Topic: 3 Stooges Ultimate Collection DVD, June 5

[BeAStooge]

"The Three Stooges Ultimate Collection" will be released by Sony Home Entertainment on June 5.

Information is scant right now, but this is believed to be a [U.S.] repackaging of the 8 volumes, 190 shorts, Sony released 2007 - 2010 (a similar set exclusive to Canada was released in 2010).  No new bonus features are expected, but that is not confirmed; the Columbia DeRita features are not expected in this set.

The above link is to Amazon's listing.  Retail price of $159.99 is consistent with the prior volumes ($19.99 x 8), and Amazon is currently taking pre-orders at $111.99.

Additional info will be posted when available.

[Curly4444]

Glad i bought mine individually. I hate it when they cram them all into one small box.  I'll pass.


PS: If this was Blu-ray I'd think about it.

[locoboymakesgood]

Didn't Sony capture some footage from one of the conventions to be used as bonus features for a collection such as this?

I also thought they were cleaning up the Shemp/Bessser/DeRita solos for used in some sort of "ultimate box". Damn.

[falsealarms]

That bonus footage would be great to see, but last I knew it was stuck in some kind of legal bs. I'm sure someone else here has a more detailed answer. Also, I have no idea at all why HAVE ROCKET, WILL TRAVEL has not been released. This set would be the ideal landing spot. And we continue to see the solo Shemp, Besser, and DeRita Columbia shorts rot away in a vault. Again, another batch of material ideal for a set calling itself the "ultimate collection."

Also, since the shorts were remastered in HD, you wonder why this isn't a Blu-Ray release. That would give people, including me, reason to dip yet again.

There are many ways they could make this appealing... but a simple re-package of what's already out there, in standard definition with nothing new... that won't cut it.

[locoboymakesgood]

Also, since the shorts were remastered in HD, you wonder why this isn't a Blu-Ray release. That would give people, including me, reason to dip yet again.

Short of slapping the shorts on to Blu-ray discs to take up less space there'd be no reason for them to do that. How could they possibly look better than they do already?

[falsealarms]

They were remastered in high definition and standard DVD is certainly not HD. The HD-remasters would look better on Blu than standard DVD. The resolution of film is far greater than what we see on standard DVD (or even Blu Ray).

[Stooges#1]

Digital Bits website:

Sony has announced a 2-disc Three Stooges: The Ultimate Collection DVD box set release on 3/27 as well (SRP $159.99). We believe this is just a repackaging of their existing Stooges DVD releases, but if there's any new content we'll let you know as details come in.

I'm confused, how can a 2-disc DVD be a re-release of an 8 volume 17-disc collection?

[falsealarms]

A likely typo. The 8 sets would have, I believe, 17 discs.

[locoboymakesgood]

Yeah, definitely typo. I don't think a 2-disc set would be $159.99.

A likely typo. The 8 sets would have, I believe, 17 discs.

2x7 = 14
1x3 = 3

So 17 if they repackage the sets that are already out.

They were remastered in high definition and standard DVD is certainly not HD. The HD-remasters would look better on Blu than standard DVD. The resolution of film is far greater than what we see on standard DVD (or even Blu Ray).

I'm more than familiar with the technology but what matters is the source material. Blu-ray is made for high definition material since higher definition = higher resolutions = larger file size = need for something bigger than 4.37 GB (a standard DVD size).

Remastered in high definition is irrelevant for source material that old, regardless of how it was remastered. Do you think the Laurel & Hardy set that came out would look so much better just being slapped on larger discs?

Upscaled DVDs for the shorts will look nearly as good as the same shorts put on a Blu-ray disc. Unless you have some absolutely ridiculous setup the difference to the eye is going to be negligible. It doesn't make sense for Sony to put them out on that format.

[falsealarms]

There are several classic films that have made their way to Blu Ray with noticeable picture quality improvements.

The WIZARD OF OZ (1939) never looked better than its current BR release.

MALTESE FALCON (1941) was released on BR. Blu-ray.com reviewed it and said there is "a nice uptick in sharpness, contrast and detail from the previously released SD-DVD."

ALL ABOUT EVE (1951) is coming out on Blu. Per blu-ray.com: "overall, it looks wonderful, and certainly a huge improvement on the DVD."

Keaton's 1920s silents have never looked better. Ditto for Chaplin works such as MODERN TIMES.

[Stooges#1]

Good point about the price. It's a definite typo.

I wonder if Sony are re-releasing these DVD's to give them the Looney Tunes Golden Collection treatment?

From this:

http://www.amazon.com/Looney-Tunes-Golden-Collection-Vols/dp/B001RXB4H2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326785847&sr=8-2

To this:

http://www.amazon.com/Looney-Tunes-Golden-Collection-1-6/dp/B005NFJAQC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326785847&sr=8-1

If that is what they're doing I would really think about a purchase. I need the extra space.

A straight repackaging is out of the question, though. I'd never buy that.

[Curly4444]

Looks like on the looney tunes all they did was put the original packaging in some special box? Where can i get that box?? lol

[BeAStooge]

"The Three Stooges Ultimate Collection" will be released by Sony Home Entertainment on March 27 June 5.

ClassicFlix reports that this will be a 20-disc set.  Unless the 190 shorts will be reconfigured (Volumes 1 - 8 are 17 discs), this indicates that there will be new material.  What that will be is unknown, but will be reported as soon as possible.

[falsealarms]

Well, this has gotten more promising.

[Stooges#1]

Three extra discs are very promising indeed. I wonder if they'll just press the 3 extra discs and put them in larger packaging like volume 8 is, right at the end of the collection. So volume 1-4 are kept the way they're now and volume 5-7 containing 3 discs each is the way volume 8 is right now.

Or maybe it'll get the Laurel and Hardy Essential Collection treatment. The Looney Tunes Golden Collection re-release isn't out of the question either as those volumes have 4 discs each. Should be something to look out for, to see what the bonus material is.

Looks like on the looney tunes all they did was put the original packaging in some special box? Where can i get that box?? lol

From that Amazon.com link, or eBay.

Here's the box from a different angle on eBay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Looney-Tunes-Golden-Collection-Volumes-1-2-3-4-5-6-Vol-1-6-/370555373861?pt=US_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray&hash=item5646d24925

Those are exactly the way the discs look.

[Mark The Shark]

Well, I'm excited to hear more details, though I guess no one can be sure yet if the reference to "20 discs" is correct or not. Amazon's listing says: "Number of discs: 1," which of course cannot be correct.

Well, what else could they throw in? Most likely suspects (or at least these would make sense to me as a collector):
(DISCLAIMER: Just thinking out loud here, this is NOT an official list of extras)

Feature Films
Solo shorts of Shemp, Joe Besser and Joe DeRita
Cameo appearances in various films a la Turner's "Lost Stooges" (I doubt they'd include more than that for those films)
Screen Snapshots
Three Stooges Scrapbook
Trailers

I'm just kind of irritated that I bought all eight volumes individually when they came out and then they come out with a box set which might have exclusive content available only via double-dipping. If that's the case, maybe they might offer any new extras separately as well?

As I understand it, Have Rocket Will Travel is tied up in some legal situation with Harry Romm (or his estate) owning part of it. Is that correct? I would guess Stop! Look! And Laugh! was a different situation because it had been the subject of a lawsuit before its original release and who knows what the terms were.

[HELLOLARRY]

Yes, with three extra discs that would make perfect room for the features. Maybe whatever legal issues surrounded Have Rocket Will Travel have now been cleared up (think It Ain't Hay). Would be nice to offer this content separately for those of us who bought all 8 volumes but Sony historically has rarely - if ever - been so generous. I placed the pre-order with Amazon just so I could lock in the price. I have more than enough time to cancel the order and the details will come out long before the release date if it turns out to be nothing exciting. If it is something really cool, I'm going to give my 8 separate volumes to my God-Daughters who are BIG Stooges fans (bless them - finally some women who are growing up with the finer things in life)

We'll wait and see - my one concern is that this 'ultimate collection' will be on a hub just like they did when they released complete series of Sanford and Son, Good Times, etc. It all depends. Just going to wait and see. They did such a nice job with the individual volumes so it would be great if they finished it up with the solo shorts and other things that have been suggested. I'm sure it is some kind of cross promotion with the new movie which comes out around that time no? Historically when they've made the announcement, the details followed pretty soon so maybe we'll see something in the next few days.

[falsealarms]

Those "all on one spindle" Sony repackaging jobs don't have this kind of list price ($159). Two recent of examples (Married With Children and King of Queens) both retailed for 65.99 and had 32 and 27 discs, respectively.

[Larry Larry]

Remastered in high definition is irrelevant for source material that old, regardless of how it was remastered. Do you think the Laurel & Hardy set that came out would look so much better just being slapped on larger discs?

Up-scaled DVDs for the shorts will look nearly as good as the same shorts put on a Blu-ray disc. Unless you have some absolutely ridiculous setup the difference to the eye is going to be negligible. It doesn't make sense for Sony to put them out on that format.

I don't want to start an argument or derail the thread, but that is not correct.  Blu-rays, encoded from the HD sources, will look much better than the DVD.   I'm a 20+ year veteran in the film industry.  I work for a major post-production studio and we author films and other entertainment product on both Blu-ray and DVD.  The Laurel and Hardy films would look better on Blu-ray, "IF" the authoring facility used HD sources.  Placing SD sources on a Blu-ray disc doesn't really do too much, but if there was an HD source of L&H, then yes, it would be better. 

The age of the film is not the issue.  There are many old classics making their way to Blu-ray now including Chaplin's "Modern Times (1936)", Buster Keaton's collection with films from 1920-1923, "All About Eve", "Psycho", "Casablanca", "The Wizard of Oz", and many others.  The difference is much more than "negligible", however it may not be as important to you, and that is OK.  But source material shot on film, as the Stooge shorts were, and carefully remastered and transferred to HD, will look spectacular on this new format. 

Back to the thread, I do hope that if there is any new bonus material, that Sony does the right thing and also makes it available separately.  A lot of Stooge fans have faithfully bought the entire 8 volume collection, the "themed" single DVDs and the feature films with DeRita. 

Looking forward to learning what, if any, of the possible bonus material may be. 

[Curly4444]

Back to the thread, I do hope that if there is any new bonus material, that Sony does the right thing and also makes it available separately.  A lot of Stooge fans have faithfully bought the entire 8 volume collection, the "themed" single DVDs and the feature films with DeRita.

Looking forward to learning what, if any, of the possible bonus material may be.

My thoughts exactly. I also hope they will sell the bonus material separately. I'm not spending that much just for new bonus features. If they dont i may have to check out e-bay. Ive seen people sell off stuff separately.  Like in blu-ray/dvd combos. Ive seen em sell off the dvd's.

[falsealarms]

The set now shows up on Sony's upcoming release calendar, but as now, details remain elusive.

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/catalog/catalogDetail_DVD043396398207.html

[Mark The Shark]

The set now shows up on Sony's upcoming release calendar, but as now, details remain elusive.

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/catalog/catalogDetail_DVD043396398207.html

Well, at least there it is on Sony's own site, 20 discs. I'm still itchin' to get more info, though.

[metaldams]

If they do release extras that are desireable, like say, Shemp and Joe(s) solo shorts, count me in as somebody who will NOT double dip out of principal.  Hopefully this will be a straight release of what's already out there, but if desireable extras are involved, they will not get my money until they release the stuff seperately, even if I have to wait a few years.

[ILMM]

If they do release extras that are desireable, like say, Shemp and Joe(s) solo shorts, count me in as somebody who will NOT double dip out of principal.  Hopefully this will be a straight release of what's already out there, but if desireable extras are involved, they will not get my money until they release the stuff seperately, even if I have to wait a few years.

Same here, I physically don't have 100 bucks to drop on a set like this.

[BeAStooge]

ClassicFlix reports that this will be a 20-disc set.  Unless the 190 shorts will be reconfigured (Volumes 1 - 8 are 17 discs), this indicates that there will be new material.  What that will be is unknown, but will be reported as soon as possible.

The news is good!  The 3 bonus discs will contain HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL (1959), ROCKIN' IN THE ROCKIES (1945), 28 Columbia solo shorts starring Shemp Howard, Joe Besser and Joe DeRita, and 3 Columbia Color Rhapsody cartoons with Stooge caricatures.

Product description from Movies Unlimited's website...

Along with volumes 1-8 of "The Three Stooges Collection," containing all 190 of the boys' Columbia shorts, this 20-disc collector's set also includes the feature films "Rockin' in the Rockies" (1945), a song-filled frontier comedy where ranch foreman Moe coaxes drifters Larry and Curly into backing his prospecting scheme, and "Have Rocket--Will Travel" (1958), with rocket base janitors Moe, Larry, and Curly Joe accidentally getting launched to the planet Venus; 28 solo Columbia short subjects--including "The Glove Slingers" (1939), "Pick a Peck of Plumbers" (1944), "Mr. Noisy" (1946), "Wedlock Deadlock" (1947), "Army Daze" (1956), and more--starring Shemp Howard, Joe Besser, and Joe DeRita; and a trio of vintage cartoons--"The Bon Bon Parade" (1935), "Merry Mutineers" (1936), and "A Hollywood Detour" (1942)--with appearances by the team.