HTF Review: The Munsters - The Complete First Season (Recommended!) (1 Viewer)

[Chris:L]

Yeah, that's funny.

 

[EricSchulz]

Hey, all I wanna know is "When can I get Season Two?"

 

[MattHR]

Did anyone else notice a difference in the audio for the episode "Knock Wood, Here Comes Charlie" (Disc 1, Side B, episode 3) ?

The volume level for this episode is much lower than the others. When I turned it up to volume match the previous and next episodes, I also noticed the audio quality to be very flat and almost "muffled", compared to the others, with a bit of "hiss" introduced.

Otherwise, I was pretty impressed with the audio quality of the rest of the episodes, considering it's Dolby mono at 192 kbs.

I wonder what happened with this episode. Mastering error or source material problem?

 

[David*P]

I don't think I noticed the audio problem with "Knock Wood, Here Comes Charlie"....I guess I'll have to watch it again.



That's what I was wondering as well as I just watched the last episode of the first season tonight. I know it's too early now to expect to know but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's around Christmas.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I watch 1.5 episodes of THE MUNSTERS while on
my treadmill everyday. I am going through the
set at a brisk pace.

Absolutely, there is an audio problem where some
episodes are at a far lower volume than others.
Knock Wood Here Comes Charlie is just one
example.

I would have hoped that the studio would have
done more to equalize the overall sound level
across the board, but I'm having so much fun
watching these shows that I find it a minor annoyance.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I can't swear to it, but I just watched the "Far-Out Munsters" episode and it seemed like another "song" at the beginning of the episode has been substituted for the DVD. It's the bit where Eddie comes home to play the new Standells' record, and drives everyone in the house insane with the "wild" rock n roll. I don't recall what the original song was (a friend of mine remembers it being a lot like "Shout") but whatever tune has been substituted is nowhere near as rough and raunchy as the original tune was, and the effect isn't quite as powerful (the family goes berserk with the loud rock noise - grandpa swallows his cigar, Herman's popcorn jumps around like mad). If this was indeed a switcheroo, it was probably due to copyright problems. The other two songs later in the show (even including a version of The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand") remain intact. Has anyone noticed or heard anything about this? I could be wrong, but the music sounds much different and more tame.

 

[EricSchulz]

Has anyone heard anything about sales figures on this set? Hopefully it will be enough to warrant Season Two's release soon!

 

[Chris:L]

Bring on Season Two.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

There was also a pilot episode done with Yvonne DeCarlo and Butch Patrick. It's unique in that it's similar to the pilot with Joan Marshall and Happy Derman, but it has subtle differences. For one thing, Butch Patrick isn't wearing any makeup at all, and Eddie is much tamer than Derman's version (also much more likeable). Lily is stitching up Woof Woof for Eddie in one scene. It shows how much better the chemistry was with DeCarlo and Patrick playing with Gwynne and Lewis, as opposed to Marshall and Derman. I really wish they would've also included that pilot. Oh well, maybe if we're lucky it'll be included in the season 2 discs. By the way, I saw that pilot on a bootleg I got off EBAY a couple of years ago. The quality was rather poor but it was very interesting for historical purposes. It would be nice to have it remastered one day.

 

[Gabe D]

I checked my old tape of that episode, and you are right, the music is different. :frowning:

 

[marcus_h]

Has anyone noticed any other problems about this release? I'm just curious because of what happened to me. On Autumn Croakus, I received a disc error from a DVD player at work (Onkyo), but at home it played fine on my Toshiba SD-2200. At home, on the episode of All Star Munster, there was some pixelization or picture break up, but the episode continued to play fine. I exchanged it for a new copy from the retailer and didn't see any problems on the All Star Munster episode and disc3 is fine. I hope it was just a fluke ;o).

 

[ScottR]

I wish the studios would put a disclaimer on boxes when something is changed.

 

[Chris:L]

I was discharged from one of the M*A*S*H topics because I cussed..... ScottR... be careful!

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I don't know if it would make a difference. At least it wouldn't to me. However, the studios could really shoot themselves in the foot by doing that, and imagine all the fans who might have skipped this set because of a disclaimer when, after all, it only amounts to about 10 seconds of music for only ONE episode out of 38. I'm really enjoying THE MUNSTERS set, and the shows have never looked or sounded better. If I was told on the packaging that the music was changed for legal reasons for "Far Out Munsters" (and it's really only several seconds) I would still have bought it. What's the alternative? Not to own the show at all? If you think about it, when people complain about edits or a missing music cue or something, it doesn't really do any good; the studio isn't going to go back and re-do the set, and the only option is to have NO episodes.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I love The Munsters -- have watched them
for decades -- but could use a quick history lesson.

I just started disc #2 in the set and was surprised
to see that the opening credits were changed (it went
from Lily stroking her hair to Herman coming up from
the stairs).

I couldn't understand why the opening had suddenly
changed until I realized that the original Marilyn was replaced.

I thought she wasn't replaced until Season 2. Was
sort of odd this happened so suddenly. Can anyone shed
some light on why the original Marilyn left the show?

Also....

When does the opening credits featuring the more
refined and extended Munsters theme begin? Is that
Season Three?

Finally....

I am surprised THE MUNSTERS lasted only two seasons.
The show must have been a smash. Why did it suddenly
end?

Thanks for your help on this history lesson.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Ron, I believe the original Marilyn (Beverley Owen) left the show after only 13 episodes to get married and move to New York. That's why they had to reshoot the opening with Pat Priest. I think the more surf rock opening theme song you're thinking of started with season 2 (can't wait for that release!). As for why the show was cancelled after only 2 seasons, here's a quote from a recent review by someone named Steven Strong:

"The Munsters was cancelled in the Spring of 1966, not because it has lost popularity but because executives didn't feel the genre of programming was all that much appealing anymore, Addams Family suffered the same fate. Fans were outraged, picketing at CBS offices. People just couldn't understand why their favorite show was gone. I would like to see a network cancel a program today that was getting ratings like The Munsters were, that just doesn't happen."

Even though this person is wrong about the reason why Beverly Owen left the show, the rest of his review seems pretty much dead on.

For the complete review, here's the link:

http://www.classictvhits.com/promoti...rs/season1.htm

 

[Matthew Brown]

I may be wrong but I believe I read something that these being shot in black and white may have had something to do with the cancelation. I think the executives at the time were worried about how the show would be accepted if shown in color, which things were moving toward. After watching the pilot on the DVD set, I don't think they had to worry.

Matt

 

[Joe Karlosi]

As Carlos said, Beverley Owen wanted to get married and wanted no part of the series. It should also be noted that she was very unhappy doing the show, and constantly was in the ladies' room in tears (these are her own words). Too bad - I always preferred her to Pat Priest

 

[David*P]

After watching this first season set I liked Beverly Owen better myself.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Shows like The Munsters & The Addams Family nowadays with their ratings would be considered huge hits & wouldnt be going anywhere for many years.

Unfortunately, things happen.