Predictions For 2014 (2 Viewers)

[JMas]

I guess predicting more Gunsmoke releases is pretty safe. The question is whether a retired guy like me will be around long enough to see all 20 seasons released. I liked it when they released both volumes of Season 8 at the same time, and then did the same for Season 9 about 3 months later. Unfortunately, they have not continued releasing at this pace.

 

[MattPriceTime]

Huh, I didn't know DreamWorks bought Classic Media. $155 million is an awful big sum. Perhaps they were banking on The Lone Ranger to make a comeback. If that is the case it is extremely unfortunate for them that the movie bombed so terribly.
At any rate I'm not sure of the specifics of the deal, just the info Provost relayed to me. He seemed optimistic that there will be proper dvd releases of Lassie someday.

Not to sidetrack, but if anyone here knows more clarification on the Lassie rights please make a topic or continue it here. I've wanted to know how that played out for years. Most internet sources seem to be fuzzy on how it's all worked out. Since the courts seem to side with the "owner", but the same sources only say the original author (who died very young in fact before the first movie was done) only gave away movie rights to MGM, which wouldn't make much sense how MGM could give away all rights to Lassie to the trainer guy years later.

I feel like there's just some detail that's being left out here that no one seems to be reporting, since there have been other books with Lassie published, it makes me think the Author gave away all rights to everything derivitive of the original to MGM and the main path lead to what Dreamworks now owns and everything else is a splinter license off of that. I'm guessing when theoriginal book goes into the public domain or someone tries to stop it, we'll know for sure.

And if the deal Classic (and now Dreamworks) had does in fact end in 2014, how far back do the rights revert? And for that matter how much of them? Damn why does a character so noble have to have such complicated legal problems?

 

[JamesSmith]

Any thoughts about Unhappily Ever Afterjames

 

[darkrock17]

Paramount/CBS Video

The Beverly Hillbillies complete series

Petticoat Junction belated 50th Anniversary complete series

The Odd Couple complete series

Laverne & Shirley complete series

Mork & Mindy complete series


MGM

The Addams Family 50th Anniversary edition


MGM via Shout Factory

Green Acres either seasons 4-6 or an early 50th Anniversary complete series

Mister Ed complete series

Flipper seasons 2-3 and complete series

Gilligan's Island 50th Anniversary complete series (WB might still own this still)


Universal via Shout Factory

Emergency complete series box set in the shape of either the fire station maybe

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

The Incredible Hulk complete series box set


Universal

The Munsters 50th Anniversary edition


Disney

The Muppet Show complete series


Fox

Batman

Lost In Space complete series box set

Mary Tyler Moore Show complete series

The Bob Newheart Show complete series


Shout Factory

Designing Women complete series

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Eerie Indiana

Rhoda complete series

Jack Benny

Burns & Allen

The Steve Allen Show


Mill Creek Entertainment

Bewitched and I Dream Of Jeannie 50th Anniversaries

The Nanny complete series

Soap complete series (re-release)

Cybill complete series

Match Game/other game shows


Dreamworks

The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show complete series (re-release under the name of either Bullwinkle Show or The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle)

Peabody's Imporbable History

Duddley Do Right

Tales of The Wizard of Oz complete animated collection

 

[Bryan^H]

Not to sidetrack, but if anyone here knows more clarification on the Lassie rights please make a topic or continue it here. I've wanted to know how that played out for years. Most internet sources seem to be fuzzy on how it's all worked out. Since the courts seem to side with the "owner", but the same sources only say the original author (who died very young in fact before the first movie was done) only gave away movie rights to MGM, which wouldn't make much sense how MGM could give away all rights to Lassie to the trainer guy years later.

I feel like there's just some detail that's being left out here that no one seems to be reporting, since there have been other books with Lassie published, it makes me think the Author gave away all rights to everything derivitive of the original to MGM and the main path lead to what Dreamworks now owns and everything else is a splinter license off of that. I'm guessing when theoriginal book goes into the public domain or someone tries to stop it, we'll know for sure.

And if the deal Classic (and now Dreamworks) had does in fact end in 2014, how far back do the rights revert? And for that matter how much of them? Damn why does a character so noble have to have such complicated legal problems?

I did some searching about the LAssie/DreamWorks deal. The only thing I found interesting was this:
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/15/business/la-fi-ct-lassie-comes-home-20130715

This article was written well over a year after I spoke to Provost, so it doesn't seem the project is scrapped after all. This may be a good sign for future Lassie dvd sets. Anything that brings the creation to the mainstream again is a positive sign.

 

[MattPriceTime]

I did some searching about the LAssie/DreamWorks deal. The only thing I found interesting was this:
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/15/business/la-fi-ct-lassie-comes-home-20130715

This article was written well over a year after I spoke to Provost, so it doesn't seem the project is scrapped after all. This may be a good sign for future Lassie dvd sets. Anything that brings the creation to the mainstream again is a positive sign.

While i can't prove it, i thing the most logical train of thought on the whole mess is that Dreamworks probably has all rights to film and tv use of the character. As from the original author's deal with MGM. The author's family probably maintains the book rights up through the copyright term as per the pillars of copyright. The original publisher still seems to be publishing it, so there doesn't appear to be any involvement with Dreamworks.

The trademark ending up in the hands of the trainer probably is due to the fact the original author died young and may not have ever trademarked it himself in the first place. So this translates to Dreamworks probably having just about every use of the character in modern use. Which is why courts have sided with them on matters of usage. Since they possess the trademark they have the edge and could engage litigation against anyone else, but again the original book being the orginator of the character still being printed without them is kind of a big "ohhh looky at this loophole" thing.

I'm guessing for the next few decades mostly everything Lassie will be involving Dreamworks, but i'd expect litigation when that original copyright ends. It'll probaly be a 2.0 of the current Sherlock Holmes debacle. Somewhere there's a Lassie goes to court parody in the making.

 

[Regulus]

My "Longshot Prediction - Hot Wheels & Skyhawks will come out on DVD

Two years ago who would think The Six Million Dollar Man/Bionic Woman and China Beach would ever come out on DVD?

 

[Randy Korstick]

A couple days ago I asked a question the WA Facebook page about continued releases of Maverick and Sugarfoot in 2014 and if we would see any new Western TV shows like Bronco, Lawman and Colt .45 in 2014
Their reply was yes to continued Maverick and Sugarfoot and Yes to new shows. They didn't indicate which show or if it is all 3 of them. If I had to guess I would say definately Bronco to complete the Cheyenne show and its probably the most popular one left.
So good news they are moving forward on more of their Western shows. Hopefully that means their Detective shows and some more obscure, short lived shows like The Dakotas and The Alaskans are also not far behind.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I'm guessing for the next few decades mostly everything Lassie will be involving Dreamworks, but i'd expect litigation when that original copyright ends. It'll probaly be a 2.0 of the current Sherlock Holmes debacle. Somewhere there's a Lassie goes to court parody in the making.

What's the Sherlock Holmes debacle?

 

[MattPriceTime]

There's a lawsuit to debate whether Sherlock Holmes is in the public domain. The Estate of Sir ACD only has ten of the stories under copyright left in the US, but they contend this gives them the rights for all things derivative of the character, via the pillars of copyright. The contention being that since the majority of the works featuring Holmes are in the public domain this should allow others to make works derivative off them.

Search "Sherlock Holmes public domain debate" on google to read a lot more articles on the subject. I don't believe there's been a decision on it yet. (may be wrong there though) And if Lassie's original copyright ends within a few decades, it could so a similar route. Given i'm not sure Dreamworks could have that copyright in their agreement based on the passage of rights as described on all the web sources i could find.

 

[Tooncy]

Back to predictions: I don't have any, per se, but I think CBS is testing the waters for colorizing I Love Lucy with the release of the "Colorized Christmas" disc. If it is a big seller, I think they will do the whole series. I would gladly dump the black and white collection for that!

 

[dana martin]

CBS/Paramount Blu

of course will finish there run of ST:TNG and continue with Enterprise, with the possibility of the 1st season of STS9

Twin Peaks: Complete w/ Fire Walk With Me,

And I think once the Honeymooners is done we may see the release of the 1st Season of I Love Lucy, ( in glorious B/W as it is meant to be seen)


Fox
Maybe we will get to see how the X-Files transfers to HD, or at least that is the rumors


Universal

No hope there, as long as I waited for Hitchcock Presents season 6, and then to get a crappy MOD that people are having trouble with, makes me upset

 

[Randy Korstick]

Its just a reissue of a previously released disc and that was a reissue of an old VHS release so this is nothing new. I seriously doubt they would take the time, money and effort to colorize the entire series when they already know the backlash they would receive and the low sales.

Back to predictions: I don't have any, per se, but I think CBS is testing the waters for colorizing I Love Lucy with the release of the "Colorized Christmas" disc. If it is a big seller, I think they will do the whole series. I would gladly dump the black and white collection for that!

 

[Tooncy]

I disagree. I think they would sell a ton of them. Today's colorizing is light years ahead of that awful stuff from the 90s. Just look what they did with Bewitched. And I'm pretty sure the colorized version of that outsold the black and white.

 

[Randy Korstick]

It might be a little bit better but not much. I rented Bewitched and it still looks like it was colored in with Crayons. I remember reading the B & W versions sold much better. I think most have moved past Pan and Scan and colorized version and prefer original versions

 

[Tooncy]

I have a hard time watching shows in black and white. Not only is color easier on the eyes, you can see details in color you would never notice in black and white.

 

[Ron1973]

It might be a little bit better but not much. I rented Bewitched and it still looks like it was colored in with Crayons. I remember reading the B & W versions sold much better. I think most have moved past Pan and Scan and colorized version and prefer original versions

I wouldn't go so far as to say crayons but the IDOJ set seemed a bit "off" on the colorized versions. It's better than the pale, washed out jobs of the 80's but it was still off.

On the other hand, I've seen colorized Three Stooges and absolutely prefer them! They look just as natural as if they were filmed yesterday to me.

 

[Tooncy]

Yes. I have the Stooges discs and they are excellent. If they did as good of a job on Lucy, I can't imagine why anyone would complain.

 

[TravisR]

Yes. I have the Stooges discs and they are excellent. If they did as good of a job on Lucy, I can't imagine why anyone would complain.

I would only complain if the black and white sets were discontinued in favor of a colorized version. I have less than no interest in a colorized version of anything.

 

[Tooncy]

The market is saturated with copies of the black and white version. The only way they're gonna make more money off the show is to colorize.