Airwolf season 1 coming this year! (1 Viewer)

[todd s]

According to www.tvshowsondvd.com and www.thedigitalbits.com The first season of Airwolf is coming out. Ernest Borgnine is still around. I hope they decide to get his input along with Jan Michael Vincent.

 

[Greg_S_H]

This is the news I have been waiting for ever since TV on DVD became a concept. Fantastic news. One must note, however, that both sites say it is "on the way." It isn't explicitly mentioned that it will be out this year. They probably wouldn't mention it if not, but we must be cautious.

 

[Will_C]

I think this was one of the coolest shows of the '80s. I'm glad that someone has gotten the ball rolling on producing this series for dvd. Way to go!

 

[Paul Sandhu]

Wasn't this a Donald P. Bellisario production?

 

[Greg_S_H]

You betcha. He created it and had a big hand in its production.

There are a couple of interesting things to ponder here:

• Will S4 be released, presuming the first season sells well enough to assure the second? Most fans despise the fourth season, with the all-new cast. It would maybe be interesting for completists, but season four is basically this show's Galactica 1980.
• Music replacement. I don't really remember any pop songs, but maybe they were there. It certainly wasn't integral to the show like it was with QL, so I'll go on record as saying I'm buying the sets no matter what. This has been my holy grail on DVD, and I ain't gonna miss it. Universal, if you're reading, don't take that as permission, now!
  
  Actually, this is a show where the original score was outstanding. The music String plays during the Big Bear Lake segment right at the start of the pilot is beautiful and unusual for a show of this type.
• The work is mostly done for at least season one, and maybe beyond. These discs have been available for years from Columbia House in two-episodes-per-disc configurations. I hope the quality of those releases is top-drawer and, if not, I hope Universal improves upon it for this release.
• The pilot. It was originally a two-hour event, but is shown in syndication as a two parter. I imagine it will be handled similarly to Magnum, pi, where the two episodes are split up, but are joined back together when you do a Play All. The opening credits were absent in the second episode of Magnum's pilot, so I'm not even sure why it was done that way. As long as there's an option to see the pilot as it was originally intended, I'm fine with it.
• Also, an R-rated movie was made from the pilot, but I believe it came later. Here is a description from the IMDb, and then a link to a list of changes:
  
  
  http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0086862/alternateversions

Finally, anyone who hasn't watched this show but likes other Bellisario productions or just action TV in general, please give it a shot. Rent it if you must, but try it. It's an incredible show.

 

[RogerH]

Nice I can't wait to see this show again. Now if only StreetHawk would get released.

 

[Paul Sandhu]

I haven't seen this show since I was little and I'm a big fan of Bellisario. I also used to have the NES game.

 

[MartyG]

Don't bank on any extra features, other than very slick, stylish menus, and the episodes presented in a very high, sharp quality (re-mastered also, hopefully in STEREO), along with decent packaging and artwork. Because the "Knight Rider" 1st Season DVD set didn't do that well in sales (which accounts for the complete lack of extras on the upcoming 2nd Season set), Universal won't bother in that department for "Airwolf", unless Don Bellisario is very, *very* willing, along with Producer Alan J. Levi to do an audio commentary for the 2-hour 'PILOT' episode, and maybe a short featurette.

If you want behind-the-scenes information, etc., from both cast and crew, visit airwolf.tv (just type that short address only) to purhcase Issue #1 of the new "Airwolf" fanzine, 'THE WOLF'S LAIR', which features interviews with nearly all of the primary crewmembers, along with Donald Bellisario himself. The first issue also features so many excellent behind-the-scenes photos, both from the 2-hour 'PILOT' episode, original CBS and TV Guide advertisements, and the original "Airwolf" press release ceremony, where the helicopter, the 3 male stars, and the Santini Air helicopter were presented for photo-shoots. Please buy Issue #1, just for that ceremony alone - what happened at it was both very interesting and hilarious!

I've just e-mailed both Gord and David over at TVShowsOnDVD.com to request them to contact Universal to confirm that "Airwolf" is *really* coming to DVD, and if so, what month they plan to release it.

 

[MartyG]

If Universal do decide however to produce extra features for the set, I really do hope they would consider in asking us, the fans, what we would like to see. I've compiled a brief-list, which I think is reasonable enough:

-----------------------
REALISTICALLY:

Audio Commentary (90 minutes)
Creator/Writer/Director/Executive Producer Donald P. Bellisario and Producer Alan J. Levi provide commentary on “Shadow of the Hawke”, the original 2-hour pilot episode.

Documentary (30-45 minutes)
Bellisario and Levi, along with cast-members: Ernest Borgnine (Dominic Santini) and Alex Cord (Michael Archangel), guest-stars: Lance LeGault and David Carradine, Production Staff members: T.S Cook (Supervising Producer/Writer), Leon Ortiz-Gil (Associate Producer/Editor), Burton Armus (Producer/Writer), Mitchell L. Gamson (Unit Production Manager), Thomas J. Blank (Unit Production Manager/Assistant Director), Gary A. Lee (Art Director), Kevin LaRosa (“Airwolf” stunt-pilot), Ron Stein (Stunt Co-ordinator) and Sylvester Levay (Music and Theme Composer) reflect on the time they spent on the show, from the conception of the series, the design and construction of the “Airwolf” helicopter, filming the most expensive series on television at the time (including it’s extremely dangerous and explosive aerial stunts!) and scoring the show. “Airwolf” fan-experts Mark J. Cairns, Clark Van Hoten, Roy Nelson and Tristan P. Barratt also contribute.

NOTE: Providing that Jan-Michael Vincent would be well enough to be interviewed, he’d also be included in the documentary.

Audio Specification:
Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo.

Subtitles:
English, French, Spanish and German.

----------------------
FAR-FETCHING:

Audio Commentary (45 minutes)
Supervising Producer/Writer T.S Cook and either Unit Production Manager Thomas J. Blank or Producer/Writer Burton Armus provide commentary on the epic fan-favourite episode “Mind of the Machine”.

Audio Commentary (45 minutes)
Supervising Producer/Director Alan J. Levi and Unit Production Manager Thomas J. Blank provide commentary on yet another well-respected episode, “To Snare A Wolf”, the show’s 1st Season finale.

 

[Justin Bauer]

Thank God I waited on buying one of those crap sets on Ebay. I just want the first season when the show was excellent.

 

[MartyG]

What about the 2nd and 3rd Seasons? They were excellent as well, especially the first halves of both, and one or two episodes from their latter halves.

 

[Greg_S_H]

David, you are a princess in a world of dragons (to take a line from another Universal show). Thanks for some good Monday news! Airwolf confirmed for May 24! I never expected such a short wait. With Black Sheep on the same day, I'm almost ready to forgive Universal for Quantum Leap.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=3060

 

[Jeff Willis]

Hello, Airwolf fans I'm considering this as a blind-buy having never seen this series (or at least I can't remember seeing this when it originally aired). What other "action" TV series would this compare to regarding similarity? Also, what other projects was Donald P. Bellisario involved in? I noticed Alan J Levi's name mentioned as a producer. Was he the main producer of this series? If so, that almost makes it an easy buy for Airwolf since Alan Levi was involved in my "fanatic-waiting-for-release" 'Bionic Woman' series

Regarding other "action" series, I bought "The A Team S1" on a complete blind buy in rememberance of my Dad who watched it after he retired and I loved this show. S2 is already pre-ordered.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Airwolf is kind of unique. It's military action, but it has a much more serious tone than the A-Team (I love that show, too). Still, the interplay between String (Jan-Michael Vincent) and Dom (Ernest Borgnine) is warm and fun, so it isn't serious 100% of the time. I hope you'll enjoy it, but I can't guarantee without knowing your tastes. I can't imagine not liking the three main characters--the two mentioned, and Archangel. And, of course, the Lady (Airwolf).

As to what else Bellisario did, the main ones are Magnum, pi, Quantum Leap and JAG.

 

[David Lambert]

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=2978

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Bought.

Sweet news. I used to have an awesome model kits with all the weapon systems deployed.

Long since gone,
Chuck :frowning:

 

[Jeff Willis]

Thanks for the info, all. This series was one of those "go either way" ones for me but you all "made the case" for me on this one. It's a buy for S1 at least.

 

[Dannie]

oooo i really liked the first 3 seasons and only the first ep of the 4th season which was when string gets his brother back! why did they have to kill everyone off??? but all the cast changes and everything in season 4 and on are screwed

 

[Greg_S_H]

The full size art is here.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=3073

 

[JeremySt]

woo hoo! glad I didnt cough up for bootlegs on ebay! My fav show from the 80s!