Perry Mason 50th Anniversary release

jdee28 · 01-09-2008, 12:45 PM

Details about it are up on tvshowsondvd.com. It'll contain a whopping 12 episodes. It's basically another split-season release. Will they ever give this show a full season release, one with 22+ episodes in it?

It's unfortunate the 50th Anniversary isn't tied up with the release of the 3rd Season. Hopefully it won't push back Season 3, Volume 1 too much.

Charles Ellis · 01-09-2008, 12:53 PM

The fact that such a big compilation is being made proves that sales for the sets are going well. The third season should be happening soon- ideally, it would be a complete season, not split as for previous years.

Does anyone know which episodes will be in the 50th Anniversary set?

Perry Mason DVD news: Extras for Perry Mason - 50th Anniversary Edition | TVShowsOnDVD.com

Corey3rd · 01-09-2008, 01:34 PM

it's 26 episodes on season 3 so they might put it out as a 7 DVD set

Elena S · 01-09-2008, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdee28

Details about it are up on tvshowsondvd.com. It'll contain a whopping 12 episodes. It's basically another split-season release. Will they ever give this show a full season release, a release with 22+ episodes in it?

It's unfortunate the 50th Anniversary isn't tied up with a 3rd Season release. Hopefully it won't push back Season 3, Volume 1 too much.

They are probably banking on the guest stars on this release to sell the set.

Doug^Ch · 01-09-2008, 03:10 PM

Since I'm buying all of the season sets the only reason I'm going to pick this up is for the extras, which sound pretty decent.

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Doug67 · 01-09-2008, 03:32 PM

The extras do look good, as well as the episode intros by Barbara Hale.

Based on the guest stars listed in the press release, we can account for at least 6 of the 12 episodes:

Bette Davis - The Case of Constant Doyle (1963, one of the 4 episodes without Raymond Burr)
Robert Redford - TCOT Treacherous Toupee (the fourth-season opener fron 1960)
Leonard Nimoy - TCOT Shoplifter's Shoe(1963)
Burt Reynolds - TCOT Counterfeit Crank (1962)

Adam West guests in two episodes (TCOT Barefaced Witness in 1961 and TCOT Bogus Books in 1962) as does James Coburn (TCOT Envious Editor in 1961 and TCOT Angry Astronaut in 1962). Hopefully they will choose just one for each.

I hope the rest of the twelve are ones that are unique in some way, or that don't adhere to the usual formula. Possibilities would be:

TCOT Final Fadeout (1966) - the very last episode, guest-starring Dick Clark and Erle Stanley Gardner as a judge
TCOT Deadly Verdict (1963) - in which Perry's client is found guilty in the opening minutes and he must reverse the verdict to save her from a death sentence.
TCOT Dead Ringer (1966) - Raymond Burr plays another character in addition to Perry
TCOT Twice-Told Twist (1966) - the only episode filmed in color and not part of the syndication package for many years
TCO Paul Drake's Dilemma (1959) - Paul is on trial in this one, but it's from the third season so it should be out soon enough
TCOT Restless Redhead (1957) - if they include the last episode, they will probably include the first, but hopefully it will be the only one that has already been released.

Steve...O · 01-09-2008, 06:33 PM

Doug, thanks for your post. Your list is essentially the same as mine in terms of speculating what the other 6 episodes would be. Obviously the first six were chosen solely by the guest stars as opposed to picking those that are standout episodes. Then again, PM had numerous episodes featuring well known guest actors from the early days of cinema (Francis X. Bushman) to up and coming actors like Redford.

I'm heartened that this is a relatively sparse collection of episodes and it would seem to indicate that the season sets will continue. Had this been a mega 10 disc set or something I'd worry that it was the end of the line for Perry. When rumors of this set starting surfacing awhile back I'd held out hope that it was going to be a Time Life complete series release for 2008, but that didn't happen.

Not to be negative towards this good news, but I wish CBS would have tacked on the extras to the existing sets rather than market this separate collection. However I can see why they're doing this also. Hopefully the low episode count will be reflected by a low price.

As far as the unnamed extras, I'd almost bet that one of them will be a STUMP THE STARS episode featuring the PM cast. Since Paul Brownstein is producing this, it is certain to be a first class set all the way.

Steve

Steve...O · 01-10-2008, 11:07 PM

In a move that will probably tick off a lot of people, CBS/Paramount has upped the MSRP of this set by $10 (to $49.99) compared to the split season releases (which are $39.99 and have more episodes). To a die hard PM fan like myself I'll pay it to get these wonderful extras but this will negatively impact some consumers.

(I fully realize that nobody pays MSRP but the higher level also impacts the discounted price at Amazon et al.)

Dave Scarpa · 01-11-2008, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve...O

In a move that will probably tick off a lot of people, CBS/Paramount has upped the MSRP of this set by $10 (to $49.99) compared to the split season releases (which are $39.99 and have more episodes). To a die hard PM fan like myself I'll pay it to get these wonderful extras but this will negatively impact some consumers.

(I fully realize that nobody pays MSRP but the higher level also impacts the discounted price at Amazon et al.)

Sneaky Paramount sneaky.. but nothing they do surprises me anymore.

jdee28 · 01-11-2008, 01:01 PM

Full details about the set are up on tvshowsondvd.com. All new to DVD episodes, plus the TV movie Perry Mason Returns, plus screen tests and interviews and more. Sounds pretty good! I'll pick it up. At least now I won't have to wait 7 years to see the only color episode and the series finale!

I wonder how this release will impact releasing the whole series. Will we see S. 3 V. 1 in the fall and S. 3 V. 2 next year?

Tim Tucker · 01-11-2008, 02:48 PM

And here's the link:

Complete List of Episodes, Extras for 50th Anniversary Edition DVDs!

And the breakdown by Seasons:

Season 3 - 1 episode
Season 4 - 3 episodes
Season 5 - 1 episode
Season 6 - 2 episodes
Season 7 - 2 episodes
Season 9 - 3 episodes

Too bad they didn't include an unedited copy of "The Case of the Fancy Figures" in the set.

Steve...O · 01-11-2008, 06:50 PM

Wow - what an awesome set. Well worth the $34.99

The extras are everything a PM buff like me could hope for. I'd always read that Burr originally tested for Burger and Hopper for Mason, but to actually be able to see this is a treat.

The 2 Burr interviews, from different periods of his life, will be most appreciated. I'm especially looking forward to the STUMP THE STARS episode (from 7/8/63), which I've never seen. Seeing these folks out of character will be a real treat. The episode on the DICK VAN DYKE dvds was a hoot.

I'm especially gratified that Barbara Hale and Art Marks are actively participating. I've seen a very recent photo of Barbara and she looks wonderful and as beautiful as ever; it's hard to believe she is *cough* years old. (I'm told she is very energetic and upbeat in person). Art Marks was a major behind the scenes force of Mason having directed and/or produced many episodes.

Paul Brownstein and Jim Davidson have put together a great set. Kudos to CBS for not having us double dip on any episodes already released. But please don't hold up on releasing S3 and beyond ASAP

Steve