Topic: Marx Bros. Paramount films to Blu-Ray - 10/18/16

[falsealarms]

The Marx Brothers are coming to Blu-Ray.

Universal will release The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection on October 18. The three disc set will include The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers and Duck Soup. Amazon has a pre-order for $59.98: http://amzn.to/2b1w4iD.

These films have all received 4K restorations in the last couple years, so there should be a drastic improvement from the old DVDs. It's unlikely these films have ever, or will ever, look and sound better than they will here.

Amazon has listed these special features:

Disc 1 - The Cocoanuts:
Feature Commentary with Film Historian Anthony Slide

Disc 1 - Animal Crackers:
Feature Commentary with Film Historian Jeffrey Vance

Disc 2 - Monkey Business:
Commentary with Marx Bros. Historian/Author Robert S. Bader and Bill Marx

Disc 2 - Horse Feathers:
Feature Commentary with Film Critic F.X. Feeney

Disc 3 - Duck Soup:
The Marx Brothers: Hollywood’s Kings of Chaos
Inside the NBC Vault - Today Show Interview with Harpo Marx (1961)
Inside the NBC Vault - Today Show Interview with Groucho Marx (1963)
Inside the NBC Vault - Today Show Interview with William Marx (1985)
Commentary with Film Critic/Historian Leonard Maltin and Marx Bros. Historian/Author Robert S. Bader

[Seamus]

Anxious to see how the restorations turned out.  These movies were in rough shape. 

Probably too much to hope that they've found the deleted scenes and reinstated them in these new restorations and didn't announce it yet because they want it to be a surprise.

[metaldams]

If the restorations are significant enough, I would buy this.  Some of these old Marx Paramount films are in bad shape. 

[QuinceHead]

Supposedly they had access to an Pre-Code negative of ANIMAL CRACKERS held by the British Film Institute!

For duty and humanity,
JohnH aka QuinceHead

[falsealarms]

The rear box art says Animal Crackers contains footage not seen since the film was edited to meet production code standards for reissue in 1936.

Also of note, the box lists an "all-new" feature length documentary featuring interviews with Marx family members, Dick Cavett, Leonard Maltin, etc.

[metaldams]

"New" footage from ANIMAL CRACKERS, plus new restorations of films that actually need the restoration?  OK, I'm buying the Marx Bros. Paramount films....again.  The audio commentaries and documentary doesn't hurt either.

[Seamus]

Yeah, I'm on board.  Between this and the ongoing Blu-Ray releases of Hammer and Universal horror movies, I'm re-buying a lot of my movie collection these days (but this is one of the privileges of the childless).

This Vanity Fair article has some info about the reinstated Animal Crackers footage, if anyone wants to spoil their surprise:

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/04/marx-brothers-horse-feathers

[falsealarms]

Amazon pre-order down to $43.27.

[falsealarms]

A few early reviews:

HIGH DEF DIGEST: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/37306/themarxbrotherssilverscreenbluraycollection.html

HOME THEATER FORUM: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/marx-brothers-silver-screen-collection-blu-ray-review/

DVDTALK: http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/71389/marx-brothers-silver-screen-collection-restored-edition-the/

[QuinceHead]

Another detailed review:

BLU-RAY.COM: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Marx-Brothers-Silver-Screen-Collection-Blu-ray/162233/#Review

For duty and humanity,
JohnH aka QuinceHead

[Larrys#1]

The reviews look positive and I'm impressed by those screenshots. Too bad some of the bad footage in The Cocoanuts and Horse Feathers couldn't be fixed, but I guess they did the best they could with what's out there.

I decided to order a copy and will hopefully receive it by early next week. I'm very excited to see the new and unedited version of Animal Crackers...