Limited Edition Universal Classic Monsters Coffin Set - October 1st (UK)

[The Limey]

Very tempting Limited Edition Coffin set of what is turning out to be a highly anticipated box set all round.
http://www.play.com/DVD/Blu-ray/4-/3...ngDetails.html

[RichGardner]

Thats awesome

[The Limey]

Amazon.co.uk have this too as it is not a Play.com exclusive:

Product Description
This limited edition coffin contains eight of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces of the horror genre. Digitally restored in perfect high-definition picture and sound, The Coffin includes a never-before-seen featurette about the restoration of Dracula and the first ever offering of Creature from the Black Lagoon in its restored Blu-ray 3D version.
Full Titles List:

Dracula (1931)
The original 1931 movie version of Bram Stoker's classic tale has for generations defined the iconic look and terrifying persona of the famed vampire. Dracula owes its continued appeal in large part due to Bela Lugosi's indelible portrayal of the immortal Count Dracula and the flawless direction of horror auteur Tod Browning.
Bonus Features: Dracula: The Restoration - Available for The First Time!, Monster Tracks: Interactive Pop-Up Facts About the Making of Dracula, Dracula Archives, Score by Philip Glass performed by the Kronos Quartet, Feature Commentary by Film Historian David J. Skal, Feature Commentary by Steve Haberman, Screenwriter of Dracula: Dead and Loving It , Trailer Gallery

Frankenstein (1931)
Boris Karloff stars as the screen's most tragic and iconic monster in what many consider to be the greatest horror film ever made. Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) dares to tamper with the essential nature of life and death by creating a monster (Karloff) out of lifeless human body parts. Director James Whale's adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel and Karloff's compassionate portrayal of a creature groping for identity make Frankenstein a timeless masterpiece.
Bonus Features: The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster, Karloff: The Gentle Monster, Monster Tracks: Interactive Pop-Up Facts About The Making of Frankenstein, Universal Horror, Frankenstein Archives, Boo!: A Short Film, Feature Commentary with Film Historian Rudy Behlmer, Feature Commentary with Historian Sir Christopher Frayling, 100 Years Of Universal: Restoring the Classics, Trailer Gallery

The Mummy (1932)
Horror icon Boris Karloff stars in the original 1932 version of The Mummy in which a team of British archaeologists accidentally revives a mummified high priest after 3,700 years. Alive again, he sets out on an obsessive-and deadly-quest to find his lost love. Over 50 years after its first release, this brooding dream-like horror classic remains a cinematic masterpiece.
Bonus Features: Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed, He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art Of Jack Pierce, Unraveling the Legacy of The Mummy, The Mummy Archives, Feature Commentary by Rick Baker, Scott Essman, Steve Haberman, Bob Burns and Brent Armstrong, Feature Commentary by Film Historian Paul M. Jensen, 100 Years Of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era

The Invisible Man (1933)
Claude Rains delivers an unforgettable performance in his screen debut as a mysterious doctor who discovers a serum that makes him invisible. Covered by bandages and dark glasses, Rains arrives in a small English village and attempts to hide his amazing discovery, but the drug's side effects slowly drive him to commit acts of unspeakable terror.
Bonus Features: Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed, Production Photographs, Feature Commentary with Film Historian Rudy Behlmer, 100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The acclaimed sequel to the original Frankenstein has become one of the most popular horror classics in film history. The legendary Boris Karloff reprises his role as the screen's most misunderstood monster, now longing for a mate of his own. Colin Clive is back as the proud and overly ambitious Dr. Frankenstein, who creates the ill-fated bride (Elsa Lanchester). The last horror film directed by James Whale features a haunting musical score that helps make The Bride of Frankenstein one of the finest and most touching thrillers of its era.
Bonus Features: She's Alive! Creating The Bride Of Frankenstein, The Bride Of Frankenstein Archive, Feature Commentary with Scott MacQueen

The Wolf Man (1941)
Originally released in 1941, The Wolf Man introduced the world to a new Universal movie monster and redefined the mythology of the werewolf forever. Featuring a heartbreaking performance by Lon Chaney Jr. and groundbreaking make-up by Jack Pierce, The Wolf Man is the saga of Larry Talbot, a cursed man who transforms into a deadly werewolf when the moon is full. The dreamlike atmospheres, elaborate settings and chilling musical score combine to make The Wolf Man a masterpiece of the genre.
Bonus Features: Monster by Moonlight, The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth, Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr., He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce, The Wolf Man Archives, Feature Commentary with Film Historian Tom Weaver

The Phantom of the Opera (1943)
This lavish retelling of Gaston Leroux's immortal horror tale stars Claude Rains as the masked phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House. A crazed composer who schemes to make beautiful young soprano Christine DuBois (Susanna Foster) the star of the opera company, the Phantom also wreaks revenge on those he believes stole his music. Nelson Eddy, as the heroic baritone, tries to win the affections of Christine as he tracks down the murderous, horribly disfigured Phantom.
Bonus Features: The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked, Production Photographs, Feature Commentary with Film Historian Scott MacQueen, 100 Years of Universal: The Lot, Theatrical Trailer

The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) - including Blu-ray 3D version
Captured and imprisoned for scientific study, a living "amphibious missing link" becomes enamored with the head researcher's female assistant (Julie Adams). When the hideous creature escapes and kidnaps the object of his affection, a crusade is launched to rescue the helpless woman and cast the terrifying creature back to the depths from which he came. Featuring legendary makeup artist Bud Westmore's brilliantly designed monster, Creature from the Black Lagoon is an enduring tribute to the imaginative genius of its Hollywood creators.
Bonus Features: The Creature From The Black Lagoon in Blu-ray TM 3D, Back to The Black Lagoon, Production Photographs, Feature Commentary with Film Historian Tom Weaver , 100 Years of Universal: The Lot, Trailer Gallery

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-Cl...4097662&sr=8-3

[cheez avenger]

Wow! Just pre-ordered it. Comes to about 63$ shipped to the U.S.

[The Limey]

Wow! Just pre-ordered it. Comes to about 63$ shipped to the U.S.

Yes I am picking this up too...

[eNoize]

Now, that's just not fair. No special limited box set for the States!?!

Guess I'm putting in my pre-order because I definitely want this beautiful box.

[The Limey]

France is getting a slightly different version:



http://www.amazon.fr/Coffret-Monster...d_rhf_se_shvl5

[eNoize]

That's nice too, but I'm a Frankenstein fan and much rather own the UK version.

[cheez avenger]

That's another cool set!

[Landy]

Wow.

[The Limey]

Now who went ahead and did this then?

NORTH AMERICAN'S REJOICE; IT'S REGION FREE AND THE DISCS ARE HOUSED IN DIGI PACKS

I emailed Universal U.K. and was told that the coffin set would be region free and that the discs would be housed in digi packs (folded over cardboard with a plastic tray to hold the discs and NOT the stupid book thingy where the discs are held between pages of tight cardboard) the only possible downside to this set-up is that they said that it would be two discs per tray (one on top of the other, but not touching) which is a pain when trying to get at the bottom disc.

It also looks like the book will be included as a book and not a housing for the discs, as well as the movie poster cards.

I have uploaded two pictures (hopefully) that show the French coffin set (which, although the coffin cover art is different, is, according to Universal U.K., how that inside will look in the U.K. version) and the U.K. set (but the U.K. set is a tad confusing as they have both the regular and the coffin set mixed together in the picture and no pictures of the digi packs (but like I said, I confirmed with Universal U.K. that the discs would be housed in digi packs and that the set will be region free).

Now, let's just hope that they don't go and mess up, Bride Of Frankenstein's picture framing again (as in the original DVD incarnation of this film, the one with the great original poster art, they messed up the framing so that the monsters head is half cut off in scenes, especially the one where he sees his bride for the first time as he's descending the stairs behind her, his head is almost missing completely, they fixed the problem for the green legacy sets out later (the set with all of the Frankenstein films included) but the art work on that set wasn't as cool as the original DVD case was).

Now we just have to wait till October (come ON October

http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R18XM...3926&store=dvd

[frogmeat69]

I love the UK coffin case, and it looks like it's about the same depth and width as the French one, so hoping it's got single discs in each digipack.

[The Limey]

There is an excellent review of the conventional set from Kenneth Brown on another site which frankly has allayed my fears of a typical Universal screw up on the transfers front. I have gone ahead and placed my order now.

The Universal Classic Monsters: Essential Collection isn't perfect. Not every film is a tried and true classic, debate will rage about horror greats that were left behind, not every video presentation or DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix is ideal, and the majority of the special features have been ported over from the previously released DVDs. Even so, the Essential Collection is a Blu-ray essential. Universal has put considerable effort into restoring and revitalizing each film, and while there's room to nitpick, it's hard to focus on little flaws when the whole of the package is so good. If you have any love for Golden Age horror classics, add this one to your cart or wish list post haste.

[frogmeat69]

Just ordered the Coffin box, $67 and change, can't wait!!!

[The Limey]

Just ordered the Coffin box, $67 and change, can't wait!!!

Yes I now feel the same way.