Merged Seinfeld DVD Thread (includes announcement discussion) (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

The new titles and music are the only differences between the two versions of the pilot that were shown on NBC. When it was shown in syndication, it was the 'new' version that was shown (and shortened for more commercials

In other words, the DVD has two versions from network not one network version and one syndicated version.

 

[Jay Pennington]

Gotcha. Original broadcast, then the rerun version after the first four proper episodes. Thanks!

 

[PaulP]

So I know the first two volumes just came out, but do we have a further timeframe? Are we loking at two-volume releases every six months or what? That would be neat.

 

[Scott_J]

Back when these sets were first announced, I remember reading the plan is to release a seson every 6 months - so if that holds true, wxcept S4 in May '05 and S5 in November '05.

 

[ChadP2k]

I've finished Volume 1 now and I have to say from what I've seen so far these discs have to set the "gold standard" for TV on DVD at this point, at least as far as modern series go.

My hat is off to the Seinfeld producers... they could have easily gone back to their videotape masters, transferred them to DVD and made a small fortune. But instead they went back and re-edited the original films and produced new "high definition" HDTV transfers, which were down converted for the DVD releases.

The picture looks as good as it can given the age of some of the elements, and I'm sure the later seasons will be better. Plus by taking the extra step of making the HD transfers they're setting the stage for high definition Seinfeld in reruns or on HD-DVD/Blu-Ray later on.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Does this mean the picture would be cropped to 16:9 ratio? Also, wouldn't transferring a show done on film to high definition, show alot more grain/dirt off the original elements? In other words, unless a show was originally shot in HD, won't transferring a film to HD make for a poorer look in the HD format than it would on regular DVD?

 

[ChadP2k]

Good question. The picture wouldn't be "cropped" to 16:9, like most TV shows before the HD era it would be broadcast with pillar bars on both sides to fill out the screen. This would maintain the "OAR" or original aspect ratio, similar to the way the "clips" in the recent Seinfeld special were presented if you were watching the high definition version.

As far as the grain, dirt, etc in the earlier episodes it might be noticable but FILM still has a much higher resolution than any video format we have today, though HD comes very, very close to equaling films' potential from what I understand.

If the transfers are done properly (as I'm sure they were in this case) Seinfeld should look beautiful in HD.

Nearly every sitcom that is being broadcast in High Definition today is filmed just like Seinfeld and then transferred to videotape.. the only difference is today they've adapted the filming process to accomodate a "widescreen" image instead of a 4x3 normal tv image. So turning Seinfeld into HD is nothing unusual...

The cable network HDNet has even gone back and transferred some classic shows like Hogan's Heros to HD and they look fantastic. If something that old looks good in HD I'm sure Seinfeld would ;-).

 

[EricSchulz]

I am currently watching the first disc of set 1 and noticed something odd. for all the eps up to "The Robbery", the audience shown during his stand-up routine are the same people every time! His clothes change, but the people are not only the same, they are in the SAME chairs at every show! THAT'S a dedicated following!

 

[Scott_J]

Eric, when you start watching (reading) the Notes About Nothing features, you will see that they typically filmed the stand-up routines for 3 or 4 different episodes the same day.

 

[EricSchulz]

This is going to take a while...I can't imagine passing over ANY of the many extras in this set!

 

[ChuckOso]

As far as attacking the extras, here's my plan.
Watch epsiode with 'Notes about Nothing' on.
Watch the Inside Look and Deleted Scenes if they are there, for the episode.
When done with the season, rewatch episodes with commentary.
Move to next season.

It's tough to watch the same episode (for me at least) twice in a row. Putting off the commentaries until the end of the season will refresh the episode.

I'm on disc 3 of season 3. So, not much more to go. :frowning:

 

[Bryan Ri]

At least there aren't many commentaries to listen to, only a handful on each set.

Edit: Although I wish there was a commentary for every episode.

 

[Voon Jiet]

I tackle the commentaries and 'Notes About Nothing' by watching both at the same time - if applicable.

I've already finished the 'Inside Looks' and the documentaries, and I must say the extras on these sets are one of the most informative and entertaining around!

 

[Scott_J]

That's similar to how I've been doing it, except I watch the Inside Look before the episode, and I'm saving all the commentaries until I finish season 3 (2 more episodes to go).

 

[Bryan Ri]

Any news or rumors yet about forthcomming seasons?

 

[Kami]

Yeah when are the others coming out? I'm done the 1-3 sets and i want more more more more more.

 

[Jay Pennington]

To revisit some thoughts I posted many months ago in some other long-forgotten Seinfeld thread:

When it was revealed that new film transfers were being made in HD, I was pleasantly surprised, stating that since the show was edited in the video realm, (film-to-tape transfers of the raw footage having been made before editing) they'd have to be recut from scratch.

After watching most of both DVD sets I see I was mistaken.

Giveaways:
1. dissolves are film dissolves, not video
2. stuff shot on video (like the news reporter at the Aryan Nation rally in "The Limo") has the telltales of being transferred to film
3. the stills of Jerry during the end credits exhibit gate weave behind the video-generated credits.

This all means the shows were cut on film, the last step being transfer to video and the addition of video-generated titles. Since just about every film-originated show switched over to posting on tape in the mid 80s, this was quite a surprise. I suppose by the early 90s, the industry had learned their lesson, having had to endure the pains of converting NTSC video masters for foreign distribution. With each episode on film, a much higher-quality product would result from making the transfers to, say, PAL from film and then adding the titles (in another language, as applicable) on video in that format.

Good thing for us DVD buyers, as well. I very much doubt they'd have recut the shows from scratch just for DVD if my original assumption had been true.

 

[Bryan Ri]

Same here, I'm hoping around May.

 

[Casey C.]

Time Warner bought Turner Broadcasting (and Castle Rock) in 1996. Columbia must have secured the "Seinfeld" syndication/video rights before then.

 

[Ravi K]

Seinfeld is remastered from the original 35mm negatives to HD, correct? How do they deal with the chroma key effects of the driving scenes? Did they use the original background footage?