Warning: ALF Season 1 cut!

#151

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8/14/04 at 8:27pm

Gord Lacey
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Quote:

I mean, look at how badly TV on DVD already is... edited episodes... crappy quality care given to the sets.

Think about all the "crappy" sets and I bet they stil make a small fraction of the total number of TV releases.

Chris, I notice most of your posts are about the doom and gloom of the TV-on-DVD industry. You've been told why certain sets are broken up, but it seems like you ignore the information given to you and project that this will be a common occurance. You know, if it's a choice between a show being ditched, or the show being released in 4 sets per season then I'd take those 4 sets over nothing. Ask fans of "Once & Again," "Mary Tyler Moore," "Forever Knight" or one of the other shows that has been halted due to poor sales and I bet you'd find fans more than happy to buy Volume 1 and Volume 2 for the next season.

As for ALF, hopefully we can get some answers soon. I've been holding off on posting a review of the set until I get an answer, but I won't hold off forever.

Gord

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#152

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8/14/04 at 8:45pm

TonyD
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vince i agree with everything you said, almost.

if you choose not to buy something for a reason other then you just dont like the show, and you dont tell the company why, then what good is not buying the show.
they need to know that people wont buy this becasue it is the uncut eps.

if sales are low , without them knowing why sales are low, they may choose to not make more sets because, "why should we? it didnt sell anyway."

Quote:

Well to any and all BC'ers Canadians who live near a Walmart, A&BSound or Future Shop, they had the ALF box set brand new at $15.99. Im not a ALF fan but people who bought them also had problems. Originally the set was $30 to $40 then dropped the price alot cause of this error..
.
Those retail outlets I mentioned didn't want to ship the order back, instead they dropped the price in less than what the business bought them for.

rodrick, are you saying those stores lowered the price because of this cut ep error or another reason?

i never heard of this before.
stores lowering the price without the studio first doing a price cut.

how did you get that info?

#153

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8/14/04 at 9:10pm

Jeff Jacobson
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if. . .in fact Fusco himself is not pleased, that does give me some measure of satisfactioneven if I would have a hard time explaining why it might.

Maybe it gives you satisfaction because Fusco might be able to get something done about it. (Or maybe not, I don't know.)

#154

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8/14/04 at 9:47pm

Chris:L
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Gord, I don't mean to sound irascible and cantankerous... not to mention dumb.

#155

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8/15/04 at 1:49am

Joseph S
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Quote:

As for ALF, hopefully we can get some answers soon. I've been holding off on posting a review of the set until I get an answer, but I won't hold off forever.

Why post a review at all?

Here's a suggestion:

"We here at ___________ have chosen not to review this DVD release. This set is not the original series you knew and enjoyed watching. The DVD release has been butchered in the following ways:
1)
2)
3)
...
Therefore we recommend you do not support this set and encourage you to send your reasons for not purchasing said set via email

To:
_________@lionsgate.com

and via mail

To: ___________

so that they may be encouraged to correct these flaws."

#156

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8/15/04 at 5:53pm

Chris:L
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Good idea...

#157

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8/15/04 at 10:12pm

Juan Books
Juan
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Quote:

You know, if it's a choice between a show being ditched, or the show being released in 4 sets per season then I'd take those 4 sets over nothing.

And if the studios have a choice between taking the trouble to produce a quality release, or saving a lot of money on production costs, yet people will buy their product either way, they'll continue to release garbage like this set. Purchase this set, and the studios will pay you back with ever decreasing quality on future releases.

#158

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8/15/04 at 10:35pm

Eugene Esterly
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Joseph S,

Excellent idea. I agree with you about not even reviewing the ALF cause it ain't even worth reviewing.

But listing an email address to Lion's Gate is a great idea so that people who find out the the ALF DVD is edited can email LG & announce their displeasure with the DVD(S) being edited.

My DVD collection

#159

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8/15/04 at 10:37pm

Robert Ringwald
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It's a best seller at deepdiscountdvd.com

I won't be buying it.

#160

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8/15/04 at 11:12pm

Dan Rudolph
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Quote:

And if the studios have a choice between taking the trouble to produce a quality release, or saving a lot of money on production costs, yet people will buy their product either way, they'll continue to release garbage like this set. Purchase this set, and the studios will pay you back with ever decreasing quality on future releases.

That's a non-sequiter. Breaking seasons up doesn't affect the quality of releases. Only the packaging.

There are quality issues with Alf, but that's not what the person you were resoning to was talking about.

My Collection

#161

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8/16/04 at 10:55am

Juan Books
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Quote:

That's a non-sequiter. Breaking seasons up doesn't affect the quality of releases. Only the packaging.

If affects the quality in two ways. If a season is split and the two sets are released in separate dates, it means double waiting time, which is an inferior option. Also, having just one set per season is better than having two, ask any collector here. If it is a matter of costs, then it would be more rational to simply charge a higher price per season set, and explain to the people why. In general, what I question is the philosophy of "we gotta buy whatever the studios put out because otherwise they won't release any more of it". I have no desire to collect cut episodes of any show, so I'd be perfectly fine with them not releasing any more of it. It's time we demand quality releases from these people, you know, it's not like they are doing it out of charity...

#162

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8/16/04 at 2:18pm

Jimmy M
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Quote:

having just one set per season is better than having two, ask any collector here.

I'm a collector and while I like having one set per season, I have absolutely nothing against multiple sets for an entire season, providing I'm not paying any additional money for that. The packaging doesn't matter to me, as most of the time I just put the discs into a 6 disc amaray and create/print out a new insert.

That being said, I will try to bring this back on topic by saying that I have seen the brief review at The Digital Bits, and they said it was (paraphrasing here) a good release, so get it if you like Alf. I wonder if they know it's edited?

Jimmy!

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#163

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8/16/04 at 2:42pm

Dan Rudolph
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Quote:

Also, having just one set per season is better than having two, ask any collector here.

I'm pretty sure I'm a collector. According to DVD Profiler, I have 933 DVDs, with around 112 TV sets (plus a bunch more miniseries and TV movies). Split seasons don't bother me a bit unless I'm paying extra.

Syndication cuts, as with Alf, bug the hell out of me.

My Collection

#164

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8/16/04 at 4:09pm

Gord Lacey
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Okay, I got off the phone with Lions Gate. They are still working on a statement, but they said they've received a lot of negative response to the set and the syndication episodes. I assume whatever they're preparing is going through a few levels in the company, but I'm told we should have it soon enough.

Interestingly enough, since they don't have control of the masters, those would have come from the production company (the one that Paul Fusco owns). Soo....Paul may have been involved in this as well.

Gord
P.S. I can't remember if it was this thread or not, but someone was complaining about a few of the other Lions Gate releases - Will & Grace in particular. Those are actually done by NBC and distributed by Lions Gate, so the blame rests with NBC. Same goes with Saved By The Bell.

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#165

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8/16/04 at 4:23pm

Eugene Esterly
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So, it seems that Paul Fusco might be at fault for the ALF containing the syndicated episodes.

The explanation of why ALF contained syndicated episodes is getting weirder & weirder.

My DVD collection

#166

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8/16/04 at 4:25pm

Chris:L
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I think that if they reissue the set with a unsyndicated version... that they should offer something special for those who have already bought the first ALF set... like they should be refunded their money!! or send the set back to the company and they'll just trade it with the uncut version. Sound interesting?

"The explanation of why ALF contained syndicated episodes is getting weirder & weirder."

Well, they're trying to hide their... I can't say the word but you fill in the blank.

#167

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8/16/04 at 11:02pm

Jeff Jacobson
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That being said, I will try to bring this back on topic by saying that I have seen the brief review at The Digital Bits, and they said it was (paraphrasing here) a good release, so get it if you like Alf. I wonder if they know it's edited?

Someone should let them know if they don't.

Interestingly enough, since they don't have control of the masters, those would have come from the production company (the one that Paul Fusco owns). Soo....Paul may have been involved in this as well.

So, it seems that Paul Fusco might be at fault for the ALF containing the syndicated episodes.

Or someone that works for his company screwed up and he didn't know about it.

#168

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8/16/04 at 11:49pm

Chris:L
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We can't blame this on Paul Fusco... he apparently is distraught over the fiasco. Don't place all the blame on Paul Fusco yet.

#169

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8/17/04 at 12:05am

Robert Ringwald
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Just to chime in quickly.

FOX's pricing strategy was pretty simple. It's hard for people to justify plopping down 40-50 bucks for a whole season of something they've never seen.

If they charge 20-25 for two half seasons, they have a better chance of catching the eyes of consumers, especially as a blind purchase.

I saw the dead zone at deepdiscoutdvd.com for 22 dollars with free shipping. I don't have to tell you that the low price was the only thing that got me to give the set a shot totally blind. I was pleasantly surprised that it was pretty fun to watch. Not the best show ever, but worth 22 bucks for 13 episodes. Season 2 was up there for 25 bucks (19 episodes) and I bought that quickly as well. It doesn't seem like it, but I can definitely see how this might help push a few extra volumes of a series.

And once again, it's not something FOX intends to do with all titles. It's something they're doing with the ones that aren't selling. It's this or nothing, and I'm for this...

Onto the Lions Gate fiasco. I never really got into ALF when it used to be on, but I do remember him, and the show seems interesting. I'd get the first season for the price deepdiscountdvd.com has it for. If the episodes were the original uncut ones only though...

I just hope they justify this by re-releasing the set with the correct masters.

#170

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8/17/04 at 8:18am

CraigL
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Quote:

P.S. I can't remember if it was this thread or not, but someone was complaining about a few of the other Lions Gate releases - Will & Grace in particular. Those are actually done by NBC and distributed by Lions Gate, so the blame rests with NBC.

So do we have a contact # or information for who to write to at NBC?

#171

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8/17/04 at 8:47am

Casey Trowbridg
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Quote:

Also, having just one set per season is better than having two, ask any collector here.

I hate to go back to this, but this is not the issue. The question is would you rather have 1 season split in to 2 sets, or no seasons at all. I'm a collector and my MTM season 1 is pretty lonely.

Gord, thanks for the update this really is a topic of interest for me more than I thought it would be.

One more thing on the split sets 25 bucks now and 25 bucks 6 months from now is not the same as 50 bucks now. So even if the 2 sets combined cost the same as if it had just been set, the casual buyer might not see it that way. They may be more likely to pay for 1 half of a season at $25 than a whole season at $50 if it is a show they've never seen.

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#172

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8/17/04 at 2:07pm

Chris:L
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Quote:

One more thing on the split sets 25 bucks now and 25 bucks 6 months from now is not the same as 50 bucks now. So even if the 2 sets combined cost the same as if it had just been set, the casual buyer might not see it that way. They may be more likely to pay for 1 half of a season at $25 than a whole season at $50 if it is a show they've never seen.

Wouldn't it come as slower financial productivity?

#173

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8/17/04 at 2:16pm

Chris:L
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Oh, and by the way... alfdvd@lgf.com just emailed me back.

Here's what they said.

Quote:

Thank you for your interest in the ALF Season One DVD. Lions Gate is committed to releasing the highest quality DVDs possible. We worked closely with the ALF creators and producers to create this DVD set. The set was produced with the syndicated television episodes because the elements allowed for the best visual and audio quality on DVD.

So I responded...

Quote:

That's an excuse to cover your butts. That's B.S. You had the material to remaster the masters, yet you people didn't want to put up the money because you people are so freaking greedy that you want to save as much money as possible in releasing something. The idea of releasing a show to DVD is to have the episodes be unsyndicated. That's one of my favorite tv shows and you people pulverized it. I feel like filing a class-action suit against you people. It's appalling. Oh, and I hear Paul Fusco is not happy about the set at all. Hopefully, this time you can respond to me with an even lamer excuse.

#174

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8/17/04 at 2:25pm

Jim Beaver
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Hey Chris I know your upset but your responce probably wasn't needed, Surely there would be a much calmer way to get your poibnt across to let them know your displeased. I doubt you'll get an answer back.

#175

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8/17/04 at 4:35pm

Chris:L
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Quote:

Hey Chris I know your upset but your responce probably wasn't needed, Surely there would be a much calmer way to get your poibnt across to let them know your displeased. I doubt you'll get an answer back.

I know, I know... but there excuse was a coverup.

#176

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8/17/04 at 9:16pm

R. Kay
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With 8300 hits & counting on this thread, you'd think the outrage was that the syndicated version had a puppet portray Alf and the non-syndicated version actually had a real alien ...

#177

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8/17/04 at 9:20pm

Roman-K
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With 8300 hits & counting on this thread, you'd think the outrage was that the syndicated version had a puppet portray Alf and the non-syndicated version actually had a real alien ...

I read that they actually took clippings from the real ALF's haircuts to make the puppet look as real as possible.

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#178

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8/17/04 at 9:58pm

Paul Miller
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I ordered my ALF DVD from DDD long before I knew about the problems, besides from the horrible packaging and the cut episodes, they did a great job on the actual DVD themself, the picture quality is really, really good on these episodes. Plus, the interactive menus are cool and I really like how each one contains a verbal summary from Alf himself.

Paul

#179

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8/17/04 at 9:59pm

Chris:L
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Okay, that's a lie. There was no real ALF... he was a puppet.

If anyone believes that the show ALF was based on an FBI find... is utterly ignorant.

#180

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8/17/04 at 10:02pm

Roman-K
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Okay, that's a lie. There was no real ALF... he was a puppet.

Thanks alot, you just ruined the show for me and my kids.

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