Roots - why OOP? (1 Viewer)

[ScottR]

Jeff, that's unknown actually. One would have to view the original tapes at the MT&R. I didn't have 12 hours to spend there watching all of it. It is possible though that some footage was cut when the shows were combined. I'm not quite sure where this version comes from. The re-broadcast on ABC in 1978 was presented over five nights with two and three hour episodes. It is possible that the dvd version comes from an early syndicated print. BTW, the dvd version actually contains an opening credit scene that wasn't in the original. The dvd Episode 5 opening has a scene with Chicken George and Tom Moore. The opening hour of that dvd's episode was actually the second hour of a two hour presentation on ABC. But by viewing it, you get an idea of how much would have been cut from the missing openings.

 

[ScottR]

Colin, can you check your new copy and see if a minor audio mistake was at least fixed? At the beginning of Episode 3, during the cast credits (I believe John Amos's name comes up on the screen) the audio level drops suddenly, only to come back a minute or so later. I wrote WB about this last time and they promised me that they fixed it, but the replacement copy I received was the same.

Also, for anyone interested, here are the stills that played under the closing credits during the original broadcast:

Episode 1: The Lord Ligonier Ship
Episode 2: Kunta running away in the night
Episode 3: The broom jumping ceremony
Episode 4: Kizzy and Missy Anne having a picnic
Episode 5: unknown
Episode 6: Chicken George showing off his new hat
Episode 7: Chicken George and his family
Episode 8: George and Mathilda on the wagon

....keep in mind that cast and crew lists for both the opening and end credits were changed to conform to the new configurations of episodes on this print. Again, I have no idea where this print came from. As far as I know, Roots was only aired twice on ABC...In January of 1977 and September of 1978. It is possible that it was re-aired on the network in 1981 because Roots: The Next Generations returned that summer, this time as a weekly mini-series.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Aaargh!

I was going to repurchase this set anticipating that the studio
brought it up to better standards. I am highly disappointed to
learn this is the same exact transfer from years ago.

 

[streeter]

What a bummer :frowning:

On a different note: Best Buy and Target will have bonus discs. Anyone know what will be on them?

 

[Jeff Willis]

Michael,

Do you know if the set at local stores is different than the ones online? I may buy this one at a local store instead of my normal online store if the 'net sets don't have a bonus disc.

[edit] Here's what the Amazon page says about the Roots re-issue set:

New bonus disc:
Crossing Over: How Roots Captivated a Nation" (2007)
Documentary "Roots: One Year Later" (1978)

I wonder if that's the bonus dics that Target & BB are referring to?

 

[ScottR]

If anyone knows someone at WB, I would really love to have some kind of answer on this. In 2002, when the box art announced "remastered from the original elements" I thought we would be getting Roots complete. I haven't, in all these years (the vhs was taken from the same source in the 1980's) heard anything about why the show can't be seen anymore as originally broadcast. It's like this big mystery in the history of television that few remember or maybe even care to address.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Not to sound lazy, but I won't check because it's unnecessary. These are literally, exactly, completely the same discs. I checked the file dates: all are from late 2001. They just re-pressed the old discs.

When I say these are the same discs, I don't mean they're sorta kinda - I'm mean they're identical in every way to the discs from 2002. They put them in new packaging and added a fourth disc with supplements - otherwise there's NOTHING different here!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

That bonus disc is part of the new set - it's standard for the 30th Anniversary edition.

Maybe some retailers will have a bonus bonus disc exclusive to them, but that one's part of all 30th Anniversary versions...

 

[ScottR]

I'm really disappointed in WB. The previous discs, while pretty good to look at had below par sound. There were a couple of weird spots with the video (A scene with Kunta and Bell when Kizzy is born has a warped, wavy look) as well. I wish the WB theatrical department could have handled this one title. At least with R: The Next Generations we won't have to worry about re-edited episodes. Each episode ran two hours and that's how they were on vhs.

p.s. It's also too bad that they couldn't find deleted scenes. I hear that there were some powerful scenes with Robert Reed and Madge Sinclair that had to be cut to keep the story moving.

 

[TVFan]

Does it has more footage than what play on tv today. I know they took two one hour eps. and combined them together. But is there any added scenes on the new dvd.

 

[ScottR]

They actually took four one-hour episodes and combined them, also changing one two-hour episode and placing its second hour at the beginning of another episode. The current broadcasts of the series are the same as the dvds. It isn't known 100% if any other footage has been cut, but I wouldn't be surprised. The Museum of Television and Radio does not own the rights to its collection, the donors do. The footage I viewed didn't look terrible, and there is no reason (other than financial) why WB couldn't have used this for the dvd. Unfortunately, the original titles with the ABC NOVEL FOR TELEVISION captions will probably never be seen again. It was kind of cool viewing this, with the actual book cover raising up and revealing the title "AN ABC NOVEL FOR TELEVISION ALEX HALEY'S ROOTS: THE SAGA OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY".

 

[ScottR]

No wonder everyone gets confused...this week's Best Buy ad clearly states "Complete Miniseries- 8 Episodes"

 

[Haden]

Best Buy's ad also says they have an exclusive bonus disc (limited SIX per store!). Anybody know what's on this disc? I want to know if it's worth going to the store when they open Tuesday to grab one of these.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Haden,

I also want some info on this. Either way, I'll be getting this release since, with the anniversary re-release, however flawed it may be (vs the original ABC airing), I don't see another "restored/remastered" release coming after this one. Plus, (shocking), I've never seen this miniseries. I'll be watching this one with a couple of friends that have also not seen it.

 

[TravisR]

It says 'Minimum of 6 per store'. At the BB in my area, they usually have way more than the minimum.

 

[ScottR]

Jeff, you should pick this up without reservations, because even though the film is not exactly as aired that groundbreaking week (when 130 million Americans tuned in), it is still powerful, emotional, and a work of art. AFA the Best Buy bonus disc goes, see the Weekly Release thread in the Coupons section of the HTF.

 

[Jeff Willis]

ScottR,

Thanks for the tip on the coupons forum. For anyone else reading this thread, here's the BB Bonus Disc info posted at the Coupons Forum by "ScottJH":

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

From bestbuy.com
Quote:
And now, while supplies last, you'll receive a free Best Buy exclusive DVD containing two episodes of the popular cooking show, "Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin," when you order Roots.

I'll get this one online since the BB Bonus Disc doesn't interest me but for others, the Target Bonus Disc has the 1st 90 min of the "Roots Next Generations" included.

[edit] Scott, what's the "Big box" that you mentioned on the Coupons Forum? Is there going to be a combined Roots & Next Generation release coming later?

"I wasn't going to pick this up on Tuesday (waiting for the big box later this year), but I don't want to miss out on anything."

 

[ScottR]

Coming this fall....Roots: The Complete Collection. It will probably include Roots, Roots: The Next Generations, and Roots: The Gift.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Scott,

Thanks for the "Big Box" info. I guess the question I'd have about the box is: Would the original "Roots" set get a remastering/restoration to original ABC airing for the Collection Set? I imagine that if we knew that now, some would pass on the release this week. As for me, since I've not yet seen this miniseries and I'll be watching it with someone else who also hasn't seen this, I'll probably make a rare trip to a B&M store (Target) tomorrow. Besides, the "Next Generation" Bonus Disc interests me since I've never seen that miniseries.

 

[ScottR]

Roots: The Next Generations is as good, or maybe even better than the original. The budget was greater, as is the scope of the production. Irene Cara broke my heart in this film...I fell in love with her! Marlon Brando won an Emmy for this as well. Olivia DeHavilland and Henry Fonda also star...not too shabby a cast!