The Fugitive, Season Two Volume 1 - Reviews - Page 14

David Von Pein · 06-17-2008, 01:46 AM

"We put it [TV on DVD] on a pedestal."

After being exposed to the Fugitive S2, V1 release, the above sentence from CBS/Paramount reeks with disingenuousness.

David Von Pein · 06-17-2008, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Lucy pulling the emergency brake and everyone goes flying.

"Did YOU pull that cord?!" -- Frank Nelson in "I Love Lucy" episode

Jack Benny fans, of course, will recall Frank Nelson in the various roles he played in Benny's TV and radio shows. Frank was always a riot, and was given some of the funniest lines on the Benny Program, e.g.:

"Well, who do you think I am -- Drear Pooson?!"*

* = The Benny writers would sometimes immediately change some of the script in improvised fashion after a goof-up by a member of the cast, as evidenced by the above Nelson hunk of hilarity, said shortly after Don Wilson mangled newsman Drew Pearson's name, calling him "Drear Pooson". Thank goodness those were live shows....it made them all the funnier because of gaffes like that one.

Quote:

What I find hard to believe is Kimble always hurriedly tossing his duffel bag away presumably in order to run faster during a sudden pursuit."

I haven't been able to figure out why Kimble ditches his suitcase in the trash can after fleeing the proverbial "Edmund Hotel" in "World's End"? He probably could see the taxicab that he got into BEFORE he ditched the suitcase, but he tossed it away anyway. He then walks a few more feet and gets into a cab. Seems to be a wasted and unnecessary suitcase-tossing effort. Very curious.

Perry?

Carabimero · 06-17-2008, 02:13 AM

Maybe he figures they're looking for a man with a duffel bag and figures by tossing it he won't fit the description.

David Von Pein · 06-17-2008, 02:29 AM

Has anyone received a response from CBS/Paramount after sending their e-mails? I haven't.

Worth repeating.....

Here's the message I sent to Paramount:

==================================================

Subj: "The Fugitive" (Season 2, Volume 1)
Date: 6/11/2008
To: PHE_CustomerService@Paramount.com

Paramount Home Entertainment,

As a fan of one of your current DVD properties -- "The Fugitive" (1963-1967 TV series) -- it was very disheartening to discover that all of the background music for the Season 2, Volume 1 DVD release has been replaced with different musical cues and bridges.

These sweeping changes to the music, affecting all 15 episodes of the DVD collection, as I'm sure you've been made aware of by now via a flood of angry e-mails from disappointed fans, essentially destroys the mood and ambience of each "Fugitive" program.

Is there any possibility of releasing fixed DVDs for Volume 1 of Season 2 of this classic TV treasure, to replace the horrid release that you marketed on June 10, 2008?

To leave "The Fugitive" in the musical state you have left it in on the Season 2, Volume 1 DVD aggregation is akin to spray-painting the Mona Lisa with graffiti and then propping it up in an art gallery for all to see. In effect, it amounts to mutilated artwork in its current form with the wholesale substituted musical arrangements.

Please fix these "Fugitive" DVDs, and bring your company back up to the standards for which I have greatly admired since I first started collecting DVDs several years ago.

CBS/Paramount has been one of the best studios, in my own experience, when it comes to releasing first-rate DVD products. If that benchmark in quality is to continue, something must be done about repairing the damage that has been done to one of your very best TV properties -- "The Fugitive" starring David Janssen.

A television institution like "The Fugitive" doesn't deserve a second-rate, hacked-up DVD release. It deserves the treatment that your company gave to the first two DVD sets of "The Fugitive" -- high quality DVD transfers....including the original music.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,
David R. Von Pein

==================================================

michael_ks · 06-17-2008, 03:11 AM

Quote:

I've thought often of our friend Gary "insert quote here" OS as we've wound our way slowly through this thread. Hopefully, he'll be OK and make it through unharmed!

I still recall how bad I felt for Gary when I broke the news about the "Route 66" transfers--he was just coming back from a vacation then as well, if memory serves me correct.

I'm just returning home from a long business trip myself and am absolutely heartbroken and stunned beyond belief upon reading the tragic news of the wholesale music replacement. In other "Fugitive" threads, nearly every time I mentioned how much I enjoyed a S1 episode, I often referred to the underscore and how well cues by Fred Steiner, Leonard Rosenmann, Herrmann and Goldsmith fit into various episodes.

This is without a doubt the most disappointing news I ever had the misfortune of reading about with regards to a classic tv on dvd release. I was so looking forward to purchasing S2 and even brought S1, V2 with me on my trip so that I could watch "The End Game" in the comfort of my hotel room. The music was fabulous in that episode, possibly the best underscore for the season, much of it seemingly composed specifically for the episode. I can really appreciate how badly Harry-N and David must feel after reading their numerous posts over the last 14 pages of this thread.

I must take a sleeping pill now and just try my level best to get some sleep. I know now that I just can't bear to purchase the set--something I could never imagine thinking before I left for my trip.

Carabimero · 06-17-2008, 03:37 AM

I want to reiterate--if you've taken the time to compose a well-worded letter like DVP's, or even a short direct letter, I encourage you to take the extra time to print it and mail it. As a former editor I can tell you that I, and other editors I worked with, virtually ignored unsolicited emails. There's just too many of them because it's too simple to click and send.

Please write, print out hardcopy, sign your letter, stuff it in an envelope, stamp and mail it. I can't emphasize that enough. Get a name if possible and address it to someone specific. It's not that difficult if you're willing to make the effort. Being e-angry is easy. It takes a little more time to present yourself professionally with the kind of class that carries clout. But it pays huge dividends.

As to a response, if Gord has yet to receive one from a personal contact, I hold little hope of receiving one from someone who doesn't know me from Adam--and I wrote three physical letters.

bmasters9 · 06-17-2008, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGreatOz

The song was gone in the S3 DVDs.

And the End Credits were changed to reflect that replacement.

I didn't realize that. I just thought, from reading Gord's article, that the substitutions started with S4. Of course, I'm not much of a "MWC" fan, so it was just a guess.

bmasters9 · 06-17-2008, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff*H

Even more unusual was the fact that CBS Paramount included a lengthy disclaimer on the HAWAII FIVE-0 S2 box noting that the episode "Bored She Hung Herself" aired once as part of Season 2 and was not included on the set, alerting fans in advance to the omission. Why they would go above and beyond with their disclaimer on that set but not THE FUGITIVE indicates that their left hand may not know what their right hand is doing all of the time.

You are absolutely correct, Jeff*H. My copy included that too. I can understand CBS leaving off an episode of "Hawaii Five-O" possibly for legal reasons or that sort of thing, and of course, their disclaimer about them leaving it off because it only aired once is much appreciated. You are also correct that their failure to go above and beyond with indicating music changes on "The Fugitive" indicates failure of the left hand to know what the right hand is doing.

David Lambert · 06-17-2008, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmasters9

I didn't realize that. I just thought, from reading Gord's article, that the substitutions started with S4. Of course, I'm not much of a "MWC" fan, so it was just a guess.

Gord goofed when he said "fourth"...I missed seeing it when I read his editorial myself. I changed it just now.

I don't recall if Gordo likes MwC or not, but I think he's an enjoyer of the show (but not a super-fan). However, I'm a longtime fan of the show. In fact, before Gord recruited me to beta test this site he was building called "TVShowsOnDVD" - it's really HIS baby, Matt, but I guess I'm the site's "nanny"!

- he first saw me hanging around here at the HTF, answering questions about Scooby-Doo episodes and sporting a signature that tried to convince studios to release certain shows on DVD. MwC was one of them.

Hey! In fact, I still have that sig!

Hmmm...Looks like I got everything I initially wanted at the time. Sorta. WKRP certainly pertains to this thread, in a way...

Dave Scarpa · 06-17-2008, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carabimero

I'm not going to rant and rave, I'll just say that with the exception of the opening and closing title, every piece of music in all the episodes on disc one has been altered (I only spot-checked the rest and they were changed as well). This is hardly The Fugitive without the great music. I know I am in the minority and others may think it makes little difference, but to me the music is half the show. It's too painful to watch, so I'm giving my set away and not buying any future sets where ALL of the music has been replaced.

I didn't complain too much when non-instrumental music in season one had been changed--music on juke boxes, etc., because that music was not composed for the show. They REMOVED ALL the music composed for the show. I could understand if they even replaced the stock music (cues heard in other shows like The Twilight Zone, etc.), but they REMOVED ALL OF MUSIC COMPOSED FOR THE SHOW except the opening and closing titles. What the....?

I still can't believe it. I've waited for years for this show to come out on DVD. I am tremendously sad and disappointed. I sat there in front of the TV and couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Why would Paramount/CBS do this? I can understand them not wanting to deal with clearance issues for a series that will probably sell modestly. But how can it be a clearance issue when it's ALL the music composed specifically for the show? The only thing I can think of is that they didn't want to bother figuring out what was stock and what wasn't, so they replaced it all.

I thought maybe it was a contract clause about using the music on newer media, but the same music they changed in S2 V1 is the same music they used in the season 1 sets.

I still can't believe it. Part of me thinks if I go to bed and wake up in the morning and put the DVD back in, it will all have been a bad dream.

I thought the show only used those twilight zone music cues in the first season because of budget restraints, once a hit, they scored the show on it's own.. I've never seen season two but the scoring sounds original to me.

Charles Thaxton · 06-17-2008, 08:31 AM

Since Paramount/CBS went to seemingly great lengths to please (seemingly) a handful of INVADERS fans by seeking out bonus material for that DVD release and filming new intros and interviews with Roy Thinnes....what are the chances that they will again respond to MORE than a handful of FUGITIVE fans' protests about the rescored release? Look at the Amazon.com reviews of S2V1...they certainly should "get the message" if anyone there reads these things.
I just cannot imagine watching an episode like "Nemesis" and the scene where Gerard arrives at the fish hatchery as Kimble looks out the window without the "Gerard Theme" and the "Kimble in dange