Turner Classic Movies has partnered with Universal Studios Home Entertainment to offer digitally remastered rare films on DVD on a made-to-order basis.
The TCM Vault Collection Presented by Universal marks USHE's entry into the manufactured-on-demand (MOD) arena. TCM previously offered lost titles from the RKO library via MOD.
Several of the titles are new to DVD; some have never been available on home video at all.
Starting in the fourth quarter, the films will be available via TCM.com. Cost is $19.99 per title, although some will be released in packages as well.
TCM on-air host Robert Osborne will provide introductions for selected titles; they also will include supplemental and archival materials compiled by the cable network. TCM also will premiere the movies over the next six months on cable.
The first group of titles includes three early Cary Grant pictures and 1940's "Remember the Night," written by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray.
"TCM and Universal have put great effort into restoring [these movies] digitally and providing historical context, bonus material and behind-the-scenes information, something DVD collectors, like me, are sure to appreciate," Osborne said in a statement.
“Universal is very proud of its prestigious collection of Hollywood screen gems,” Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, said in a statement. “Like us, TCM is deeply dedicated to honoring Hollywood’s golden age. This collaboration presents the perfect opportunity to share Universal’s rich cinematic legacy and celebrate vintage works with classic film fans.”
The launch schedule is as follows:
Available Oct. 31: Five rarely seen horror films from the Universal vault: "Murders in the Zoo" (1933) (also on TCM on Oct. 31), "Mad Doctor of Market Street" (1942), "The Strange Case of Dr. RX" (1942), "The Mad Ghoul" (1943) and "House of Horrors" (1946).
Available Nov. 22: "Remember the Night" (1940) (airing on TCM Dec. 6, Dec. 24).
Available in January: Cary Grant starrers "The Eagle and the Hawk" (1933), "The Devil and the Deep" (1932) and "The Last Outpost" (1935).