Author Topic: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases  (Read 26819 times)

Offline erik1925

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There has been a bit of discussion over in the Post Auction thread about the quality of the imagery, design layout etc of the poster campaigns that Universal put out for first releases of their films compared to the later poster campaigns that Realart produced when they re-released many of these classic horror films.

Rather than have that discussion get mixed into the Post auction thread, I thought I'd start a unique thread on the topic, so that various POV about both releases & later RR could be expressed.

I own only one Realart poster. It's a 3 sheet for their 1948 re-release of The Raven (1935). I'm sure the 1935 3 sheet was a sight to behold but no copies are known to exist. And from the research I've done, this RR 3sheet from 1948 is an only known copy.

In this case, though the original 1935 3sh art was likely better (and probably done in stone lithography, vs the cheaper method of tinted photographs), since no copy is known to exist, then this later example is better than none at all.

And as Benjamin and Rich both mentioned -- at the end of the day, (as with all poster imagery), it comes down to personal preference.

As a heads up to the forum, I may splinter off the related (and initial) comments made in the Post Analysis thread, and put them here, if it seems to add to the foundation of this thread.






C/U Detail shot of Karloff:




Vs the First Release 3 sheet (1935) - from pressbook:   ;)




« Last Edit: June 28, 2018, 04:19:54 PM by erik1925 »


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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2017, 02:23:07 AM »
there probably are a few out there. I have the 1sh

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Offline erik1925

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2017, 03:36:54 AM »
Yes... OS and inserts for the Realart '48 RR have been auctioned (or offered) via various venues in the past, including ebay. And maybe other 3sh are also floating around out there and have just not been offered for sale.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2017, 01:14:09 PM by erik1925 »


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Offline dpcarlson

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2017, 09:42:14 AM »
The '48 HS...

Online Antoine1973

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2017, 12:21:06 PM »
Thanks for creating this separate thread for this topic, Jeff.  I agree that it's an interesting enough discussion to warrant its own thread.

Just to be clear, I didn't make a blanket statement about all Realart paper being inferior to the first release posters in my initial post: all I said was that I generally didn't like Realart ONE-SHEETS as much as I did the first release OS.  I cited Dracula's Daughter and The Mummy as examples where the first release OS are much better than the Realart ones (at least IMO).  I think that Realart inserts are sometimes quite good, as well as their lobby cards, so my opinion was based strictly on comparing OS.

Jeff, thanks for posting your own copy of The Raven RR1948-3sheet, it's interesting to look at and try to imagine what the first release 3S would have looked like (I should check out the pressbook for that movie to get an idea). 

As an aside, I agree that the Dracula RR1947 OS is pretty good (although it's not Realart, therefore my initial statement still stands), and personally I really like the Dracula RR1947 3-sheet the best.

Offline erik1925

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2017, 12:25:50 PM »
Ben, in checking out the pb, I found that there were two styles of 3 sheet from the original Raven release.

Here are Styles B and C from the pressbook:

 
« Last Edit: June 17, 2017, 12:55:31 PM by erik1925 »


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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2017, 02:06:14 PM »
sure would like to see those in color!

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Online Antoine1973

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2017, 07:15:39 PM »
Thanks for digging those pressbook pics Jeff.  That 3-S style C is gorgeous. 

Offline erik1925

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2017, 01:39:22 AM »
The original release OS for Frankenstein in 1931 and the 1947RR OS. Both releases/posters were done by Universal, in this case.









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Offline erik1925

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2017, 01:52:35 AM »
The Invisible Man- 1933 Universal first release OS, and the 1951 Realart RR OS, with Claude Rains billed (and shown) front and slightly off center:

« Last Edit: June 18, 2017, 03:39:22 PM by erik1925 »


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Offline erik1925

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2017, 02:13:42 AM »
Werewolf of London

1935 Universal OS (first release) and the 1951 Realart RR OS poster:




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Offline crowzilla

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2017, 02:44:39 PM »
Just to be clear, I didn't make a blanket statement about all Realart paper being inferior to the first release posters in my initial post: all I said was that I generally didn't like Realart ONE-SHEETS as much as I did the first release OS.  I cited Dracula's Daughter and The Mummy as examples where the first release OS are much better than the Realart ones (at least IMO).  I think that Realart inserts are sometimes quite good, as well as their lobby cards, so my opinion was based strictly on comparing OS.

While it's usually not fair to compare the work of Karoly Grosz to other one-sheets, it's especially not fair in the case of the Mummy, which is considered one of the most beautiful posters ever.
Dracula's Daughter, I'm not a fan of either of the one-sheets and feel the inserts (both Universal and Realart) are the best paper for the respective releases.

Thanks to wikipedia for this cool comparison of the Dracula one-sheets, but I stand by my statement that the 47 poster is the best, the Realart is a crude copy of the original style B and the 60s release poster is probably the second best Dracula poster.
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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later Realart Re-releases
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2017, 03:30:28 PM »
While it's usually not fair to compare the work of Karoly Grosz to other one-sheets, it's especially not fair in the case of the Mummy, which is considered one of the most beautiful posters ever.
Dracula's Daughter, I'm not a fan of either of the one-sheets and feel the inserts (both Universal and Realart) are the best paper for the respective releases.

Thanks to wikipedia for this cool comparison of the Dracula one-sheets, but I stand by my statement that the 47 poster is the best, the Realart is a crude copy of the original style B and the 60s release poster is probably the second best Dracula poster.


honestly, I like all of them equally except for the 1938. But I would really still like to get the 1961 poster.

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Offline erik1925

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2017, 04:42:25 PM »
Three 3-sheets for Frankenstein (1931). Both later RR were also done by Universal in 1938 and 1947. The '47 image is from the pressbook.

(The original, 1931 3 sheet sold via Heritage, back in March of 2015, for $300,000.00 plus the added BP, totaling $358,500.00thumbsup.gif





« Last Edit: June 18, 2017, 04:52:26 PM by erik1925 »


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Online Antoine1973

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2017, 08:37:08 PM »
Thanks Crowzilla for posting these comparisons.  Personally, my favorite Dracula OS is the first release style F, but I understand those who prefer the 1947 version.  As I said before, my favorite RR poster for Dracula is the 1947 3-sheet. 

Offline crowzilla

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #15 on: June 19, 2017, 04:27:58 AM »
Antoine, I think if I were to pick one of the 31 styles it would be the F also - which remarkably is the most common of the Dracula posters with 5 known copies (3 in one find in the 90s, and 2 in one find a few years ago).
While that still makes them incredibly tough, compare that to the time period through the late 80s when it was assumed that just the one copy of the style B had survived. Then an A was found, then the other style B which had been found with the first copy resurfaced, than the 3 style Fs, than the C, then the single copy of the 38 one-sheet surfaced in 2003, then the most recent Fs.

It's no wonder early collectors thought these were the rarest of the rare, as these copies just weren't known to exist back then. 
When I purchased the Hill copy of the 47 Dracula over a decade ago he told me he paid $500 for it in the early 70s and didn't hesitate as at that time no 31 one-sheet was even known to exist yet. Back then it was the most expensive re-release poster known, and I believe it is probably still the most valuable re-release one-sheet from any title.
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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #16 on: June 19, 2017, 08:15:40 AM »
Thank you Crowzilla for this detailed history of the various Dracula posters, it's fascinating.

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #17 on: June 19, 2017, 01:05:39 PM »
Antoine, I think if I were to pick one of the 31 styles it would be the F also - which remarkably is the most common of the Dracula posters with 5 known copies (3 in one find in the 90s, and 2 in one find a few years ago).
While that still makes them incredibly tough, compare that to the time period through the late 80s when it was assumed that just the one copy of the style B had survived. Then an A was found, then the other style B which had been found with the first copy resurfaced, than the 3 style Fs, than the C, then the single copy of the 38 one-sheet surfaced in 2003, then the most recent Fs.

It's no wonder early collectors thought these were the rarest of the rare, as these copies just weren't known to exist back then. 
When I purchased the Hill copy of the 47 Dracula over a decade ago he told me he paid $500 for it in the early 70s and didn't hesitate as at that time no 31 one-sheet was even known to exist yet. Back then it was the most expensive re-release poster known, and I believe it is probably still the most valuable re-release one-sheet from any title.

 Likey.jpg

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Offline timelessmoviemagic

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #18 on: June 19, 2017, 05:24:28 PM »
Antoine, I think if I were to pick one of the 31 styles it would be the F also - which remarkably is the most common of the Dracula posters with 5 known copies (3 in one find in the 90s, and 2 in one find a few years ago).
While that still makes them incredibly tough, compare that to the time period through the late 80s when it was assumed that just the one copy of the style B had survived. Then an A was found, then the other style B which had been found with the first copy resurfaced, than the 3 style Fs, than the C, then the single copy of the 38 one-sheet surfaced in 2003, then the most recent Fs.


It's no wonder early collectors thought these were the rarest of the rare, as these copies just weren't known to exist back then. 
When I purchased the Hill copy of the 47 Dracula over a decade ago he told me he paid $500 for it in the early 70s and didn't hesitate as at that time no 31 one-sheet was even known to exist yet. Back then it was the most expensive re-release poster known, and I believe it is probably still the most valuable re-release one-sheet from any title.

Love reading info like this, thanks Sean
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Offline timelessmoviemagic

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #19 on: June 19, 2017, 05:26:16 PM »
Sean,

Do you know how many known copies there are of each style of the Dracula posters?


Marc
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Offline erik1925

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #20 on: June 27, 2017, 01:41:30 AM »
The Wolf Man (1941) US Insert:





1948 Realart RR Insert:




« Last Edit: November 26, 2017, 04:25:44 PM by erik1925 »


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Offline crowzilla

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #21 on: June 27, 2017, 12:05:57 PM »
Sean,
Do you know how many known copies there are of each style of the Dracula posters?

Yes.

1931
A - 1 copy
B - 2 copies
C - 1 copy
F - 5 copies
half sheet  - 1 of each style
insert - 4 copies

1938 1-sheet - 1 copy

1947 1-sheet - I believe 9 copies
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Offline erik1925

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2017, 04:27:27 PM »
The Wolf Man (1941) US Insert:





1948 Realart RR Insert:



Seems by the time 1948 rolled around, Realart decided to put a shirt on Lon.


And a little factoid I found. When the movie went into production, its original, working title was Destiny. As mentioned in this newspaper clip from The Evening Independent.





« Last Edit: November 26, 2017, 04:34:56 PM by erik1925 »


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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2017, 07:26:39 PM »
Yes.

1931
A - 1 copy
B - 2 copies
C - 1 copy
F - 5 copies
half sheet  - 1 of each style
insert - 4 copies

1938 1-sheet - 1 copy

1947 1-sheet - I believe 9 copies

so I guess the new tally is A - 1 copy 2 copies

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Offline crowzilla

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Re: Universal Horror: Original Releases Vs Later/Realart Re-releases
« Reply #24 on: November 27, 2017, 05:12:12 AM »
so I guess the new tally is A - 1 copy 2 copies

Yep.  thumbsup.gif

30 years ago, 1 total 31 Dracula one-sheet accounted for, today 9 total copies.
Amazing.

five of them have been up for public auction (3 copies of the style F, one of the style B and now one of the style A), the other four have also each sold one time since they surfaced and are still with the original buyers (one since the 70s, the others since the 90s).

These posters do not trade hands very often

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