1966 Batman DVD Coming! See Post 649 (1 Viewer)

[Sam Favate]

Here's the Warner press release:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Batman-The-Complete-TV-Series/20103

 

[Ruz-El]

Just read the press release, and I'm underwhelmed. YES, I'm thankful we FIANLLY get this series on DVD and Blu. That said, after what, 25 years of waiting, we get this? The special features all sound annoying. No movie (not a big deal, the blu is $10 and under) but no Batgirl pilot? The "Legends of the Superheroes" specials out on the archive are absent. no "Return to the Batcave". No proper making of? Two books, one a scrapbook you'll look at once, one an episode guide, which shouldn't be a special feature. I mean, people have been wanting this for years, this should be a kitchen sink release. "Halloween" is getting one, "Twin Peaks" is getting one. Both of those are less in the pop culture conscious than Batman. Batman gets a toy car.

Another disappointment:
"as well as more than three hours of never-before-seen enhanced content including interviews with both Adam West (as Batman) and Burt Ward (as Robin)

Taken from: http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Batman-The-Complete-TV-Series/20103#ixzz38V8PrxYo

Who wants to see that? I'm a comic book fan as well as a fan of the series, and I do not know anyone that wants to see West and Ward pretend to be batman & robin anymore.

Sorry, but Warner's should be embarrassed. This should of been their crown jewel release of the year. It would of been more appetizing to me if it was just a barebones complete Blu-ray release since this "Limited Edition" just looks cheap.

 

[Nebiroth]

Second, I think the notion that the DVD is going to be "double-sided" is also ridiculous..... Warner has never done it for TV releases.

They did in the Wonder Woman sets. It's either a lot of episodes for a single sided disc, or it's flippers.

 

[Sam Favate]

These are not double-sided discs. Eight half-hour episodes (about 3 1/3 hours) will fit on one side.

I still think we may see some vintage material on the set. There has to be a reason certain discs only have 2 or 3 episodes. I remain optimistic.

BTW, Amazon has lowered the price again, blu-ray fans.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2014/07/24/adam-west-batman-the-complete-television-series/13112043/

Regarding the inclusion of extra materials, such as the un-aired Batgirl pilot.

Everything would have to be cleared, including the on-screen talent. That was never intended for broadcast and they would basically have to start from scratch.

That would have held up the set even longer.

 

[Bryan^H]

So let me get this straight...

I wake up this morning to find out that you have to buy an expensive
box of junk to get these episodes.

This is why the set should have fallen in Fox's hands.

I will wait for the eventual release of just the discs. It may take another
year, but at least that will represent what should have been released.

I'm not cancelling my pre-order for the Blu-Ray set, but I am disappointed in the packaging. Very, very disappointed.

 

[Ruz-El]

I'm keeping my pre-order, but might cancel if better info doesn't come out before release.

 

[Jack P]

They did in the Wonder Woman sets. It's either a lot of episodes for a single sided disc, or it's flippers.

The Wonder Woman release was over a decade ago. What *recent* release by any studio went this route? Plus, you seem to have forgotten that a flipper can't have artwork on the disc surface and the pictures we've seen already show otherwise.I'm all for criticizing when its based on factual information (The lousy bonuses) but when its based on paranoid speculation, that's when I think it's going too far.

 

[smithbrad]

Eight episodes of 25 minute length has pretty much become the standard for TV on dual layer DVD's, same as four episodes for 50 minute content. The breakout on the DVD's as WB as referenced is not overly compressed or out of the norm in any way.

 

[High C]

The Wonder Woman release was over a decade ago. What *recent* release by any studio went this route? Plus, you seem to have forgotten that a flipper can't have artwork on the disc surface and the pictures we've seen already show otherwise.

Good point about the disc artwork.

 

[Nebiroth]

I'm all for criticizing when its based on factual information (The lousy bonuses) but when its based on paranoid speculation, that's when I think it's going too far.

"Paranoid".

My suspicion about the nature of the discs is simply that the distribution of the episodes made me suspect it, and that it would offer a way to maximise the bitrates by having four on a dual-layer side and two on a single layer side.

As to the artwork on the discs, AFAIk th eonly discs we have seen an actual picture of are the ones from the BluRay set. For the DVD releases I believe the pictures are only of the boxes.

My suspicion simply arises from 120 episodes+extra on 18 discs sounded a lot for single siders.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

I like Blu-ray, but I'm not part of the crowd that absolutely must-must-must have this sort of thing on the format.

Due to the high ticket price (even with online discounts involved) and a lot of unwanted "collectible" paraphernalia, it looks like the complete DVD set of the series is the way for me to go. It'll still look and sound incredible, won't hurt my wallet as much, won't burden me with superfluous geegaws and will fit on my shelf better. It remains for me to just bide my time, and see where and when I can get the DVDs at the lowest possible price.

It'd be nice if the BATGIRL pilot and some other hoped-for footage were in the sets, but that's not a make-or-break issue for me, especially if they required further expensive/complicated clearances. Uncut episodes, without time compression or network bugs devaluing them, are what's important, and we're getting that... after years of fan speculation that this alone was nigh close to impossible.

I wonder if Image Entertainment will (or can) re-press their BATMAN: HOLY BATMANIA! disc, in light of all this?

 

[smithbrad]

I think 120 episodes by 18 discs sounds pretty typical, even with extra content. As for having four 25 minute episodes on a single dual layer side, that is pretty much unheard of in any TV release I have every seen. Do you have a reference for this type of expectation?

 

[JohnMor]

I'm mentioning this in both threads, but since the "Official Press Release" makes no mention of the number of discs per set or the episode breakdown per disc, perhaps what's been posted so far in that regard won't prove to be factual.

 

[Jack P]

"Paranoid". My suspicion about the nature of the discs is simply that the distribution of the episodes made me suspect it, and that it would offer a way to maximise the bitrates by having four on a dual-layer side and two on a single layer side.

Show me one studio that has used flippers in this decade starting in 2010. Don't give me releases from 12 years ago. At this stage, worrying about flippers is like worrying that the studio is only going to release on VHS.

 

[moviebuff75]

I really hope the PSAs & pilot are on there, maybe as Easter Eggs.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I doubt it, Eric. Clearance issues...

 

[Nebiroth]

Show me one studio that has used flippers in this decade starting in 2010. Don't give me releases from 12 years ago. At this stage, worrying about flippers is like worrying that the studio is only going to release on VHS.

The last Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea set.

 

[Nebiroth]

I'll go for either the complete DVD set or the individual season sets. The BluRay is too expensive, perhaps region-locked (which is more of a pain to get around than DVD) and I'm not interested in the incidental stuff like the Batmobile or cards. The extras dont; bothe rme all that much, it;s the episodes I'm after - I;d be perfectly content with just those, espescially if it's a big saving though I guess season two will be bigger and more expensive as it;s sobig compared to the others.

Also willing to bet that the $39.95 seaon set will be going for $20 or less on amazon within three months. The only issue I have is that there's no guarantee of a season two and three. depends on the sale snumbers for the complete set and season one I guess.

 

[JohnMor]

Also willing to bet that the $39.95 seaon set will be going for $20 or less on amazon within three months. The only issue I have is that there's no guarantee of a season two and three. depends on the sale snumbers for the complete set and season one I guess.

Well, unless the sales are truly dismal, I'd say the chances of individual S2 & S3 are pretty high, as the work has already been done and the discs made (for the complete sets). That's a head start you don't get with most series.