Best of Route 66

Does anyone know if this is a legitimate release?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000PY51QY/

It's being released by a company called Roxbury Entertainment, which I've never heard of before, and contains 11 episodes of the series on two discs. It's hard for me to imagine that Sony would license "Route 66" to a small unknown company so I'm a little suspicious that this may be an unauthorized release. Does anybody know anything about this release or about Roxbury Entertainment?

Re: Best of Route 66

Very interesting, but I can't believe this is an official release. It's only two discs, yet it's boasting 11 episodes?!! That's not a good thing. I guess it could be two double-sided discs, but that's not a great thing either.

Gary "for that price, I'm staying away until someone else gives it a go and tells me it looks good" O.

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Would be interested to see if the episode titles correspond with the old Columbia House video releases which would indicate bootleg to me.

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I wonder if some of the episodes from the series may have slipped into the public domain, i.e., copyrights not renewed. Eleven episodes is a really strange number to release . . . why not make it 10 or an even dozen?

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If all the actors listed on Amazon site appear in this set of 11 shows, it would be hard to believe that these just happened to have fallen into public domain

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So who's going to order this? 11 episodes for $30 is a little off-putting.

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If this set has been out since May 1rst, where is it? I've seen no reviews or heard about it before Bob brought it to our attention. Also, why does it take 4-6 weeks to arrive?

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This Website states that it has all the original commercials and shows a better picture of the set. http://bearep.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...roduct_ID=1691

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I still say 11 hour long episodes crammed into two discs is a bad, bad thing. There's no way the quality can be that good. Three discs, maybe. But not two.

Gary "if the price tag was something like $9.99 I might go for it, but as it stands that's way too much money for only 11 episodes on only two discs" O.

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And if you scroll down, there are customer reviews from 2006! Curiouser and curiouser.....

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It looks fishy to me. I googled the UPC code (721633102922) and it comes up with a handful of sites that are just different names for the same content. Sony used to own the rights to the series, but they don't anymore.

Gord

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Gord, if Sony doesn't have the rights to "Route 66" anymore (a good thing in my opinion as they haven't shown any interest whatsoever in releasing it), who now has the rights? Hopefully, it will be some company that cares about the series and knows how to release it properly.

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For a questionable and certainly very low-key release this set seems to have attained a respectable sales rank at Amazon at the moment (considerably higher for example than all three HGWT season releases). Three glowing reviews for the "Best of Route 66" have been posted on June 6th, 8th and 9th on Amazon, something one would not be inclined to see if this were a bootleg. Considering the inclusion of original commercials in this set, it would seem to be very much an Image Entertainment release--except that the studio is Roxbury Entertainment, a company I can't seem too find much information about.

The series seems to be making the rounds here lately. Over at tvparty.com a good article on Route 66 was recently posted (with link to the dvd set) and two books have recently been published. The first book out is Robin Fletcher’s "The Route 66 TV Series" (64 pages, $14.95), published by Route 66 Magazine. The second is James Rosin’s "Route 66: The Television Series, 1960-64" 174 pages, $19.95), published by the Autumn Road Co.

Like the rest of you guys I was set to pass on this "Best of" dvd set. Now... I'm giving it a bit more thought...

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I did a little more poking around at Amazon on this release and it must have been previously issued because I'm seeing a half dozen reviews from 2005 and 2006 on another entry.

http://www.amazon.com/Route-Episodes...350257-1067862

It's the same cover and, presumably, the same 11 episodes. But I can find almost no online stores that carry it, which raises suspicions. On the other hand, if it's a bootleg, one would think that the copyright holder would issue a "cease & desist" letter to Roxbury Entertainment and Amazon from selling it . . . . or maybe it's simply flying "under the radar screen." Still, given the number of episodes, it's a bit on the pricey side and I'm not ready to buy this just yet. It does seem strange to me that this is being offered directly from Amazon. If it was being sold by an Amazon seller, I'd say it's a "boot" for sure. This really is one strange release . . . . .

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Usually it's a cut and dried thing. Dvdpricesearch.com does not list it nor is it being stocked by Deep Discount. And yet, it seems to be a professsional release on the surface with reportedly "Naked City" type quality for image transfer. What gives?

Addendum:

Silverking wrote -
Well, I should have been paying closer attention to previous posts in this thread. I'm almost certain this is the case here after all, which could explain the image quality. Apologies if I'm leading too much discussion on a potentially illegitimate release.

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UPC Page:

http://www.upcdatabase.com/item.asp?upc=721633102922

registered to:

WIZARD DISTRIBUTION
Address2051 W. Mountain St. Glendale, CA 91501 US

if you look at the back of the box, no UPC is even there!

http://www.cjpf.org/shop.php?k=Roxbu...isher&mode=DVD

Movies Unlimited is selling Amos And Andy box sets and we know they are not authorized. So, this one just slipped through.

Another interesting item on Amazon are the BOB Hope TV shows. There are discs from 1960-1970 or so. These are authorized as far as I can tell. Amazon is the DVDr manufacturer. The one problem is a reveiwer says they are edited.

Brian

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I'm quite sure it's a boot. As for Sony not owning the rights to the show anymore, that's patently false. They have never sold it to anyone nor given up their ownership.

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Interesting . . . . . in Billy Ingram's "TV Party!" blog today, he lists this DVD as the hottest selling DVD sold through the TV Party! site (links to Amazon).

http://www.tvparty.com/1blog.html

If, in fact, Sony has the rights, they really need to get this released pronto! They're losing money.

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That is indeed very interesting. One wonders what the Amazon sales rank would then look like if Sony where to announce a complete S1 release. Perhaps the sales of the two recently published books on the "Route 66" series will foster additional interest and web chatter regarding an official release on DVD soon.

I just wish Image Entertainment would get involved here. I think they've been pleased with the sales figures for the other great Herbert B. Leonard production, "Naked City" (having released all 60 of the 138 episodes they were licensed for). With R66 being a higher profile series that took viewers all over the country (adding to that the 'cool' factor of the show where old car collectors are concerned) I have to believe this would be a much bigger sales winner for them.

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I found this extensive and well written review of "The Best of Route 66" at Epinions. It was recently written and provides the most extensive information about the 11 episode DVD release to date. Unfortunately, it does not definitively answer the question as to whether or not this is an authorized release. Here's an excerpt regarding the transfer quality . . . .

"Despite a poll on the Sony Pictures website (Sony being the caretaker to the Screen Gems - Columbia legacy) stating that Route 66 is the second-most requested series among fans for DVD release, the series is still a no-show in that department. Several complete series boxed sets exist for sale, but none are studio sanctioned and most are either sourced from inferior quality videotape or previously broadcast material.

The exception to the group is an 11-episode 2-disc DVD set entitled The Best of Route 66. Presented in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio and digitally re-mastered from the original 35 MM Master (as claimed by the DVD case text), this is a quality clear and sharp transfer that also features a crisp and clean audio track. Think of it as the appetizer in anticipation of the feast Sony may someday choose to unleash with the balance of the 105 additional episodes tucked-away in their vault."

Full review here (Route 66 fans will want to read this):

http://www.epinions.com/content_378358107780

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Bob, I'm glad you resurrected this thread. I had an Amazon.com coupon that was burning a hole in my pants pocket so I decided to use it on this set. I can tell you pretty much anything you want to know.

First off, these are double-sided discs. Which I figured had to be the case. So that might turn a lot of folks off immediately. I've never had the trouble some people have with double-sided dvds so it wasn't a huge letdown.

Secondly, the reviewer is correct about the transfer quality. These episodes look immaculate to my eyes. They include some commercials too, which is always a bonus. The running time seems correct but since I don't know the series as well as some fans might, I will not swear they are uncut. I believe they are, I just can't swear to it 100% without knowing more than I do.

Thirdly, there's no way I can see this as an "official" release. It is packaged beautifully and the menu's and art are fine. But there's just no way it's an official release from my perspective. Nevertheless, its a fine set and with my coupon it was actually a steal for me. I didn't have any of the series on tape or dvd, so while this was a gamble, I feel it was worth it.

Gary "why in the world Sony is sitting on this show and 'Father Knows Best' is still a major mystery to me" O.

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Gary, I know that you probably will not know the anwer to this, but I'll ask it any way with the hope that someone out there might . . . . . if the episodes look as good as you and the Epinions reviewer say they are, from whom/where did Roxbury Entertainment obtain the masters? The fact that commercials are also included (as they were on Image's "Naked City" box sets) suggests, but in no way concretely proves, that Sony just might have licensed these episodes to Roxbury, perhaps as a way to test the viability of the series on DVD, without them (Sony) having to take any upfront risks. If the transfers were substandard, i.e., ripped from Nick at Nite, etc., I'd easily dismiss this as a bootleg, but it doesn't seem to be the case. This is just one weird release that I wish someone had more information on.

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Bob, I'll look at my set when I get home and see if I can glean anything from the box. But you're right. While my first instinct is to say this is a bootleg, I will have to admit I have no idea how Roxbury got such quality transfers that do indeed seem to have been remastered. It's somewhat of a mystery to me. Maybe your thoughts about Sony are correct, although it just doesn't seem like them to license out just to "test the market." But these are not ripped off tv, that much I'm sure of. Someone got a hold of these reels. Don't know how or when, but these were not taken off Nick@Nite or anything like that.

Gary "the plot thickens" O.

P.S. It just occurred to me. Didn't someone a year or so ago mention that they had a friend who was a tv station manager. They said the station manager had acquired the rights to 'The Fugitive' and was going to let this person come in and make copies right off the reels for their own private use. At least that's how I remember the story going. Wonder if it could be something that started like that, but then it mushroomed into people cleaning these prints up and then selling them (maybe with or without Sony's permission). But it is hard to imagine that Roxbury would be putting this out so publicly without Sony's blessing.

P.P.S. Just to be clear, I'm not saying this is a bootleg. I don't know one way or the other. I just don't want to say either way because I honestly don't know.

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There are literally thousands and thousands of 16mm and sometimes 35mm film prints that are circulated in the collectors circles. My guess would be that someone at this company somehow came up with 16mm or possibly 35mm prints of these 11 episodes and decided to bootleg them. Just because something is a boot doesn't necessarily mean it's being done by some guy selling 4th generation off-air dubs. If someone has access to nice quality film prints and they use a good quality film chain, a boot can look quite good.

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Gary--are the prints on this release as good as those for the "Naked City" episodes released by Image? Also, have you viewed any of the segments? I'd really like to get your impressions on the series itself.

After reading that this is Sony's second most requested show for release to dvd and then reading that at tvparty.com the R66 set is a big seller, you have to wonder what is going on in the minds of studio execs at Sony. Honestly, does anyone even remotely like this company anymore--for anything?

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A signed copy of James Rosin's "Route 66" book and episode guide is available at Oldies.com for $16.95 . . . . .

http://www.oldies.com/product-view/BK2152.html

More information on the book:

http://www.route66tvseriesbook.com/

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That's where I got mine. A nice book though weighted towards episode synopses overwhelmingly. Still, each episode plot description is outlined in considerable detail. Just wish there was an author written critique or commentary to go with them.

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Interesting post at Billy Ingram's "TV Party!" blog . . . . .

"Dan Wingate, who works in the TV DVD division of Sony, tells me that Sony relinquished the rights to Route 66 (and Naked City) some time ago so perhaps that new DVD collection of Route 66 episodes aren't bootlegs after all (Naked City has been available on DVD for some time). This was a concern from an earlier Blog posting."

If the above is correct (and appears to affirm Gord Lacey's comments in post #11) and Sony no longer has the rights to "Route 66," who now owns the rights? Have they reverted back to Herbert Leonard Enterprises, Inc. or Lancer-Edling Productions (production company for "Route 66"), or does some other entity (Roxbury Entertainment) own them? Perhaps "The Best of Route 66" is a "private label" release along the lines of the "Sky King" release (http://www.skyking.com/videos.htm).

The TV Party! blog post is also cause for speculation about the remainder of "Naked City" . . . . . if it's out of Sony's hands, will we see more?

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Very interesting news indeed. I'm inclined now to believe that the "Best of" release is legitimate, however I'm still perplexed as to why this set is only available (to my knowledge) at Amazon. And if Sony no longer has the rights to "Route 66" why isn't Image Entertainment getting involved in releasing this series to DVD--unless having R66 in the hands of H. Leonard Enterprises poses yet a bigger obstacle than if owned by Sony? I think it's time for me to send another letter to Image.

P.S. Just sent Image a letter of inquiry. They've been good about responding to me before so I'll post the reply when it comes.

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It doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever that the owners of this series (whoever they may be) wouldn't try to strike a deal with an independent releasing company like Image that has a proven track record and solid distribution channels. Perhaps the owners of "Route 66" don't have the confidence that the show will sell all that well and are simply giving Amazon an "exclusive" to test the waters. The reality is that there appears to be no marketing on this release (it sort of just appeared one day at Amazon) and, outside of a few viewer reviews, no mention of it on any web site related to DVD releases. I'd really love to know what Roxbury Entertainment is and/or who's behind them . . . . . it just seems strange to me that such a classic is being treated in such a bizzare way.