The Invaders

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This is all kinda exciting! I hope it's worth the wait for this set!

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?!!!!!

As evinced from the above provided sample it seems that Paramount Pictures-CBS Television Home Entertainment has restored its original intended packaging design with that bogus 1950s like flying saucer...blah!

The 55 minute version is fantastic!

There are some scenes differently structured and the ending conveys a somewhat different connotation especially with its effective augmentation by Dominic Frontiere's broodingly dark and grim music scoring (actually a variation of THE INVADERS theme) which the televised version just doesn't have.

As I said if a good print of the 55 minute version could be secured then that should be satisfactory for the most demandingly expectant INVADERS fan.

I would much rather that Paramount struck this from an original 35mm print negative in their possession than someone's 16mm copy.

Apparently Paramount is keeping a strict lid on any advanced word about just what can be expected but one "informed" source is very optimistic about the upcoming THE INVADERS - THE FIRST SEASON 5-disc now due on May 27th, 2008.

Certainly the interview with Roy Thinnes has now be secured at the very least...but absolutely nothing has been said about this either!

I just hope that all new digitally remastered and fully restored source elements were used for this set as it should be but as I said absolutely nothing is specifically known about just what can be expected as yet.

And yes Sunday marked Roy Thinnes' 70th birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROY THINNES!

Jeff T.

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Jeff, like you, I don't like the fact that they are using the wrong flying saucer on the cover. That said, I still prefer this cover pic over the international version, since it at least includes a saucer... and that seems more appropriate and representative of the actual show content.

It's been a long time since I've seen The Invaders, but I certainly don't recall any planet-size flaming globe hurtling towards Earth.

I am REALLY looking forward to this release and can't wait until May 27th!

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JeffT, I'm not sure what you base it on that the studio has flipped back to the "UFO" version of the cover art.

I'm looking right now at Paramount's password-protected site for retailers and press, and the revised "no-UFO" version (the one I've most recently posted, which resembles the R2 art) is the only picture shown. That is the art I expect to see on store shelves on May 27th.

As far as the assertion that someone is holding out for compensation from the studio before providing their personal copy of Beachhead, I'm understanding that the studio has been offered copies from something like 3 or 4 different sources. Of course, I have no idea what the running time or quality is on each of those versions being offered, but it seems unlikely to me that the studio will let themselves be held "hostage" given those circumstances.

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Not to speak for Jeff, but I think he might be basing that on the artwork that is on display at amazon.com. They're currently showing the funny-looking flying saucer version.

It's certainly possible for amazon to be showing the wrong artwork for an upcoming title, and that they'll fix it somewhere down the line.

Harry

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Jeff - you say yet again you're not sure the 75 minute pilot "ever existed" yet I've told you repeatedly on different forums that Alan Armer and John Elizalde said to me on the phone recently it DID exist, and was what sold the series initially. It's common for pilots to be longer than the show's later televised slot.
Whether it STILL exists anywhere is the issue- Charles

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Nice assessment of "The Invaders" series (not the DVD) by Stephen Bowie who posts, infrequently, at HTF . . . .

Invaders Behind the Scenes

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Quite true. Some series even premiere with a longer pilot episode (Logan's Run, for example).

The original pilot for Star Trek originally ran around 75 minutes or so, long enough that a foreign theatrical release was discussed at some point before the series was sold.



Exactly. Speaking of "alternate" versions, I recall that the episode "The Mutation" exists in two different versions: one version (the one released on the Goodtimes VHS release, which I suspect is the original ABC version) has different, overly melodramatic music playing over the ending credits (presumably, to emphasize the ending of the episode). The other (which I saw in syndication) has the regular theme music. Wonder which one Paramount will use?

Regardless, I hope they don't cut out the opening bumpers ("and now, The Invaders... in color!") or monkey around with any of the "Act I", "Act II", etc. title cards.

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I always found that strange, too. "The Mutation" on the Goodtimes tapes also has a distinction of using a videotape master rather than most of the other episodes which used what looked like 16mm film masters.

Harry

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Holy smoke--this is one fabulous find! Thanks so much for posting that link, Bob! I now have a nice well written, 55 page "companion guide" to "The Invaders" that I will thoroughly enjoy reading over the next couple of evenings. Everyone who is an "Invaders" fan needs to check this out. It's indepth and lenghty enough that it could be published into a book just as it is and includes some nice shots of Roy Thinnes, Carol Lynley, Diane Baker, Alfred Ryder and others. The best on-line guide to a vintage show I've seen since finding a 24 page essay/episode guide to "The Loner" some years back.

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You might enjoy some other things on Stephen's site, so here it is . . . .

Classic TV History

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10-4 on that, Mike! Thanks again to Bob H, the "Sherlock Holms" of the classic TV searchers

I bookmarked that site fast

Mike, what happened? (holy smoke) Did you mean "Holy 'net search, Batman! Bob does it again!"

Seriously, it's a great find for sure. How about that double shot of Jack Lord & Alfred Ryder? And, Diana Hyland, one of my favorites ("Eight is Enough" fans will remember her as the original "Mrs Bradford" before Diana passed away). Diane Baker....I hope we get that pilot in the DVD set. She was awesome in the '59 film "Diary of Anne Frank", one of my all-timers. Lynda Day, pre-Mission:Impossible days.

The only thing wrong with this site, Bob, is it makes the waiting for the "landing" 05/27 harder

WILL THE 'REAL' ORIGINAL INVADERS PILOT PLEASE STAND UP?!!!!!

A lot of what anyone says about the 75 minute pilot is based upon having read about it somewhere but one is hard-pressed to come up with a single individual who has actually seen it...apart from some production personnel whose memories may or may not be accurate! Sometimes things are said to deliberately create a colourful mythos for a show.

On a radio talk show interview I got the chance to ask (via an e-mail inquiry) a former Quinn Martin production assistant whether THE INVADERS pilot "Beachhead" originally ran 75 minutes in length and his response was a flat "No." I would really like to see some of these guys get together and discuss the topic.

Ed Robertson (author of "The Fugitive Recaptured") was also present and participated in the on-air discussion and Robertson said that he had a videotape of the 75 minute version...which he is now apparently denying! So just who is going to be believed on this?

There is no point in debating its existence (or former existence) because unless something forthcoming like a literal miracle happens it seems clear enough that Paramount Pictures just doesn't have it.

I have seen the 55 minute version so I know it exists! If we are lucky then hopefully it will be included (fittingly) in the first season DVD release of THE INVADERS.

This brings up yet another point-of-contention: If there was already a 75 minute complete version of the pilot then why also have a 55 minute length presentation? For what purpose would this serve?

On the topic of longer film length tv pilots this really didn't come into vogue until the late 1960s at best certainly not in 1966 when THE INVADERS began production.

On the topic of unaired pilots why doesn't Paramount release the STAR TREK unaired second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before" on DVD?! Now don't tell they don't have that either! Why don't STAR TREK fans lobby for this?!

Jeff T.

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Jeff,

I don't understand your question. The pilot has been released on DVD for years. I own it on DVD twice. Maybe you are thinking about a different interation?

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I think he's talking about the pilot version of the episode, which has several differences to the version that went out as a weekly episode. To my knowledge, the "second pilot version" was never officially released by Paramount, just the regular "First season episodic" version.

Re: WILL THE 'REAL' ORIGINAL INVADERS PILOT PLEASE STAND UP?!!!!!

I'd prefer a proper presentation of the first pilot ("The Cage") without all the tampering with the sound (i.e. some wrong incidental music here and there and using the "modulated" Keeper voice, all consequences of them being lazy and using the better-quality "Menagerie" soundtrack where they could instead of doing any restoration to the original "Cage" soundtrack).

Even if it mean muffled/scratchy soundtrack, Paramount should've at least included the original sound as an option!

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Roy Thinnes fans will be happy to know that his very first television appearance is now available on a commercial DVD release. Mr. Thinnes appears as a young arsonist in the unsold pilot "Chicago 2-1-2" a proposed series starring Frank Lovejoy. The pilot appeared on the series "Cavalcade of America." The show features great on location filming in Chicago, circa 1957, and Mr. Thinnes would have only been about 19 years of age at the time of the show's production. "Chicago 2-1-2" and some other crime series pilots can be found on this DVD from Alpha Video:

Lost Crime Shows (The Shadow / Unsolved / Chicago 2-1-2 / The Bogus Green) - Television on DVD Starring Tom Helmore, Simon Oakland, Frank Lovejoy & Preston Foster; Alpha Video : OLDIES.com

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I've had that thing for decades.

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Andy,

Ahh, I see. Thanks for that explanation.

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Extended (60-minute) Beachhead, Roy Thinnes interview, Larry Cohen commentary. Who wins? The fans do!

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THAT'S BRILLIANT!!!!!!!
I am so glad I waited and didn't get the UK release!!!!
Thank you Paramount CBS!!!!!!!! whoo!!!!!

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The UK set has authoring errors, which cause subtitles to pop up now and then, even when they are turned off.

Hopefuly the r1 set won;t have those either.

I am buying the r1, even though I live in the UK.

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Anyone else notice how the picture from the ad has the box for My Three Sons? Was that before it was cancelled/postponed? Just curious as we have not heard any further word on the show.

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The CBS DVD ad, Hank? Yup, I noticed M3S there.

The ad is brand-new, so I suspect that means that the title will be returning to the release schedule shortly. Not positive, but it makes sense since its in that ad.

Heck, maybe they wanted to add some extras to that one, too! (just joking; I don't know that)

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Thanks, "Kojak" (aka Dave L) How's the tootsie Roll pop taste?

Thanks for the great news! I bet that makes 2 of you 'ing (JeffT & yourself).


Ditto on that, Richard. I nearly bought the R2 set a while back but didn't because....



Richard G, I hope Paramout received some consumer feedback on the subtitle bug when the R2 set was released.

Back to Dave L's TSoD post, it's great to see Paramount "telling it like it is" with these classic releases. "Ain't it the truth?" They're an oasis in a desert for a lot of us here.

Also, it's important to recognize the collectors out there that made the Beachead pilot episode available to Paramout for the set's release. I guess a major studio and the fans can work together If only some of the other major studios were more inclined to communicate more frequently and perhaps be more willing to reach out to the fanbase of these shows.

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Thanks Jeff, but let's tell it like it REALLY is. Giving credit where it is due, the thanks for this change goes not to Paramount, really, but to CBS DVD.

Comparing this to another studio situation, it would be like thanking Warner for a change that HBO made to Sopranos, or BBC to Doctor Who. The credit goes to the studio that's actually producing the discs, not the one distributing them. In this case it's CBS DVD (the folks who made the trade ad).

And you're right; CBS DVD has done wonderful things lately. I love 'em and I put them in my top three TV-on-DVD studios right now. Maybe even my top two.

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Dave,

Ooops! Thanks for the correction and "sorry, CBS" With those Fugitive releases, along with all of the others, I don't want to do anything to shortchange CBS.

I'd guess JeffT has achieved escape velocity with this news No kidding, dude....we're happy for you!

"Who loves ya, Dave?" We do Man, the Invaders news along with "Jeannie" getting completed, this is great!

INVADERS FANS REJOICE!!!!!

This is absolutely the most fantastic news possible!

With 5 discs to work from it is only good sense to include some bonus features...and what bonus features!


THE UNAIRED 60 MINUTE PILOT! ROY THINNES INTERVIEWS AND INDIVIDUAL EPISODE INTRODUCTIONS! AN AUDIO COMMENTARY BY NONE OTHER THAN THE SERIES CREATOR LARRY COHEN! AND MORE!!!!!!

At long last absolute vindication!

I want to thank the good people at TV SHOWS ON DVD for their considerable help especially the prompt notification of all information pertaining to this glorious DVD release.

I also want to extend my appreciation to everyone at HOME THEATER FORUM who suffered through our persistant lobbying for a DVD release of THE INVADERS tv series...albeit at least one HOME THEATER FORUM moderator admitted that he liked this Quinn Martin produced 1960s SF tv series classic!

Those members here who offered their genuine support for making this long sought after dream a reality at last.

And of course Paramount Pictures-CBS Television Home Entertainment for making the extra effort in making this stellar tv series DVD release something truly outstanding!

When I say this it is not from an individual who has had ready access to this show! So that a lot of this material which hasn't been seen for some time now will be fresh and new!

Frankly I don't mind being known as a bona fide fan of THE INVADERS. My late brother's (whose taste was beyond reproach) all-time favourite genre tv series was THE TWILIGHT ZONE...but his second preference was THE INVADERS! And that is impressively over THE OUTER LIMITS, STAR TREK, VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA...you name it!

If we regress a bit in this discussion thread you will note that I predicted if (substantial) bonus extras were included on the fifth disc then this would likely be an attractive proposition for those abroad who have already purchased this DVD collection. I am also convinced that the video source elements for this particular DVD release will be of superior quality.

If the actual manufacture of the DVDs is being farmed out to Mexico (which is what Paramount is seemingly wont to do with their home video products) then I hope that they do a good job of it!

Lastly I like that "pedestal" ad albeit I not too happy about MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE being placed higher than THE INVADERS...but what the heck you can't have everything! Right?!

BRING ON THE INVADERS - THE FIRST SEASON 5-DISC SET THIS MAY 27TH, 2008!

Jeff T.

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Ditto, Jeff(T)!

You're welcome from 1 HTF member that's also a big Invaders fan!

This one's for you....


Enjoy the Invaders on DVD, Jeff!

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Too bad the set was delayed a few weeks from early May (to May 27), but it is worth since they do have the extended pilot.