In the Basket 8/9-15

What DVD's are you buying this week? So far I've picked up:

McMillan & Wife-Season 1*
Columbo-Season 3*
McCloud-Seasons 1 and 2*
The Muppet Show-Season 1*

Tom

*Arrived via FedEx this morning, a day early. Gotta love that!!

Bill Cosby Himself....almost bought the Cosby Show and decided to wait till the price comes down...so I settled for a consilation price instead. No regrets!

I just picked up, "The Butterfly Effect" (Directors Cut)
"Zorba the Greek" &
"Arlington Road"

The Muppet Show S1

Unfortunately, some episodes in this set are missing musical numbers for whatever reason (notice the box set doesn't claim to be "The Complete First Season", although that may be a case of semantics). From extensive research, I was able to notice five episodes with cuts; four were edited to remove one musical performance each, the other trimmed episode has oddly lost a couple of Muppet Newsflash segments. I assume the deletions are not a simple case of overlooking or mishandling, but the result of tangled or especially pricey song rights*. The missing Vincent Price song was at least advertised as appearing on one of the Time-Life DVD releases, so its exclusion is especially disappointing. While the incomplete nature of it is troubling, I don't think we'll see an uncut set in our lifetime, and this set otherwise pleases in every way.


http://www.ultimatedisney.com/muppetshow-season1.html

*Hello EOT!

---------------------------

The Cosby Show - S1

The episodes included on this 4-disc set ... they're the syndicated versions. Yes, seriously.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of "syndicated" episodes, here's a really short primer: "extraneous" footage is dropped from each episode so that extra (or extra-long) commercial breaks can be played. And these are the versions included in the inaugural DVD collection? Of one of the most beloved situation comedies of all time??

Personally, I think that sucks.

Hey, anyone want to buy the "network broadcast version" of Scarface? Didn't think so. And I find it more than a little disconcerting to realize that, even though I may have just dropped 40-some bucks to own one of my very favorite sitcoms on DVD ... they're not nearly the original cuts; two to three minutes have been chopped out of each 20-some minute episode. OK, this approach might work fine where UHF reruns are concerned, since you're getting those for free. But if a studio is asking you to drop some solid cash on the first season of one of televisions' (very) finest sitcoms -- I don't think it's asking too much to get the complete, unaltered, unedited episodes.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=17085

Ok while I do agree with you Melanie on the Muppet Show and copyright problems are seriously rewriting history....I take acception to the Cosby Show.

The sindicated version are at least what we all have seen. The extra....is simply that. EXTRA. Still alot of this could be rectified on later sets, or if one really needs it, then go to bootleg.

As it stands, at least we are getting what won awards...what we all saw originally. Comparing Scarface is unfair because the tv version is not what the director originally approved. The original "X rated" cut was the one that was released to the theaters..and that is intact on DVD it all its wonderful Anamorphic Widescreen DTS sound!

With a sitcom I look at T.V. as the final rating. If it made it to T.V. then that is what was intended..just like if it made it to the ratings board with the movies. Scarface and Cosby Show are how they should be on DVD. More extras would certainly be welcomed, but alas it is still unnecessary.

The above statements are not mine. I guess I should have made it clear, that these are opinions of a third party, instead of just posting the links to the reviews.

Packaging and selling syndication editions of shows is a prime example of pure laziness on the part of the studios. It is much easier to clean up, package and sell the shorter versions of these shows as they are readily accesible due to constant syndication orders. The studios should go back to the "vault" and pull the original network aired versions of the show, and not take the cheap and easy way out. Seinfeld set the bar for releasing TV shows on DVD.

Tom

P.S. Add Because of Winn-Dixie to my list.

I just got "The Dukes Of Hazzard: The Complete Fourth Season" in the mail yesterday from Columbia House.

He I do agree..but if I have to choose between nothing!

And Melanie..you posted it, so you agree with it. Is that clear enough for ya.

I just put in my pre-order for:

The Val Lewton Collection
Hammer Horror Collection
Bela Lugosi Collection
Looney Tunes Collection Vol. 3
Looney Tunes Movie Collection
Tom & Jerry Collection Vol. 2
Andy Griffith Show Season 3
Millenium Season 3
Star Trek Nemesis Special Edition
The Flintstones Season 4
Rocky & Bullwinkle Season 3
Stargate SG-1 Season 8
Star Trek Enterprise Season 2
The Lone Gunman Complete Series

plus several Humphrey Bogart classics

Now I need to get a second job or a divorce

jeff R

In doing some more research on The Muppet Show..this is very distressing.

http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/r ... on_1.shtml

I don't know what I hate more...copyright cuts or Hayes code cuts! On one hand I am angry that the Hayes code went overboard with it...in most cases I can at least accept that the footage is gone and never released to begin with.

As far as the copyright issue's well hopefully things will be resolved. Thank E.P. that this wasn't the case with the 68 comeback or Aloha! Still what the f*ck does Jim Nabbors or Vincent Price(???) song holders have to gain by wrecking history! I think there should be a new law against such things. To me it would be acceptable to hold the copyright holders to the first preservation of such material. The DVD format could be the first and last place to start. We are talking history, and it least with a digital representation there will be no decay. I understand halting it afterwards, but to rewrite history just isn't fair.

Still both cases are quite annoying in many respects.

Jeff,
You've got some great titles there. I'm getting almost all of those as well. I knew we thought alike!

Tom

Good Guys wear Black

I hated the fact that Tom and Jerry wasn't chronological, but the great quality cannot be denied. Very impressive.

Yes, TINC is a basket case...definitely!

Last edited by MauriceinIreland on Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Geez, PotatoHead, the way you are following me around you'd think I was a bronze statue of a 13 year-old-boy.

Tom

TINC the Liar, The penny will drop in due course...there again some are really that dim:-(

Last edited by MauriceinIreland on Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

TINC the Liar, The penny will drop in due course...

Oh boy, yet another idol threat. Well I haven't got all day, Magoo.

Tom (still waiting)

Patience fool....I'm plotting.....he he he


http://press.xtvworld.com/modules.php?n ... e&sid=6197

Patience fool....I'm plotting.....he he he

Rotting is more like it. You ain't getting any younger there Magoo, so you better hurry up an bring out the big guns.

Tom

http://press.xtvworld.com/modules.php?n ... e&sid=6197

How's that.

How's that.

=YOU

=ME

Get it??

Tom