Universal Studios Horror Movies OOP?

[MrMudPuppy]

I'm a little slow on the up-take, but can anyone tell me why Universal movies such as Dracula (Lugosi), Frankenstein, or Creature From The Black Lagoon are out-of-print?

[GregY]

Apparently Universal put them on moratorium for a bit, just like Disney does with some of their classic animation titles.

Some info and speculation here:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149150

[reechie]

I think it has something to do with the whole Universal/Image Entertainment dispute. Early on, when DVD was just beginning, Universal leased their movie library to Image for release on DVD. Around the middle of 2001, Image announced a price cut on the Universal library, which then generally retailed for around $25 to $30 a disc, down to around $10 a disc. Universal didn't like this news, said it was a breach of contract, and pulled pretty much their entire library from Image, which I imagine includes the Horror titles. Why they haven't been reissued at this point is unknown, unless there's some work being done to them behind the scenes.

Same reason all the Paramount Marx Brothers movies are out of print on DVD.

[GregY]

and pulled pretty much their entire library from Image, which I imagine includes the Horror titles.

I don't know, but Image didn't release very many Universal titles. Most of those releases were absolute bare-bones with no extras and very few (if any) anamorphic transfers. The Classic Monster films didn't have any Image branding on them, IIRC.

[Oatsdad]

Originally posted by GregY


I don't know, but Image didn't release very many Universal titles. Most of those releases were absolute bare-bones with no extras and very few (if any) anamorphic transfers. The Classic Monster films didn't have any Image branding on them, IIRC.

Correct - they're from Uni, not Image. As far as I can tell, Image had nothing to do with the CM DVDs...

[reechie]

Welp, that shoots my idea...in that case, you got me stumped.

[RDK]

The box set should still be available. And though technically oop, a lot of these can still be found at retail. I can probably still get some of them here at the company store. PM me if interested...

[Todd Fredericks]

I brought the first wave of titles when they were first released (later sold them on Ebay) then got the box which also included second wave of titles. I strongly recommend this set. Each title is a Special Edition (Hell, you also get the Spanish Dracula)....

[SamS]

Very interesting.. I didn't realize these were OOP.

I only have The Mummy from this series.

I'm starting to think now that hardly any movies will go into moratorium for long as studios realize the $$ that oozes from the DVD industry.

[Phantom409]

News on some of the Universal classic horror films currently on moratorium can be found at DVD Drive-In's website, with a cover scan:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/

Here's the blurb:
"On April 27, Universal will release "Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection," made up of titles previously released but currently out of print. The two-disc set will include FRANKENSTEIN (1931), BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN and HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. No FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN or HOUSE OF DRACULA. This set will retail for under $30."

I don't know if the excellent extras on the earlier FRANKENSTEIN or BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN will be on the new DVD set.