Quote:
Even a transfer of the best 35mm print from a private collector would be inferior to the results you get from a good transfer of the original neg or I.P. or fine grain.


And exactly how many original negatives are floating around in the vaults for films of the 1930's? Universal hasn't exactly been giving us stellar transfers of their horror titles - look at THE INVISIBLE MAN and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, which I consider their single best 1930's efforts! Very average. If brilliant negatives still exist (and I'm not saying for a moment that they don't) why doesn't Universal use them? What damage would be done by these films going public domain, provided that a hardworking company put time and effort into locating the best elements? Kino did just fine with THE OLD DARK HOUSE, and films where no original material is present (like NOSFERATU) have been well served... And we'd get so many more extras as well!
"Hideous Half-Man, Half-Beast Who Terrorized Millions!" - Tagline, WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935)