Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (2 Viewers)

[LeoA]

It's possible that the Henning family's license of season 1 prints to MPI also licenses the music owned by the Henning family (namely, the theme song) and precludes them from licensing the music for season 1 to anyone else. Otherwise you're right. An official first season would be great.

I suppose the rights could be different, but it thankfully didn't stop CBS with season 1 of Petticoat Junction which MPI only partially released due to the latter episodes still being copyrighted.

I think the conventional thinking about this situation is most likely, they just didn't think it was viable with season 1 already having been released in full (Albeit, with the Christmas episode tossed into a separate set to make fans of BH/PJ have to buy three releases instead of two).

 

[Vic Pardo]

I've been on a WWII kick and have been watching episodes of "The Rat Patrol" and "Combat!" on DVD and episodes of "McHale's Navy" on YouTube. So far, every episode I've watched has been a winner. I find the McHale episodes hilarious.

I'm astounded by how irreverent "McHale's" is toward the military and the war effort. It was way ahead of its time and definitely looks forward to Robert Altman's movie, M*A*S*H. I wonder if there was any backlash from war vets at the time, as there would be against another Borgnine venture, THE DIRTY DOZEN just five years later.

What kind of extras are there on the DVD sets of "McHale's"? Anything that might address these questions?

Thanks.

 

[Jack P]

I think though the "irreverence" of "McHale's Navy" is not even in the same league as that of MASH. In "McHale" it's in fact noted in the pilot that Captain Binghamton is not a career Navy man but a blue-blood from Long Island (McHale mentions his expertise consisting of the Yacht Club) who got his commission due to connections. So therefore, it's not being irreverent toward the "real" Navy. And more than once, McHale and his men show that when they need to do some serious combat work, they do it and its the fact that they don't slacken in that effort that explains why they feel entitled to not follow the regs. It isn't at all anticipatory toward MASH in the slightest IMO.

 

[BobO'Link]

Exactly, Jack. The crew of McHale's Navy were respectful of the military, it's officers, and its discipline, but operated under the premis that as long as they were doing their best for the Navy what they did on off-time was their business. It always struck me as a group of men who were quite willing to do what was necessary for the war effort but fully appreciated having a bit of fun when not directly engaged in that effort. Most of the men in MASH were serving under duress (drafted) and often made it very clear they'd rather be anywhere else in the world. Yes, they did their job, and did it well because of pride, but only because they had no real choice. Most of the men of MASH would have never gone back once on leave if there were not MPs there to make sure they did. The crew of McHale's Navy wouldn't have even thought about leaving their post until the war was over. They were making the best of a bad situation. The men of MASH were generally trying to *avoid* and/or get out of the situation. Different times, different wars, different mores.

The WWII vets I knew generally *loved* McHale's Navy, Hogan's Heros, and You'll Never Get Rich (aka Sgt. Bilko), as well as the various WWII drama series, especially Combat. I think that's because they generally portrayed the various services in a good light, even if some were played more toward comedy/farce.

VIc - there are essentially *no* extras on the 4 season sets. Season 1 has a cast reunion video with Borgnine, Conway, Ballantine, Hastings and Stroll. Season 2 has brief interviews with Borgnine and Conway. Season 3 & 4 have nothing.

 

[Vic Pardo]

I appreciate the larger context provided in your responses, Jack and Bob. I was just going off of first impressions from having watched four eps. this week for the first time in nearly 50 years.

I watched two more eps. of "Combat!" last night, including "The Enemy" with Robert Duvall as a Nazi officer forced by Hanley to defuse several bombs and mines in a French town before the citizens return. Duvall's German accent is a little awkward. I'm sure it sounded fine to him, but I didn't quite buy it. But still, even lesser Duvall is a prize. Anna Lee plays a nun, the third member of what is, essentially, a three-person cast.

Then I watched "Hills Are for Heroes, Part 1," an all-combat piece directed on location by Vic Morrow. Reminded me of such war movies as ATTACK! and MEN IN WAR (which co-starred Morrow, who sure learned some lessons from its director Anthony Mann).

 

[HenryDuBrow]

Couldn't perhaps TMG/Shout get One Step Beyond, and finish its final two seasons? Would be an ideal title for them, I'd thought.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Couldn't perhaps TMG/Shout get One Step Beyond, and finish its final two seasons? Would be an ideal title for them, I'd thought.

It would probably make sense for them to release it as a complete series like a lot of old shows. It might be on their radar, but CBS might be trying to sell off some of their remaining stock of season 1 first. Just a theory.

 

[Guy Foulard]

It would probably make sense for them to release it as a complete series like a lot of old shows. It might be on their radar, but CBS might be trying to sell off some of their remaining stock of season 1 first. Just a theory.

It would be great to see it fully remastered like the CBS Season 1, but I would settle for regular broadcast-quality prints (rather than the choppy, damaged public domain ones in the cheap sets).

 

[John Hermes]

I appreciate the larger context provided in your responses, Jack and Bob. I was just going off of first impressions from having watched four eps. this week for the first time in nearly 50 years.

I watched two more eps. of "Combat!" last night, including "The Enemy" with Robert Duvall as a Nazi officer forced by Hanley to defuse several bombs and mines in a French town before the citizens return. Duvall's German accent is a little awkward. I'm sure it sounded fine to him, but I didn't quite buy it. But still, even lesser Duvall is a prize. Anna Lee plays a nun, the third member of what is, essentially, a three-person cast.

Then I watched "Hills Are for Heroes, Part 1," an all-combat piece directed on location by Vic Morrow. Reminded me of such war movies as ATTACK! and MEN IN WAR (which co-starred Morrow, who sure learned some lessons from its director Anthony Mann).

"Hills Are For Heroes" is one of the best of the series. I was very impressed with the acting from the squad members, especially Jack Hogan (Kirby).

 

[Vic Pardo]

"Hills Are For Heroes" is one of the best of the series. I was very impressed with the acting from the squad members, especially Jack Hogan (Kirby).

I watched Part 2 after I did my post and, yes, it's an amazing piece of television--writing, directing and acting all superb--and a strong and honest depiction of the rigors of combat and the difficulties of making life-or-death decisions in a command structure while under fire. It doesn't make war look exciting, which is the cardinal sin of so many war movies and TV shows. It makes it look harrowing.

Contrast this with the new Brad Pitt movie, FURY, which I saw last Thurs. night and neglected to mention in my earlier post despite the fact that seeing it prompted me to watch eps. of The Rat Patrol and Combat! as a corrective. FURY is basically a standard WWII patrol movie (albeit a tank crew) filled with clichés and a bloodthirstiness that I found somewhat startling. Younger members of the preview audience seemed to like it, but probably because they've seen few, if any, WWII movies before, so it would seem fresh and interesting to them.

One of the eps. of "Rat Patrol" I saw is worth singling out because it involves an Arab woman and child caught in the crossfire of a skirmish between the Rat Patrol and pursuing Nazis. The Arab woman, played by Anna Mizrahi (nee Anna Strasberg), speaks only Arabic in the course of the scene and screams for help when her child falls into a well after fleeing from the fighting. It's quite an effective and moving performance. The combatants call a truce to help rescue the child. Only the Nazi officers speak English (two of them); the rest of the Germans speak only German. I found this use of language quite a contrast from all those old movies/TV shows where everyone in a foreign country automatically speaks English. It's all about the human cost of war and not the "glory."

 

[Richard V]

One of the eps. of "Rat Patrol" I saw is worth singling out because it involves an Arab woman and child caught in the crossfire of a skirmish between the Rat Patrol and pursuing Nazis. The Arab woman, played by Anna Mizrahi (nee Anna Strasberg), speaks only Arabic in the course of the scene and screams for help when her child falls into a well after fleeing from the fighting. It's quite an effective and moving performance. The combatants call a truce to help rescue the child. Only the Nazi officers speak English (two of them); the rest of the Germans speak only German. I found this use of language quite a contrast from all those old movies/TV shows where everyone in a foreign country automatically speaks English.

I am familiar with this episode, and agree with Vic. It is a very good performance, and looks at the conflict from a different perspective, which was fairly rare in those days, especially on TV. Thoughtful and moving.

 

[jperez]

The Germans speaking German or French speaking French also happened very often in Combat!, which was one of the things that surprised me the most when I started re-watching the series a few years ago. Sometimes they let the foreign language dialogue go on for a fairly long time -specially when one of the Americans is hiding somewhere and listening to German soldiers-, and, of course, without any subtitles. For the French, at least Caje was always handy to translate what they were saying. In all, a fairly classy and adult approach, I think.

 

[LeoA]

Combat has an episode like that. The German and the American squad call a truce to work together to rescue a child caught in the shelled out wreckage of a building.

 

[Flashgear]

LeoA,
That episode is one of my favourites..."A Cry in the ruins" ...from season 3...also directed by Vic Morrow...along with "Losers cry deal", a couple of the very best episodes from a series, in my view, which reached it's height in season 3...unusual to say the least, although this show was strong from beginning to end...one of the the best and most satisfying experiences I've had in re-visiting classic tv on dvd...

 

[BobO'Link]

A *really* good price came up ($4 shipped) so I finally caved and picked up S2 of The Joey Bishop Show. I don't know if I'd ever seen this one during the original run. Of course *after* I place the order I discovered Joe Besser is a co-star. Bummer - he's my *least* favorite "comedian" and the main reason I don't like the last couple of years of Three Stooges shorts or the first season of The Abbott and Costello Show as much. Because of that I've not yet watched any of the episodes yet was wondering: Is Besser very prominent in the show? Does he do the same unfunny whiny schtick as in everything else he appears? I'm sure I'll watch this eventually but knowing I have Besser to look forward to has somewhat dampened my enthusiasm.

 

[Ron1973]

A *really* good price came up ($4 shipped) so I finally caved and picked up S1 of The Joey Bishop Show. I don't know if I'd ever seen this one during the original run. Of course *after* I place the order I discovered Joe Besser is a co-star. Bummer - he's my *least* favorite "comedian" and the main reason I don't like the last couple of years of Three Stooges shorts or the first season of The Abbott and Costello Show as much. Because of that I've not yet watched any of the episodes yet was wondering: Is Besser very prominent in the show? Does he do the same unfunny whiny schtick as in everything else he appears? I'm sure I'll watch this eventually but knowing I have Besser to look forward to has somewhat dampened my enthusiasm.

You just ruined my appetite.....lol

 

[BobO'Link]

You just ruined my appetite.....lol

Sorry 'bout that! Oh... it was S2 and *not* S1 I purchased. I don't think S1 has ever had a release.

 

[LouA]

A *really* good price came up ($4 shipped) so I finally caved and picked up S2 of The Joey Bishop Show. I don't know if I'd ever seen this one during the original run. Of course *after* I place the order I discovered Joe Besser is a co-star. Bummer - he's my *least* favorite "comedian" and the main reason I don't like the last couple of years of Three Stooges shorts or the first season of The Abbott and Costello Show as much. Because of that I've not yet watched any of the episodes yet was wondering: Is Besser very prominent in the show? Does he do the same unfunny whiny schtick as in everything else he appears? I'm sure I'll watch this eventually but knowing I have Besser to look forward to has somewhat dampened my enthusiasm.

Besser is in most episodes but he's toned down a lot. I actually enjoy his antics especially as Stinky on the A &C show, but to each his own.

 

[Ron1973]

Besser is in most episodes but he's toned down a lot. I actually enjoy his antics especially as Stinky on the A &C show, but to each his own.

I think the thing is this: his brand of humor did not work with Larry and Moe. By the time he arrived with the Three Stooges, how many years had they been doing the same act? It was time for a change, but his brand of humor didn't mesh. I think Moe was trying to tone down the "violence" by that time, too. He was trying to replace Curly and Shemp, both of whom were not replaceable IMHO. It's like mixing oil and water-it just wasn't able to work.

 

[LouA]

VCI is now releasing a 10 Episode DVD of Waterfront the 1950's B&W series. It's being called Collection 1, so hopefully there will be more volumes. I like that show and will be buying . There's still some hope for Black and White Television shows.