The Invaders

#721
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THE SAUCER!!!!!

In response to Harry's inquiry THE FUGITIVE and THE INVADERS episodes in question are more-or-less identical except that Charles Drake portrays a much more positive character in "The Saucer" and dramatically reforms actually benefiting from his life-and-death encounter with the extraterrestrials (where in "The One That Got Away" he is sent to prison for his misdeeds).

"The Saucer" is definitely a highlight of THE INVADERS' second season (1967-68) and overfamiliarity (especially with this specific segment) would likely tend to dampen (or diminish) one's full appreciation and satisfaction of the year's output overall...but that is an inherit difficulty in watching classic tv series over again!

Fortunately for myself these shows haven't been seen in a good long time and much of what the second season shows have to offer will seem entertainingly fresh and revelatory (in much the same manner as the first season presentations were).

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!
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#722
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Re: The Invaders

Eagerly picked up season 2 today from Best Buy (which, btw, let me have it for $24.99 as priced on their website despite their in-store price of $29.99). I am savoring working my way through these episodes, as I burned through Season 1 on a blind buy pretty quickly.

Watched the first episode of the set this evening, Condition: Red, and thought it was outstanding. Great cast, lots of suspense, clever story, in short everything that I've come to expect from this series.

My only (minor) complaint is the box art: while the back side of the box is OK, the front artwork just is lacking in creativity. The image of Roy Thinnes almost doesn't even look like he does in the show, and the green coloring doesn't make the packaging all that appealing.

However, what ultimately matters are the episodes, and I can't wait to work my way through the rest of the season.
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#723
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Re: The Invaders

I thought the picture quality on CONDITION RED was slightly inferior to the quality I saw on the season one set.
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#724
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Re: The Invaders

I too got my set from Amazon in yesterday's mail and sat down to watch episode one, "Condition: Red". My impression was that the video looked good - there's some dirt on the film, but that's the way I remember ALL ABC shows looking! The colors were just a bit bright, but again this was the early days of color-TV and they liked to oversaturate things a bit.

I peeked ahead at the next episode, and the color was even more oversaturated, looking a lot like some of the episodes on the Season One set did. Then a thought it hit me - do the really oversaturated episodes happen to coincide with the ones that Goodtimes released on VHS? Others, more knowledgeable than I about the series will have to investigate that.

In "Condition: Red" I thought I heard an OUTER LIMITS music cue.

More later as I watch more of these episodes. I'll probably watch another one soon in my anxiety about having the set. Then hopefully, I can slow them down. They're mine now - no hurry to burn them off. I'll try and savor them, maybe once a week or so.

Yeah, right!

Harry
My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".
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#725
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Re: The Invaders

I'm having to limit myself to one each night before bed!

I liked The Saucer a lot. It's cool to see this pool of supporting actors working in material I haven't seen before.
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#726
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carabimero
I'm having to limit myself to one each night before bed!

I liked The Saucer a lot. It's cool to see this pool of supporting actors working in material I haven't seen before.

I watched "The Saucer" this morning while waiting for the big snowstorm to move through. I'd forgotten that Christopher Shea had a minor role in the prologue. He is most familiar as the early voice of Linus on the PEANUTS specials.

Harry
My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".
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#727
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
I'd forgotten that Christopher Shea had a minor role in the prologue. He is most familiar as the early voice of Linus on the PEANUTS specials.

I remember him best as the bratty know-it-all in "The Poseidon Adventure", looking much the same as he did in the prologue for "The Saucer".
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#728
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Re: The Invaders

Why does Disc One COVER UP the Content Notes on the inside front cover? That's awful packaging design! You shouldn't have to REMOVE and handle a disc in order to read content.

Oh, well, I know I'll enjoy the shows! And, it's another series complete!

Now, let's complete Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea... starting at the end of March!
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#729
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry-N
I watched "The Saucer" this morning while waiting for the big snowstorm to move through. I'd forgotten that Christopher Shea had a minor role in the prologue. He is most familiar as the early voice of Linus on the PEANUTS specials.

Harry
When I saw that name, I immediately thought of the Christopher Shea that was in the Charmed episode, Death of a Halliwell. He played a Seeker, and was perfectly cast in that creepy episode. This one was born in 1969, not 1958.

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#730
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Tor1
Why does Disc One COVER UP the Content Notes on the inside front cover? That's awful packaging design! You shouldn't have to REMOVE and handle a disc in order to read content.

Oh, well, I know I'll enjoy the shows! And, it's another series complete!

Now, let's complete Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea... starting at the end of March!

You can bend the box back and remove the paper sleeve in order to give it a good read without disturbing the DVDs inside?

come see the reviews at
http://thedvdlounge.com/

and the Seinfeld Tour Bus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DztXpmMbj_0

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#731
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Corey3rd
You can bend the box back and remove the paper sleeve in order to give it a good read without disturbing the DVDs inside?

That may be true, but why need to bend anything? And reinsert, etc.

Besides, my very low-tech system of keeping track of where I am on a series set is to mark the last-episode-watched with a scarp of yellow Post-It-Note. If there is no Post-It, I’ve either finished with the set, or have not watched it at all.

I may put a set down and not come back to it for a while – and this is a good way of keeping track.

Can’t do that here, and with certain other sets that employ this type of packaging.

Bottom line: You should be able to read all the content notes without additional gyrations.

Still, I’m glad to have the series complete.
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#732
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Tor1
That may be true, but why need to bend anything? And reinsert, etc.

Besides, my very low-tech system of keeping track of where I am on a series set is to mark the last-episode-watched with a scarp of yellow Post-It-Note. If there is no Post-It, I’ve either finished with the set, or have not watched it at all.

I may put a set down and not come back to it for a while – and this is a good way of keeping track.

Can’t do that here, and with certain other sets that employ this type of packaging.

Bottom line: You should be able to read all the content notes without additional gyrations.

Still, I’m glad to have the series complete.
Joe,

I like your idea (using post-its). I frequently have four or five shows going on concurrently, and sometimes forget where I left off when I come back to a show. This could work.
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#733
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Re: The Invaders

print out the episode list from online and mark each episode as you watch. That's what I do.
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#734
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Re: The Invaders

I use DVD wallets and simply turn the disc I am currently watching upside down (printing upside down, not slid in with data side up). That way I can easily find the disc I left out on, with a small post-it on top of the plastic sleeve telling me the next episode up. This works especially well in the case of DVD 18s, where it's hard to tell the title of the disc; the post-it serves in this case as both marker for the current disc and keeper of current episode title.
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#735
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Re: The Invaders

I use an Excel file that I update weekly and print out the worksheet. During the week I note any DVD's, episodes, watched and then update the Excel file at the end of the week.

I use the same file for additional worksheets for DVD-release schedule dates and keep my total DVD collection updated.

"Checkmate King Two Out"   Jeff Willis  "Combat! A Selmur Production"

I'm a 50's - mid-90's TV/DVD Collector. One DVD show since '96: Firefly 

The Fugitive/See Hollywood & Die: [Miles] "What, you think I'm crazy?!" [Kimble] "Next question."

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#736
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Re: The Invaders

I have an alphabetica list that shows the numbered folder each DVD is in. I print out the list once every six months or so and keep the weekly updated list on my PC.

Finished disc one of season two. I love this show. Really liked the last episode on disc one (Valley In Shadow?) but couldn't figure out why the alien leader simply didn't erase Vincen't memory along with the townspeople. He's a thorn in their side and that would take care of his meddling.
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#737
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Tor1
That may be true, but why need to bend anything? And reinsert, etc.

You don't have to bend it that far to get the paper out.

That's just the nature of the packaging - they don't need to put another flipper on the spine for a single disc.

come see the reviews at
http://thedvdlounge.com/

and the Seinfeld Tour Bus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DztXpmMbj_0

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#738
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carabimero
I have an alphabetica list that shows the numbered folder each DVD is in. I print out the list once every six months or so and keep the weekly updated list on my PC.

Finished disc one of season two. I love this show. Really liked the last episode on disc one (Valley In Shadow?) but couldn't figure out why the alien leader simply didn't erase Vincen't memory along with the townspeople. He's a thorn in their side and that would take care of his meddling.


because they needed Vincent's memory intact so he could know what mistakes to correct. Actually the whole ending is a cop out because the aliens want to kill us all anyway so why the big fuss over a town of 1000 people? And wouldn't the Air Force base have wondered where Captain Taft and his aide disappeared to?
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#739
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Re: The Invaders

Yeah, that ending didn't work. Vincent and the head alien were talking like politicians, not mortal enemies. I actually liked it, but the ending that went with that mutual reasoning didn't seem credible.
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#740
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Re: The Invaders

I just ordered my set. Now that it's out it's time for Jeff to change his sig from "Let Them Land" to "They Have Landed!"
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#741
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Re: The Invaders

I just watched the two first episodes on disc 1....I loved it of course...it generally looks great...I was a little concerned about disc 1 as it was loose in the package...I purchased mine at Futureshop (Best Buy) in Canada...$29.95Canadian...I could feel a loose disc in every one of them on the shelf...disc 1 is undamaged, but I feel the flex in the plastic shell enables that disc to come loose...I haven't had this problem with the Rawhide sets which have similar packaging and disc array...I also don't like the episode guide to be covered up by that disc...I've never seen this series look this good...even with frequent dirt specks, which on a big screen TV are more noticable...I can't wait to watch the whole season...I can still remember fragments of the excited babble between my friends and I at school back in '66-'68, the morning after the original airdates!
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#742
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem
Joe,

I like your idea (using post-its). I frequently have four or five shows going on concurrently, and sometimes forget where I left off when I come back to a show. This could work.

Yes, it really does… and works extremely well for a low-tech, low-effort solution. I have many different sets at different stages of completion – and watch them according to either “newness” (like I’m watching THE INVADERS now) or my mood.

My hat’s off to those who download and print checklists, or keep spreadsheets. Or even slip inserts out and back in. I thank them for their suggestions, but I just don’t have that kind of time or inclination for maintenance. I want to watch a show, enjoy it, and come back later for the next one.

Just opening the package and seeing where my Post-It scrap tells me to go, is all the research and checking I need. …Especially in the morning before work, when there’s just time enough to enjoy one show over my coffee before leaving. Anyone who agrees can adopt my method… royalty free!

Don’t mean to take this thread too far off topic. It’s just that the packaging of THE INVADERS blocks the content notes for Discs TWO thru FOUR and that shouldn’t be.

Hey, at least it’s better than THE SIMPSONS Season 11’s packaging!

“Condition Red” was great! Now, on to “The Saucer”… with my morning coffee, of course.
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#743
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Re: The Invaders

MUSIC CHANGES IN THE INVADERS - SEASON TWO!

Hold on, now. Don't get all excited. No, CBS/P didn't do any music substitutions (that I know of).

After watching the first few episodes - all of disc one - I thought I was hearing a different version of the end theme over the credits. Sure enough, as I played just those "chapters", it appears that there are different recordings of the end title theme in those first four episodes.

It's possible that the version used in episodes three and four are the same, I'm not sure, but one and two are surely different.

I recall that there was one episode in the first season that had a totally different end theme recording, and it sounds as if the producers were settling on one for the second season.

Skipping ahead, I played just the end themes of discs two and three, and they started sounding all the same to me, so I guess they did settle on one.

Has this phenomenon been documented anywhere, paerhaps in INVADERS fan circles?

Harry
My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".
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#744
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MUSIC SUBSTITUTION PARANOIA!!!!!!

The second season (1967-68) closing title theme of THE INVADERS is differently orchestrated from Dominic Frontiere's original more darkly forboding rendition heard in the first season (1967-68) but these are definitely the original music tracks despite some (possible) slight variations with the earlier second season segments.

Bear in mind that Dominic Frontiere did NOT score the second season episodes (Mr. Frontiere is only credited with THE INVADERS theme and some of his first season music does on occassion still turn up) this assignment largely fell upon the (reasonably) capable talents of Duane Tatro (and some other specially assigned composers).

I wouldn't worry about it.

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!
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#745
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Re: The Invaders

Hi Harry Duane Tatro took over as musical director in season 2 from Dominic Frontiere and probably recorded a couple of new end title takes til they arrived on a satisfactory version. I prefer Frontiere's stuff with the ominous brass bend at the beginning. Tatro's version seems more subdued.
Tatro is still alive and gigging if anybody in L.A. knows where to find him and ask
Thanks for answering my question on "The Trial" earlier- I watched it last night. The literal "cut" in the scene was restored!! LOL
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#746
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Re: The Invaders

Of course I realize that a new season means a new recording of the theme - that's true of many shows. I'd forgotten that specific fact about THE INVADERS since I've not seen these second season episodes in 40+ years, so hearing something different came as a bit of a surprise.

And I've read the Duane Tatro credit on some of these episodes - there are a number that have no score credit whatsoever. I assume that these tracked some older stock cues from both Frontiere and Tatro.

My biggest surprise, and the reason for my post, is the lack of a consistent choice from the get-go. It sounded to me like each of the first four episodes had different end music recordings - and that I found surprising.

The joy here is that CBS/P left it all intact for us to discover.

Harry
My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".
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#747
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Re: The Invaders

Anybody have any issues with the cases for Season 2? I got mine at Best Buy and had them price match the .com price of 24.99 which is a GREAT price. I was surprised to see the case was double the size the first Season was... and I picked up about have the sets that sounded like multiple discs were loose. the old packaging was tight enough to sustain any discs coming loose for the most part.

But I got home with what I thought was no loose discs to find the spindle that held the discs was broken. Seems like this case may prove a pain for Paramount and buyers. It looks nice to have a thicker spine on my shelf .. but it doesn't match the previous season.. so it really stands out.

I e-mailed tvshowsondvd.com and Gord stated that he wasn't sure why they changed cases.. but that the upcoming Paramount release for Season 2 of Friday the 13th was in the same style case as season 1. So that is good news.
JackDVD78@aol.com
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#748
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Powell&Pressburger
It looks nice to have a thicker spine on my shelf .. but it doesn't match the previous season.. so it really stands out.

I e-mailed tvshowsondvd.com and Gord stated that he wasn't sure why they changed cases.. but that the upcoming Paramount release for Season 2 of Friday the 13th was in the same style case as season 1. So that is good news.

I would guess that 7 discs is one too many to fit in a standard size DVD case--the Mannix 1st Season set has 6 discs, and it's a very snug fit.
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#749
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Re: The Invaders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guy Foulard
I would guess that 7 discs is one too many to fit in a standard size DVD case--the Mannix 1st Season set has 6 discs, and it's a very snug fit.

Mine came from Amazon, through the mail, and I have zero problems with the case. All of the discs were tight in their spindles, but loose enough to remove easily.

The episode list underneath Disc One is a minor problem, but not the end of the world. I took the insert out, scanned it with my scanner, reprinted the first "page" and inserted it behind the last disc as a temporary solution while I'm watching it.

Harry
My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".
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#750
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Re: The Invaders

Good Call it must've been because of that extra disc I didn't think about that. Oh well.. It a kinda cool case but it seems like the product is disrupted to much in shipping for it to be worthwhile.
JackDVD78@aol.com
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