The Cat Creeps (1930) -- The Music of Universal Horror and Drama Films

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Date Posted: 22:04:46 02/27/08 Wed
Author: rivamarsh
Subject: The Cat Creeps (1930)

I heard that UCLA has the four sound discs from this "lost" film, does anyone know where I could get a copy of the soundtrack. Is it even avalible to the public? Even though I can't see the film I would LOVE to listen to the soundtrack!

It would be great if Universal would put the soundtrack from this film as a bonus on a box set of old Universal horror/Mystery films. Just like the legacy, franchise, Hammer & Sci-Fi box sets. There are many early Universal horror/mystery films yet to be released on DVD like:

"Secret of the Chateau" (1934)
"The Man Who Reclaimed His Head" (1934)
"The Missing Guest" (1938)
"The Crime of Dr. Hallet" (1938)
"The House of Fear" (1939)
"The Strange Case of Dr. Rx" (1942)
"The Cat Creeps" (1946) (remake)

just to name a few.

What do you think?

All the best

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Replies:

[> Re: The Cat Creeps (1930) -- DAN, 13:46:54 02/28/08 Thu [1]

I agree Rivamarsh!
I have most of the Universal horror films on tapes and DVD.

I still need these Universal Horror and Mystery films to complete my collection:

SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM (33)
SECRET OF THE CHATEAU (34)
THE MAN WHO RECLAIMED HIS HEAD (34)
LIFE RETURNS (35)
MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (35)
THE BLACK DOLL (38)
THE CRIME OF DR. HALLET (38)
THE MISSING GUEST (38)
HOUSE OF FEAR (39)
THE MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET (42)
THE STRANGE CASE OF DR RX (42)
MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM (44)
THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK (46)
THE CAT CREEPS (46)

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[> [> Re: The Cat Creeps (1930) -- Rick, 17:34:11 02/28/08 Thu [1]

Most of them are housed at Library of Congress in Virginia. The studio shipped them out in the 80's. That is, the lesser-popular films that didn't make it to video. You'd have to seek out a collector who has prints taken to home video.

The original audio materials; music tapes, dialogue and sound effects were all housed at Universal. A fire destroyed all of them back in the 60's. Hundreds of priceless tapes they had stored. To make matters worse, the music tracks they had put on optical nitrate film--were destroyed by the studio decades ago. They didn't realize how valuable they were. The only surviving source is the movie prints with the final soundtrack on them. Some of the metal disc recordings still exist, but I don't think they'd bother with them.

Rick

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[> [> Re: Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935) -- Rick, 17:37:55 02/28/08 Thu [1]

Universal has the master 35mm print in their vault. It's a sub-horror/mystery film that starred Claude Rains. Excellent score by Edward Ward. The DVD release I'd imagine will be in the next year or so. They probably will make it part of a DVD box set with some other films. I still have the VHS edition.

Rick

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[> [> Re: The Cat Creeps (1930) -- Sidney P. Bloomberg, 20:17:42 11/10/08 Mon [1]

Re the above Titles, eMail Me. U MUST leave Your Address.
I'll HELP w/them. RSVP.

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[> Re: The Cat Creeps (1930) -- rivamarsh, 23:46:48 02/28/08 Thu [1]

Hello,

Thanks for the replys, No I wasn't talking of the musical soudtrack to the film (though, the information about them being destroyed was very interesting, though depressing). I'm talking of the 'lost' 1930 verison of the film 'The Cat Creeps'. This was the first sound Universal horror film predating 'Dracula' by a few months. The film was a remake of 'The Cat and Canary' (1927). This film 'The Cat Creeps' has been MIA since the 1930's. The only (very little) footage avalible is from a Universal short titled "Boo!" (1932). The film was an early talkie where they used the viatphone system. This was where the soundtrack (the actual actors spoken words and background music) were on seperate discs and was not on the film itself. The film had to be played at the same time as the sound discs so it would match the action on screen. The film has disappeared but UCLA actually has all of the vitaphone sound discs. So you can actually hear the film but you can't see it. I just though that it would be a great extra if Universal would actually include the sound from these discs to this 'lost' film on a box set of early horror/mystery titles. They could play it over a montage of stills and promotional material and even the very few scenes they have from the "Boo!" short. If I can't see the film I would at least love to hear it.

All the best,
Kevin J.S.

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[> [> Re: The Cat Creeps (1930) -- Rick, 19:06:08 02/29/08 Fri [1]

I'd suggest you get in touch with Sid Bloomberg. He'd know more details about the film's whereabouts today~

http://www.blsinc.com/rarefilms.htm

Rick

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