Another Ben Casey Request (1 Viewer)

[timk1041]

The season one release, both volumes, looks good enough for me, as witnessed by my screen caps...
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One of the truly great 1960s B+W TV dramas...it would be nice if we had the rest of the series at hand...but B+W TV drama has always been the most neglected genre, and the hardest sell...

Pretty decent captures. Some are a little dark, but overall look quite good to me,

 

[Sky King]

timk1041,

This DVD release of Ben Casey reminds me of the Adventures Of Superman DVD release that Warner Brothers did. No restoration efforts made, just producing a DVD set from tape transfers made in the 1980s. A quick buck effort.
As I stated many times before, I’ll take Ben Casey unrestored as long as its unedited much like the Superman release was.
Like the Superman DVD set, the Ben Casey transfers aren’t bad, but could be much better.

John

 

[bmasters9]

This DVD release of Ben Casey reminds me of the Adventures Of Superman DVD release that Warner Brothers did. No restoration efforts made, just producing a DVD set from tape transfers made in the 1980s. A quick buck effort.

Like M Squad was from Timeless, where some people contributed copies of the episodes from their personal collections, and Timeless put it together from there?

 

[DeWilson]

Like M Squad was from Timeless, where some people contributed copies of the episodes from their personal collections, and Timeless put it together from there?

The whole TIMELESS situation is simple - Universal wanted too much money to go back into the vaults to make new prints of shows with limited sales.

So TIMELESS came up with the perfect solution - track down as many episodes from 16mm as possible from collectors and film dealer - and I personally know one 16mm film dealer in New England who sold 100's episodes "rescued" from the "bonded vaults" in the late 1980's. (That is a story in itself!)

So many of the 16mm prints you see on the TIMELESS sets for M-SQUAD, CHECKMATE, ARREST & TRIAL, RIVERBOAT, along with most of the SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE, COronado-9 and STATE TROOPER came from this one source.

Yes, some of the episodes still had to be "filled in" with VHS tape transfers to be "complete", but that was the exception (except in one case) than the rule.

I think it was only LARIME that was mostly sourced the first time around from tape transfers until Universal got a cable sale and stuck up new prints. WAGON TRAIN, LARADO and THE VIRGINIAN were all from Studio transfers as they continued to be sold to television. THE MEN FROM SHILO came from studio transferred 16mm elements for some reason.

Due to rights issues, they couldn't do MARHAM or JOHNNY MIDNIGHT - but had access to almost complete runs on 16mm, same with CHANNING.

 

[smithbrad]

The whole TIMELESS situation is simple - Universal wanted too much money to go back into the vaults to make new prints of shows with limited sales.

So TIMELESS came up with the perfect solution - track down as many episodes from 16mm as possible from collectors and film dealer - and I personally know one 16mm film dealer in New England who sold 100's episodes "rescued" from the "bonded vaults" in the late 1980's. (That is a story in itself!)

So many of the 16mm prints you see on the TIMELESS sets for M-SQUAD, CHECKMATE, ARREST & TRIAL, RIVERBOAT, along with most of the SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE came from this one source.

While the video quality is a mix bag. I do appreciate the effort and resourcefulness of Timeless back in the day. Otherwise, I never would have had the opportunity to experience these titles.

 

[timk1041]

timk1041,

This DVD release of Ben Casey reminds me of the Adventures Of Superman DVD release that Warner Brothers did. No restoration efforts made, just producing a DVD set from tape transfers made in the 1980s. A quick buck effort.
As I stated many times before, I’ll take Ben Casey unrestored as long as its unedited much like the Superman release was.
Like the Superman DVD set, the Ben Casey transfers aren’t bad, but could be much better.

John

I agree. It is better to have it in at least decent shape than not having it at all. If it is unedited and looks like Superman, it is still worth having. The pictures shown are pretty good actually.

 

[bmasters9]

So TIMELESS came up with the perfect solution - track down as many episodes from 16mm as possible from collectors and film dealer - and I personally know one 16mm film dealer in New England who sold 100's episodes "rescued" from the "bonded vaults" in the late 1980's. (That is a story in itself!)

They were very creative to that end-- if they didn't have such creativity and dedication then, a lot of great shows from way-back-when would be lost to time.

 

[Purple Wig]

The whole TIMELESS situation is simple - Universal wanted too much money to go back into the vaults to make new prints of shows with limited sales.

So TIMELESS came up with the perfect solution - track down as many episodes from 16mm as possible from collectors and film dealer - and I personally know one 16mm film dealer in New England who sold 100's episodes "rescued" from the "bonded vaults" in the late 1980's. (That is a story in itself!)

So many of the 16mm prints you see on the TIMELESS sets for M-SQUAD, CHECKMATE, ARREST & TRIAL, RIVERBOAT, along with most of the SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE, COronado-9 and STATE TROOPER came from this one source.

Yes, some of the episodes still had to be "filled in" with VHS tape transfers to be "complete", but that was the exception (except in one case) than the rule.

I think it was only LARIME that was mostly sourced the first time around from tape transfers until Universal got a cable sale and stuck up new prints. WAGON TRAIN, LARADO and THE VIRGINIAN were all from Studio transfers as they continued to be sold to television. THE MEN FROM SHILO came from studio transferred 16mm elements for some reason.

Due to rights issues, they couldn't do MARHAM or JOHNNY MIDNIGHT - but had access to almost complete runs on 16mm, same with CHANNING.

I wish someone would release Channing.

 

[bmasters9]

I wish someone would release Channing.

Very true-- I'm sure that, like any show, it has a fanbase.