WB Archive Collection: Discs On Demand!

[Randall]

It's really nice to see those older WB films coming to Blu-ray, with all their star power, but I don't have a particular interest in any of these. Once I read up on them, no doubt my curiosity may be piqued on a couple or more.

[Daniel]

May titles, part 1:

Border Incident
Clash By Night

More will be announced soon. From the podcast:

And then there will be another group of titles that will be offered later in the month. So May is going to be a packed month with a lot of excitement, and a lot of different kinds of films for different audience tastes.

[Ben]

[gaastra]

What do you know. Complained no cartoon releases and wb announces a cartoon release!

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/marvel- ... ht-before/

[EricJ]

Think you got the wrong article there, and posted the Marvel article instead of:
https://thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-t ... 33023-1045

FINALLY, the Archive takes over the Looney cartoons, and doesn't have to remain slave to WHE still living in 2011, worrying about how to package an interesting mass-retail release for Best Buy.

[Daniel]

It has been announced the April releases will include cartoon extras:

One Way Passage will include "A Great Big Bunch of You"
Safe in Hell will include "Dumb Patrol"
The Strawberry Blonde will include "Tortoise Beats Hare"
Storm Warning will include "Bunny Hugged"
A Lion Is in the Streets will include "Duck! Rabbit, Duck!"

The last three have been previously released on both DVD and Blu-ray, the first two are more rarities. Big Bunch is a black-and-white Merrie Melody, first time *officially* on disc. Same for Dumb Patrol, which is a Bosko short not the Bugs cartoon with the same name. That one needs a release too!

[Ben]

Nice to have, but not worth buying some of the more obscure movie titles just to get a cartoon, me thinks. Obviously that’s why they include these things, to nudge us into getting them, but these new masters (if they are new masters) will turn up on future cartoon volumes hopefully.

[Daniel]

So far only "A Great Big Bunch of You" is said to be in HD.

[Daniel]

May titles, part 2:

The Boy With Green Hair
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!
King Solomon's Mines
Queen Christina

All new 4K scans. Yogi!

[Randall]

Interesting lineup! I'll have to check on which version of Mines.

And Yogi was the animated film they had planned? Not the one I expected, or hoped for! I finally bought the DVD a couple of years ago. Not sure it's worth an upgrade. (But I will, likely.)

[Ben]

Mines will most certainly be the 1950s version, not the 1985 Cannon laughfest, and yet another indication not to buy any more WBAC DVDs as they really do seem to be going through them to get the Blus out!

Yeah, Rand, you’re never not going to get Yogi again, are you? That’s about as dead cert as it gets!

It think that’s pretty much be it for me too. Green Hair is an oddity that I saw a couple of years ago and just found it odd; and Mines sounds great but is actually quite boring, especially now, although Jen might appreciate it. And Queen Christina is Garbo, I think, with that marvellously enigmatic final shot. So maybe that too. And I’ve not seen Courtship in an age and mainly know it through reputation. So maybe that too. So, yeah. Maybe most of them for me, or at least to add to my looooong "niceties" wish list, but probably Yogi for sure.

[Daniel]

Yep, 1950s!

Details:

Coming from the Warner Archive Collection this May!

NEW 2023 1080p HD Master from 4K Scan of best surviving Nitrate elements.

QUEEN CHRISTINA (1933)
Run Time: 99:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 1.37:1 with side mattes
Product Color: B&W
Disc Configuration: BD 50
Special Features: Episode of “M-G-M Parade” Television series on the career of Greta Garbo at the studio; Original Theatrical Trailer

KING SOLOMON’S MINES (1950)
Run Time: 104:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 1.37:1 with side mattes
Product Color: COLOR
Disc Configuration: BD 50
Special Features: Behind-the-Scenes featurette “Jungle Safari” HD; Original Theatrical Trailer

HEY THERE, IT'S YOGI BEAR (1964)
Run Time: 118:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 STEREO- English
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 1.85
Product Color: COLOR
Disc Configuration: BD 50
Special Features: 1961 Special episode from "The Yogi Bear Show": YOGI'S BIRTHDAY PARTY (HD); Original Theatrical Trailer

THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER (1963)
Run Time: 118:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 2.35 Letterbox
Product Color: COLOR
Disc Configuration: BD 50
Special Features: Classic M-G-M Tom and Jerry cartoon “Penthouse Mouse” (HD) Original Theatrical Trailer

THE BOY WITH GREEN HAIR (1948)
Run Time: 82:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 1.37:1 with Side Mattes
Product Color: COLOR
Disc Configuration: BD 50
Special Features: Classic short subject “A Really Important Person” (with Dean Stockwell), Original Theatrical Trailer

[Randall]

Re: the other MInes film, I was thinking of the 1937 version, not realizing that was a UK film. (I haven't seen any of them.)

Yogi's Blu sports the poster art, and is from a new 4K scan, so that clinches it. I mean, that cover alone is awesome.



Boy with Green Hair is an oddity I've always been curious about, and felt like I should want to see, but I could never bring myself to actually watch it when it was on TV. So that's out. I'm curious about the Garbo, though not sure if I'm into the subject matter so much.

The previously announced for May releases are also interesting, and I'd like to get Clash By Night (Fritz Lang and a dash of Marilyn). I can skip Border incident, but Looney Tunes is of course a sure bet.

[Daniel]

Yeah, that cover is beautiful! Shame they left out Boo‐Boo.

[Ben]

Already ordered the Looney, natch! That cover art has me even considering a day one for Yogi too. And — hey! — a new logo for the WAC. Much, much better.

(Dan, it’s okay…Boo-Boo is in back of the helicopter!)