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Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

post #1 of 36
6/19/09 at 10:48pm
Thread Starter 
Never thought I would see the day when TSODVD would be reporting this official release...let alone a complete set! I am hoping and praying the music will be intact, but I won't hold my breath on that. There was SO much music used it will be a miracle if everything stays. Still, I am heartened by the news of this coming out.
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post #2 of 36
6/20/09 at 5:58am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Remember, Fox did WKRP, Too.

I expect the music to be removed, and scenes would have to be edited, too for Ally McBeal to work.

All in all, I think I'll hang onto my R2 sets.

It is nice to see that Fox is rumored to be releasing the full series the same day as S1, though. That's something I'd like to see more of in the future.
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post #3 of 36
6/20/09 at 7:32am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Fox and CBS/Paramount are two of the hands-down worst studios ever when it comes to securing music rights. I don't think they even try.

Both studios even like to replace non-copyrighted music, and I'm sick of them getting away with that. Why on Earth has no one sued them over something as dumb as that?
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post #4 of 36
6/20/09 at 10:06am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

I wonder how much the music industry has collectively lost from DVD licensing because they asked for too high a price.
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post #5 of 36
6/20/09 at 7:46pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Considering the music issue I'll probably stick with my region 2 sets.
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post #6 of 36
6/22/09 at 9:06am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Wow is definately the right word here, but like others have pointed out the chances of all the music on this show being intact are pretty slim. But I guess anything is possible and we probably will have to wait and see. I think most die hard Ally fans have allready bought the UK R2 sets. Which are not missing any of the music which is a must for a show like this. The only thing that ever bugs me about those releases is they jump from 4x3 to 16x9 on a couple of seasons. But I am quite happy and content with my R2 purchases. I can't see me replacing them with a R1 set barring some sorta great extras + all music intact.

The release strategy though by FOX is bloody brilliant. With a complete set released from the get go to coincide with single season releases. This enables you to buy the single seasons and feel your going to be able to get the subsequent seasons aswell, considering all the episodes are done and ready.
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post #7 of 36
6/22/09 at 9:52am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Aryn,
the thing with the 4x3 to 16x9 jumping on the R2 sets is pretty easy to explain: back when the show was still producing new episodes, they started releasing it on VHS here in Europe. When Season 4 came up for release, they decided to release it on DVD as well, although seasons 1-3 were only available on VHS at the time, and they put out a 4x3 release. When they released Season 5, they put it in 16x9 immediately. The early seasons were eventually released but they never bothered going back to put Season 4 in 16x9, although both Season 3 and Season 5 are in that format. I agree this is a little annoying, but nothing I can't live with.
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post #8 of 36
6/22/09 at 10:58am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Quote:
Originally Posted by whisperintherain
Aryn,
the thing with the 4x3 to 16x9 jumping on the R2 sets is pretty easy to explain: back when the show was still producing new episodes, they started releasing it on VHS here in Europe. When Season 4 came up for release, they decided to release it on DVD as well, although seasons 1-3 were only available on VHS at the time, and they put out a 4x3 release. When they released Season 5, they put it in 16x9 immediately. The early seasons were eventually released but they never bothered going back to put Season 4 in 16x9, although both Season 3 and Season 5 are in that format. I agree this is a little annoying, but nothing I can't live with.

I appreciate the explanation, thanks! Yeah I agree i have got by just fine, even if it is a little annoying.
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post #9 of 36
6/22/09 at 11:00am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Nobody here knows anything about whether there will be music replacement, so why is everyone bitching about it?
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post #10 of 36
6/22/09 at 11:08am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ethan Riley
Nobody here knows anything about whether there will be music replacement, so why is everyone bitching about it?

I don't see much bitching, just stating the obvious when it comes to Fox and some of there classic library. It might be intact we will see.
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post #11 of 36
6/22/09 at 11:08am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ethan Riley
Nobody here knows anything about whether there will be music replacement, so why is everyone bitching about it?
Because, unless Hell freezes over, the odds are almost totally in favor of Ally McBeal having music replacements or edits.

This was a very music heavy show, with songs from many different publishers and artists. If almost no other older, pre-DVD show has been able to work around this (most famously Fox's WKRP in Cincinatti release), why should anyone think for a second that Ally will escape the knife intact?
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post #12 of 36
6/22/09 at 7:40pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eve Brown
Considering the music issue I'll probably stick with my region 2 sets.

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post #13 of 36
6/22/09 at 9:17pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

I imagine FOX will at least spring for at least most of the most important pieces of music, even if they replace/cut the rest.

If FOX is planning to do away with every single, solitary song used on the show, why did they wait until 2009 to release it?
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post #14 of 36
6/23/09 at 7:24am
Thread Starter 

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

There's no way to cut every single song because many times the characters were singing them. Unless, of course, they cut out about 10 minutes from each episode. A big part of Ally was their meeting at the bar at the end of the episodes, where they danced and sang. Vonda Shepherd performed in almost every one, and often Elaine or Renee would also sing. Also, Barry White's music was used throughout. John bopping to "The First, the Last, My Everything" was such a big part of the show that they even had Barry White in one episode for John's birthday to perform the song live, and they all did a choreographed dance to it. If they cut out the BW music I will be infuriated. I just don't see how they can without ruining the show.
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post #15 of 36
6/23/09 at 10:22am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Given what we do know so far -- which isn't much since nothing's official yet -- I'm extremely skeptical that the music will be intact. $200 for all five seasons, 112 music-intensive episodes? Unless there's been some radical change in laws governing music licensing in the U.S. in the past couple of months, or Fox has worked out some miraculous back-end deal, it seems likely that there will be cuts. And, yes, that would be a travesty, from Barry White to Blue Swede to Barry Manilow.

But ... I'll reserve judgment (and my pre-order) until there's some official word about the music. I have some of the R2 releases and the speed-up does bother me, but I'd rather have it slightly faster and higher-pitched than with the music cut out.
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post #16 of 36
6/23/09 at 3:02pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Fox owns The Simpsons which was airing before Ally McBeal was. All the music is intact on their sets.
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post #17 of 36
6/23/09 at 3:40pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonathan Peterson
Fox owns The Simpsons which was airing before Ally McBeal was. All the music is intact on their sets.


I have watched my share of the simpsons and this is not exactly a very good comparison.
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post #18 of 36
6/23/09 at 4:47pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

I really liked the first three seasons before I lost track of the show (didn't Robert Downey Jr. star in the latter seasons when he was having drug problems?). I doubt that Fox cleared all of the music, but if the majority of music remains I may pick up the entire series. It serves as a spiritual predecessor to David E. Kelley's Boston Legal and I do like my quirk when dealing with fictional American legal matters!
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post #19 of 36
6/23/09 at 5:04pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Been on the fence about getting the R2 version for the past few months, guess I'll hold off a little longer and see how this turns out.

Maybe Fox paid attention to the backlash from the music cuts in WKRP and will work this one out. Since there are complete, uncut episodes for this entire series available, I'll get them eventually, but would certainly prefer a region 1 set.
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post #20 of 36
6/24/09 at 9:25am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

While I am not a fan of this show, it was made in the 90s, with the home video market well under way (format is irrelevant) In the 70's, the home video market was non-existent. I would think that home video contracts had already been considered when McBeal was produced so I would think there's a good chance you all will get your show with music intact.

Have there been other 90's show where the music was editted?
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post #21 of 36
6/24/09 at 9:48am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Since Ally's out uncut in r2, wonder if that could happen to WKRP there as well (or if those butchered r1 versions are now 'official' release versions, if so, Fox be damned).
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post #22 of 36
6/24/09 at 12:17pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary Seven
While I am not a fan of this show, it was made in the 90s, with the home video market well under way (format is irrelevant) In the 70's, the home video market was non-existent. I would think that home video contracts had already been considered when McBeal was produced so I would think there's a good chance you all will get your show with music intact.

Have there been other 90's show where the music was editted?
The home video market may have been well under way in the 90s, but apart from Star Trek and several best of tapes hardly any TV shows were released. That market didn't really take off until DVD (I remember the big hoopla when full seasons of the X-Files were released... at a price that nobody would be willing to pay nowadays).

Music licensing is an issue even with shows a lot newer than Ally McBeal. For example, both Scrubs and My Name is Earl featured several music edits on DVD, at least on their first seasons.

As far as 90s material is concerned, there's been loads of replacements and several edits on Dawson's Creek.

That's just some examples off the top of my head, I'm sure there's lots more.

I'm certain that if music wasn't such a big licensing nightmare with Ally McBeal, the show would have been released years ago.
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post #23 of 36
6/25/09 at 5:20am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Quote:
Originally Posted by Christian Preischl
The home video market may have been well under way in the 90s, but apart from Star Trek and several best of tapes hardly any TV shows were released. That market didn't really take off until DVD (I remember the big hoopla when full seasons of the X-Files were released... at a price that nobody would be willing to pay nowadays).

Music licensing is an issue even with shows a lot newer than Ally McBeal. For example, both Scrubs and My Name is Earl featured several music edits on DVD, at least on their first seasons.

As far as 90s material is concerned, there's been loads of replacements and several edits on Dawson's Creek.

That's just some examples off the top of my head, I'm sure there's lots more.

I'm certain that if music wasn't such a big licensing nightmare with Ally McBeal, the show would have been released years ago.

Quantum Leap, another product of the 90s (for the most part) also got butchered as far as music was concerned.

But, on the flip side, shows like Freaks and Geeks, and Sports Night, were both released with music intact. However, both were short lived shows.
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post #24 of 36
6/25/09 at 9:59am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

Quote:
Originally Posted by Christian Preischl
The home video market may have been well under way in the 90s, but apart from Star Trek and several best of tapes hardly any TV shows were released. That market didn't really take off until DVD (I remember the big hoopla when full seasons of the X-Files were released... at a price that nobody would be willing to pay nowadays).

Music licensing is an issue even with shows a lot newer than Ally McBeal. For example, both Scrubs and My Name is Earl featured several music edits on DVD, at least on their first seasons.

As far as 90s material is concerned, there's been loads of replacements and several edits on Dawson's Creek.

That's just some examples off the top of my head, I'm sure there's lots more.

I'm certain that if music wasn't such a big licensing nightmare with Ally McBeal, the show would have been released years ago.

I see... well... um... never mind.
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post #25 of 36
6/25/09 at 1:20pm

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

See also "Cold Case," which, although currently in production, is unlikely to be released on DVD. The producers had a choice between getting the music they wanted licensed for broadcast (and, I assume, syndication, at least in the short-term), and getting it licensed for the DVD -- they couldn't afford both. And like "Quantum Leap," this is a show where the music plays a critical role in establishing the era of the story.
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post #26 of 36
6/27/09 at 9:38am

Re: Wow - Ally McBeal! I'm speechless, almost

I don't see how this can be done without the music. Barry White appeared not once, but three times in this show for pete sake (John's birthday as mentined above, a cameo for Ally, and in the series finale)

And then you had appearances by Al Green, a multi-episode arch about Ally being harranged by Gloria Gainor after Billy's death, etc.

I admit, I just watched through the entire series, audio in tact (non-domestic region) and can't imagine how else you could do it.

Yes, Robert Downey left the show with drug problem, but he was only there for one season really anyway (4) and so it made sense. But him singing Springsteen's "Shirley Darling" is classic, and I don't know how they can ever work to cut that stuff out and be left a show.
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post #27 of 36
7/4/09 at 7:59am
Thread Starter 
Just saw that the first season is listed for $25.99 at Amazon. There's no way it can't be butchered for that price.
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post #28 of 36
7/4/09 at 9:13am
The thing that I really hate about Fox is that anytime there's a DVD release with lots of music edits, they like to cover it up, and pretend that no one will notice them, by not putting a disclaimer on any of their sets about music being edited. They didn't do that for "Roswell", "In Living Color", "The Fall Guy", or almost all of their other sets (with the exception of WKRP), so why on earth should it be any different for this?

And don't even give me the B.S. that Fox tried to clear the music on those shows, but couldn't. Bottom line: They didn't even try, plain and simple.

Like I said before, Fox is one of the worst studios ever when it comes to music clearances on TV Show DVD releases. They don't even know what public domain means. The fact that they replaced "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" on an episode of "Remington Steele" should tell you that.
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post #29 of 36
7/4/09 at 11:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonathan Peterson View Post

Fox owns The Simpsons which was airing before Ally McBeal was. All the music is intact on their sets.

Its amazing how much money you can find when season sets sell in the MILLIONS. Simpsons operates (even after 11 seasons) in very rare air on DVD.
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post #30 of 36
7/4/09 at 11:29am
 I didn't watch the show to often but caught it here and there.

One ep i remember a it of is one of the guys is apparently in love with a woman on the show and he is asked why he doesn't just tell her.

He mentioned something about feeling he should only love her from afar.

Anyone remember that one?

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