What's new

Outer Limits (Original Series) - Why Rereleased? (1 Viewer)

Ken_K

Auditioning
Joined
Jun 14, 2005
Messages
4
I just noticed that Amazon.com lists the release date of DVD sets of The Outer Limits (Original Series), both seasons 1 and 2, as June 7, 2005. However, I own these DVD sets, and I bought them some time back.

Does anyone know why they were rereleased? Is there some difference between the DVD sets issued prior to June 7, 2005, and now?

Thanks.
 

Jeff#

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,942
How much are they now? The 1st season I bought 2 years ago.

The 2nd season only had 17 episodes and usually goes for $50 at Best Buy. I can't buy from Amazon.com
 

Doug Otte

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 20, 2003
Messages
860
I've been waiting to get Season 2 because it seemed overpriced for the quantity and quality. I just checked Amazon, and they still list it for $55, but other e-tailers have it for less. Deep Discount DVD has it for $35. That's a more reasonable price.

Doug
 

Jack Briggs

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Messages
16,805
Regarding Season Two "quality": Those episodes look considerably better on disc than the Season One episodes.
 

Doug Otte

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 20, 2003
Messages
860
Thanks, Jack. I was referring to the overall entertainment value, not the PQ. I know there are some outstanding episodes in Season 2, but my credit card kept sticking in my wallet (when comparing to Season 1) because it should work out this way:
fewer episodes + smaller percentage of outstanding episodes = lower cost

Now, $35 is more reasonable given that equation.

Doug
 

Jeff#

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,942
The first season was far superior overall in terms of the writing and also the music (Dominic Frontiere) and photography (Conrad Hall). Joseph Stefano quit at the end of that year due to the idiots in programming at ABC re-scheduling Outer Limits for the 2nd season in 1964 to go on Saturday nights at 7:30 against CBS' powerhouse The Jackie Gleason Show. That's what led to the big ratings drop and cancellation in mid season.

The second season's music by Harry Lubin wasn't as good, although I did like the new theme song (which reminds me a little of old Italian mafia music)! But there were still some very good episodes in the second year -- particularly the Hugo and Nebula Award winning stories by Harlan Ellison including "Soldier" and "Demon with a Glass Hand". My favorite from that year was "The Premonition", in which an Air Force pilot and his wife get caught just outside the interdimensional plane of time and try to save their daughter (who is still in normal time).

Ultimately, Joe Stefano and the original series creator (the late Leslie Stevens) got the last laugh 30 years later, when Showtime hired them as consultants to the new The Outer Limits in 1994. Stevens was more a figurehead, and he died a few years into production. Stefano remained until The Sci-Fi Channel (which bought the series from Showtime for the 7th season) cancelled the show in 2001.
 

Jeff#

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,942
Yes, but only during most of the final season (1966-67) of The Fugitive and all of that was taken directly from the Outer Limits first season soundtrack. It worked well on both series.

Previously Quinn Martin hired Dominic Frontiere and had him use it during the first season of his 12 O' Clock High series a few year earlier (which coincidentally was Outer Limits' second season).

After The Fugitive ended, Frontiere composed original music for The Invaders -- another QM Production.
 

Doug Otte

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 20, 2003
Messages
860
Deep Discount DVD has a 20% off sale until 6/25. It doesn't apply to preorders, but if you order Outer Limits on or after the rerelease date of 6/21, it should end up being around $28.00, w/ free shipping. I've always had good experiences ordering from DDD.

Doug
 

Nelson Au

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 16, 1999
Messages
19,042
The second year has a lot of great shows IMO. My favs:

1. Warm Heart, Cold Hands-about Project Vulcan with William Shatner.
2. Soldier- by Harlan Ellison who suied James Cameron, citing The Terminator rips off this story. Both are very good and Soldier stands on it's own.
3. The Invisible Enemy- with Adam West about the time of Robinson Crusoe on Mars. I have not seen this one on this set yet, but remember fondly.
4. Behold Eck!- A childhood favorite, plus seeing a vintage Mustang.
5. Wolf 359- A childhood curiousity, plus the title used on a Star Trek TNG episode.
6. Demon with a Glass Hand- The best of the series to many, by Ellison.
7. I, Robot- With Leonard Nimoy acting very un-Vulcan.
8. The Promonition- as mentioned earlier, about time shifting, a childhood fav.
9. The Probe- The final show. The creature is by the same person who does the Horta on Star Trek. Amazing that Robert Justman was producing the Outer Limits then moves onto Star Trek, bringing some of the effects work with him.
 

Dane Marvin

Screenwriter
Joined
Jul 21, 2003
Messages
1,490
Yep, DDD is going to be the way to go. You can't beat those prices with the 20% off sale. I might just buy them now that they're going to be about half the price they used to be.
 

Doug Otte

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 20, 2003
Messages
860
I just noticed that DVDSoon lists Season 2 for $24, but I've never ordered from them. I might give them a shot.

Doug
 

Doug Otte

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 20, 2003
Messages
860
I bought Season 2 from DDD last week (less than $28 - nice!). I sometimes don't open DVDs for weeks or months, but I opened it yesterday and discovered that side A of both discs 1 and 2 are either blank or so snarky that 2 players in my house won't read them. I'm sure DDD will replace, but I just wanted to warn folks to check your discs if you recently bought the set.

PS I watched Glass Hand yesterday. I hadn't seen that episode for probably 20 years. It was truly outstanding - another great creation from the bizarre mind of Harlan Ellison. And, it was nice to see Arlene (Arline) Martel. I had only seen her before in the Star Trek episode Amok Time. Was that interior set of the stairs, elevator, etc. the same as was used in Blade Runner?

PPS Jack, you're quite correct that the PQ is much better in Season 2 than Season 1.

Doug
 

Ruz-El

Fake Shemp
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2002
Messages
12,539
Location
Deadmonton
Real Name
Russell
I have had these set's in my hands since they came out but never bought them due to price. I am coinvinced that I have never actually seen an episode, just the opening (unless this is the series that had an epsiode with aliens that looked like floating brains, I saw that as a kid and had nightmares, but I don't know where it's from). I always hear it tlked in the same breath as the "Twilight Zone". I love the Twilight Zone, is it a pretty safe bet that I'm going to enjoy this as well? It's my understanding that OL is a more Sci-fi based anthology, compared to TZ which is more fantasy based (and yes, I think there is a difference between Sci-fi and Fantasy, just don't ask me why!;) )
 

Doug Otte

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 20, 2003
Messages
860
Russell, if you enjoy TZ, I think you'll enjoy OT as well. I've always loved TZ, but not enough to purchase the DVDs. OT, however, has a special place in my heart. I would say TZ is usually more psychological, but OT is more technical SF, but of course both have elements of each. In season 1, OT started out more SF under Leslie Stevens' guidance, but as Joe Stefano became more involved in scripts, it became more gothic. Compare the first and last episodes of season 1 and you'll see what I mean.

Doug

PS I found out the bad discs would play in my old Toshiba, but not my semi-old Sony or new Pioneer. Strange. It's usually the other way around. If I have trouble w/ a disc in an old player, I usually have no problem in the new player. I'll try another set from DDD.
 

Jack Briggs

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Messages
16,805
Yes, Russell, there is a world of difference between fantasy (anything goes) and SF (must adhere to science as it is understood at the time of the story/book/television episode/film). And The Outer Limits is the best example of SF on television, better than the SF-acceptable versions of Star Trek and so on.
 

Ruz-El

Fake Shemp
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2002
Messages
12,539
Location
Deadmonton
Real Name
Russell
Thanks Jack and Doug for helping me spend more of my money! :D They have these for about $35 cdn on DVDsoon, so I might as well grab them on my next order.

So since you have seen these, am I right that this series was responsible for floating alien brains traumitizing me in my youth? I just remember a b/w show with floating brains. I would love to see it again.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,815
Messages
5,123,855
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top