Adventures Of Superman DVD Series Collection (1 Viewer)

[moviebuff75]

I want another...."Wonder Woman." The show is very colorful & turns 40 this year!!!! WB, HINT HINT!

 

[Nelson Au]

This past weekend, Decades TV ran an Adventures of Superman binge.

Like many of you, as a very young child, this series was my very first exposure to Superman. The 6th season color episodes were the main episodes that I actually remember seeing in my youth as repeats. The first two seasons I have never seen before, at least I don't think I had seen them. Though I have a memory of seeing the very first episdoe. Reviewing them as an adult, I can really see the push the producers focused on towards appealing to children and it reminded me of the course the series Lost in Space took from being more serious at the start to more kid like fare. Though the episodes still tried to be as adult as possible.

As a result, I'm very interested in purchasing the series. After reading this thread, it looks like the sets out now are as good as they will get in terms of image quality and episodes are mostly complete. Perhaps a few have some seconds of footage removed? I imagine not much has changed since this thread was last updated. I'd be curious of other thoughts on the DVD sets and the series itself. Thanks!

 

[Tony Bensley]

This past weekend, Decades TV ran an Adventures of Sperman binge.

Like many of you, as a very young child, this series was my very first exposure to Superman. The 6th season color episodes were the main episodes that I actually remember seeing in my youth as repeats. The first two seasons I have never seen before, at least I don't think I had seen them. Though I have a memory of seeing the very first episdoe. Reviewing them as an adult, I can really see the push the producers focused on towards appealing to children and it reminded me of the course the series Lost in Space took from being more serious at the start to more kid like fare. Though the episodes still tried to be as adult as possible.

As a result, I'm very interested in purchasing the series. After reading this thread, it looks like the sets out now are as good as they will get in terms of image quality and episodes are mostly complete. Perhaps a few have some seconds of footage removed? I imagine not much has changed since this thread was last updated. I'd be curious of other thoughts on the DVD sets and the series itself. Thanks!

WOW, new post! Thanks for your interest, Nelson!

From what I recall having read in previous posts, the bulk of the episodes that are on DVD (I have all 6 seasons!) were derived form 16mm prints, although there are extant 35mm prints (My recall might be faulty, however?) out there. Unfortunately, my recall is better where the show's openings and closings are concerned, as it does appear that only the first and fifth season (Hence, the year 1957 appearing on ALL of the 1955-58 color episodes!) of these are known to be extant!

At any rate, I have found the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN sets to be most enjoyable viewing, taking me back to my mid 1970s childhood period, when they used to air on Buffalo's THE COMMANDER TOM SHOW. I also appreciate Jack Larson's commentary and presence on some of the Bonus Features all the more, since his passing last year! I also think it quite amazing that both Lois Lane actors (Phyllis Coates and Noel Neill, who is now 95!) are still with us as of June, 2016!

By all accounts that I've seen, any Blu-ray release appears unlikely for this series. My advice is to snap up the DVD season sets (Incredibly, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN has never been issued as a series set!), especially if can you find them at a decent price point!

CHEERS!

 

[Lord Dalek]

I think it was just one episode that was taken from 16mm actually.

 

[Tony Bensley]

I think it was just one episode that was taken from 16mm actually.

Thanks, Joel! Now that you mention it, I'm thinking it was a season 2 Black & White episode that was derived from a 16mm print, and a poster mentioned that a 35mm print for it existed, although I don't recall which episode it was, at the moment!

CHEERS!

 

[Gary16]

I believe it's "The Stolen Costume" and the 16mm print was not in great shape. The color episodes can only be improved if they can go back to the camera negative and redo the dissolves and opticals so they're not multiple generations down.

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks Tony! Good to know that the series sets are pretty much as it was. No series set and still sold as season sets. It's on my list to buy now.

I have the film Superman and the Mole Men that came with the Superman film series Blu-Ray set a few years back that I plan to view. The set included the Fleischer animated films and I saw a few of those. Pretty cool stuff for that time.

Makes me really curious to see the Kirk Alyn film serial too.

Back to the George Reeves Superman series, after seeing quite a few episodes, it's interesting that he fought mainly mobsters and not criminals like Lex Luthor. Maybe there were issues with the rights? Budgetary limitations?

Also it was nice to see Reeves seemingly took the role on with gusto and was happy to use his popularity and be a role model. Though I think he also felt at first it wasn't a good thing for his career and ambitions.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I believe it's "The Stolen Costume" and the 16mm print was not in great shape. The color episodes can only be improved if they can go back to the camera negative and redo the dissolves and opticals so they're not multiple generations down.

Considering how many changes of ownership this show had, it's highly likely that the negs no longer exist.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Having reread some of the posts in this thread, there seems to be some debate regarding just what sources were accessed in the digital transfers that are on the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN four DVD season sets.

Do they derive from BetaCom Tape; 16mm and/or 35mm film elements? From what I've read, there appears to be no definitive answer.

CHEERS!

 

[Nelson Au]

Guys, good to know only one episode was from a 16mm print. I did see The Stolen Costume yesterday. Some of the episodes were not looking that great, Costume as I recall on the outdoor scenes seemed dark. I hope the DVDs are an improvement from the ones Decades broadcast. It made me think of what it must have been like in the 1950's when you're viewing on a tiny CRT screen with a possibly ghostly image. I guess it was ok. That's all they had and it must have been amazing then! When watching 1950's and early 1960's TV shows on our modern high definition 65" plus displays today, we really have it good!

 

[Lord Dalek]

Having reread some of the posts in this thread, there seems to be some debate regarding just what sources were accessed in the digital transfers that are on the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN four DVD season sets.

Do they derive from BetaCom Tape; 16mm and/or 35mm film elements? From what I've read, there appears to be no definitive answer.

CHEERS!

The most obvious one taken from a 16mm dupe (circa mid-1970s when Warner Bros. acquired the show) is Stolen Costume.

The color shows may be dupes or just grading based on the idea that nobody was going to be watching in color anyway.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Thanks Tony! Good to know that the series sets are pretty much as it was. No series set and still sold as season sets. It's on my list to buy now.

I have the film Superman and the Mole Men that came with the Superman film series Blu-Ray set a few years back that I plan to view. The set included the Fleischer animated films and I saw a few of those. Pretty cool stuff for that time.

Makes me really curious to see the Kirk Alyn film serial too.

Back to the George Reeves Superman series, after seeing quite a few episodes, it's interesting that he fought mainly mobsters and not criminals like Lex Luthor. Maybe there were issues with the rights? Budgetary limitations?

Also it was nice to see Reeves seemingly took the role on with gusto and was happy to use his popularity and be a role model. Though I think he also felt at first it wasn't a good thing for his career and ambitions.

Hi Nelson!

Quite a lot of what you mention above are on the following Amazon page:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=adventures+of+superman

I believe it was primarily rights issues that prevented AOS from portraying Lex Luthor and Superman's other Comic Book adversaries of the day.

CHEERS!

Tony

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks Tony, I'll be reading up more about the rights issues.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Having reread some of the posts in this thread, there seems to be some debate regarding just what sources were accessed in the digital transfers that are on the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN four DVD season sets.

Do they derive from BetaCom Tape; 16mm and/or 35mm film elements? From what I've read, there appears to be no definitive answer.

CHEERS!

The most obvious one taken from a 16mm dupe (circa mid-1970s when Warner Bros. acquired the show) is Stolen Costume.

The color shows may be dupes or just grading based on the idea that nobody was going to be watching in color anyway.

Which, until 1965, nobody did!

Thus, even if all of the elements exist, it would still be impossible to replicate the original Night Of Broadcast at home experience for the Color episodes without at least first turning the Color off while viewing these!

Unfortunately, there appears to be nothing to indicate the existence of 3 out of the 4 Color openings and closings! The same goes for most of the original commercial spots, except for what is already included in the Bonus Features within the Color Season DVD sets!

CHEERS!

 

[B-ROLL]

This past weekend, Decades TV ran an Adventures of Superman binge.

Like many of you, as a very young child, this series was my very first exposure to Superman. The 6th season color episodes were the main episodes that I actually remember seeing in my youth as repeats. The first two seasons I have never seen before, at least I don't think I had seen them. Though I have a memory of seeing the very first episdoe. Reviewing them as an adult, I can really see the push the producers focused on towards appealing to children and it reminded me of the course the series Lost in Space took from being more serious at the start to more kid like fare. Though the episodes still tried to be as adult as possible.

As a result, I'm very interested in purchasing the series. After reading this thread, it looks like the sets out now are as good as they will get in terms of image quality and episodes are mostly complete. Perhaps a few have some seconds of footage removed? I imagine not much has changed since this thread was last updated. I'd be curious of other thoughts on the DVD sets and the series itself. Thanks!

I looked briefly at the Decades Superman's and it they looked to be time-compressed so the DVDs should be an improvement in that area.

I picked all the individual seasons at Big Lots! when the Big Lots! warehouse became the WEA DVD dumping ground a few years back ...

 

[Lord Dalek]

Unfortunately, there appears to be nothing to indicate the existence of 3 out of the 4 Color openings and closings! The same goes for most of the original commercial spots, except for what is already included in the Bonus Features within the Color Season DVD sets!

Have you considered the possibility that the reason said title sequences aren't available is because they were never in color in the first place (ALA The Flintsones and pre-NBC Disney Anthology)?

 

[Tony Bensley]

I looked briefly at the Decades Superman's and it they looked to be time-compressed so the DVDs should be an improvement in that area.

I picked all the individual seasons at Big Lots! when the Big Lots! warehouse became the WEA DVD dumping ground a few years back ...

I was going to ask Nelson whether he thought the Decades ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN broadcasts were HD, but one of his subsequent posts seemed to indicate they were not, or at least weren't at upgrade worthy level!

At least the Season DVD sets are priced quite reasonably, especially considering they were all originally issued over 10 years ago! This means even if a Blu-ray upgrade should ever happen, tons of $$$ weren't already spent on the DVDs!

CHEERS!

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks Bryan for that observation of the time compression.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Have you considered the possibility that the reason said title sequences aren't available is because they were never in color in the first place (ALA The Flintsones and pre-NBC Disney Anthology)?

Fair question, but why would the Network randomly do Color for just ONE of the Color season openings (Not even the first, OR the last!), and not the others? It just doesn't make any sense to me!

CHEERS!

 

[Lord Dalek]

Fair question, but why would the Network randomly do Color for just ONE of the Color season openings (Not even the first, OR the last!), and not the others? It just doesn't make any sense to me!

CHEERS!

Because Kellogg's didn't sponsor that particular season? Their sponsorship plugs were actually burned into the original broadcast titles.