6M$M and Bionic Woman Region 2 release 09/26/05? - Page 12

Volume #34 of the French singles is out, and the pattern of providing VOST for the Six movie events continues with "The Lost Island," once again in two-part syndicated form. "The Madonna Caper" rounds out the package, featuring Bibi Besch, Carol Marcus from The Wrath of Khan.

Matt: Have you had a chance to get hold of Volume 18? I'm trying to confirm original credits for "Welcome Home, Jaime." The "Kill Oscar" news from the Six Season 4 box doesn't bode well for that.

I don't have it.  I'd be shocked if it featured the original SMDM credits though.  I've checked several of the French SMDM Season 4 eps, and so far, only "Death Probe" Part I is edited.  Unfortunately, it's a pretty serious edit.  The entire pre-title sequence ( 3½ minutes) is missing.  This sequence shows the U.S. radar monitors observing a UFO travelling at high speed, then Air Force jets scrambling to intercept it.  It disappears from radar, and we then see the Russians discussing the situation, after it's reported crash-landing in Wyoming, instead of intended desination of Venus.  The Russians order their U.S.-based covert operatives to get to the probe before U.S. officials discover it.  Then, Steve Austin is awakened by a 3 a.m. call from Oscar Goldman to get to Wyoming asap.

Without this set-up sequence, the episode starts awkwardly with an unsuspecting farmer being attacked by the probe, which literally comes out of nowhere.  I can't believe we continue to see such sloppiness in these releases!

An ongoing disregard for the Bionic Materials is an affront that predates the "issue" that's preventing a US release. We as fans view this stuff with more sentiment than anyone else, and it shows.

When "Death Probe" first aired, for awhile, kids around school were quoting "Northern Wyoming" imitating the Russian woman. Cut? The hell you say. 

The farmer bit is goofy. I love "Have you looked at the sky, lately?" "Death Probe" is probably the latest thing in the show I remember with some fondness.

It seems that Six is going to suffer so long as the "issue" remains.

I'm not optimistic about "WHJ," but I"m covering the bases since they did release the original Wine, Women and War. Perhaps irrelevant so long as the title is sold out.

This is one of the tougher ones to restore if the original elements are lost (the original version of the footage where titles are superimposed is the most unique aspect). Any release of the original confirms the original "Welcome Home, Jaime's" existence much as the Mexican release of The Solid Gold Kidnapping did for the third 1973 movie.

Vive La France! The French have completed the Six Million Dollar Man on DVD – and more?!?

35) Dead Ringer // Date With Danger // Date With Danger Part II
36) The Moving Mountain // Mission Bionique !!!

Mission Bionique is the French title of the 1987 reunion TV Movie, Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman. 

This is a first on DVD for any of the reunion movies as far as I know. In French only, of course. Dommage.

I ordered Vol. 36 for Return of the SMDM and the BW, along with the ones containing Lost Island (in English) and Bigfoot V.  It'd be a good guess that a final volume will be released featuring Bionic Showdown and Bionic Ever After? to complete the series.  France would be the first country to offer SMDM in a complete-series form (albeit in mostly French-only audio and sub-par video.,)

 Matt: 

A good guess indeed. Vol. 37 has reunion movies 2 & 3, with Bionic Ever After? in VOST (english soundtrack). Apparently the first reunion movie is getting an English release in January in Australia (Region 4). See here for details.

I received the four French volumes I ordered.  They each came packaged with full-size, 16-page magazines devoted to the eps on the DVD.  They feature several screen-cap pics, synopsis, cast lists, and various articles, all in French.  It would have been better to have these "magazines" printed as smaller, and more practical, insert booklets, but they're interesting collectibles nonetheless. 

The picture quality remains the same as most previous foreign SMDM releases, that is to say not-too-great.  The first "reunion" telefilm, Return of the SMDM and the BW, is not time-compressed in PAL, since it was posted on video rather than film.  As such, its transfer is noticeably softer than the standard eps.

For those of you interested in the reunion movies, some good news: Return of the SMDM and the Bionic Woman is getting a proper English-language release (in Region 4/Australia) on 10th February.

Also, it's going to only be about $15 (in Australian dollars).

 I've just noticed that Bionic Ever After? (Mariage Bionique) is en VOST (ie with English soundtrack) on the French Vol 37. This means only Bionic Showdown awaits an English transfer, of the reunion movies. 

Too bad about the NTSC--> PAL transfer. My understanding is that most DVD players and TV sets in Europe support NTSC playback as well as PAL. It makes the most sense for a project posted in NTSC video to get an NTSC release even in a PAL country, if the tech is in place to use it. PAL's whole advantage is a resolution boost and a one-to-one film to video frame relationship. Neither apply to upscaled NTSC, frames going from a 2 3 pulldown telecine to a 25 fps rate without timeshifting. Ah, at least the audio isn't sped up.

I probably should have broken my Australia comment off into a second paragraph, I think you missed it Andrew. 

Joseph,
I would like to order the French Vol.37 for "Bionic Ever After" with the English soundtrack. Could anyone provide a link to a site where these French volumes can be ordered? I tried looking on the France Amazon site but could not find any listings. Thanks.

Try this:

http://www.macollection.fr/article-commande.php3?id_article=178

The French single DVDs can also be found here:   www.journaux.fr/revue.php

 Thanks Martin & Matt !! I just have to figure out which site to order from now. I  also see with Volume 39 that they are starting the Bionic Woman series (Super Jamie) as well. It's too bad these all do not have English soundtracks. My understanding is that only a couple of the released volumes include English soundtracks. Is this correct?

It appears that the episodes with English (and no French) audio were all originally 2-hour episodes.  They were probably not yet available in the 2-part/hour-long syndication versions when the dubbing was done (and possibly never broadcast in France.)  I don't know why Bionic Ever After? is the only reunion movie in English.

Maybe I can answer that one.  I live in Quebec, Canada.  I believe I've seen every French dubbed Bionic Woman episodes when they first aired on French TV stations. Same thing for reunion TV movies.  But I don't recall seeing the French dubbed Bionic Ever After. I would think that it was never dubbed in French so that might be the reason why the DVD has no French audio but only original English version with French subtitles.

I am hoping someone on here can give me some help. I am having difficulty ordering from this site: www.journaux.fr/revue.php ...I do not speak French and have been using an online translator but I am still having problems. I was able to register okay on the site but I am confused as to the means of payment and the security of the site. I would like to pay thru means of a credit card and have placed an order for Volume 37 (it says it also comes with Vol.38?) up to the point where it gives me a total with shipping  and the command  "regler ma commande". I haven't gone any further as I am worried it will commit me to purchase and bill me later and there is still no secure symbol listed. I kinow a couple of people on here have purchased volumes thru this site, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.  Now I regret not taking French in school (lol) .

is any one intrested in a free copy of super jamie season 3 I jumped the gun when it first  came out hopeing it would have an english sound track I was wrong so if intrested let me know email me at dimeoiiid@bellsouth.net lets pray that season 4 and 5 of the six million dollar man are released in italy so we can complete our collections

The season 3 of The Bionic Woman that I bought from Germany has an English track,  I plan to get season 3 of The Six Million Dollar Man from Italy as soon as I get my tax return. 

Well, I'm starting to think the UK or Australian releases aren't going to happen. I see season 3 of BW is currently 29.99 euros. Has anybody gotten it for less? Is that a good price or do you think it will drop?

I have the French SMDM Vol. 37, which includes Bionic Showdown (French only) and Bionic Ever After? (English only).  The transfer of Showdown is similar to the previous volume's Return of the SMDM and the BW, only a bit softer with too-pink fleshtones.  However, Ever After is gorgeous by comparison!  Nice accurate colors and a sharp transfer.  It almost looks HD compared to the previous French volumes.  As with Return, there appears to be no PAL speed-up on these two movies.  Here are a few screen-shots from the three "reunion" movies on the French DVDs (top: Return; middle: Showdown; bottom: Ever After)...



Also, these French single-disc volumes have to have the worst package designs yet for the bionic shows -- and the previous international releases have all been pretty bad.  The final volume of SMDM contains the last two reunion movies ('89 & '94), yet the cover features a goofy shot of Lee Majors sporting a cowboy hat from a Season One episode ('74)!  When you purchase this final SMDM volume, you also get a free DVD of the first volume of The Bionic Woman, which is actually labeled as "Vol. 38".  It's obvious they are treating these two shows' single-disc releases as a continuing set.  It would have made much more sense to have the final two volumes contain the reunion movies, and not used as the end of the SMDM's run.  Heck, Lindsay Wagner isn't even featured on the covers of the reunion volumes!  The spines of these volumes are designed to showcase the set when all lined up together, with individual volumes containing only the volume number with no proper title (except perhaps the small "piece" of the overall larger title formed by adjacent volumes when lined up.  It makes them look cheap when only a volume or two are in one's collection (see sample below).

The packaging of these French DVDs is also unique to me, in that they are wrapped with a full-size "magazine" featuring screen-shots and articles about the episodes within, along with some other info on "similar themed" theatrical releases.  It would seem to have made more sense to include these "magazines" as smaller insert booklets.  Here are photos of how the the last SMDM/free first BW volume are packaged.  They are each wrapped in their own plastic "baggies" and then glued to an over-sized cardboard backing...






I also just today received the Australian DVD of Return of the SMDM and BW (In English!)  I'll compare it to the French transfer and post my review just as soon as I have the time.  So, that leaves only SMDM Season 4 (available only in French season-set form), SMDM Season 5 (in French single-volumes only), and Showdown (French only) without proper English releases.



P.S. to Joe:  I did end up ordering the French SMDM volumes containing The Bionic Woman Parts I & II and Welcome Home, Jaime Part I episodes...even though French only.  My curiosity got the best of me as to whether these eps are presented properly.  I'm hoping BW is in its original two part form (ALL previous home video releases -- U.S. and international -- have been the combined "movie" version.  WHJ will hopefully be in its original SMDM format, but I'm not optimistic.  These French releases have done something not done elsewhere:  they've kept the cross-over eps separated in the releases, with the exception of Return of Bigfoot, for some odd reason.  The other two cross-overs, Welcome Home, Jaime and Kill Oscar are kept within their original show's broadcast order.
Edited by MattHR - 2/19/10 at 6:37pm

 Matt: 
Thanks for your diligence on this. Bionic Ever After? looks great! The oversized external booklet is an interesting approach. Strange they would make this effort, yet recycle the same 4 or 5 images of Lee on the covers. 

As a strong proponent of broadcast versions, I'm eagerly awaiting the news on "TBW" and "WHJ."

I'd give odds that "Welcome Home, Jaime" is the syndicated version (with Carleton supers, BW intro and tail credits, and "On The Bionic Woman" trimmed from the end after "To Be Continued.") Hope to be proven wrong. 

I've heard rumors of different versions of this floating around, but I've not seen the original "Six style" version since 1976.

I'm really interested in the distribution packaging here. Usually the roadblock to moving these things around is money, ie to include WHJ back in Six S3 would cost money which is why it doesn't happen... and yet, the French. Issuing the original Wine, Women and War, and distribbing "Welcome Home, Jaime" and "Kill Oscar, Part II" with Six. Perhaps there was a firmer deal in place for the syndication packages for the US market, creating a contractual bind beyond the money. Pure speculation.

Now KO II was not the Six version in the French Season 4 box, and that's why I share your pessimism on WHJ, but they do seem to be favoring broadcast as a pattern.

The Bionic Woman episodes I'm more optimistic. Syndicated airs were consistently two part versions, so the original version should be available for transfer.

My biggest fear is the Universal fire back in 08 may have destroyed the alternate versions, as the redundant copies offsite would doubtless be of the official, syndicated revisions. At least we know the original 1973 telefilms were transferred for the Mexican release. Whew!
Edited by Joseph Burns - 4/2/10 at 5:27pm

I just finished comparing the new Australian Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman with the French version (SMDM Vol. 36.)  It's the exact same video transfer, while the Aussie version retains the original English soundtrack -- and original English on-screen title during the opening credit sequence (the French disc has a superimposed title translation.)  The Aussie's file size is 4.2 GB vs the French's 3.5 GB.  I detected a slightly sharper and saturated image on the Aussie transfer.  As with the French disc, there is no PAL speed-up -- the movie runs a correct 94+ minutes.

In keeping with the long-standing tradition of issuing bionic DVDs with hideous cover art, the new Aussie disc doesn't disappoint.  There isn't a single image from the actual movie used on the cover design.  The cover features 3 solo shots of Lee Majors (all from SMDM Season 1) and two of Lindsay Wagner (from BW Season 1 -- both in "mirrored" form!)  The back cover also sports a shot of them from Bionic Showdown (the second of the three reunion movies.)  All the images used are extremely common shots, readily available all over the internet (which is where I'd guess the obtained them, given the resolution of some.)  The text is littered with typos and punctuation errors: "Jamie Somers" instead of "Jaime Sommers";  neither Richard Anderson nor Martin E. Brooks are listed in the back-cover credits...but "Richard Brooks" is?  The plot synopsis reads as though its writer never actually watched the movie.  Overall, the cover has the look of one of those $2.88 public-domain, bargain-bin titles.  (For the record:  I made several attempts to contact Shock DVD of Australia to offer the use of any of my original press materials for this DVD release.  I even submitted my own synopsis and a few cover design concepts, after seeing their "temp" version at ezydvd.com months ago.  I never received a response.)

Here is a shot of the actual packaging:




BTW...does anyone else find the Aussie's use, size, and placement of their ratings symbols obnoxious?  It sure makes the covers fugly in my opinion.

Has there been any movement on a US release for these shows?

I just ordered El Hombre Nuclear through Amazon.com, figured that's the best set to get to start the series,
which I haven't seen since I was a kid.   I don't know if I saw the first year or two, since I was pretty young
at the time.  Really looking forward to it.

In the UK, these types of releases are quite common. They're called a "partwork", and are sold by subscription (approximately monthly, I think, kind of like Columbia House). You get one 'volume' each time (a magazine and a DVD) and usually, the spines line up to form a larger picture. They've done them for all kinds of shows in the UK, including shows that are available in conventional packaging, such as the various Star Trek series and new Doctor Who.

Sometimes, partworks contain different edits of episodes than their boxset counterparts. There are some episodes of Only Fools and Horses that are unedited in their partwork editions, but were cut in the BBC releases, for example.

I guess partworks must be common throughout the rest of Europe, too. They're just not common here in the USA.


Well, to be fair, it's not Universal's fault, it's the Australian censor's office that imposes size, location, etc. of their ratings (unless you were speaking of Australian releases in general).

At least they're not as intrusive as they used to be (prior to 2004-5 or so). Those old ratings took up a lot more space (just imagine the current box, but widen it to stretch all the way across the front cover).

Looks like the U.K. is getting an english release as well on April 26.

I'm not familiar with the company that's releasing this (Mediumrare) but maybe someone from the U.K. is?

Hi !!!
Has any of you got a hard time ordering (receiving) the "single" DVDs from France ??  Half the stuff I order never make it to my address....

Also.... Italy has started releasing both series as single DVDs with new packaging (a bit like the French but completely different packaging).  Anybody has been able to order those ?
Edited by bionicsuomi - 2/27/10 at 5:53am

You won't regret your purchase.  There are a few episodes with electronic problems in the picture... it last 1 second every time... But otherwise, these are the best transfer available, and original unmodified episodes (except for Wine, Women and War which has one scene cut). 

I wished Universal Mexico would release the second season...

I just ordered my copy as well (a gift to a family member). I was going to order from Australia or Germany but had concerns about the PAL speedup.

Well, the Mexican version of the DVDs is quite superior to all others (UK, Australia and French).