It’s a new year and 2019 has come to a close. I always like to reflect on my favorite physical releases of year. Consumers seem to be moving more and more to streaming services with the launch this holiday season of Disney Plus being the latest. However, 2019 was also a banner year for physical media as well. Several companies really stepped up their game with incredible packaging, extras and in some cases sparkling new transfers of classic films. I will always make the case of physically owning a copy of a movie because it is permanently in your collection, it won’t be dropped or eventually removed from your shelf.

Being that it is 2019, I decided to list my favorite 19 releases of the year. So sit back relax and let’s watch some movies!

6. Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection

What a collection! Shout Factory has released 28 Abbott & Costello films in one amazing Blu-Ray set as part of their Shout Select Line. Included in the set is an extra bonus disc and a host of new commentaries.

It will take you a long time to get through this set if you examine it from top to bottom (it took me over 4 months to be able to watch each film, rewatch the ones with commentaries and then dive into the bonus features).

And while it is true that not all the movies are gems, Abbott & Costello are gems even in their not as successful films. Below is a list of the films included in the set and if there is an * with the film it contains a new commentary;

One Night in the Tropics (1940)

Buck Privates*(1941)

In the Navy (1941)

Hold That Ghost*(1941)

Keep ‘Em Flying* (1941)

Ride ‘Em Cowboy* (actually has 2 commentaries)(1942)

Pardon My Sarong (1942)

Who Done It?* (1942)

It Ain’t Hay* (1943)

Hit the Ice* (1943)

In Society (1944)

Here Come the Co-eds (1945)

The Naughty Nineties* (1945)

Little Giant* (1946)

The Time of Their Lives* (1946)

Buck Privates Come Home (1947)

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap (1947)

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein* (1948)

Mexican Hayride* (1948)

Abbott & Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff* (1949)

Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950)

Abbott & Costello Meet The Invisible Man (1951)

Comin’ Round the Mountain (1951)

Lost in Alaska (1952)

Abbott & Costello Go to Mars (1953)

Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde* (1953)

Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955)

Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy* (1955)

Whew! You get your money’s worth with this box set. I have seen the big Abbott & Costello movies, Meet Frankenstein, Buck Privates and Who Done It? What is a treat with this collection is seeing the movies that maybe have slipped under the radar. Films like, The Time of Their Lives a period piece about a solider returning home from the American Revolution. Or the clever and funny Hold That Ghost, which would serve the boys well in future appearances with the Universal Monsters.

Another great time with this collection is watching Abbott & Costello get more and more comfortable in front of the camera. In their first film, One Night in the Tropics, they are secondary characters but by far the best part of the film. In their follow up Buck Privates, it’s the Abbott & Costello show and they never look back.

The video presentation on the box set is varied. While I am sure that this is the best that these films have looked, some show their age a little more. It doesn’t distract from the film but some movies like, It Ain’t Hay seem to be a little more rough then others. The films do look good and getting them in high definition is plus.

On the audio side it is much like the video. Keeping in mind that some of these films are nearly 80 years old, I forgive them for having scratches and pops. But the most important part are the goofy sound effects and the dialogue and those all come through clear.

Abbott & Costello is packed with bonus features. Besides the 15 films that contain a commentary, every film comes with production stills and notes. Most come with a trailer as well. Inside the sturdy cardboard case is a nearly 50 page booklet with photos and facts. Also included is a bonus disc that comes packed with features. Clocking in at nearly 6.5 hours these visit a wide range of topics. From their legacy to meeting the monsters you will become an Abbott & Costello expert by the time you comb through all of the bonus materials. And just to top it off there is also nearly an hour of bloopers from various films.

What a great package. Abbott & Costello are legends and they deserve a box set like this. Maybe not all the films are classics but they are all a good time.

Film: B+

Video: B

Audio: B

Extras: A+

Overall: A