all in the family seasons 7-9 - Page 4

Well season 8 has already been announced so I don't think that's an issue.  It is strange though.  I'm in both camps; I think the series looks great and it is a little jerky.  Movements are as fluid at times.  Kind of like those Chaplin MK2 / Warner releases with bad PAL to NTSC transferes or to stay on Chaplin, the 'stretch printing' utilized in the Kid and The Chaplin Review.  It just looks a little odd at times. Some of my friends have told me that when older movies have been remastered for Blue-Ray, it can sometimes take away the film texture to the picture.  I haven't seen anything like that so I can't comment but do any of you who are better versed in Blue-Ray see how the picture on this AITF may have been manipulated somehow?

I will defend Shout! on this and don't believe it is something they have anything to do with although I do understand they are looking into it.  I don't know what you call it but I'd be interested in reading their findings.  It won't impact future purchases for me, as long as they keep releasing them I'm going to buy them.

The missing scene in the first part of Archie's Brief Enounter is this:

(Right after credits in the diner)

Foley: Hey how do you like this Bunker eh? You know Whitey it's the third time this week he's dragged us over here to have lunch. He acts like he's got an interest in this joint.

Whitey: He has Foley man hey and here his interest comes now baby.

Denise: OK you're the BLT, Whitey you are the ham and cheese on onion roll. Where's Archie my super burger with everything and I do mean everything.

Whitey: Oh he's in the mens room making himself gorgeous just for you.

Foley: Hey Denise, what's Archie got that we ain't got eh?

Denise: What's Archie got that you ain't got eh? My Daddy's big blue eyes. (HEY NOW!*)

*this is just my comment, it wasn't in the episode

Cut to Archie in the bathroom...(THIS IS WHERE THE EPISODE BEGINS ON THE DVD)

In what I've seen so far I can see bits of dialog and scenes that have not been in syndication which is always cool and fun.  Still a great release and I'm looking forward to season 8.  This sucker should've been completed a long time ago!

I've mentioned this in a few other forums so I'll drop it in here too.  I was always under the impression that Archie's Brief Encounter aired as a one hour special on CBS when first broadcast.  The way it is 'split' here vs. the way it is split in syndication differs.

On the episode as it is presented on the DVD, the fade in the middle of the kiss is there in part one and then it fades back up and plays through Archie's dialog with Carlos to end the episode.  Kind of a "tag" which is something that the series had abandoned by season 7.  In the second part it says 'last on All in the Family' as the episode begins and shows a clip from the first episode and then the kiss and whole dialog scene with Carlos again.  That then plays through and a title comes up 'and now All in the Family continues'.  I wonder now that when it originally aired on the network if it wasn't a true one hour episode and they in fact aired two half hour episodes back to back as they'll sometimes do.  Say the network ordered 25 episodes so if this aired as a one hour episode there would only be 24 scripts for the season, splitting it over two parts would give you the 25.  Not sure...just a threory.

I know season 8 opens up with a one hour episode "Archie Gets the Business".  This episode was released on the Columbia House tapes and is featured as a one hour episode.  We'll see how it will be handled on DVD.  There are also two other one hour eps in season 8; Edith's 50th Birthday and Edith's Crisis of Faith. 

I always wonder why so many different prints and cuts of things (tv shows / movies ) are laying around.  It's fun to talk about. 

Thanks for letting me indulge a bit with an overly long post.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert13 

~ha,ha~ So true. Just when we thought it was out of their hands and into Shout's, they still manage to screw up the release. If only Shout had a way of checking this stuff beforehand. Who knows? I just wish they would re-issue the set. It's already gotten a bad rep online. Doesn't bode well for Season 8. I would think they would want to maintain the quality to keep sales successful. It just seems like such a mess now.

In all fairness there had been no problems reported with other Sony/Shout! sets. Hopefully this is just an aberration and not a change in policy.

I recall that two episodes on season 6 of The Jeffersons were reported as "looking odd." I have it but haven't watched it yet. Could that be the same thing.

I've noticed this same effect on other Sony shows.  I can't recall specifically which ones, but I think it was some of The Jeffersons sets and What's Happenning sets.  I think this is an issue with some of Sony's masters and not an issue of how Shout released it.  Although I do notice this effect slightly, I don't have a large screen TV and I think that is why.

Thank you Shout Factory.  I'm eagerly waiting for the remaining seasons of this classic show.  Season 7 does have more of a film "look" and that's a distinct change from the previous releases.  However, the quality, in my opinion, is superior to the earlier sets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV_Fan 

I've noticed this same effect on other Sony shows.  I can't recall specifically which ones, but I think it was some of The Jeffersons sets and What's Happenning sets.  I think this is an issue with some of Sony's masters and not an issue of how Shout released it.  Although I do notice this effect slightly, I don't have a large screen TV and I think that is why.

I don't remember any issues with any of the sets of What's Happening or, for that matter, the first season of What's Happening Now either.

This is another example of Shout screwing things up and proof yet again that you can never pre-order anything from them and you have to wait for the reviews to come in. Luckily I was able to cancel my order before it was shipped. As for the blame, Shout did this in the authoring after they were given the videotape transfers from Sony. It looks like they used a Divx program or some other cheap authoring and whoever the moron was who authored the discs tried to make a show shot in 30fps videotape look like 24fps film. All of the people I've spoken to say it renders the show unwatchable. Funny, how on their website they first tried to pass the blame as they always do and eventually they decided to "look into it". I still don't understand how they have no one there who does any kind of quality control and checks these abominations before they get released. With them, its always after the horse is out of the barn that they check the doors.

The one episode of "The Jeffersons" S6 I've watched, which Sony released, shows the same problem.   Too slow movement to render a more film look than the proper sharper videotape look.      Regardless of who was responsible for this, Sony or Shout, it's terrible this happened and the people who think a "film" look is somehow automatically better for something that was done on videotape should have their heads examine (they're probably the kind of people who would prefer to watch a kinescope of something than the original videotape).

"Unwatchable"???  To me it's barely noticeable and in all respects the video quality is a huge improvement over the Sony sets.  Huge improvement.  Of course, I only have a 46" display, so maybe it's more noticeable on larger screens. 

I've almost finished my set and it's barely noticable to me as well.  There was an instance on one of the first episodes on disc 3 where it was very noticable and just the second or two I saw of it almost gave me a headache.  I'm not sure if that's what everyone else sees on their sets in all other instances.  However, I have a smaller screen and an older, non hi def tv so perhaps that is what makes the difference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Obsolete Man 

Season 8, January 11, 2011.

 

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Family-Season-8/14518

 

The Mike and Gloria years will soon be complete.

Fabulous! I only just found this great piece of news now!
 

So I see there's more complaining, as always. Now it's about the "visual look" of Season 7, eh?

Look, folks -- I too noticed the "different" appearance of the episodes in Season 7 right away, but for crying out loud, at least we've got the shows. I am grateful to Sony and SHOUT, and am thrilled. It didn't take long for me to get accustomed to the different look, and all these episodes are still highly enjoyable. As a matter of fact, I've forgotten just how funny SEASON 7 was! Whatever I noticed when I started watching the first episode became undetectable in the next episodes. This is just not a big deal. 

It would be nice if we could stop finding things to complain about every time a movie or TV show is released. Throughout all these season sets there have been complaints of one type or another, about poor quality videotape masters - or the show being "too zoomed in", etc.  And saying "I refuse to buy the show if this is not fixed" is not going to spite the company, but may hurt the fans of this series who want to see the rest of the seasons be released. Let us just enjoy the SHOW. I know I'm enjoying this season more than I remembered.

Season 8 has been announced, thankfully, and I hope Shout and Sony don't decide to pull it, thanks to the whining.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnMor 

"Unwatchable"???  To me it's barely noticeable and in all respects the video quality is a huge improvement over the Sony sets.  Huge improvement.  Of course, I only have a 46" display, so maybe it's more noticeable on larger screens. 

 I agree, John. And I have a 46" TV too.

Unwatchable is a little harsh IMO.  While I do notice it, I get over it after a while and do notice that some of the episodes aren't as bad as the others.  I'm watching these on a 65 inch televison. Too bad if one feels such a thing to an extent that it keeps them from buying the set, you're missing out however that is one's decision to make.  I'd still like to see what the 'official' explanation is from Shout! after they've looked into it.

If someone noticed it in a Jeffersons Sony DVD I would say they were to blame on the condition, not Shout!.  I'd rather have an official release than the edits off of television. While there is a small edit in the first episode and it is a little annoying, I do have it in my 'off air' copy so it doesn't bother me much and all the other episodes on the discs are unedited. 

Now before anyone of you gets upset at this writing I am not...repeat  "AM NOT"  talking to any of you.  I just want to say  this to SHOUT FACTORY.  Please ignore the giant elephant tears for they know not what they say.  My TV is a quarter mile wide and a football field tall and your picture looks great to me!  It looks good on my 32 inch as well.  You just keep up the good work and turn your nose from the wind.  Because personally I'm glad you're out there.  And I want you to stay here!  Continue picking up stalled seasons of (MY)  (I wrote it...I can say it)   favorite shows!  You see I won't complain.  Your fan..Mr. Ed 

Saying "ignore them" isn't going to change the blunt reality that these prints do NOT look the way they are supposed to look and whether that is Shout or Sony's fault isn't the point.   Someone screwed up things beacuse a show shot on videotape is NOT, repeat NOT supposed to look like ersatz film unless you are engaging in procedures that should have gone out the day kinescoping came to an end.     I absolutely hate and despise it when videotape material is altered from the way it's supposed to look because for someone like me who has seen these episodes so many times the *right* way my eye can not and never will adjust completely to it being done the wrong way.    This is also I might add what made the BCI release of episodes of "Password" unwatchable because they did a similar screw-up and as a result I don't even watch it all, sticking to my own off-air recordings.

There's no need to shout. Seriously people.

Are any of the posters in this thread interested in Shout's upcoming 'Larry Sanders' (complete series) release?

If so, does anybody believe the same issue might be repeated in the 'Larry Sanders' release?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave B Ferris 

Are any of the posters in this thread interested in Shout's upcoming 'Larry Sanders' (complete series) release?

If so, does anybody believe the same issue might be repeated in the 'Larry Sanders' release?

There's a review over at DVD Talk. They don't mention any problems like All In The Family.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/43917/larry-sanders-show-the-complete-series-the/ 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack P 

Saying "ignore them" isn't going to change the blunt reality that these prints do NOT look the way they are supposed to look and whether that is Shout or Sony's fault isn't the point.   Someone screwed up things beacuse a show shot on videotape is NOT, repeat NOT supposed to look like ersatz film

Well, it definitely still looks like videotape.  It doesn't look like ersatz film at all.  And even with the anomaly, still looks much better than the previous Sony sets.

I got the new Season 8 of AIF and have been watching it. Looks nice to me, quality-wise.

I'm pretty sure this will be my last DVD season for this show, because I don't have any interest in the Stephanie eps or once Mike and Gloria move. I don't have this etched in stone yet, however.

Anyone know if Shout! Factory intends to go further?  

^^^

I tend to agree regarding season eight being the last season for me as well.  But we'll see how it goes.  I just picked up seasons six and seven recently, and am working my way through season six.  Thus far, the episodes look quite good.

I must say I really enjoy the visual look of the episodes on Season 8, and I also like Season 7. If the folks at SHOUT were to go back and acquire the first 6 seasons and make them look as good as 7 and 8, I'd actually go back and re-buy all of them!

I could not disagree more on the look of S7.    By Shout's own admission, the encoding job on S7 was completely screwed up resulting in an image that to my eyes looked like a kinescope instead of a videotape recording.      An identical botch job happened on the late BCI's release of classic episodes of "Password" that rendered those episodes completely unwatchable for me.    At least on S8, the encoding was done correctly and this time the episodes look like videotape source material instead of fake film.

While season 7 was a little jittery in it's movements at times I don't think it had a kinescope or fake film look to me. I know different people had different experiences viewing these depending on how they were viewing them (equpiment/tv size etc).   In my experience, the image was still very clear and the jittery-ness was something I got past very quickly.  It wasn't on every episode anyway and wasn't a deal breaker. Aside from the snip in the first episode, these will be the versions I'll retain and watch as they are complete. It didn't take away from my viewing experience at all.

It's a tired argument already. They aren't going to do a replacement program because not everyone experienced the same thing.  It happened, it was explained, it was corrected, and people need to move on.

Well, it wasn't corrected for S7 it remains permanently botched just as I've seen other companies botch things that didn't have to be botched (the Ellery Queen set using the wrong music over the pilot movie credits).     I think if there weren't too many critics out there who have an instinctive bias against videotape source material, this problem would have been a lot more evident.

Shout does not deserve a free pass for the things they do wrong anymore than CBS/Paramount does.

It's just a tired discussion already. It's been beaten to death.  Time to move on... 

If there can be an acknowledgment they screwed up, that would help.     Most of us moved on from "The Fugitive" debacle because we know they screwed up but I can never fathom this determination to assume Shout can never do any wrong.

I don't recall saying they could do no wrong (I can only speak for myself) so please stop fathoming where my post is concerned. . In fact, when it was brought up, Shout! did acknowledge there was an encoding issue...about two months ago. The whining about it is old already when the company has long since responded to and acknowledged the issue. 

I did notice the slightly unusual look to Season 7 (which is not the case with Season 8) right away, and at first it threw me a bit. I got past it very quickly and enjoyed Season 7 very much, and I'd never realized before how good that particular season was. So it worked wonders for me. I'm past it and I don't care --- SHOUT FACTORY is aces in my book. I have a couple of friends who are big fans of AITF and they still don't know what I'm talking about when I ask them if they spotted any "faux film look" to Season 7. They could not even spot anything 'off' when they watched their copies!

When the encoding issue was brought up, a number of us rightly asked if something was going to be done about it, because it represented a simple case of failing to do the job right in the same way they botched other releases with cut episodes.     What I then saw was how Shout and many of their supporters went into a circle the wagons mode of trying to have both sides of the issue by saying that while there was an encoding problem, this was still somehow the "best" the show ever looked and that those of us who had a right to be annoyed by the botch job were a bunch of oddball eccentrics.    Since such a standard hasn't been used for those who *to this day* won't hesitate to make a comment about music replacement or cut episodes (and rightly IMO) my concern is that such a blase attitude is going to be an open invitation for similar screw-up jobs to happen again in the future on other videotaped source material projects and AITF S7 is sadly not an isolated incident when it comes to that.     BCI did the same thing with the "Password" set, the same problem is also evident on Sony's S6 of "The Jeffersons" and my biggest nightmare would be seeing a piece of rare videotaped material come to DVD only to suffer the same fate because it seems there are a lot of people in the business so prejudiced in favor of a "film" look that if they see the material looking more like film than tape they'll somehow convince themselves it's an improvement when it isn't and not catch an encoding problem of this magnitude which Shout didn't do until after it was too late.

We're all sensistive on the need for TV to be released uncut and with music intact for the sake of preserving the original content.    Videotape source material needs to have the same consideration IMO.