New Timeless Media & Millcreek Releases (1 Viewer)

[Bob Hug]

I haven't yet watched the "Passport to Danger" episodes as I had most of them on the two releases from Alpha, so that's not good news to hear. I've been watching episodes from other series that I haven't seen. Incidentally, I thought the PTD episodes on the two Alpha releases were OK as far as public domain releases are concerned. A customer review at Amazon suggests problems with Timeless' PTD set (which I've not seen) and I've also not seen Critics Choice's single volume release.

Amazon.com: Passport to Danger: Passport to Danger: Movies & TV

 

[Brian:C]

Sound like the exact same source was used for the Timeless and Millcreek release. So if that is the case, these well be the best were going to see. As the guy at amazon points out there is "Stuttering" or low frame rate. An example is when a car is see basically jumping forward instead of a smooth forward motion.

Thanks for pointing it out Bob,
Brian

 

[Bob Hug]

Artwork and details for Mill Creek's upcoming releases of "Howdy Doody" can be found here:

Mill Creek Details Page

and here:

Mill Creek Details Page

 

[Radioman970]

Good stuff! I like the covers. Can't wait to pick those up.

 

[Bob Hug]

If my recollection is correct, I think the 20 episode set is just a smaller version of the 40 episode set. Mill Creek does that all the time, i.e., larger and smaller versions of its various releases.

 

[Radioman970]

I actually was wondering about that but was sort of hoping it was 60.

I'll grab the BIG one. Thanks Bob.

 

[Bob Hug]

DVDPacific has the upcoming "Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion" release up for pre-order at just $4.58 shipped! Details here:

DVD Pacific - Buy New DVD Movies, HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs

Upcoming releases of "Buffalo Bill, Jr.," "Cowboy G-Men," and "Rocky Jones" are also available at the same price as "Captain Gallant." These are all supposed to be released on October 28.

 

[Jimmyr]

Does anyone have any inside info on Millcreek? Particularly, will there be any more of the 150 episode western sets? I greatly enjoy these.

I'd like to see more Northwest Passage, Judge Roy Bean, etc.

If they would add 4 more episodes of Tate and 2 of the Stories of the Century then those two would be complete within their sets. Only 10 or 15 episodes and a few others could be completed as well.

 

[Bob Hug]

I have no inside info on Mill Creek, Jimmy, so I can't say whether there will be any additional 150 episode western sets, but here are a couple of factors to consider . . . . .

1. These large sets are comprised of episodes that have fallen into the public domain which means that Mill Creek doesn't have to pay fees to the original copyright holders (whose rights have lapsed). In some instances, an entire series might be PD (I believe this is the case for "Stories of the Century") but in other cases, only some episodes may be PD ("The Adventures of Jim Bowie" has some early season 1 eps. that are PD, but the bulk of the series is still under copyright). So, in the second example, Mill Creek is limited to select episodes (unless, of course, it wants to pay licensing fees to the rights holder).

2. The other consideration is availability of prints/source material. It's quite possible that an entire series may be PD, but some episodes may be lost. For example, I know that Alpha Video has released all of the episodes that they could find of the old jungle adventure series "Ramar of the Jungle." They were able to release 44 of 52 episodes. They would release more episodes of the series if they could be found.

3. With respect to print quality, you would have to secure something that is at least half way watchable. There may be surviving prints, but if they are unwatchable, why even release them as you'll only incur the wrath of irate customers?

I'm guessing that Mill Creek could release the additional episodes of "Stories of the Century" if they could lay their hands on the prints, but I'm unclear as to the rights status of "Tate" as to whether some or all of the episodes are PD. So the question really is are there another 150 episodes from old TV westerns that are, first, in the public domain and, second, if so, are they available, with "acceptable" audio/visual quality? If the answer is yes to these questions, then there's a good chance that there may be another release.

 

[Jimmyr]

Thanks for the info.

I guess the question is are there 150 more PD episodes of western shows out there. Based on releases from other PD companies there are others, but are there 150?

How would one know if a series or certain episodes are PD? Or does it take lawyers to know such things? Is Judge Roy Bean or Northwest Passage PD, for example?

Well, I will hope for 150 more.

Jimmy

 

[Bob Hug]

Well, you really would need the services of an attorney or someone well versed in intellectual property law (and that's not me), but you can do your own searches at the U.S. Copyright Office. I'd guess that companies like Mill Creek and Alpha probably have lawyers on retainer for this purpose.

U.S. Copyright Office - Search Copyright Records

Incidentally, "Tate" has been released in its entirety by the Timeless Media Group.

http://www.timelessvideo.com/dvds/tate.html

 

[Bob Hug]

It's a repackaging of pre-existing episodes that Mill Creek already has released (Essential Family Television and TV Favorites packs), but the company is releasing a massive, 300 episode, 25 disc collection of various classic/vintage TV shows on January 27, 2009. Details here:

Mill Creek Details Page

 

[DeWilson]

How many times can they repackage the same stuff?

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Quick question...

Does anyone know if someone is or will be releasing a complete collection of "One Step Beyond"?

Eric

 

[Bob Hug]

Mill Creek had released a box set of 50 episodes in 2007 and was supposed to have released the remaining 47 episodes this past Spring, but the second set never materialized. I'd hazard a guess and say that it might have had something to do with the fact that not all of the episodes are in the public domain (though the vast majority are) . . . . but that's just speculation on my part. Still, the box artwork and description can still be accessed at the link below and, perhaps, it may come to fruition one day.

Mill Creek Details Page

 

[Bob Hug]

Two more upcoming releases from Mill Creek scheduled for January 27, 2009 . . . .

Classic Game Shows (and kids shows) - 50 episodes: Mill Creek Details Page

Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 episodes: Mill Creek Details Page

A little more poking around yields the contents of the Sci-Fi set and reveals a few movie serials in the mix:

Captain Fathom (4 Episodes)
Captain Z-Ro (24 Episodes)
Climax (1 Episode)
Destination Space (1 Episode)
Flash Gordon (14 Episodes) - not sure if this is strictly the Steve Holland series or a mix of the TV series and one of the Buster Crabbe movie serials
G.E.Theatre (2 Episodes)
Here Comes Tobor (1 Episode) - unsold pilot
Invisible Avenger (1 Episode)
Johnny Jupiter (1 Episode)
Lights Out (4 Episodes)
Mandrake,The Magician (1 Episode)
One Step Beyond (16 Episodes)
Operation ESP (1 Episode)
Phantom Empire (12 Episodes) - movie serial
Radar Men From the Moon (12 Episodes) - movie serial
Rocky Jones (23 Episodes) - don't know if these are individual eps. or "movie" compilations
The Shadow (1 Episode) - unsold pilot
Space Angel (9 Episodes)
Stamp Day for Superman (1 Episode) - U.S. government promotional film
The Star & The Story (1 Episode)
Tales of Frankenstein (1 Episode) - unsold pilot
Tales of Tomorrow (6 Episodes)
Thriller (1 Episode)
Undersea Kingdom (12 Episodes) - movie serial

 

[brian_hassel]

Bob, you beat me to the Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 episodes announcement. I saw that this morning and

was my response. I've been hoping they could do a sci-fi 150 episode box set. I emailed them a couple times about one.

By the way Bob, I have really appreciated all your comments and reviews this past year here, and at Amazon. I find you a very valuable resource. You may remember me, I posted the spreadsheet of all 3 Western box sets to help everyone know which episodes where available across the 3 sets. Anyway, keep up the great postings across the board!

 

[Bob Hug]

Brian, I'm an early riser! Seriously, thanks for your kind comments. It's an interesting set though the movie serials are sort of a cheat . . . not really television episodes (though they certainly are episodic).

 

[brian_hassel]

I really hope the Flash Gordon episodes are from the Steve Holland series. The movie serials have been releases many times. But something tells me it will be the movie serials. Has there ever been a decent release of the Steve Holland Flash Gordon on dvd? I only have a 3 episode dvd, purchased from Walmart for $1.

 

[Bob Hug]

Well, that does look like Steve Holland on the cover of the new set so, hopefully, at least some of the episodes will be from the series. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been any sort of official release of the "Flash Gordon" series; it seems to be only released by companies specializing in public domain material. Alpha Video released a couple of volumes of the series and that's probably as "formal" a release of the series as I've seen of it. It seems like most of the releases of "Flash Gordon" were relegated to the ranks of dollar DVDs . . . . .

Flash Gordon Dollar DVD's

I've seen some of the "Flash Gordon" dollar DVDs (from Digiview Entertainment) for 50 cents each at the Dollar Tree chain recently. The episode "Deadline at Noon" is my favorite from the series as it provides some views of post-World War II Berlin, Germany at the end of the episode (the series was produced, for a time, in Berlin before moving production to France . . . . Marseille, I think). In any event, if all 14 episodes are indeed from the TV series, it would most certainly constitute the largest collection of "Flash Gordon" episodes in a single package.