Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Picked this up at Sams for $33.88 (they had Matlock for the same price)

So far I've watched the disc of extras. For a Mason and Gardner buff these will be priceless. The screen tests are fascinating. Watching Hopper and Burr play the same scene alternating as Mason one readily sees why Burr was such an obvious choice.

The interviews with Barbara Hale, Producer Art Marks, and CBS Exec Anne Nelson are also very well done. Whoever put together the questions for each did a great job since the viewer gets a real insight into the show and how it was put together. Marks even tells what the budget for each episode was
Warning Spoiler! Click to show The Hale/Marks interviews are about 19 minutes each and both are a delight. Hale's affection for Burr has been well documented and it is clear she still thinks the world of him; they were friends for 50 years at the time of his death. The Anne Nelson one is only about 5 minutes but she also talks about her involvement; she has been a CBS exec for over 60 years!

There is an absolutely fascinating featurette on Erle S. Gardner that contains very well preserved color interview footage of him and wife Jean that I've never seen. It is from the late 60s and includes a segment showing him dictating what would be the last Mason novel he wrote. For those who aren't aware, Gardner didn't "write" novels; he dictated them into a machine and his team of secretaries would transcribe them. To see him in action provides a fascinating insight into his process.

I also enjoyed the Person to Person segment from the 50s of Burr at his house. There were also short clips from two appearances the 80s Charlie Rose show.

I sampled video of a few episodes and they all look very sharp. Barbara (who looks fantastic by the way) appears to introduce each episode and offers tidbits about each. Sometimes Art Marks, who also looks incredible for someone who must be in his late 80s, joins her. Both do commentary for one episode.

I hope to watch episodes throughout the week and will offer thoughts later on those.

Steve

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Steve,

Thanks for the great info on this set. I'm also a big PM fan but have been on the fence about getting this set since I plan on buying all of the future season-set releases that are available. I checked the thread before posing this and there was a mention about possible edits in the set. Can you confirm that the episodes in this set are the un-cut versions?

I think I might pick this one up at the next sale or maybe after a search for a lower price than the one listed at Amazon. (DD's price was slightly higher)

That's interesting info about Barbara Hale liking Raymond Burr in real-life. I always wondered about that since there were so many of those "looks" from Della at PM throughout the series. That is one of many things I like about this series. I always thought the "tag" scenes were always neat with the cast usually in PM's office or at that office bldg's grill/coffee shop on the ground floor when Lt Tragg or Burger would sometimes drop in on the 3some having lunch or dinner after the case was dismissed.

Steve, here's a couple of questions about PM since I know you're our resident ace with this show

1) Which season had the episode where PM defended a long-time friend of Burger's? I seem to have a faint memory (in that ep) of some kind of an outdoor/fishing scene in it.

2) Which season had the episode where PM had to defend Paul D for murder? I seem to recall some scene in that one involving an elderly lady getting either blackmailed or otherwise "bullied" by the deceased.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

I just got this set too. Barbara Hale looks great in the on-camera interviews and introductions!

All episodes appear to be uncut.

Probably my only disappointment with the set is the video quality of the Perry Mason Returns TV movie. Obviously very little remastering was done, especially compared to the regular episodes. Also the "Stump the Stars" segment has some very rough video quality.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Hi Jeff,

Barbara Hale has been quoted in the past (not on this DVD) as saying that she had two loves in her life: her husband (actor Bill Williams) and Raymond Burr. Burr and the Katts were apparently very close and Burr even named one of his orchid creations after Hale. If memory serves the scene in one of the Mason reunion movies where the two kiss on screen for the first time was done in one take and apparently wasn't scripted; they just did it. Barbara does tell some of the legendary practical jokes that Burr played on her; they're hilarious.

The episodes you refer to are both S3: PRUDENT PROSECUTOR and PAUL DRAKE'S DILLEMA. It's been awhile since I've seen both but I can also recall some camping/fishing scene in the former. I've been avoiding watching my PM tapes in anticipation of these DVDs coming out.

I neglected to mention the Tallman PSA in my prior post. It is still a very powerful and moving piece of work. Prior to this DVD I had only seen a grainy online version. The colors are washed out on the DVD but it is in otherwise good shape. It is very sad to watch an obviously dying and fairly young Tallman talk about his family with the implication he won't get to see his kids grow up.

I only sampled part of PM RETURNS. It does look like something shot on film but edited on video which probably explains some of the weaker image. It's very watchable but also ironic that episodes from the 50s look better.

Steve

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Watching the episodes from the last seasons on this DVD, I think Raymond Burr was right when he says on one of the Charlie Rose interviews included in this set that the show went on about 2 years too long. The later shows are a bit painful. I much prefer a slimmer, younger Mason, not to mention Paul. They looked like they could barely fit into their wardrobe!

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

An oddity: The ending credits for DEADLY VERDICT looked like a 16mm print and a worn one at that (the body of the episode looks much better).

I'm not sure if I can state all these are uncut yet. Although each episode runs over 50 minutes some that I would expect to be 51:30 to 52:00 are barely over 50 minutes. Unfortunately since my PM tapes are syndication airings I don't have reference copies to compare to. Others do and I'm sure if any cuts do exist they'll be known in fairly short order.

There is an unadvertised bonus feature: Hale and Marks do a commentary on the DEAD RINGER episode. I haven't listened to it yet.

I heard Burr's comment also about ending after 7 years. I think he was a bit too harsh. There were still some outstanding episodes in those years. As good as the last episode was, the next to last (Crafty Kidnapper) is still one of the most chilling and effective in the entire series for me. I also really like CARELESS KITTEN from S8. Where the show did suffer is the loss of Ray Collins. I thought it was interesting that no mention was made of the still alive and active Richard Anderson anywhere on the special features. He, to the best of my knowledge, is the only actor to appear in the Burr series, Markham series, and the Burr MOW series.

Steve

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

I think the picture quality is on par with other releases, but I'm watching it just on a SD TV.

I haven't been able to find that audio commentary. Are you sure about it? How do you access it? I hope it's there.

It was nice that director Arthur Marks joined Barbara Hale for the on-camera intros. He added a lot.

I would have liked to have heard from Richard Anderson too. I thought he was good on Mason. Maybe since he was only with the show for the last year, they forgot about him, or he was unavailable?

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

I have been finding this set very interesting. The extra features are outstanding. I too wish that the full episode of Stump the Stars had been provided.

I am going thru this set very fast and have found it to be a near perfect set.

Doug

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Stuart Galbraith IV has posted his review of the 50th Anniversary set over at DVD Talk and gives it that site's highest review classification -- "DVD Talk Collector Series."

DVD Talk Review: Perry Mason - 50th Anniversary Edition

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

You guys that are on the fence, yeah, im talkin to you Jeff Willis. I say buy the thing. If you can find it for a good price go for it. I am a big PM fan too, but it could take years to finish this series at the rate they are going. In the mean time you have 2 finished seasons, and a nice compilation to hold you over. Even after we get the whole series, nothing wrong with owning a "mix" of episodes on a set like this.
I bought the Klingon and Borg Trek sets a few years ago too. Sometimes it nice to just hit a certain peak for a show, and not a season.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

From the review on dvdtalk review:


Are prospects for season three this bleak? Surely, if they can do Rawhide Season 3, Perry Mason Season 3 should be right behind, no??

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

By the way, I found the audio commentary on "TCOF The Dead Ringer." To access it, you have to choose to play the episode with Barbara Hale's introduction. If you play it without it, the commentary doesn't come up.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

For those that are interested, here are the timings for the 12 episodes and the bonus movie:

• The Case of the Wary Wildcatter (20 Feb 1960) - 52:43
• The Case of the Treacherous Toupée (17 Sep 1960) - 52:47
• The Case of the Envious Editor (7 Jan 1961) - 51:53
• The Case of the Barefaced Witness (18 Mar 1961) - 52:05
• The Case of the Counterfeit Crank (28 Apr 1962) - 50:54
• The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe (3 Jan 1963) - 50:57
• The Case of Constant Doyle (31 Jan 1963) - 50:38
• The Case of the Deadly Verdict (17 Oct 1963) - 50:43
• The Case of the Bountiful Beauty (6 Feb 1964) - 50:20
• The Case of the Twice Told Twist (27 Feb 1966) - 51:31
• The Case of the Dead Ringer (17 Apr 1966) - 51:58
• The Case of the Final Fadeout (22 May 1966) - 51:56
• Perry Mason Returns (1 Dec 1985) - 95:35

So are the 1962-64 episodes slightly edited, or do they just run short?

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

You can also access it by selecting Special Features on that episode's menu.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

And here the good price you may be looking for - $29.99 at B&N.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/3355896-post48.html

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Hey Tim!
Thanks for posting the link to MY posting of the B&N deal!

Here's the actual item:
DVD & Video Search: perry mason

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Credit to where credit is due.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

I've spent more time with the episodes and agree that on the whole they look excellent. The only thing I've noticed is a bit more strobing in the various suits that men wear; I don't recall seeing this as much in the half season releases. I wonder if these weren't flagged for progressive playback or maybe it's my player/set?

I specifically watched BOUNTIFUL BEAUTY (and she is a beauty!!) due to the short running time and don't see any footage missing. What I did notice is that the credits end abruptly after the cast list; the technical crew credits are not there. That, I believe, is the reason for the truncated running time of this episode. Worth noting is that this does not mean the episode is edited; it very well could have been this way in the original run.

Agree with Stuart Galbraith that this is a great set and well worth adding to any Mason fan's library. The bonus features are a PM lovers dream and getting some of these landmark later season episodes will tide one over until CBS gets around to continuing the season by season releases. Call me an optimist, but I believe these will continue.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Just curious; are these truly some of the best episodes between the 3rd and final season, or were they picked because they feature celebrities that help market the set? Route 66 just did a sampler set and it was not, IMHO, the best episodes, but leaned heavily on episodes with name celebrities.

I watched Perry Mason when it first aired along with my dad, who was a lawyer, and who always complained how unrealistic and inaccurate it was; but then again he always watched it.

I picked this set up at Best Buy for $34 and am looking forward to the extras and the episodes, but I just wonder about the real criterial for picking episodes for a set such as this. Are these really the best?

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

I wouldnt call all of them "the best". As a matter of fact, i think the color one is one of the worst, story wise. But as others have said, even a poor PM episode is better than average.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Using my B&N card, I was able to buy this at the $26.99 members price. I was going to wait until the next DD 20% Off Sale, but that was such a good price I had to pick it up. I ordered a few more things as well because this online sale Barnes & Noble are having right now is phenomenal. There is also a coupon circulating right now where you can get 25% off the highest priced item in your cart, so one could actually have this set for less than $21 total if that was the highest priced item you were purchasing.

Anyhow, I always planned to get this set but was originally going to have to wait till it came down a bit. But with this sale I couldn't resist. Plus, as I said, I picked up a few other Paramount titles I had been waiting on. Seems like Paramount is the studio that the sale is working with primarily. A lot of great prices on things like "Rawhide", "Fugitive", "Matlock", "Hawaii Five-0", "Wild, Wild West" and many more. Prices you just can't beat.

Gary "thanks for pointing out this sale, folks" O.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

The only episode with missing credits, according to the site linked below, is season eight's "The Case of the Bullied Bowler." Paramount appears to have slipped up with "Bountiful Beauty." There's at least one PM season where the closing theme is in two parts. It plays through the director-writer-producer credits and the cast credits, then concludes. I'm not sure what was originally inserted at that point, but there's a fade-out. Then the credits resume with the remaining crew, copyright, etc.

Perry Mason TV Series: Episode #218 Project

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Having seen the auditions for Raymond Burr, William Hopper and Ray Collins in the set, I'm surprised that no one has noticed the fact that those tests weren't really shot on film, but were kinescopes! Here's what I think happened: the folks at Paisano Productions probably had the tests done before live TV cameras at CBS' then-new Studio City complex, and then had kinescopes sent to the CBS bigshots in New York. It's interesting to see what might have been if Hopper played Mason instead, but Burr's tests clearly showed that he was indeed the right man for the role, as Erle Stanley Gardner himself decided. And thanks to the Barbara Hale interview, we now know that Burr was hired before she was, which leaves one question: who were the actresses used to play 'Della' in the auditions? One was a blonde, the other a brunette.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

I wondered about the other "Della" actresses as well. They were as completely different from Barbara as one can imagine.

Barbara Hale's honesty about how she got the role (friends with producer Gail Jackson) was very refreshing. Barbara is a delight on this set and it reinforces what some people who've met her have told me: she's a very down to earth and fun person to be around.

I highly recommend the commentary that she and Art Marks did for DEAD RINGER. There is some really good information in it. Mr. Marks has an amazing facility to recall specific details about the production of not only the series, but this particular episode. The two of them talk throughout the entire hour with very little dead time included. Barbara turns 86 next week and Mr. Marks is 80 but they both bring the enthusiasm and pep of people much younger to this set. It's very fortunate that their participation was sought out and included in a meaningful way.

I have no idea how this sold, but hopefully it was well enough to ensure the season releases continue.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

It surprised me how great Barbara Hale looks on this set. She really is a delight.

This set is a real winner, from Barbara Hale to the excellent extras, to the solid transfers of the shows. Probably the best "best of"/ "anniversary" set CBS/Paramount has ever done.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Today, April 18, is Barbara's birthday. She is 86 years young. Happy Birthday!

I just finished watching all the episodes on this set and am more than pleased with the results. Barbara and Art Marks added so much to this set that it is a shame they couldn't be involved in all of them. Mr. Marks has an incredible recollection of specific aspects of the production of this show and Barbara is a great storyteller.

This is a series that cries out for the "Time/Life" complete series treatment. I really hope this hasn't stalled after this release.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

has Time-Life come out with a 68 DVD collection of anything else?

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

No That was said with tongue in cheek. I do hope all the seasons come out though and that the 50th anniversary set isn't the final release.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

Much as I am a fan of Bette Davis, I have never been a fan of her episode here which, to me, is deadly dull.
I actually am happy that some companies choose to do "best of" sets....as long as it doesn't mean stopping the season by season sets entirely.

Re: Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

I hope they finally go the full season route with season three; there are only 26 episodes. Perhaps solid sales of the higher priced 50th Anniversary release will satiate their greed long enough to allow for this.