Little Rascals - The Complete Collection 10/28

[Buggy Hicks]

What I am about to say is just my personal opinion. After taking some time to think it over I believe the set is perfect. On some websites people have even been complaining that the set is incomplete. "Where are the silents and the MGM shorts?" they ask. The name of the set is not "Our Gang - The Complete Collection". It is "The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection". The 80 Roach produced talkies that make up this set are the only films that were ever known as "The Little Rascals."

Now concerning the 13 shorts which contain BlackHawk "The Little Rascals" title cards: If EVERY short in the set contained "The Little Rascals" title cards it would be a complete "The Little Rascals" collection. None of the shorts in the collection except the 13 with Blackhawk title cards contain the words "The Little Rascals." If those 13 shorts contained the original MGM title cards then the words "The Little Rascals" would not appear anywhere in the entire set! Would that not be strange for a set titled "The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection" to be 100% void of the words "The Little Rascals"?

It is my belief that all of the films in the set were restored and remastered from the original MGM negatives. I believe that 13 Blackhawk title cards were spliced onto 13 films that were restored and remastered from the original MGM negatives.

The only possible problem that I have found with the set is about five seconds of missing dialogue from the episode "Bear Shooters". Knowing that the extra five seconds are contained in a public domain print it is my belief that those five seconds were probably never included in the version that MGM released to theatres.

In conclusion: It is my belief that the set is a perfect production of what Genius Entertainment advertised.

[Tardo317]

Originally Posted by Buggy Hicks

None of the shorts in the collection except the 13 with Blackhawk title cards contain the words "The Little Rascals." If those 13 shorts contained the original MGM title cards then the words "The Little Rascals" would not appear anywhere in the entire set! Would that not be strange for a set titled "The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection" to be 100% void of the words "The Little Rascals"?

That's a really strange statement. I don't think I can agree with that.......

Originally Posted by Buggy Hicks

It is my belief that all of the films in the set were restored and remastered from the original MGM negatives. I believe that 13 Blackhawk title cards were spliced onto 13 films that were restored and remastered from the original MGM negatives.

What is the basis of your belief? Comparison? Gut feeling? I'm no Our Gang expert but I've been listening to those who seem very educated in the history of the shorts on VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD. Their experience with the films tell them otherwise.

[Buggy Hicks]

Originally Posted by Tardo317

That's a really strange statement. I don't think I can agree with that.......

There is nothing strange about it. The silents and the 1938-1944 MGM produced shorts NEVER had the title "The Little Rascals". That is a fact.

Originally Posted by Tardo317

What is the basis of your belief? Comparison? Gut feeling? I'm no Our Gang expert but I've been listening to those who seem very educated in the history of the shorts on VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD. Their experience with the films tell them otherwise.

I'm not here to argue. I'm here to share my thoughts which is my right.

[Tardo317]

Originally Posted by Buggy Hicks

I'm not here to argue. I'm here to share my thoughts which is my right.

I'm not here to argue either. But I figured that making a statement such as this would have some kind of valid back up to it.

Originally Posted by Buggy Hicks

It is my belief that all of the films in the set were restored and remastered from the original MGM negatives. I believe that 13 Blackhawk title cards were spliced onto 13 films that were restored and remastered from the original MGM negatives.

If it's just a wild hunch on your part, that's OK too. Others have been making contrary statements based on experience and knowledge. I thought you may have known something others did not.

[ourgang1]

Originally Posted by Buggy Hicks

What I am about to say is just my personal opinion. After taking some time to think it over I believe the set is perfect. On some websites people have even been complaining that the set is incomplete. "Where are the silents and the MGM shorts?" they ask. The name of the set is not "Our Gang - The Complete Collection". It is "The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection". The 80 Roach produced talkies that make up this set are the only films that were ever known as "The Little Rascals."

Now concerning the 13 shorts which contain BlackHawk "The Little Rascals" title cards: If EVERY short in the set contained "The Little Rascals" title cards it would be a complete "The Little Rascals" collection. None of the shorts in the collection except the 13 with Blackhawk title cards contain the words "The Little Rascals." If those 13 shorts contained the original MGM title cards then the words "The Little Rascals" would not appear anywhere in the entire set! Would that not be strange for a set titled "The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection" to be 100% void of the words "The Little Rascals"?

It is my belief that all of the films in the set were restored and remastered from the original MGM negatives. I believe that 13 Blackhawk title cards were spliced onto 13 films that were restored and remastered from the original MGM negatives.

The only possible problem that I have found with the set is about five seconds of missing dialogue from the episode "Bear Shooters". Knowing that the extra five seconds are contained in a public domain print it is my belief that those five seconds were probably never included in the version that MGM released to theatres.

In conclusion: It is my belief that the set is a perfect production of what Genius Entertainment advertised.

Those shorts with the Blackhawk titles are the actual Blackhawk prints, mistakenly included on the set instead of the remastered MGM versions. I have most of Blackhawk's prints on VHS, as well as the complete Cabin Fever collection.

And remember, the whole Cabin Fever collection is titled "THE LITTLE RASCALS", yet all the shorts have the original opening titles. So your speculation about using Blackhawk's prints just so that some shorts have "Little Rascals" in the titles makes no sense.

[heustess]

Originally Posted by Buggy Hicks

I'm not here to argue. I'm here to share my thoughts which is my right.

A forum would be a dull place without different opinions. Each person's thoughts are of interest whether we agree or not.

[Buggy Hicks]

Originally Posted by Tardo317

I'm not here to argue either. But I figured that making a statement such as this would have some kind of valid back up to it.



If it's just a wild hunch on your part, that's OK too. Others have been making contrary statements based on experience and knowledge. I thought you may have known something others did not.

I have a right to express my personal thoughts whether I have "experience and knowledge" or not. You are very arrogant. I will not be back to this site. While you are whining and crying about a terrific dvd set as if you were the age of a Little Rascals star, I will be enjoying a great release.

[scottp120]

While I haven't bought the set yet. I will be buying it later on this year when a certain sale goes into effect around Thanksgiving (I have wayyyy too many unwatched DVDs plus I just got a Sony BDP-550 Blu Ray player which I love). I'm glad they finally came out with Little Rascals on DVD. I remember as a kid in the early 80's watching them on tv and haven't watched them since.

[Cameron]

i find it a bit strange that multiple members with less than twenty post are arguing with each other...just saying.

I hope that this is something as simple as someone loaded the wrong remasters up on the disc, but i wonder if a small company like genius (while not small) will do any replacements, as that will cut directly into profit margins, and its not like they have a batman/superman cash cow to make it up with later ala warner.

i am on the fence.

[Tardo317]

Originally Posted by Buggy Hicks

I have a right to express my personal thoughts whether I have "experience and knowledge" or not. You are very arrogant. I will not be back to this site. While you are whining and crying about a terrific dvd set as if you were the age of a Little Rascals star, I will be enjoying a great release.

I bought the set yesterday too and I'm not whining about anything. You have every right to express personal thoughts. But based on the ongoing discussions in this thread, to claim that this set is "perfect" begs for a response. I was simply asking if your opinion was based on something that ourgang1, heustess, or others missed. That's all....

My apologies if I've offended you. No need to leave.......

[Tardo317]

Originally Posted by ourgang1

And remember, the whole Cabin Fever collection is titled "THE LITTLE RASCALS", yet all the shorts have the original opening titles. So your speculation about using Blackhawk's prints just so that some shorts have "Little Rascals" in the titles makes no sense.

This was exactly my point. I thought is was a strange statement.........

[Trevor]

Loved the "I'm not coming back" next to the "you must be young" comment. Somehow, the extremely petty arguing and whining seems appropriate in a little rascals thread.

It has gotten me more in the mood to buy this set once it drops drastically in price.

[JerryKILL]

I would love to buy this set, but having waited this long, I can wait a little longer to get them "complete", even if it means waiting for another company to issue it. The title card issue is the deal killer for me, it's like buying a comic book reissue from the 70s of something that was originally published in the 30s...just not the same from a collector mentality. If you just want to "watch" the shorts, it's really not that big of a deal, but that's not me, I want the whole experience.

[b. Touch]

Can anyone who's bought the DVD post some screenshots? Do the shorts with the Blackhawk titles actually look any worse than the others, missing opening titles aside?

[Hammer99]

I've owned the Cabin Fever VHS, the 4 LD sets, and the 6-pack DVD, and from what I've watched so far (only A Lad An A Lamp - appears to be uncut, + the next 3), I'm pretty happy with this collection. Kid From Borneo had the Blackhawk title and looked OK to me. A very big plus IMO over previous releases is that they are all presented in release order instead of just slapped together.

[The Valeyard]

Originally Posted by Trevor

Loved the "I'm not coming back" next to the "you must be young" comment. Somehow, the extremely petty arguing and whining seems appropriate in a little rascals thread.

He's now a part of the "He-Man DVDTalk Haters Club".

[Tardo317]

I would have preferred that Genius took the time to get it right. I also wish that they had put more effort in providing sturdier packaging. But I'm real happy about finally having these gems all in one place and at my fingertips whenever I want to watch them.

[Larry Lee]

Originally Posted by ourgang1

Blackhawk Films was a home movie distributor that released many Rascals shorts in the 1970s on 16mm, and then beta and VHS in the 80s. They replaced all the title cards to look like what's in those screen captures from the new DVDs that have been circulating online since last night. The prints looked good during the 70s and 80s, but today, preservation and restoring TV shows, movies, and theatrical shorts is popular now that we have high quality format (DVD, blu-ray, etc).

What RHI/Genius failed to do was use all the restored 35mm prints for the set.

[The Valeyard]

Lotta new members just for this release.....

[Larry Lee]

I was about to dump my Cabin Fever collection. Now I will have to keep those bulky VHS tapes. I did a spot check on the short Railroading. It looks as if it is mastered at the old-fashioned rate of 29.97 fps and not at DVDs modern rate of 23.97fps These are clearly the same video masters used for the VHS Cabin Fever releases. It appears that the original RHI masters used for the old Cabin Fever releases were lost or destroyed and new ones were created from 16mm Blackhawk prints. Pretty sloppy

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by The Valeyard

Lotta new members just for this release.....

I wonder if we could trace the IPs back to wherever Genius is based.

[wm lopez]

Originally Posted by heustess

A forum would be a dull place without different opinions. Each person's thoughts are of interest whether we agree or not.

Amen!
But there are those who don't agree with that.

[heustess]

Originally Posted by wm lopez

Amen!
But there are those who don't agree with that.

Such is their right. By the way, after 2 emails to Genius Products, I have yet to hear from them. I'm still curious as to why the Blackhawk prints were used.

[ourgang1]

Originally Posted by The Valeyard

Lotta new members just for this release.....

I found this thread when someone linked to it at the main Rascals message board, and this thread was interesting too, so I wanted to join the discussion here.

[Tardo317]

Originally Posted by heustess

Such is their right. By the way, after 2 emails to Genius Products, I have yet to hear from them. I'm still curious as to why the Blackhawk prints were used.

I had sent them a couple of e-mails back a few months ago asking about the DVD-5 vs DVD-9 rumor. I never did receive a response........