The Man From UNCLE?? (1 Viewer)

[Richard Gallagher]

That's what I'm thinking. If Deep Discount prices it at the usual 30% off, that's about $140. Knock off another 20% during the sale and you're looking at $112.

 

[Mike*HTF]

I could easily live without the briefcase if that would knock $20 or so off the MSRP.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Picture quality is excellent; Time Life did the series proud. I just wish the writing held up as well (Hey, it was great when I was 11!).

 

[BobSchneider]

Yes while the brief case is cool it not very durable.Its the excellent over all quality of the series set and the extras that make this set worth buy. And yes while the writting in quite a few the stories especially in the thrid season are way way too campy for there own good, and sense 99% of the TMFU was shot on MGM's back lot there alot repetition of same sets, back lot streets so at times the show feels very repetive and caned and dont hold up well. But the good episodes are alots of fun to watch (ie s1, s2, and s4 are best in my books) but dont come to TMFU, expecting high serious drama (ie like I Spy or Secret Agent/Danger man could provide) I would compare it to roger moore's The Saint or even Wild Wild West. Over all Im glad I spend the 150.00 on the used set.

PS btw mike*htf love the pat m. photo in your posts I take it your a fan of the Danger Man/ Secret Agent/ Prisoner too, very kool. Be seeing you.

 

[Professor_Echo]

Far be it from me to sound like one of those people who are never satisfied, you know, the people you rarely see on forums such as these , but I still believe that the Time-Life price for this set was a bit out of line. And I got the set as a Christmas gift!

I think including the complete single season of THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E. would have been an appropriate extra, especially since it has little potential of being a successful sell-alone item anytime soon. Or a CD soundtrack of some of the music would have been nice. I even thought they should have included the PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES tie-in episode "Say Uncle" which featured both Vaughn and McCallum. Or how about ALL of the UNCLE compiled feature films instead of just one?

I agree that it is a great set as is, but for $60-plus per season, including a HALF season, I think they could have thrown in a few more goodies to sweeten the pot and put that nickel and dime they spent on the cereal box cardboard packaging to better use.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

Thank you.
Lot's of stuff was "great" when I was 11 too! ;-)

 

[Kenneth V]

I watched the first 3 episodes from season 3 and found them to be enjoyable. Not as good as seasons 1 and 2, but not terrible either.

 

[BobSchneider]

No I agree s3 isnt terrible , just there are a few really god awful episodes like the "gorilla affair" and several others that you will groan at the batmanesque campy writing and really bad acting that hurt MTFU s3 ratings and setup the stage for it cancelation mid s4. :frowning:

 

[Mike*HTF]

Bob's earlier post comparing season 3 to something more like The Saint or Wild, Wild West is right on the mark to me. The problem (if there is one) is the change of tone in the series. I think the campyness hurt U.N.C.L.E. (and Batman for that matter) but I imagine from a production point of view, it must have been a tough call. I can see why producers (albeit mistakenly) would choose this as a strategy to try to keep their shows fresh and popular.

Although I enjoy the entire run, the comparative seriousness of the first season is still my favorite (after Danger Man, of course!).

 

[BobSchneider]

Yes I agree with you mike my first two complete tv series I collect on dvd was prisoner and secret agent. Im a huge secret agent/danger man fan, I also have the all 30min danger man episodes too. It was one of the few shows that I love as a kid (john drake was the King of Cool in my book) that even got better as a adult . I never remember watching re runs of TMFU as a kid just, Secret Agent , WWW and I Spy. Of TMFU seasons I like seasons 1 2 and 4 the best in that order s3 is last due to 5 or 6 really silly over the top campy episodes and really bad acting on the part of some of the guest stars. Althought, I really hated s4 opening theme music they really screwed it up . TMFU is fun and Im glad I have the series and glad I got the christmas steal 150.00 for my pristine used set . It just TMFU very different series than Secret Agent or I Spy which I agree with you are shows I like better.

 

[Sam Favate]

The extras are great. There are, I believe, 6 discs dedicated to extra material (including the full color pilot, "Solo"). Lots of nice, present-day interviews with folks from the show too.

The briefcase is okay. It's a cool little thing to have, but some folks reported that they arrived a bit bent. It comes in a sturdy outer cardboard packaging to guard against damage. But it's still cardboard. If Solo and Kuryakin were using this to transport important materials, it wouldn't have survived a dunk in the water or a smack to a Thrush agent's head.

 

[BobO'Link]

Does anyone know if the seasons will be available outside the box? I purchased season 1 a while back to see if it were a good as I remembered (it was). I would like to get the other 3 seasons but don't care about the extra 2 bonus material disks nor do I want the hassle of a double-dip and getting rid of season 1.

 

[RonboJin]

Ummmm...Film Score Monthly has already done a masterful job of 4 cd compilations of the original tracks (a total of seven discs!). Jon Burlingame has done a superlative job on the booklets. Real fans will not be disappointed!

Here's volume one:
MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. VOL. 1 (1964-1968) FSM -- SCREEN ARCHIVES ENTERTAINMENT

Here's volume two:
MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. VOL. 2 (1964-68) FSM -- SCREEN ARCHIVES ENTERTAINMENT

Here's volume three (includes Girl from UNCLE tracks):
MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Vol. 3 (+The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. 1964-1968) FSM -- SCREEN ARCHIVES ENTERTAINMENT

Here's the UNCLE movies disc:
THE SPY WITH MY FACE: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. MOVIES -- SCREEN ARCHIVES ENTERTAINMENT

BTW, here's the link to all four volumes in a special deal:
MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. FOUR CD SET -- SCREEN ARCHIVES ENTERTAINMENT

I give these my highest recommendation!

RJ

 

[Kenneth V]

I also have all 4 soundtracks! A great value! Great music and well worth getting. If you liked any of the music from the series, than get these soundtracks. Each volume is 2 CDs. The movies soundtrack is 1 CD.

 

[Sky Captain]

No, they will be sold as is in complete box sets.

 

[Sumnernor]

I just (finally) received "UNCLE" today. As usually, Amazon does a good job in packing and the case was unharmed. FYI, there are english subtitles which was a question I had asked earlier and thank goodness NOT CC.

 

[Largo]

I received my boxed set from Deep Discount the day before the street date. However, I was appalled at the amount of white specks and dirt on the first season film elements. I'm only up to disc 4, unfortunately, but this is due to my duress over this lack of complete remastering by Warner. The soundtrack for the "The Double Affair" on disc 3 is absolutely atrocious and is muddy and distorted throughout the whole episode -- not to mention the incredible extra amount of film debris seen here. I need a drink! :frowning:

 

[JeffT.]

Somehow Warner Brothers Home Entertainment has achieved an undeserved reputation for being one of the most highly regarded DVD distributors of film and tv series which (at least from my own experience) is totally undeserved and overated. Every online DVD review I have read only confirms this!

With the exception of a handful of 1950s Allied Artists SF B-films I honestly don't think that any DVD product that I have personally bought from this company has ever been improved upon pertaining to the source elements that were used (ie. the recent shabby DVD release of THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY).

And just recently a totally pointless online questions-and-answers session was held with some of the Warner company representatives pertaining to their tv series properties and I for the life of me can't recall anything that was of importance or of interest that was discussed. Considering that the vast majority of members here are adults who wants to hear about stupid cartoons all the time? That's all they ever ask about!

The truth be known Warner Brothers doesn't have any really worthwhile tv series that would be commercially viable any way as it has already played out its most notable titles (ie. THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, F-TROOP, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.). Most of the television properties Warner Brothers has ownership of just won't sell in today's market.

And a similar online discussion of their extensive vintage film library which certainly has much more to offer is continually being indefinitely delayed.

I always hear about the considerable expense and work involved in complete restoration and remastering particularly of the older film and tv series properties but other major DVD distribution companies really don't seen to have any problem in responsibly satisfactorily handling this matter (ie. the VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, THE TIME TUNNEL and LAND OF GIANTS tv series, ICONS OF HORROR: THE HAMMER FILMS).

I have been reading with interest the online DVD reviews and consumers' reports of (now) classic tv series like THE DONNA REED SHOW, FATHER KNOWS BEST and ROUTE 66 and in the wake of the consistently poor assessments as absolutely no restoration work has been done on any of these as well I have wisely passed up on most of this useless stuff.

I have been vigorously lobbying for a Bowery Boys film release but in the light of Warner Brothers' generally non-effort in most of its DVD releases I really have to wonder if it is worth the bother.

If Warner Brothers Home Entertainment is (laughingly) supposed to be one of the very best in marketing quality produced DVDs I really wouldn't want to see the worst!

Jeff T.

 

[BobSchneider]

Well I got a used time life set December of last year for a steal deal of 140.00. Yes S1 black and white captures are nothing spectacular there nowhere as bad as the second half of S2 of Have gun will travel, now thats unwatchable saddly so bad I wont blind buy season three HGWT with out view it first. Yes S1 isnt great but form what I understand there were too many prints of S1 to work with and they used the best that were available.

 

[FrosteyV]

I don't know if I can agree with this. I honestly think that Cheyenne, Maverick, Lawman, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside Six, Sugarfoot, Bronco, Colt .45, and Bourbon Street Beat are all potentially very viable series if just given a chance.