It Takes a Thief - Page 4

German review here with several screenshots. http://www.dvd-forum.at/34687/dvd_review_detail.htm

Hopefully the DVD set will do well enough in Germany to convince Universal to release a set in the US.

Those screenshots look miles and miles better than anything I've seen on RTN.  Unfortunately I don't Universal releasing on their own.  Did their prints go up in the fire?

I bought German release.  They looked nice,  a lot better than the few episodes I have on tape, and were fun to watch.

What I wanted to write about was the pilot episode. There are two different cuts of the pilot on this set.   

The first version is German only, and uses the second season opening in German and has end credits from the Bill Bixby episode. (All the regular episodes have the proper first season opening and proper end credits.) It's about 62 minutes long.

The second version is in English with German subtitles. It uses the opening credits from the Magnificent Thief feature version of the pilot and  end credits that match the other S-1 end credits with the right cast members. This version is about 65 minutes. 

Different scenes from the 98 minute feature version are cut or left in on these two versions.  The German only version actually tells the story better.  In the English version the  whole section where Mundy and Senta Berger find out where they have to go, to find what they looking for, is cut out. So how did they get there?  Also, at  some point the bad guys start following Senta Berger, only the scenes where they definitely find out she's an agent are not in this version, so why are they following her?

What's cut from both of these shorter versions is a long sequence of Mundy and Senta Berger searching "Sports Expo '68". Actually, Robert Wagner and Senta Berger walking around the actual Expo '67 in Montreal, intercut with studio interiors and stock sports shots. 

So the question for any TV Guide collectors reading this is what version of the pilot appeared on ABC-TV as Al Mundy's debut?  The 62,65, or 98 minute version?  Or was there another version?  And was it called, "It Takes A Thief" or "The Magnificent Thief"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Gu 

So the question for any TV Guide collectors reading this is what version of the pilot appeared on ABC-TV as Al Mundy's debut?  The 62,65, or 98 minute version?  Or was there another version?  And was it called, "It Takes A Thief" or "The Magnificent Thief"?

     It's a long time ago, but my memory tells me that the premiere ran in a 90 minute time slot as It Takes a Thief and so that would make the aired running time around 75 minutes or so.

Season 2.1 will be released in Germany on November 26th !!!

Wow!  That's fast, Season 2.1 already!  I am seeing, on Amazon.de and other German sites, Oct 29th as the release  date for  Staffel 2.1. Could Nov 26th be the release date for Staffel 2.2? It's great that "It Takes a Thief" is being fast-tracked.

Thanks, to Neil/Danny for his answer about the original broadcast pilot, I should have remembered. The two odd length versions of the pilot on the S1.1 release have me puzzled.

(Maybe the 75 minute pilot will show up on the Season 3 releases, since there are  24 S3 episodes  vs 26 for Season 2.)    

When it comes to pilot versions of shows, there could be multiple running times. For instance, I have 5 versions of the Man From UNCLE pilot. The aired, black and white version. A color version, which aired in syndication in the 80's, using 2nd season opening credits and making the closing credits sepia toned. The movie version, To Trap a Spy. The original Solo pilot in black and white. And the color version of the Solo pilot, which is on the box set.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Gu 

Wow!  That's fast, Season 2.1 already!  I am seeing, on Amazon.de and other German sites, Oct 29th as the release  date for  Staffel 2.1. Could Nov 26th be the release date for Staffel 2.2? It's great that "It Takes a Thief" is being fast-tracked.

 

Thanks, to Neil/Danny for his answer about the original broadcast pilot, I should have remembered. The two odd length versions of the pilot on the S1.1 release have me puzzled.

 

(Maybe the 75 minute pilot will show up on the Season 3 releases, since there are  24 S3 episodes  vs 26 for Season 2.)    

The October announcement from Amazon is wrong. Someone in a German forum said it´ll be released on November 26th. He is a reliable source because he knows the people from Polyland and they told him the November date!
 

I am still waiting for word of the set from Madman in Australia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cajunhillbilly 

I am still waiting for word of the set from Madman in Australia.

It's now available for pre-order here! 

Due November 2010, $39.95 Australian.

Details:

DVD Special Features

A THIEF IS A THIEF - Brand new interview with Robert Wagner (TBC)
MAGNIFICENT THIEF - the rarely seen extended version of the pilot episode
PRODUCTION NOTES

Thanks.  How much does Madman chage for shipping to the USA?

How much do they charge for shipping to the US?

Woohoo a U.S. release!!!

Apparently Feb 2011....

http://tvshowsondvd.com/n/14395

Terrific!

I think it's interesting that it's noted in an insert and wasn't really released from a press release or online source.

I just may contemplate brining this one in and placing it under the XMAS tree come Dec.25!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I just received the Australian release of Season 1.

The cost for the complete season 1 was about £20 plus postage from Australia.

I have only had a quick look so far but it looks good quality.

They have included two versions of the pilot - the extended one and the normal one.

There is an interview with Glen Larson as an extra.

Another interesting thing is that in the booklet it states that Season 1 of Switch will be available from Manman next year.

any further news on the US release?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cajunhillbilly 

any further news on the US release?

Nope.....- but Season 2 -Volume 1 will be released in ten days(Germany).

I´m looking forward to pick it up....
 

If there is no news soon on the US dvd, I may go with the Australian one.  Have had good results with Madman dvds.

Good news about Switch and Madman's Universal roll continuing, wonder what else they have in store for us in the future, things like The Sixth Sense maybe... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithb 

How much do they charge for shipping to the US?

You don't have to order it direct from Madman, you know. Just go to EzyDVD.com.au or FBO.com.au (two very reputable Australian retailers, and there are others like DVDOrchard), and you can find out quite quickly!

I got mine from Devoted DVD and can recommend them for an excellent service.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn Curtis 

I got mine from Devoted DVD and can recommend them for an excellent service.

I usually get mine from Devoted as well, and also recommend them. The only thing you need to be aware is if you are pre-ordering a title they will charge you when you place the order (rather than when the item ships).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn Curtis 

I got mine from Devoted DVD and can recommend them for an excellent service.

I find EzyDVD has a lower shipping rate to the US and they provide good service too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cajunhillbilly 

If there is no news soon on the US dvd, I may go with the Australian one.  Have had good results with Madman dvds.

According to TVShowsonDVD, E1 is releasing this series domestically in February 2011.   Given the excellent job they did with ELLERY QUEEN and ABBOTT & COSTELLO I am expecting a very high quality release.  Their products are also very reasonbly priced.  I bought both sets new for under $30 (Costco and Amazon, respectively)

I'm with Steve.  E1 has shown themselves to be a solid distributor so I'm content to wait on a R1 release of this series.

Gary "I think we'll see this show up for pre-order any day now" O.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary OS 

I'm with Steve.  E1 has shown themselves to be a solid distributor so I'm content to wait on a R1 release of this series.

 

Gary "I think we'll see this show up for pre-order any day now" O.

Where the contents are identical (like 'McMillan & Wife' season 2), I agree that E1 is great. However, Madman usually have extras on sets that you cannot find anywhere else - for example the Ellery Queen sets also includes the 1971 'Don't Look Behind You' (starring Peter Lawford as Ellery Queen), which I don't think has been made available in Region 1.
 

I agree that E1 has done well so far. I'm interested to see what the price point will be on this.
The series ran for several years as I recall and I doubt it will be a cheap title.