Blu-ray Review The Rockford Files: The Complete Series Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Randy Korstick]

This show was filmed on 35mm film. The 70's shows shot on videotape were mainly studio audience sitcoms, Soap operas, talk shows and game shows.

I have watched 2 episodes and I can concur this is night and day difference over the DVDs. This looks much better than Knight Rider which I also have.

 

[Patrick*R]

I created a DVD vs Blu-ray comparison video from the Season 4 episode "Quickie Nirvana." I used the earlier Universal DVD.

 

[Patrick*R]

Here are some screenshots. They're not exactly the same, but they'll work for comparison purposes. The HD images are pillarboxed. In the second set of images, Garner's face seems more saturated, yet softer in the Blu-ray. In motion, the Blu-ray looks better than the DVD, but there's something funny going on. Heavy DNR? Excessive compression?

 

[Randy Korstick]

Screen shots never actually capture what something looks like in motion. But to me the color and detail is much better and more natural in your blu pillar boxed captures. I never liked the overly dark look of the DVD's

 

[smithbrad]

Screen shots never actually capture what something looks like in motion. But to me the color and detail is much better and more natural in your blu pillar boxed captures. I never liked the overly dark look of the DVD's

Especially, when they aren't full size. When i copy the blu-ray capture it turns out to only be a resolution of 1024x581, which is much smaller than the true image. And the DVD capture is 720x540. To even have a chance of making an informed comparison the images have to be at their original sizes.

 

[bigshot]

The DVD looks like it has contrast boosting going on. That makes the face seem more defined, but it also pushes all of the highlights out of his jacket

 

[ilconsigliere66]

Hi guys. I bought the 34 disc DVD from Universal, and the Blu-ray 22 disc from Mills Creek, just to compare...and yes, there is no comparison. Don't know what the reviewer from Bluray.com was thinking about, but everything in life is a matter of comparison. You can't compare some blu-rays that have not been remastered from 4K or anything like that, to blu-rays of movies from the 2000's, or to Lawrence of Arabia. This is a series from the 70's. And it looks awesome in blu-ray.
By the way, the only blu-ray my wife has been mesmerized with (and she has seen a lot), is Lawrence of Arabia. She said: "OMG, that movie looks beautiful". Rockford in blu-ray is not that, but again, is great!

 

[Jay*W]

Love the hidden detail of the phone book ad on the bottom of the box.

 

[ilconsigliere66]

TCM (Turner Classic Movies) has it for $43.05:

http://shop.tcm.com/the-rockford-files-the-complete-series/683904632869

 

[Hank E]

Someone on blu-ray.com is saying that seasons 1 and 2 of this set have been "remastered" and quietly snuck out in newer versions of this set. Is anyone aware of this? Go to the site and read the last user review.

 

[Blimpoy06]

I wasn't aware that a new master was needed. I've watch the first 10 episodes of season 1 and I am quite happy. I don't recall any issues grabbing my attention.

 

[Wiseguy]

This will hopefully clear up some of the questions about the original version of the pilot to The Rockford Files and the longer syndicated version which is titled "Backlash of the Hunter." Be forewarned that there may be some spoilers here.

The pilot aired as an NBC television movie on March 27, 1974. It appears as a special feature on Season Two of the Universal Region 1 DVD set. It was not an episode of The Rockford Files so it does not have the iconic opening with the theme music and the still photos of Jim Rockford that we are used to. The title of the pilot is simply "The Rockford Files." When the show went into syndication the pilot was edited into two parts and was re-titled "Backlash of the Hunter," which is how it appears on the Blu-ray and Region 2 DVD set.

[...]

And that is how a 90-minute pilot was turned into a two-hour, two-part episode.

This is true for the most part assuming the 90-minute version is the original. Although I do not have the DVDs or Blu-Rays, I do have the VHS version which I have been told is the version on the Region 1 DVDs. This is NOT the original version. The most obvious change is the theme music is re-recorded (stereo?). The original had the same recording as the first-season episodes. Also they tried to make it look like a movie with no commercial breaks. The "space" between acts were removed and in some cases, the act-ending and next-act-opening music was removed. And in one case the act was shortened: originally, after Angel tells Sara he and Rockford were in the pen together, the camera focused on Lindsay Wagner's face in a freeze frame while a piece of music played. On the VHS, the entire freeze frame was removed and the next act begins immediately with the opening music of the next act also removed. Ironically, this was left intact on the 2-part version even though no commercial was placed there. The final music at the end in the Las Vegas jail is not the same as in the syndicated episodes so I would assume that is new music also. Having only seen the original once when NBC reran it in 1976 and not having seen the original "This Case Is Closed" I would have bought the DVDs just to see the original versions after seeing the syndicated versions so often.

As a side note on the 2-part version, for some reason Stuart Margolin is not credited.

 

[bmasters9]

That doorbell was my copy being delivered! I've not yet opened it, but do like that the bottom of the box bears a large reproduction of Rockford's business card!

One thing I wonder-- why does the Blu all-in-one have that business card facsimile, while the DVD doesn't?

 

[revgen]

Someone on blu-ray.com is saying that seasons 1 and 2 of this set have been "remastered" and quietly snuck out in newer versions of this set. Is anyone aware of this? Go to the site and read the last user review.

I sent an e-mail to Mill Creek to confirm if there are replacement discs. This is their response.

Dan,

This is not true. We are aware of a thread on blu-ray.com and someone thinking there was a re-release or difference in quality. There have been multiple DVD releases of Rockford by Universal. We released Season 1 and 2 on DVD in July 2016 and the complete on DVD and blu in June 2017.

It’s hard to guess how someone thinks they are seeing a difference without any supporting information but I can confirm we have only released these products once and with no updates or re-releases.

The masters used for all seasons of the blu-ray were HD and provided by Universal to us.

As fans of the show ourselves, we worked to provide the best high-definition experience at an amazing value.

We hope you enjoy your set and have a great weekend!

 

[William Ferguson]

I finally got to take a quick look at the new Blu-Ray set. They got a lot right about the set but they made a HORRIBLE decision that I can't believe that no one is talking about. Indeed, it seems that no one has even noticed. Rather than transfer the opening credits for each episode, Mill Creek simply chose to take the video portion of the first episode answering machine portion and use that for all episodes. The audio stays the same. The length of the answering machine messages vary minutely. So, they have to tinker with the video to stretch it out or shorten it. The audio portion stays the same. It's a really bizarre decision as it's only about 13 seconds of video. It can't have saved them much money considering they still needed someone to tinker with the video to make sure it lined up with the audio of the answering machine message. The video footage of the answering machine segment changed about midway through the season. So, in effect, it means that all episodes from that point on are edited and are not the original broadcast versions.

 

[Scott511]

That sucks, but can't say I'm surprised, as that's SOP for so many TV releases.

In the ABC broadcasts of the 2nd season of The Greatest American Hero two versions of Believe It Or Not were used, only one is heard on the DVD/Blu ray sets. Also that same year Michael Pare' & Faye Grant were added to the opening credits, then a bit later the same season Don Cervantes was added. However only the early 2nd season credits are on all the sets, so without the 2nd version the Cervantes credit has been eliminated from the later 2nd season episodes.

Finally in the 3rd season an alternate version never heard before of Believe It Or Not was used for The Newlywed Game, of course that's not on any of the sets either.

I agree it makes no sense to do that with Rockford, then have to manipulate the footage to make it work. Just use the credits as seen in every darn episode!?!

 

[bmasters9]

Indeed, it seems that no one has even noticed. Rather than transfer the opening credits for each episode, Mill Creek simply chose to take the video portion of the first episode answering machine portion and use that for all episodes.

That's not the only release that's done that-- Imavision's original Little House seasonals had one opening for the whole disc on each of the discs; they probably thought that viewers wanted to get right to the story (cut to the chase, as it were), and so they just used the standard-form opening of that 1974-83 NBC series as a disc-wide opening, IIRC.

 

[commander richardson]

Hi guys. I bought the 34 disc DVD from Universal, and the Blu-ray 22 disc from Mills Creek, just to compare...and yes, there is no comparison. Don't know what the reviewer from Bluray.com was thinking about, but everything in life is a matter of comparison. You can't compare some blu-rays that have not been remastered from 4K or anything like that, to blu-rays of movies from the 2000's, or to Lawrence of Arabia. This is a series from the 70's. And it looks awesome in blu-ray.
By the way, the only blu-ray my wife has been mesmerized with (and she has seen a lot), is Lawrence of Arabia. She said: "OMG, that movie looks beautiful". Rockford in blu-ray is not that, but again, is great!

and what about ENGLISH SUB-TITLES ?????????? are there any ????? you make no mention as to whether there are any so I presume they have been included so is that the correct ???????????

 

[ilconsigliere66]

No subtitles whatsoever, and it is a shame. I'd have like that too. So if they are a must for anyone, you will be better off with the Universal DVD's. I don't know why they did that. I can't think it would have been too expensive to add/keep the subtitles from Universal.

 

[commander richardson]

No subtitles whatsoever, and it is a shame. I'd have like that too. So if they are a must for anyone, you will be better off with the Universal DVD's. I don't know why they did that. I can't think it would have been too expensive to add/keep the subtitles from Universal.

MANY THANKS for your reply and so quickly too........I have the DVD set so will not be buying the BD set which I would have done...