Dark Shadows Suggestion... (1 Viewer)

[MattSav]

4/16/2008

An Open Letter to MPI Home Video:

Now that all of Dark Shadows is out (or nearly out) on DVD, I have a suggestion for a future release. Why not re-release the series on Blu-Ray Disc? This new high-definition disc can hold up to 50 gigabytes of information per disc, which is almost six times the capacity of a dual-layer DVD. Meaning you could fit many more episodes onto each disc.

Since Dark Shadows was shot on video and not film, there would be no reason to release a high-definition version of the product, as video tape resolution is 480 lines of resolution, with no original film source to go back to for a high-def transfer. Rather, your company could include the product in standard definition on the Blu-Ray discs. It’s just important to label it as such on the packaging (so consumers know they are getting a standard-def product).

Given the capacity of Blu-Ray, each year of the program could be contained on five or six Blu-Ray discs, with plenty of room for extras (which could be ported over from the existing DVD release). It would also save on a lot of shelf-space for the avid movie/television collector.

If you re-released the series, it could be structured like so:

Dark Shadows: Year One 1966-1967Episodes 1- 245
Dark Shadows: Year Two 1967-1968Episodes 246 - 490
Dark Shadows: Year Three 1968-1969Episodes 491 - 735
Dark Shadows: Year Four1969-1970Episodes 736 - 980
Dark Shadows: Year Five1970-1971Episodes 981 -1225

I also think the hardcore fans have all bought the DVDs already and, should your company proceed with a re-release on Blu-Ray, it should be targeted at a more casual fan with a lower price point.

I, for example, would pay about $99.00 max for a season of Dark Shadows on Blu-Ray. You could set the price point at about $129 for each release and then Amazon and other retailers could apply their usual 30% discount or so, leaving you with a product that would sell-through to a market that fondly remembers the show but may not have thousands of dollars or the shelf-space for over 30 DVD releases. This is similar to the pricing strategy used by Paramount for their various Star Trek series.

Please take my suggestions outlined above seriously – I think it would be a good move for the company and *would* allow MPI to get much more additional product sold and into the hands of the consumer.

Thank you,

Matt Savelkoul
Casual Dark Shadows Fan

 

[Charles Ellis]

Great idea, BUT it took several years to release the show on VHS, and only a few months ago the DVD run was completed. I'm sure I speak for a lot of fellow fans who spent a bundle for each release since 1989 for each format change (VHS/DVD). Let's wait a while for the general prices of Blu-Ray discs and players to go down first.

Elsewhere on this forum someone floated the idea of having condensed box sets of major DS storylines, like 1795, so they can be edited down to just a few hours as separate miniseries to introduce outsiders to the show. Now that's something I'd like to see!

 

[Ockeghem]

Matt,

That's not a bad idea.

I own the Dark Shadows Collector's Series (vols. 1-54) (VHS), the Original Series (vols. 1-200--yes, even vols. 1-8) (VHS), the Dark Shadows: The Beginning (vols. 1-6) (DVD), and am in the process of completing the Original Series (DVD) (vols. 1-26). I also own another three or four DVDs (Bloopers and Treasures, Reunion, Special Edition, etc.) that have been put out recently by MPI Home Video. I won't be purchasing anything beyond this, but if you or others want to do that, I think it's great.

I speak to representatives at MPI two or three times per month. They are always cordial and their service is excellent. (I even had mentioned in passing that I had a mixed set of DVD cases for the series, and they sent along every thinline case that I needed, complete with inserts, in order for my DVD collection cases to be aesthetically uniform.) Let me know if you want me to send along your letter to them, unless you're already on that.

BTW, since we're on the topic of Dark Shadows--

I received a nice letter from Kathryn Leigh Scott about a week ago. I had approached her about possibly taking on (publishing) a book I am working on at the present time, having nothing at all to do with Dark Shadows. Although she was very pleasant in her letter, she mentioned that Pomegranate Press is no longer publishing, and that they are trying to unload their backlog of titles. I wished her well. Sometimes, it's great to know that 'stars' will read your letters and get back to you!

 

[DeWilson]

I'd buy those in a heart beat!

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Instead of Blu Ray, I think they should re-issue the early DVD sets that had many of the "bloopers" edited out by the company that was in charge of the remastering (along with editing out parts of scenes where there was a glitch on the master tape). When the fans went berserk and informed MPI, this sort of "editing" was put to a halt, but I don't think MPI ever re-release them "uncut".

 

[Ockeghem]

Andy,

I believe you're correct about that (as far as the DVDs are concerned). Do you happen to know if the VHS tapes are completely unedited? You've struck one of the primary reasons why I continued to collect the tapes after I had begun to purchase the series on the thirty-two DVD collections. But I have not yet compared all of the DVD vs. VHS footage to know for certain.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

the VHS releases (except vol. 1-8, of course) were completely unedited. That was one of the sore points raised by the fans, the fact that the tapes were presented unedited and in the remastering someone saw fit to make edits to cover technical flaws in the master tapes, and more controversially, to remove some of the in-show bloopers. MPI and Dan Curtis Productions, as I recall, were unaware of these edits (the company contracted to remaster did this on their own). That company was informed not to make any more edits. Think this affects the first 4-5 DVD collections (I know it's better-documented elsewhere online).

After those first few collections, I think all the editing had stopped, so you should be safe to pass along the rest of your VHSes apart from the ones covered by the first few DVD collections.

 

[Ockeghem]

Andy,

Thanks. Much appreciated.

As an aside, I won't be passing along any of my tapes (except one day to my children). I still watch the VHS tapes frequently (for a variety of reasons). I particularly love the look and feel of the Collector's Series on VHS.

BTW, I recently saw one VHS tape (I can't recall the exact volume number) which was selling for approximately $303 dollars(!) on Amazon.com. I thought it must be a typo, but who knows.

 

[Sky King]

The videotape used in Dark Shadows wasn't of the best visual quality and considerable tweaking would be needed to make it acceptable for a High Definition transfer.
Would MPI be willing to spend the extra money ??

 

[Ockeghem]

I don't know if they would be willing or not. But I did send along the letter above recently (with Matt's approval).

I wonder if there would be fans (such as myself) that would want the transfers complete and unedited (with all of the bloopers, glitches, etc. included)? If there are fans that would not want this, then I would not be able to fault MPI for choosing not to distribute it in High Definition in edited and unedited iterations. I don't know how MPI feels about it, or how they would arrive at a decision to please everyone. I doubt they would be willing to release two versions in yet another format.

 

[MattSav]

My original post/suggestion didn't mention a HD transfer. The source material isn't in HD, so there couldn't be an HD transfer - all I'm suggesting is that the capacity of blu-ray discs be utilized to cut down on the number of volumes/discs that need to be released.

But it would give MPI an opportunity to re-release some of the earlier volumes unedited without the authoring house 'fixes'.

 

[Corey3rd]

This could also be the solution for Mary Hartman Mary Hartman - just put all the episodes on a few BluRay discs.

although Sony is claiming that the new Soap DVDs are "Remastered in High Definition"

 

[Ockeghem]

Matt,

Good points (esp. the last sentence). BTW, I will let you know if and when I hear anything back from MPI.

On a related note, last night I began shifting our VHS collection in order to make room for -- you guessed it -- more Dark Shadows VHS tapes that I have on the way. Some of these are replacements of older tapes, while others are duplicates. I can't seem to get enough of the show, regardless of format. I guess it's also the collector's blood I have in me.