How "realistic" is finding your "Holy Grail?" (1 Viewer)

[vnisanian2001]

All those Fox shows (including a redo of Roswell) would be perfect for Shout Factory. But how can they work on them, if Fox is just gonna keep on playing hardball with them for no reason? I'm still in absolute shock that Fox is doing this to them, because in this thread, the post that was made on 12/11/10, 9:25 P.M., Brian Ward insisted that their relationship with them was in good standing. Either something happened between the two parties after that statement was made, or worst yet, Fox gave him orders not to reveal the truth about their relationship, because if the truth came out, he could lose his job forever.

 

[LCD22]

All those Fox shows (including a redo of Roswell) would be perfect for Shout Factory. But how can they work on them, if Fox is just gonna keep on playing hardball with them for no reason? I'm still in absolute shock that Fox is doing this to them, because in this thread, the post that was made on 12/11/10, 9:25 P.M., Brian Ward insisted that their relationship with them was in good standing. Either something happened between the two parties after that statement was made, or worst yet, Fox gave him orders not to reveal the truth about their relationship, because if the truth came out, he could lose his job forever.

Brian said publicly last year on their community forum that Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place had been on their radar and would continue to look into it, so atleast they were aware of the high interest. As for their relationship with Fox, isn't everyone who has sublicensed from them in the past in a similar holding pattern because of Fox's sudden insistence of overcharging their licensing fees?

 

[MattAlbie60]

My "Holy Grail" for a long, long time was a complete THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW release. If you'd have asked me five years ago, I'd have told you that it was never going to happen. Now its on my shelf, it feels great, and its proof that if that magically can come to DVD, absolutely anything can

 

[Neil Brock]

Hmm. Guys, some of your "Holy Grails" don't sound so rare. It seems that somebody, somewhere has copies of them, at the very least on video, so you can eventually see them. As for "my" Holy Grails, I can't seem to find anybody who has ever "kept" copies of the Fall Previews, Network Christmas Specials, and such. But I must keep hoping. Oh, also to add to my list the 1988 and 1989 NBC Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the unaired episodes of Spy Games, Salvage 1, and only once shown episode of Young Maverick. See my shows are rarely rare. James

You don't say when you want network preview shows from but many of the ones from the 60s and 70s people have from film. As for the 80s stuff, once VCRs came into popular use, people recorded everything, just a matter of finding it. Spy Game (no s), can easily be found through alternate sources. Since it will never be officially released (great opening credit sequence but poorly written show by the way), you may want to look into that. Salvage 1 was syndicated in the 80s so that's likely out there amongst collectors as well. Unless you are one of those "perfect quality DVD or nothing" people, in which case you're unlikely to ever get your wishes. Young Maverick may come from Warner Archives at some point, who knows. I would like to get the unaired episode to finish out the series myself.

 

[Tory]

I agree with Benny, Burns and Allen, Batman of the 60s, the rest of Fall Guy. In film complete legit Wheeler & Woolsey and the Hal Roach and Columbia shorts of Charley Chase and similar shorts from those studios. I want the Andy Williams Christmas Specials, and Saturday morning previews, a local kid show in Louisiana called Buckskin Bill's Storyland and the pledge drives for Doctor Who on my local PBS affiliate, LPB. I use to have a lot of these on tape, those Christmas Specials, Saturday morning previews of the 80s and the parades some mentioned here but white mold ate my tapes and they are lost to me now. Have there ever been DVDs of parades? Oh one more show, MAth Patrol, a kids show about a guy in a kangaroo suit in a blue trench coat, he was a math spy. I contacted the studio that made it years ago, apparently they destroyed them.

 

[Regulus]

The thing is you never know when a "Holy Grail" will appear. Two years ago it seemed the chances of getting The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman out on DVD were as good as those for a Certain 1966 Superhero Series. I have to confess I did a "No No" and purchased an "Alternate Set" of both of these series. Last Christmas I got the first series as a Presant, and I just picked up Seasons one and two of the latter. Season Three has just been released, hopefully someone will have it on sale during next month's "National Day of Insanity". I tossed out my boots of TSMDM in January, and today I'm watching the Garbageman cart off with my "Unofficial" releases of TBW (Or should I say what's left of them), they went off to the Bar I own, where they got HAMMERED!

 

[Kasey]

Music rights are standing in the way of most of mine. "Maude", "One Day at a Time" and "It's a Living". I have gone the alternative route for the first two, but I don't like cut episodes (who does) despite near-perfect picture quality. The third is almost impossible to find beyond what I already have from my own satellite VHS recordings and those gained through 1990s tape-trading. I heard "Dobie" was remastered and prepped but the Shulman estate is the holdout. There are others but they aren't Holy Grails. If I were inclined, I could make my own sets of "Phyllis", "My Three Sons" and "Petticoat Junction" from my satellite VHS recordings.

 

[derosa]

Spy Game (no s), can easily be found through alternate sources. Since it will never be officially released (great opening credit sequence but poorly written show by the way), you may want to look into that. Salvage 1 was syndicated in the 80s so that's likely out there amongst collectors as well. Unless you are one of those "perfect quality DVD or nothing" people, in which case you're unlikely to ever get your wishes.

Spy Game (1997 show staring Allison Smith) was a show I fondly remember. I liked the spoof quality of the genre. If i'm not mistaken, only 9 of the 13 episodes were aired, so I believe that those "alternate" sources generally have only those 9 shows that made it to air....it would be great to see the other 4 too, so i'll have to add this series to my wish list!

 

[LCD22]

I heard "Dobie" was remastered and prepped but the Shulman estate is the holdout.

Yep. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/articles/holdup.cfm#DobieGillis

 

[WaveCrest]

Originally Posted by Jeff Willis

I'm in for more "Knots". That one's going to see more sets imo.

I wish I share your enthusiasm. As time goes on and Dallas gets renewed attention with Knots seemingly left in the background (but I suppose it always was in Dallas' shadow for a time (despite it being the better written show), it's frustrating that Season 3 feels light years away.


Have plenty of enthusiasm for the show. Would like Warner Archive (if they did continue Knots) to get at least as far as Season 5. It's a tall ask (one reason why the show is one of my Holy Grails), but they're apparently doing a good job with the TV shows they have started and completed on DVD.



Quote:

What's one definition of a "grail" show here? For me, one of them is "rewatchability".

Whether it's a tall ask, a slim or good chance of them being continued and unstalled on DVD.


Them not being shown much on TV since their original run finished. Have seen only a handful of episodes of Midnight Caller, but it made an impression on me. The atmosphere I can't quite put into words.

 

[Mike*HTF]

Aside from Batman and The Green Hornet - my holy grail would be the Ziv-produced I Led 3 Lives. A few months ago I would have thought the chance of this seeing a release was good considering that the current rights holder MGM released the first season of another Ziv classic, Highway Patrol. Since that time, MGM's TV output has flatlined and now I'm not so sure. But as William mentioned, you never can tell what will find its way to the market.

 

[JamesSmith]

You don't say when you want network preview shows from but many of the ones from the 60s and 70s people have from film. Dear Neil: Could you explain to me more about the significance of the 60's and 70's people have from "film?" Does that hurt or help the chances of them over showing up in some collectors hands? James

 

[Neil Brock]

Spy Game (1997 show staring Allison Smith) was a show I fondly remember. I liked the spoof quality of the genre. If i'm not mistaken, only 9 of the 13 episodes were aired, so I believe that those "alternate" sources generally have only those 9 shows that made it to air....it would be great to see the other 4 too, so i'll have to add this series to my wish list!

4 shows didn't air in the U.S. Doesn't mean they didn't air in other countries.

 

[Neil Brock]

I use to have a lot of these on tape, those Christmas Specials, Saturday morning previews of the 80s and the parades some mentioned here but white mold ate my tapes and they are lost to me now.

Wow, what storage did you use? I have thousands of tapes going back more than 30 years and I've never had mold on one tape. Of course I don't put them in a basement or garage, both of which are death for tapes.

 

[Tory]

They were in my bedroom on shelves, not stored away. I lived in Louisiana and it was pretty hot, poor air conditioning and humid. Come to think of it, Katrina hit us and we were without power for months, and months later the problem showed itself. Hundreds of tapes, I had to toss them years ago. They all just "went" at the same time and some of them were kind of active. Even newer tapes I got at that time got the white mold, I was working on video art projects for college and the out of date medium was vital. I had tons of old tv shows from the 80s and 90s, short lived ones that I watched over and over, gaining a level of cult fandom and appreciation for things nobody really remembers so well. I really miss them and the old commercials. DVDs help a lot but so much will never be on DVD, youtube, stream or even fan made copies and t breaks my heart whenever I hear about the original elements being destroyed or lost or rotting away in some vault.

 

[Charles Ellis]

Well, three guesses what my holy grail is, LOL! And for a while, some episodes were actually released! Pity Fox has no sense of honor regarding its vintage shows, unlike say, Universal/Timesless (though what the hell is going on with the Jack Benny situation?), CBS/Paramount, and Warner Bros. and its Archive program. Not surprisingly, my second choice is another Fox property: Batman!!!

 

[Neil Brock]

Well, three guesses what my holy grail is, LOL! And for a while, some episodes were actually released! Pity Fox has no sense of honor regarding its vintage shows, unlike say, Universal/Timesless (though what the hell is going on with the Jack Benny situation?), CBS/Paramount, and Warner Bros. and its Archive program. Not surprisingly, my second choice is another Fox property: Batman!!!

The Benny estate would have the DVD rights to the series, not Universal. But do you know how much music is in those episodes? I can see that show just being a clearance nightmare.

 

[Neil Brock]

They were in my bedroom on shelves, not stored away. I lived in Louisiana and it was pretty hot, poor air conditioning and humid. Come to think of it, Katrina hit us and we were without power for months, and months later the problem showed itself. Hundreds of tapes, I had to toss them years ago. They all just "went" at the same time and some of them were kind of active. Even newer tapes I got at that time got the white mold, I was working on video art projects for college and the out of date medium was vital. I had tons of old tv shows from the 80s and 90s, short lived ones that I watched over and over, gaining a level of cult fandom and appreciation for things nobody really remembers so well. I really miss them and the old commercials. DVDs help a lot but so much will never be on DVD, youtube, stream or even fan made copies and t breaks my heart whenever I hear about the original elements being destroyed or lost or rotting away in some vault.

That's really a shame. Nothing will destroy videotapes faster than humidity and Louisiana is pretty humid. You are right in that so many short-run shows, early cancellations, spring tryouts, etc., will never see the light of day again. Only way to ever see those is if you recorded them. And you're right, there were some gems in there amongst the drek.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

THE AVENGERS was a holy grail before I got my first DVD player, and the announcement of the color Emma Peel season on DVD in early 1999 was what got me to finally jump from laserdisc to DVD at that time. Subsequent holy grails were THE OUTER LIMITS, THE WILD WILD WEST, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, THE FUGITIVE, THRILLER, DRAGNET (1960s), M SQUAD, LAND OF THE GIANTS, LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, and RAWHIDE, all which have seen complete series releases with the pending exception of RAWHIDE. I still have a few holy grails kicking around, but at the top of my list, for a few years now, has been the one-season wonder, T.H.E. CAT (1966-67). Advantages: * it's in color * single season/half-hour (so, sales-and-packaging-wise, it'd be an easy 'one and done' complete series set) * impressive pedigree... created by Harry Julian Fink (co-creator of Dirty Harry, screenwriter for MAJOR DUNDEE, ICE STATION ZEBRA, BIG JAKE and CAHILL U.S. MARSHALL), produced/directed by Boris Sagal (THE OMEGA MAN), theme and music supervision by Lalo Schifrin (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, COOL HAND LUKE, BULLITT, ENTER THE DRAGON) * a violent, pulpy action-adventure series, featuring the type of character (a no-nonsense, kick-ass hero/expert-for-hire) that is still popular today with younger audiences (i.e. THE TRANSPORTER series, DRIVE, Daniel Craig's 007, Nolan's BATMAN, etc) Disadvantages: * it's a largely forgotten/unknown series * it wasn't a hit it its original run, and had minimal (at best) reruns afterward * current condition of original film elements is unknown (by me, at least), quite possibly in bad shape, and probably never got a (cost-prohibitive) transfer to tape * we're in the "last gasp" era of DVD and physical media, during a prolonged, bad economy Chances of a DVD release: extremely slim. This is the sort of property that needs to have a champion/ombudsman in the industry, particularly in the company that owns it (still not clear whether it belongs to Universal or Paramount). Still, you'd think this series would get some cursory sort of transfer (ala THE INVADERS), for streaming/download purposes, if nothing else.

 

[smithb]

THE AVENGERS was a holy grail before I got my first DVD player, and the announcement of the color Emma Peel season on DVD in early 1999 was what got me to finally jump from laserdisc to DVD at that time.

Same here. The Avengers with Emma Peel was the first ever TV show I bought on DVD (back in 1999). It was another 8 years before I jumped in with both feet and really started a TV DVD collections. And of course when the ultimate Avengers set came out in the UK last summer I just had to have it as well.