts. They have run some Laurel & Hardy at times. I think everyone would like a regularly scheduled Hal Roach time slot, but it doesn't appear they intend to do that. I do wonder if they have gotten transfers for all the films, since they do seem to be running all films that have already run. I haven't seen a new film in a while.

Jim, I think you're right in terms of transfers, which is why I'm encouraged by the announcement of the archive DVDs.

TCM is running Murders in the Zoo Saturday night which I take as an indication that they've got *some* transfers. Whether these are one-air shots as the Boyfriends appear to have been remains to be seen.

Jack Theakston wrote:There are problems a-brewing with this alliance, however:

1. Despite the advertising, one source claims that no contracts have been signed for the deal. I don't know how this will affect the street date.

2. The MSRP is significantly higher than if Universal was just releasing these titles on their own... on DVD-Rs, no less. It would probably be less expensive just to press them.

I suspect Universal's just washing their hands of an old product they don't know how to market--and can't get placed on scarce shelf space in ever-disappearing stores, or featured properly at Amazon. Paramount's doing the same thing, seemingly giving up on anything older than 6 months ago that doesn't star Audrey Hepburn (or John Wayne--expect the Centennial Collection edition of TRUE GRIT to emerge when the Coen bros' remake is finished).

Jack Theakston wrote:Jim, I guess I'm missing them, then. But it's nice to hear that they are being shown at all. It's been at least 15-20 years since I can remember anyone running the L&H shorts regularly (and the last time they were, they were those abominable colorized versions).

It's been about 5 years apart until recently. The L&H show ran the films in syndication on local stations about 1985-1988. AMC ran them from 92 till about 95. The Hallmark Channel ran them from about 1998 till after 2000. A bunch of Roach non-L&H short were run on the Nostalgia Channel in the 90s sometime. I never had that channel so I don't know what ran or when exactly. My guess is that TCM doesn't actually have that many titles in their hands, and doesn't want to run them to death when they have them for such a long time.

lets hope more archives follow the wb archive.
ive not heard of any rko movies being released on dvd recently.
i still hope they locate laddie and freckles 1935 for dvd release.
since we know a print of freckles exists now. more copies are probily out there too.plus lots more.

Last year TCM aired most of the Laurel & Hardy sound shorts on consecutive Saturdays (not just the MGM ones). They also aired several of them during April (I want to say 2005 or 2006). I recorded them off TCM on the earlier showing, and DVR'd on the most recent one.

Film fans need to keep messaging Universal Home Video as well as TCM--Early (pre-1937) Universal pictures have been scarce on cable or video release for years--except the horror melodramas.

The few Universals that have trickled out (The Good Fairy, Counselor at Law)
have been wonderful....

The "flavor" of Universal contemporary dramas and comedies is lacking in our collections!

also aired several of them during April (I want to say 2005 or 2006).

© Tribune Newspapers PLC

RADIO

And now for something completely different, as the RTE presenter said when she
introduced Donncha O Dulainn following four hours of Die Gotterdammerung. A Box of
Matches (RTE Radio 1, Saturday, 7.02pm), a great bran tub from which anything may
emerge (readings, skits, sketches), is compiled and presented by one of the greatest
broadcasters in the world; take a bow Tim Lehane.

The most entertaining item from last week's bran tub is how Stan Laurel paid the rent.
Pay attention now.

Stan is a paying guest of Ollie and his missus. On Saturday a man calls for money due
on some furniture. Ollie's wife explains the money was paid Friday. She gave the
money to Ollie. "Isn't that right, " she asks Ollie? "Yes, " he agrees. "So why wasn't it
paid, " she asks. "Because I gave it to him to pay him (the furniture man), " Ollie
explains.

Stan says: "And then I gave it back to you." "You did?" "Sure I did. And you gave it to
her, remember?"

Ollie's wife, poor woman, attempts to unravel the labyrinthine mess. "Do you mean to
say that the money he gave to you that you gave to him that he gave to me was the
same money that I gave to him to pay him?"

Stan: "If that was the money that you gave to him that he gave to me to pay him it
must have been the money that I gave to him to give to you to pay my rent." Ollie's
wife cries out: "Shut up or you're out on the street."

"You can't do that, " Stan explains quietly, "because I've paid my rent."
April 24, 2005

Does anyone know if the Universal library was part of the package in the recent Comcast acquisition of NBC? Any predictions if this will hurt or help access to vintage film - either through the Warners deal or through other means?

Since the Comcast deal is stated to include the Universal Studio, I would think that includes the library. It's really too early to be predicting anything about policies under the new organization. I've heard that it could take up to a year to complete it, and there will be many regulatory questions to answer.
The library would probably be among the simplest parts of this deal.

MGM joins the fun with a line of DVD-R's.

Titles announced:
Return to Paradise
Trapeze
Welcome to Woop Woop
A Fish in The Bathtub
Dreamchild
Far North
Late For Dinner
The Group
Poltergeist - Season 2
Between the Lines
Rich In Love
Jeremiah - Season 2
Chains of Gold
Two for the Seesaw

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1260924175/ ... mgm%20dvdr

The Cary Grant set, which includes Devil and the Deep, The Eagle and the Hawk, and The Last Outpost, is announced for 1 Feb.

And now, amazingly enough (or perhaps not so much), Universal is marketing some of its vintage properties as Amazon exclusives. The earliest available so far are Death Takes a Holiday, Ruggles of Red Gap, and Spawn of the North. These appear to be DVD-Rs; a listing of known titles can be found here.

-Harold