"I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

Yes, I've known about this being in the works for almost a year now. There was originally an issue as far as putting together all of the elements but that has now been taken care of. I can tell you it will be done by Smore Entertainment who has already put out several other rare sitcoms. I don't know when the official announcement will be yet.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

Great news. Although the series was before my time, I do have a bootleg tape of four episodes, and I found it to be a pretty darned funny (and rather wacky) show. I was wondering what other things S'More had plans for, after their very welcome initial releases. I'm particularly glad to hear this, because there really hasn't been any nifty surprises lately in tv-dvd announcements, and I was getting a bit disheartened. As for "Dickens/Fenster," although the spotlight is on Ingels/Astin, it also features fun work from Emmaline Henry, whom I've always liked. Again, excellent news.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

You'd be amazed at the hoops that have to be jumped thru to get ahold of some of these shows. First, you have to find something that's not controlled by the major studios. So right away that knocks out 95% of the shows. Then you have to find an individual who not only owns the rights but is willing to go through the trouble for something that, let's face it, isn't going to be a big seller or make anyone much money. Unless the person who produced the show 40 or 50 years ago is still alive, you are then having to deal with family members, who chances are don't really have any emotional attachment to the show. So with them, it comes down to what's in it for them and unfortunately with obscure shows that are 35, 40, 45, 50 years old, not much. And then, if you do make it through all of that, there's the matter of actually finding a complete set of prints. Shows that bombed and had no syndication were not exactly a priority to anyone as far as preservation went. Up until the 80s, if there was no syndication market, a show had no value. Pre-cable explosion, pre-home video market. So many of these properties were doing nothing but taking up space (and costing storage fees). Oh, and then another stumbling block is the bootleggers. Ozzie and Harriet was being considered but there are too many dollar DVDs that are available of the show that people buy at Crapmart to make a legitimate release viable. So the 14 years of pristine masters will sit in the vault while the few horrible quality episodes make the rounds.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

This is good news. I don't normally buy comedy releases but will make an exception here.I haven't seen it since the early 60's but still recall one episode 'The Joke' in which discussion about wether a joke is funny or not causes a strike. I thought it was one of the funniest TV episodes ever.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

This sounds like it may be a good show. I read about "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" many years ago. John Astin had only done drama before that time (such as when he had a small role as a member of a wagon train going through the desert west in The Twilight Zone episode "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim").

When it comes to early 1960s sitcoms though, I'd much rather see one I have seen "Dobie Gillis" or one I haven't "Hennessey" get released on DVD.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

According to a press release at Image Entertainment, beginning in January 2007, Image will be the distributor for S'more Entertainment products. S'more's DVDs had been previously distributed by the St. Clair Entertainment Group. I'm guessing that Dickens/Fenster might be the first release under the new distribution arrangement.

Link: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....714&highlight=

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

I just saw my first episode ever, and it was free! I found this in its entirety on this site. Not a bad sitcom... www.guba.com/watch/2000937498

Enjoy.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

I hope you do enjoy it. The deal for the release fell through due to ABC. Although all paperwork shows otherwise, they are claiming to have a percentage of the rights and are demanding to be compensated, thereby making a release financially not viable. So unless something drastic happens to change this, the show is not coming out.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

This show was OK, but not so funny that ABC needs to protect their rights to a 45 year old sitcom that probably wouldn't sell too well other than to Addams Family fans who might buy it just to see John Astin.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

It has nothing to do with "protecting rights" but it is more about typical corporate greed, which ABC/Disney/ESPN is all about. They don't care one iota if the show comes out or not so they have nothing to lose by trying to get a piece of the pie, rightfully or not.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

Why do we write the big studios off as being greedy just because they insist on getting their fair share? Fine, they're greedy. So what? So am I! So are you! Who cares?

They do have a right to these profits - and if their demanding what is legally entitled to them means that the project is cancelled, it's a shame, but in our 'supply & demand world' - that's life.

I mean, I was planning on releasing a DVD of Season 3 of Desperate Housewives on eBay later this year, but ABC and Disney stopped me. It seems they wanted their fair share of the profits. Go figure - the big guns always preventing me the little distributor and you the purchaser - from what it is that we want.

The reason that the project failed is because the those involved determined that it would not be profitable, plain and simple. It's a shame, but it's not ABC's fault, per se. They are obligated, and it is necessary that they demand a share of the profits that the contract states they earn. Simply choosing not too because this is a 'small project' where 'little profit margin' will be realized, simply doesn't cut it. Making such a decision this time could even work against them next time when they attempt to 'demand' their fair share of the profits from someone else who feels that their project is 'small' and with 'little profit margin'.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

Hi Jeff, are there any other I'm Dickens, He's Fenster episodes availble online?


Thanks, that was great!

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

Uh, maybe because they don't have any rights or ownership of the show? Yeah, little thing like the fact that they don't own it and are just being assholes about it because they can. Other than that, nothing. Maybe you need to have a little more information next time before you post a comment on something you know absolutely nothing about.

So, if I own a multi-billion dollar company, according to you it would be okay for me to hold up a release and claim to have rights I don't have, just because I have a floor full of lawyers that I'm paying? Even if I know I don't have any rights at all but just because I have the money to bully someone. You must be a big fan of corporate America.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

If there are, I haven't found any yet. That site had other things I was more interested in (such as "The Defenders" with E.G. Marshall), and I just happened to find that one episode of I'm Dickens, He's Fenster.

There were about a half dozen episodes of "The Invaders" and "Route 66" on there too.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

Please. As if suddenly you're the the authority on what is right. You've given lots of opinions in this thread - but no facts. Stop jumping on other people for having a say. It is a forum after all!

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

You want facts? How about the word of the producer and owner of the series? Is that suficient? How about that I've seen copies of the contracts? You really should understand that not everyone on here is a typical know-nothing fan and that some of us are actually involved in the industry. It's because of people like you and discussions like this one that most knowledgeable posters as well as people who work in the business avoid going on these forums.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

Actually, it's rude posts like these that drive people away. You have facts? Then please share them. There's no need to belittle other posters while doing so.

To everyone else: There is no need to debate Mr. Alden any further. Please move on.

M.

Re: "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" reportedly coming

I'm sorry if I might appear a little ignorant and optimistic but since ABC has no rights in it then whomever has invested time in the DVD project should release it, sue ABC and go to the press about any manipulations ABC is trying to pull but I guess some battles might cost too much money to fight. Is there anyone that can take up this case or any further legal help that can be pursued? In the least, can't someone in the press give ABC some bad press? I know there are some reporters that read these forums, a deep investigation of this sort of matter and any other examples would make a good story. Would it be possible to make the paperwork pubic?

You're right.  Either they protect their rights or the law says that they lose their rights.  So they have to stop anybody who infringes on their rights, whether it is a distribution company who thinks they have a right to it or whether it is an outright thief who merely blackmarkets stolen products on eBay. 

Seen an announcement today at tvshowsondvd.com that the series is coming to DVD in 2011. I don't like it that they are splitting this into two volumes. If the first volume doesn't sell well, then perhaps the second volume won't come out at all. So I will wait to see if both volumes are released before I put any money towards this. I don't want to be stuck with half a season. It's a one season TV show, they should just put the whole series out in one shot.

I've actually never heard of the company producing the DVD. Pardon me for being a skeptic, but we SURE this is going to be a quality release? I'm just a bit wary here.

I'm not concerned about the quality, I'm fairly certain the quality will be good. I also expect the episodes will be uncut. But the studio splitting this into two volumes is cause for concern, it gives them the option to cancel the 2nd volume if the 1st one sells below expectations. So I'll just wait to see if both volumes are issued before I place an order.

Well, Lecagr, don't shoot yourself in the foot. If enough people think like you, then you can be sure that the second volume will never come out!!

So, because he fears that they may possibly cancel the second volume if sales are too low, he refuses to buy the first volume, thereby lowering sales and, if enough people think like him, making sure that the second volume never comes.

 

Is that a self-fulfilling prophesy?

If they were that worried about the second volume selling, they would probably choose to release all of episodes in one set and not split it up.  I would think that most people who buy the first set would also buy the second set. If they went to all of the trouble to remaster all episodes, it seems doubtful that they would not release all of them. It's been stated that two volumes are being released and not just a mention of volume one being released.

LOL yea you've got that right and you can be sure there are others who think like me. I feel it is ludicrous for the company to split a one season TV show into two volumes. It makes no sense unless they plan to milk this and double dip the consumer, similar to what CBS DVD has done with the My Three Sons DVD's. And I'm telling you, music issues aside many My Three Sons fans are not happy with those seasons being split into two sets. I'll just wait and see if both volumes of this are released. If so, I'll order both provided the price is reasonable. If they charge 30 or 40 bucks for a half season of 16 episodes, that's too expensive and I won't take the bait. If they would release the whole series in one shot and charge 35 bucks for it, that I would go for.
 

Yeah, I think we've all been guilty of it, though. We need to knock it off and just buy the shows we really want. Let's face it--half a season is better than nothing, if that's how it turns out. However, their press release really sounded like they were committing to both halves of the season, so I think I have enough confidence to go ahead and order the first half when it becomes available. For some reason I'm not worried about it this time around.

I, too, am not overly happy with the split seasons as I feel this is usually done to get a higher overall price for a full season based on the track record of those who've come before.  But... I'll still order this unless it's priced like it's a full season.  I'm somewhat excited about the announcement!

There's an update of the release over on TVshowsonDVD.com listing features, etc.  Still a split season and no price mentioned yet... :(