HTF DVD REVIEW: THE MUNSTERS COMPLETE SERIES (1 Viewer)

[Tony Bensley]

Since this thread has been bumped, I thought it would be a good place to ask about this: On the Image set, there is a promo for "The Munsters Go To Marineland" special, but not the special itself. Does that special still exist, or has it circulated anywhere?

Hi Mark!


From what i recall, there was a DVD containing this that's Out Of Print. However, I haven't even been able to locate it on Amazon this time around!


Sorry that I couldn't be of more help!


CHEERS!


Tony

 

[Timothy E]

The Marineland Carnival TV special featuring the Munsters is on this set: http://www.amazon.com/The-Munsters-Americas-Family-Documentary/dp/B0002EJ7I0

 

[Tony Bensley]

The Marineland Carnival TV special featuring the Munsters is on this set: http://www.amazon.com/The-Munsters-Americas-Family-Documentary/dp/B0002EJ7I0

Hi Timothy:


Oh this is so tempting! If only my June Entertainment Budget wasn't already spoken for, as I know this OOP item is usually extremely cost prohibitive!


Thank you very much for posting this link!


CHEERS!


Tony

 

[Larry.P]

The Marineland Carnival TV special featuring the Munsters is on this set: http://www.amazon.com/The-Munsters-Americas-Family-Documentary/dp/B0002EJ7I0

No, it's not. Only a promo for the show is on this set. The show remains lost. No copies are known to exist at this time.

 

[JohnMor]

No, it's not. Only a promo for the show is on this set. The show remains lost. No copies are known to exist at this time.

That's what I thought. I was thinking my memory was faulty and I was going to have to pull out that dvd again to confirm. Thanks.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Besides the Flipper Discs, the older 2004-2005 DVD Sets apparently had another issue regarding three Season 1 episodes in which there was some music replacement.


More details can be found in this Topic: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/339249-munsters-episodes-with-original-music-on-amazon/


So far, I haven't been able to determine whether the more recent 2013 Reissued Season/Complete Series Sets are also affected by this.


CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Two things regarding the 2013 individual season reissues that I failed to notice:


1. The "Family Portrait" DVD is included in the Season 1 Set.


2. "The Munsters: Two Movie Fright Fest" is included in the Season 2 Set.


While I hadn't ordered "Family Portrait" separately, as I'm not overly fond of colorized shows, I'm afraid I'll be getting a duplicate DVD of the "Two Movie Fright Fest," as I had wanted that and mistakenly assumed it was only included with the 2008/2013 Complete Series Reissues!


Since it's too late for me to cancel my Amazon shipment, I suppose I'll have to do a return for the extra DVD! Ah well!


CHEERS!

 

[BobO'Link]

^That $26 price point was the lowest until Feb 15th when it was $19.49 for a couple of weeks (I *almost* purchased a copy then). Other than those two instances it's not dropped below $30 - ever (source camelcamelcamel). BUT the current prices on S1 and S2 are also historic lows and unlikely to stay that way for long... They, too, rarely hit such a low price point.

Well... I was *almost* in your shoes, but deeper, Tony! I was about to order the individual seasons only to find that I *did* order a copy of the full series set back in Feb. when it was $19.49! Thank goodness for Amazon telling you what you've purchased! You'd think I'd make note of such things in my "what I have" spreadsheet... didn't before... do now!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Well... I was *almost* in your shoes, but deeper, Tony! I was about to order the individual seasons only to find that I *did* order a copy of the full series set back in Feb. when it was $19.49! Thank goodness for Amazon telling you what you've purchased! You'd think I'd make note of such things in my "what I have" spreadsheet... didn't before... do now!

Hi Howie!


My two Seasons, complete with the two Movies and colorized Family Portrait extras don't even add up to $19.49 Canadian, even with our current miserable rate of exchange! The real silly aspect of my goof is the separate Two Movie Fright Fest cost $14.99! That there has been no fewer than three separate Releases of individual Season AND Complete Series Sets of The Munsters (2004/2005; 2008; and 2013!), most of which have their own variations of what is/isn't included makes for a rather confusing "Munster Stew!"


CHEERS!


Tony

 

[Tony Bensley]

Besides the Flipper Discs, the older 2004-2005 DVD Sets apparently had another issue regarding three Season 1 episodes in which there was some music replacement.


More details can be found in this Topic: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/339249-munsters-episodes-with-original-music-on-amazon/


So far, I haven't been able to determine whether the more recent 2013 Reissued Season/Complete Series Sets are also affected by this.


CHEERS!

Upon receiving THE MUNSTERS Season 1 and Season 2 Sets earlier today, I checked the "Far Out Munsters" Episode on Disc 4. The opening segment in which Eddie Munster puts on a record by "The Standells" does still have the replacement mid sixties period sounding instrumental music, as did the previous 2004 and 2008 Releases. However, it was brought to my attention in the above linked thread that the original "Just A Little" was actually by the similar sounding Beau Brummels, which does jibe with my memory of the Episode.


The other two affected Season 1 Episodes are "Dance With Me, Herman" (Also on Disc 4), and "The Sleeping Cutie" (On Disc 2). The latter Episode featured an instrumental version of "Some Day My Prince Will Come" that played a number of times during the Episode, which had also been replaced on the previous 2004/2008 Editions, by generic sound-alike music. While I haven't confirmed either of these for the 2013 Edition, based on the replacement music still being present in the "Far Out Munsters" Episode, I presume the replacements in the other two Episodes are likely still in place, as well!

As much as I prefer that everything be original, the above music replacements don't in my opinion, appear to be that big a deal, especially compared to the chop jobs some other TV Series Video Releases have experienced!

Also unchanged is THE MUNSTERS Season 2 Discs still don't include the Scene Selection option. Quite frankly though, I'm not really bothered by this.

The main difference between THE MUNSTERS 2013 Season Sets and the previous individual 2008 Sets, is the inclusion in the former of the colorized "Family Portrait" and the "Two-Movie Fright Fest" on Seasons 1 and 2, respectively! These were previously only available either separately, or on the Complete Series Sets.

THE MUNSTERS 2013 Season Sets are also surprisingly quite compact, and for me, not a hassle to deal with!


CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

That there has been no fewer than three separate Releases of individual Season AND Complete Series Sets of The Munsters (2004/2005; 2008; and 2013!), most of which have their own variations of what is/isn't included makes for a rather confusing "Munster Stew!"

The above isn't quite correct! Two sets of THE MUNSTERS individual Season 1 and Season 2 DVD Sets were issued in 2004/2005 and 2013, while THE MUNSTERS: THE COMPLETE SERIES DVD Sets have also seen two Releases, in 2008, and Reissued in 2013.


For more details, please check out my new Topic relating to "The Munsters": http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/341844-the-munsters-region-1-dvd-incarnations/?p=4267878


CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

In viewing this series, I'm reminded of the numerous notable guest appearances from various episodes. Paul Lynde, who makes repeated appearances as The Munsters' Family GP, Dr. Dudley, is my favorite among these!

However, my main reason for this post, is an appearance by Jerry Mathers' (Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver of LEAVE IT TO BEAVER) younger brother, Jimmy Mathers in the "Bats Of A Feather" Season 1 episode, dated February 4, 1965. Interestingly, the creators of Jerry Mathers' Family Sitcom, Jerry Connelly and Bob Mosher, were also heavily involved with THE MUNSTERS in both writing (Though apparently, not on this episode!) and producing!

Jimmy Mathers sure has that 'Beaver Cleaver' look in these screenshots, doesn't he?

Here's a closer shot of Jimmy Mathers. I briefly mistook him for his older brother, until I remembered Jerry would have been about 16 by the time Episode 20 was shot!:

Additional Trivial Note: Was this the same Gilbert Green that a song was written about just a bit later in the decade?

CHEERS!

 

[Nelson Au]

Guys- reviving this thread again. I sought it out because I am ripping the complete series DVD’s into MakeMKV files. What I was surprised by is that the episodes in Season 2 do not appear to have chapter marks. I never noticed this before as I guess I never looked for it. I did not see mention of that in any reviews.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Guys- reviving this thread again. I sought it out because I am ripping the complete series DVD’s into MakeMKV files. What I was surprised by is that the episodes in Season 2 do not appear to have chapter marks. I never noticed this before as I guess I never looked for it. I did not see mention of that in any reviews.

In one of my above posts, I did make reference to Season 2 lacking the Scene Selection option, which I get isn't quite the same thing as there being no chapter marks. For episodes that run 25 - 26 minutes, this isn't something I worry about much, but one's mileage may vary regarding that.

CHEERS!

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

They didn't want anyone to miss the quite lengthy and drawn-out droning of the Universal logo (and, how clever to desaturate it to b&w!?)-- when you start the disc, start a show, end a show, change viewing selections and so on. Then, there's that MacroVision™ logo that we just couldn't do without on every episode, where the jingle that plays underneath makes it seem so friendly it almost sings, "Mac-ro-vi-sion is your [pause and wait for it..] frie-e-e-e-e-end!"

Mustn't skip a-n-y of that!

Wasn't it Universal who also used that soccer kid clip back in the day as part of the copy protection? For some reason it creeped me out.

In viewing this series, I'm reminded of the numerous notable guest appearances from various episodes. Paul Lynde, who makes repeated appearances as The Munsters' Family GP, Dr. Dudley, is my favorite among these!

Seeing this comment about Paul Lynde reminds me: Most people's inner monologue or thought pattern usually sounds kinda like their own voice-- Mine sounds like Uncle Arthur! No idea why-hy-hy?!!

Uh, well.. Thinking out loud via typing again. Pardon me for protruding!

 

[Nelson Au]

In one of my above posts, I did make reference to Season 2 lacking the Scene Selection option, which I get isn't quite the same thing as there being no chapter marks. For episodes that run 25 - 26 minutes, this isn't something I worry about much, but one's mileage may vary regarding that.

CHEERS!

Thanks Tony. Yes, I figure most of the time I would not skip to the end of the episodes.

But Robbie makes a very good point, it would be nice to skip that Universal logo!

 

[Lecagr]

I have one of the later DVD releases of The Munsters complete series when Universal put everything on single sided discs which is preferred over the dual sided discs.

Gilligan's Island is one series that I have on dual sided discs, I haven't made the upgrade to single sided discs.

I also have a few other TV series on dual sided discs but not too many.

 

[Tony Bensley]

They didn't want anyone to miss the quite lengthy and drawn-out droning of the Universal logo (and, how clever to desaturate it to b&w!?)-- when you start the disc, start a show, end a show, change viewing selections and so on. Then, there's that MacroVision™ logo that we just couldn't do without on every episode, where the jingle that plays underneath makes it seem so friendly it almost sings, "Mac-ro-vi-sion is your [pause and wait for it..] frie-e-e-e-e-end!"

Mustn't skip a-n-y of that!

Wasn't it Universal who also used that soccer kid clip back in the day as part of the copy protection? For some reason it creeped me out.


Seeing this comment about Paul Lynde reminds me: Most people's inner monologue or thought pattern usually sounds kinda like their own voice-- Mine sounds like Uncle Arthur! No idea why-hy-hy?!!

Uh, well.. Thinking out loud via typing again. Pardon me for protruding!

It's been a few years since I've viewed many episodes, but the only Black & White Universal logos I recall on my Season 1 and 2 Munster DVD sets are the ones that I believe originally followed the episodes. I do remember the music that plays behind that logo from my childhood TV viewing back in the early '70s.

CHEERS!