Early Universal Vol. 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Early Universal Vol. 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 3, 2021

Universal Pictures branded itself variously as Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-Jewel when the silents included in this package were released, and those slight if kind of quaint differences in names may point to the fact that Universal, in any of its "versions", has been around a long time, and is in fact the oldest surviving film studio in the United States. Some of Universal's earliest product has been getting released globally on Blu-ray, and in that regard Kino Lorber has already released two of the three films in this collection for the Region A market (links can be found in the reviews of this release's offerings). These early Universal films are noted for sometimes rather impressive technical achievements, with this collection in particular offering then innovative location filming, including underwater sequences for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and wide open prairie material for The Calgary Stampede.

For reviews of the films in this set, please click on the following links:

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Blu-ray review

The Calgary Stampede Blu-ray review

What Happened to Jones? Blu-ray review

Early Universal Vol. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Early Universal Vol. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Early Universal Vol. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Supplements included with each film are detailed in the above linked reviews. Eureka! only sent check discs for the purposes of this review, but their press sheet also mentions a collector's booklet.

Early Universal Vol. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is a really winning collection of three vintage silents. Two of them offer interesting technological achievements, and the third, while more setbound, is a totally winning comedy. Video encounters some hurdles, but audio is fine, and the included commentaries and interview with Kim Newman are all very well done. Recommended.