Dean Martin Roasts: Frank Sinatra

Dave Scarpa · 11-28-2003, 10:41 PM

Well My mom really loves these and I have to admit I kinda likes them too. So for Xmas I ordered the First DVD from the Dean Martin Roasts. I arrived last Week and I wanted to check it out. The First Disk is $9.98 and Subsequent Roasts Will Be 19.95 and You will Receive 2 Roasts every 5 Weeks. You are not obligated to buy every roast so I guess you can pick and choose.

The Roast come in a pretty bad cardboard case. I you've seen the boxes Audiobooks come in then you know what I mean. My disk was off the hub when it arrive but was not scratched. For $20 bucks thou I would expect a better case.

The Disk Contains the Roast in OAR Full Screen. The audio is a bit muffled but given the age of these things about what you would expect. The Video is also what you would expect from specials shot on Tape in the Late 70's. In addition to the roast there is a gag reel with Infomercial Pitchman Don Rickles that's pretty funny and a Conversation with impressionist Rich Little. In addition there's a stills gallery.

I have to admit after watching the first roast I will probably continue to collect a few more as these are pretty darn funny. The Guest list includes Ronald Reagan !
Orson Wells, Jimmy Stewart, Red Foxx, Gene Kelly and a host or really big talent that's no longer with us. If your a fan it's worth a call even if you just get the first discounted roast.

Ronald Epstein · 11-29-2003, 03:41 AM

Dave,

I love these roasts. Haven't seen them since
I was a kid (they aired in the 70s), but have
been wanting them ever since a company began
offering them on VHS only.

My favorite is Red Buttons who used to cry
about how he "never had a dinner"

Who did you order it from? Are they promising
more ROAST releases?

Is the quality real bad or average?

Dave Scarpa · 11-30-2003, 10:03 PM

Ron these disks come from the official Dean Martin Roasts Website. On the site they do not state they offer them in DVD Format. But I called them and they told me they now have them on DVD. The quality is not real bad, just about what you would expect from a Show of this vintage. See the First season of All in the Family to see what a Videotaped show might look like. It would be worth the $10 to try out the first disk. Other roasts come every 5 weeks they ship you 2 more....

Rodney · 12-29-2005, 08:11 AM

Resurrecting a thread from the past, I just saw the infomercial for the Dean Martin Roasts, and had a couple of questions that hopefully Dave Scarpa or someone else could answer.

How many disks are there in the series? From the infomercial, it looks like only four, but they don't ever say. According to tv.com, there are 43 episodes of the Dean Martin Roasts, and I was wondering if they were offering them like Time-Life, where you eventually get all of them or not.

The other question I have is are they compilations, or complete episodes?

Thanks.

ADMINISTRATOR: Please move thread to TV section.

Dave Scarpa · 12-29-2005, 02:14 PM

I never finished colecting them since the price is realy high for basically a 90 minute show. So I don't know if they offer the complete series of roasts. It's too bad Gunthy-Rentheur owns this and the Dean Martin Variety shows. I'd pick up a season of Dean Martin on DVD but alas it will prebably never happen

**HTF Ads**

Jeff# · 12-30-2005, 12:30 PM

There weren't episodes of The Dean Martin Roasts. They were all specials that usually aired on a different night from The Dean Martin Show (which by the 9th and final year 1973-74 was retitled The Dean Martin Comedy Hour).

Martin's weekly series I don't want to buy unless they are COMPLETE. Unfortunately these seems to be "Best Of" compilations, so that doesn't do me any good.

I assume the Roasts are complete. Is there a way to buy a bunch of those discs in one shot? I don't want to wait 5 weeks to get the next disc or be on any kind of subscription plan. It could be done with Columbia House's DVD clubs, so I hope Gunthy-Renker allows the same.

Rodney · 12-31-2005, 07:08 AM

At a bout $20 a disk, this price seems too much for me. I am going to wait and hopefully the Dean Martin Estate will release season sets of the Dean Martin Show, and a complete set of Dean Martin Roasts at a decent price.

Ronald Epstein · 12-31-2005, 02:28 PM

I am very interested in these and would probably
do a Columbia House club-like option if available.

I found a website here, but I do not know
if this is the official website or the one that
offers a subscription plan.

Rodney · 12-31-2005, 05:51 PM

Quote:

I found a website here, but I do not know
if this is the official website or the one that
offers a subscription plan.

Ronald Epstein · 12-31-2005, 06:14 PM

Rodney,

Thanks.

How do I get around the fact that the subscription
just mentions "tapes"?