What's new

Rockford Files R1 12/6 ....!!!!! (1 Viewer)

Paul_Scott

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
6,545
then i'd say you're pretty lucky, Jeff.
i used to think the reports of problems with the Universal discs was curious and more likely related to issues with peoples players, but now since June, i've had the same playability issues with 3 sets so far- with Rockford, its on the Aura Lee ep and since its only the second ep i watched so far on the set, it could be one of many problems with my copy or just the sole problem but in either case i have to haul it back to the store now for a replacment that may or may not be defective itself.

and frankly, the only reason i may not have any problems with other universal sets may only be because i still haven't finished thoses sets. I'm still on the first disc of my Buck Rogers set, still have a disc or two to go on Battlestar Galactica, and just about all the others.


i was willing to be tolerant of an isolated case here and there, but i've only bought 6 Universal sets in the last 6 months, and have had problems with 3 of them (four if you count movie sets) and may have more problems waiting for me down the line.

this is just unacceptable. screw this studio.
this is like bootleg quality made with consumer software...why the hell am i paying good money for this?
 

Jeff Willis

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2005
Messages
3,386
Location
Dallas TX
I guess I've been lucky so far with Universal sets. The only known problem that I've seen is on one disk of the A-TEAM S2 where about 30 seconds of one episode "skips" and is not viewable. I own at least 10 other Uni sets and so far I haven't had a problem with them but the only Uni set that I've completed is BUCK ROGERS. I didn't have any problems with that set. I'm almost through with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (original series). So far no problems. I've watched these on 2 separate DVD players: a Sony and a JVC.

Regarding the Rockford Files: I heard the theme music in an interesting place this week. I was watching the New Jersey Devils vs the Toronto Maple Leafs game which was in Toronto. During one of the breaks in the game the arena music system played the theme. That's the 1st time I've heard that anywhere else besides viewing the series.
 

MattHR

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 9, 2001
Messages
1,664


In the pilot, it's mentioned that Rockford served five years in San Quentin for armed robbery, then was pardoned by the Governor.

The Rockford Files book by Ed Robertson fills in the blanks a bit: The original story for Rockford had him writing letters from prison to anyone who would listen. Finally, an old lawyer looked into his case and was able to locate the real culprit of the crime. Once free, Rockford went to the old man to see what he could do to repay him. The old man said he could work with him, but he died not long after. Rockford then started his own investigation business specializing in wrongly closed cases, since he was the victim of one.

I noticed something when watching the two-part "This Case Is Closed" episode on the DVD: the episode synopsis for Part I indicates "This episode was originally broadcast as a 90-minute episode". Why not use the original 90-minute episode then? It seems odd to indicate its original status, then offer something different in its place. I suppose Universal should at least be given credit for being up front about it.

However, they still aren't off-the-hook for the missing pilot. :angry:
 

ElijahS

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 24, 2005
Messages
751
I had a problem with the first disc on both sides in roughly the same spot (towards the middle of the second episode on Side A and at the end of the second episode/beginning of the third episode on Side B), so I returned it yesterday. It was my first problem with a Universal set, but it seems to be an isolated thing. The new set's playing fine.
 

Jeff#

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,942
Just to be clear on my earlier statement, the only problem I had with any Universal DVD release was Alfred Hitchcock Presents....but that was due to the studio foolishly re-editing Hitchcock's comments by shortening them on SOME episodes and removing the sketch drawing he made of himself plus music interlude that leads into commercial breaks. But other than that, no complaints -- video is great and no picture glitches or disc skips on any of the Universal collections I've purchased including the first season of Alfred Hitchcock.

Back to The Rockford Files, I think the 90 minute pilot was re-edited into 2 parts for syndication. So what we're getting is something of an improvement -- with some additional footage added in, just like when it aired on local station reruns. The problem is that Part 2 has about 6 or 7 minutes recap from Part 1. Hmmm.....
 

MattHR

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 9, 2001
Messages
1,664


Jeff, how is not getting the pilot, in any form, an improvement? It was not included in the Season 1 set...at least for R1.

By the way, if you check back in the earlier posts, you'll see that the "additional" footage is nothing but random inserts of stock footage and other scenes duplicated to very awkward results. But I would rather have the two-part version than nothing, which is exactly what Universal gave us.
 

Jeff#

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,942
Sorry, Matt --- that was a typo on my part. I was not referring to the pilot movie at all but a 90 minute episode that aired early in the first season. ;)

As for the story itself "This Case is Closed", I blame the sloppy writing for ruining my enjoyment of those 2 episodes. The editing was just fine.
 

valB

Auditioning
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
13
Hello There,

I'm french and I'm very disappointed with the Z1 boxset because the pilot is not included in it.

So could you tell me if on the Z2 boxset , there are english subtitles , if it's a digipack set and how many discs there are?

Sorry for my english and Happy new year 2006.
 

Jeff#

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,942
The 2nd season of Rockford FIles isn't available yet. I'm not even sure it's been duplicated at this point in time. Ask again in a few months. :)
 

MattHR

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 9, 2001
Messages
1,664


I believe valB meant Region 2 (or Z2 for Zone 2 -- same thing). I believe the Region 2 set is packaged in the "DigiStak" format (similar to "Smallville" or "Simpsons" Season 6 with the DVD trays stacked and bound like a book, inside a cardboard sleeve). I'm not certain whether there are subtitles or not.
 

valB

Auditioning
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
13
Thanks for your answers and for info.

Yes I meant "region 2". Sorry for the mistake.

And please , if anyone has the region 2 (UK ) set , could he tell me if there are english subtitles on it ?

Thanks in advance
 

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Moderator
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 5, 1999
Messages
6,818
Location
Corpus Christi, TX
Real Name
Wayne
I got the box set for Christmas, and I was really excited because I didn’t know it was out. The Rockford Files is probably my all-time favorite TV show, and I’ve been waiting for years to own it. If I remember it was released on VHS many years ago, but it was totally ridiculous, I think one episode per tape, several dollars per tape. Who the heck wanted to deal with a hundred freakin’ tapes, not to mention the expense? So I never bothered. Thank God for DVD! I’ll definitely be looking out for releases of subsequent seasons!

It’s a joy to finally be able to watch The Rockford Files with a high-quality picture. We only had a cheesy 13” B&W TV in the house back when it was first on, and since then I’ve only seen it on cable TV with the usually grainy picture. Adding insult to injury, later syndicated versions, most notably when A&E was running them a few years ago, had chopped out a few minutes of the show to fit modern running times for one-hour programming. The original running times (typically 47-48 minutes) have such short commercial breaks that you barely have time for a bathroom break before the show’s back on!

It’s always amazed me how the show was a veritable percolator for up-and-coming Hollywood talent who went on the become regulars in later TV series or otherwise get industry recognition. Someone definitely had an eye for talent! In the first season alone there was Lindsey Wagner, James Woods, Abe Vigoda, Sharon Gless, Jill Clayburg, Suzanne Somers, Joan Van Arc, Paul Michael Glaser, Shelly Faberes, Ned Beatty, Pricilla Pointer, Linda Dano, Gerald McRaney, Mary Frann, Linda Evans, Jackie Cooper, Hector Elizondo, Diana Muldar, Ron Rifkin.

Like most have stated, I’m also disappointed that the pilot was not included. I was especially looking forward to seeing the “original and unedited” version, since all I’ve ever seen is the syndicated version. All the dreary stock footage they added as filler has been discussed, but I’m surprised that no one has mentioned a major faux pas it has right up front.

The pilot obviously did not have the theme song and answering machine opening, so it was added for the two-part syndicated version. So obviously, the message we hear on the answering machine was lifted from another episode. If I recall, it’s Billings from the police station, asking Jim to contribute with the guys at the police station towards a birthday present for Lieutenant Chapman.

Problem is, this being the functioning series opener, the viewers theoretically should not know who Billings or Lieutenant Chapman are, not to mention any of the other series regulars. Adding insult to injury, if memory serves, neither Billings nor Chapman appear in this episode!


David VP wrote:
It’s a must-have for any Rockford fan. (I just noticed that I can’t find it since we moved! Hope it didn’t accidentally get “purged.”) It has great behind-the-scenes tidbits, like, if I recall:
  • There was some tension between Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins that lead to Huggin’s departing the series after the first season.
  • James Garner insisted his good friend Juanita Bartlett be a part of production, and she is credited as producer and perhaps other titles, but functionally she really didn’t do much of anything.
  • Often in the first season you’ll see John Thomas James credited as writing the screenplay or other functions. This is actually a pseudonym for Roy Huggins, who did not want his name to appear on the screen in credits more than once. The pseudonym is the first names of his three sons.
  • All the years of long hours and doing his own stunts took its toll on James Garner, and he was in a pretty bad way by the time the sixth season rolled around, and it shows on the screen. You can see the physical action was scaled back dramatically. It’s most noticeable – almost painfully so - in the episode where Kathryn Harrold returns as Jim’s blind psychiatrist girlfriend. Lots of sitting around in the car reminiscing and rehashing their failed relationship, with the case being wrapped up all nice and tidy at the last minute, practically in a matter of seconds.

I dug up this link, and interview with Stephen J. Cannell; in the the first part of it he talks about The Rockford Files.

http://www.modestyarbor.com/stephenjcannell2.html

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 

Jeff#

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,942

I don't know where you read that. Roy Huggins has often said in interviews that he helped get TV series off the ground during their first seasons, and then he leaves to work on other projects before the 2nd seasons begin. Examples of that included Maverick (where William T. Orr was Executive Producer), The Virginian, Thr Fugitive (Quinn Martin was Executive Producer), and Run For Your Life. It was on Ben Gazzara's series RFYL where Huggins first wrote scripts as John Thomas James.
 

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Moderator
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 5, 1999
Messages
6,818
Location
Corpus Christi, TX
Real Name
Wayne
I’m pretty sure it was in Ed Robertson’s book. That’s what I remember, at least. I could be wrong; as noted, I can’t locate the book right now to confirm or disprove it. I suppose if there were tension between them that could have been separate from Huggins leaving, if it was his MO to "set 'em up and leave."

Edit - forgot to mention Roger Davis, earlier of Alias Smith and Jones fame.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 

Jeff#

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,942
You mean The Big Valley. ;) And she goes back further than that. When Linda Evens was still a natural brunette and a teenager, she played one of Kelly's classmates in an episode of the sitcom Bachelor Father in 1961. It was a minor role and the only one she appeared in, but that was the first time she worked with series star John Forsythe. It was 20 years before Dynasty.
 

MattHR

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 9, 2001
Messages
1,664
Season Two was announced today on tvshowsondvd.com.
http://tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=5127

Gord and/or Dave: We REALLY need you to use your contacts at Universal to remind them the pilot was not included in their Season One release. There is room for it to be included in the S2 release. It would be nice to finally get a response from them regarding the missing pilot, and what, if anything, they plan on doing about it.
 

Dan*T

Supporting Actor
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
537
I agree, we would all like to know what happened to the pilot.
I am very excited about the Season two release announcement!!
Hopefully season three will follow shortly after.
:emoji_thumbsup:
 

MattHR

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 9, 2001
Messages
1,664
Just a refresher in the case of the missing Rockford Files pilot:

(1) The original 74 minute pilot was released by Universal on VHS.
(2) The recently-released R2 S1 set does contain the pilot (in its "reworked" 2-part syndication version).
(3) The 2-part version has been running in syndication regularly since the show ended over 20 years ago.

Let's assume (since Universal has given us no explanation) the pilot's omission from the R1 Season One set was an oversight and unintentional. What is intentional is Universal's refusal to even acknowledge the situation.

I hope we can keep the pressure on them to provide the pilot on DVD soon. At this point, I'd even accept the 2-part syndication version. At the very least, I think we are owed an explanation. If it's something like a rights issue, then a short statement would suffice. To continue to ignore the issue is a complete insult to their consumers, not to mention highly unprofessional. Unfortunately, it's behavior we've come to expect from Universal.
 

MattHR

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 9, 2001
Messages
1,664
Tvshowsondvd.com just posted the art for S2:
http://tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=5135

I do like it a bit better than S1. Here's a quote from an earlier posting of mine from this thread (regarding S1):


Do you notice any similarities? Probably just a coincidence. I can't imagine they'd actually consider my idea...


edit: fixed links -- combined images
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,710
Messages
5,121,138
Members
144,146
Latest member
SaladinNagasawa
Recent bookmarks
0
Top