Kino Lorber has TV Titles from Universal… (1 Viewer)

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

Would you like for that to be in a keepcase, or in slimcases?

On single discs instead of the "flippers." So, yes, the "keepcase."

~Ben

 

[jcroy]

Are they doing Law & Order on Blu Ray?

For the original Law & Order and earlier seasons of SVU and Criminal Intent, the question is whether the earlier seasons have any decent hd transfers made.

I haven't seen any of the older stuff on reruns in recent times.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

If Kolchak is ever offered on blu, I hope the first few episodes opening credits are corrected to show The Night Stalker as the title, before Kolchak was added to it..

Hear, hear! In the grand scheme of things, it's a minor annoyance, but I find it very irritating when studios remaster these old shows, and rather than letting the entire show play through in the remastering process, they take the lazy way out and just do one set of credits per season (or per cast change), and just slap that one set of credits on all the episodes.

When you do that, you miss any minor (or otherwise) differences that existed in the originals.

Another difference in the night stalker early opening sequence was the series title was also a different color than the revised version.

 

[David Weicker]

Hear, hear! In the grand scheme of things, it's a minor annoyance, but I find it very irritating when studios remaster these old shows, and rather than letting the entire show play through in the remastering process, they take the lazy way out and just do one set of credits per season (or per cast change), and just slap that one set of credits on all the episodes.

When you do that, you miss any minor (or otherwise) differences that existed in the originals.

Another difference in the night stalker early opening sequence was the series title was also a different color than the revised version.

I’m curious about how you know that the original episodes had a different title and different color.
I’m not saying you are incorrect, but I’d be interested in reading these sources.

 

[dawnshadow]

Great HD masters exist for every season of Law & Order and Law & Order SVU. Unfortunately the first few seasons of Law & Order are cropped to 16x9 though.

 

[bmasters9]

On single discs instead of the "flippers." So, yes, the "keepcase."

You'll probably get it day one, I take it?

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

You'll probably get it day one, I take it?

Hopefully, if ever it comes out.

~Ben

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I’m curious about how you know that the original episodes had a different title and different color.
I’m not saying you are incorrect, but I’d be interested in reading these sources.

Because I saw them on CBS Late Night in the 1980s (and recorded them on VHS). I think the original Kolchak-less ones were yellow. See below for comparison of hte two differnet show "logos":

Maybe they're the same color after all? I was thinking the later one was green or maybe even in red, but it's been awhile since I watched the show.

I want to think the first time I noticed the title getting replaced on the early episodes was when the Sci-Fi Channel reruns started. They probably used new masters.

Also of note: at least one episode has been aired under two different on-screen titles: "They Have Been , They Are, They Will Be..." has also been presented as "U.F.O."

Here's an excerpt from a review of the Region 4/Australian DVD release:

When the show began, it was simply entitled Night Stalker, but Universal renamed it early on and the new title was Kolchak: The Night Stalker, reflected in newer credits. While Universal later replaced the earlier episode's Night Stalker-only credits with the newer, longer title on many prints and the U.S. DVDs, Madman has actually retained the original titles on the earliest shows. As a result, the first two episodes also have sound effects with a slightly different version of the instrumental theme song that has shown up on TV theme CD compilations. Then the old Night Stalker-only title plays with the revised instrumental theme song minus the sound effects starting on the third show. Finally, that theme minus sound effects is retained with the new titles and they are what appear on the rest of the show and all 20 U.S. DVDs. Those differences alone make this set as collectible as the Universal set.

 

[JohnHopper]

Because I saw them on CBS Late Night in the 1980s (and recorded them on VHS). I think the original Kolchak-less ones were yellow. See below for comparison of hte two differnet show "logos":

Maybe they're the same color after all? I was thinking the later one was green or maybe even in red, but it's been awhile since I watched the show.

I want to think the first time I noticed the title getting replaced on the early episodes was when the Sci-Fi Channel reruns started. They probably used new masters.

Also of note: at least one episode has been aired under two different on-screen titles: "They Have Been , They Are, They Will Be..." has also been presented as "U.F.O."

Here's an excerpt from a review of the Region 4/Australian DVD release:

When the show began, it was simply entitled Night Stalker, but Universal renamed it early on and the new title was Kolchak: The Night Stalker, reflected in newer credits. While Universal later replaced the earlier episode's Night Stalker-only credits with the newer, longer title on many prints and the U.S. DVDs, Madman has actually retained the original titles on the earliest shows. As a result, the first two episodes also have sound effects with a slightly different version of the instrumental theme song that has shown up on TV theme CD compilations. Then the old Night Stalker-only title plays with the revised instrumental theme song minus the sound effects starting on the third show. Finally, that theme minus sound effects is retained with the new titles and they are what appear on the rest of the show and all 20 U.S. DVDs. Those differences alone make this set as collectible as the Universal set.

Fascinating!

 

[RICK BOND]

The Munsters ! Unless Shout has it. They are releasing the 1966 movie.

 

[David Weicker]

Because I saw them on CBS Late Night in the 1980s (and recorded them on VHS). I think the original Kolchak-less ones were yellow. See below for comparison of hte two differnet show "logos":

Maybe they're the same color after all? I was thinking the later one was green or maybe even in red, but it's been awhile since I watched the show.

I want to think the first time I noticed the title getting replaced on the early episodes was when the Sci-Fi Channel reruns started. They probably used new masters.

Also of note: at least one episode has been aired under two different on-screen titles: "They Have Been , They Are, They Will Be..." has also been presented as "U.F.O."

Here's an excerpt from a review of the Region 4/Australian DVD release:

When the show began, it was simply entitled Night Stalker, but Universal renamed it early on and the new title was Kolchak: The Night Stalker, reflected in newer credits. While Universal later replaced the earlier episode's Night Stalker-only credits with the newer, longer title on many prints and the U.S. DVDs, Madman has actually retained the original titles on the earliest shows. As a result, the first two episodes also have sound effects with a slightly different version of the instrumental theme song that has shown up on TV theme CD compilations. Then the old Night Stalker-only title plays with the revised instrumental theme song minus the sound effects starting on the third show. Finally, that theme minus sound effects is retained with the new titles and they are what appear on the rest of the show and all 20 U.S. DVDs. Those differences alone make this set as collectible as the Universal set.

You are correct. I did some further investigation, and found a copy of the 1974 Fall Preview issue of TV Guide. The write-up has that title (interesting tidbit - it premiered on the same night as one of the greatest TV shows of all time - The Rockford Files)

 

[Richard M S]

So by my count, Kino has released/announced 3 made-for-tv movies so far this year: The Girl Most Likely To...., Love Among The Ruins and the forthcoming Stranger On The Run.

Are there still 5 films and a tv series remaining or have I missed a few?

 

[David Weicker]

So by my count, Kino has released/announced 3 made-for-tv movies so far this year: The Girl Most Likely To...., Love Among The Ruins and the forthcoming Stranger On The Run.

Are there still 5 films and a tv series remaining or have I missed a few?

The TV Series was announced - Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (both seasons and the Theatrical feature).

 

[Jack P]

Which frankly was a bit of a letdown from my standpoint. After double-dipping to the single sided DVDs Universal put out I wasn't exactly clamoring for a reason to triple dip.

 

[ScottRE]

I bought the flipper box, the single sided DVDs and the import blu rays and I'm happy to finally get it in our region. That's one more show checked off the list

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I’ll take a Quincy ME complete blu ray set

 

[Wiseguy]

I’ll take a Quincy ME complete blu ray set

With the 1976-77 season clearly marked as first season only! LOL

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

With the 1976-77 season clearly marked as first season only! LOL

Right, since technically the 90-minute TV movies (all of which aired as part of the Mystery Movie wheel) were "test pilots" for the series that formally started on February 4, 1977. For syndication, these four specials were needlessly edited by 30 minutes to fit into the standard 1-hour timeslot.

~Ben

 

[Wiseguy]

Right, since technically the 90-minute TV movies (all of which aired as part of the Mystery Movie wheel) were "test pilots" for the series that formally started on February 4, 1977. For syndication, these four specials were needlessly edited by 30 minutes to fit into the standard 1-hour timeslot.

~Ben

Five. There was an additional 90-minute episode shown after the 2-hour series premiere. It may well have been planned to be broadcast on the Mystery Movie but was delayed after a decision was made to produce a weekly series.* (The 2-hour premiere may have been as well and could have been either a two-hour mystery movie or it may have been expanded in length for the series premiere). Supporting this theory was the fact that Lynette Mettey, who did not appear in the hour episodes, did appear in those two longer episodes.
In any case there was no need to edit a half-hour out of the 2-hour broadcast but the following episode was definitely edited down by a half-hour making five episodes to have been edited as such for syndication. **

*I've never heard about these Mystery Movies being "test pilots." I've always thought the decision to produce a weekly series was made after the first few mystery movies had been broadcast. I certainly don't recall any publicity at the time stating that they were even thinking about an hour series.
**Back in 2015, MeTV showed all five, once a night for a week, in their original format in a 90-minute slot without the usual Quincy, M.E. series opening theme.
Although this fifth 90-minute episode did have the Quincy series theme for the closing credits, the Mystery Movie Quincy closing theme can be heard in the episode itself, particularly at the end, indicating it was to be a Mystery Movie episode.

 

[RICK BOND]

Please !