TV on DVD news roundup (1 Viewer)

[darkrock17]

Bob is a great guy, but I'd rather have 92 episodes of Jack by himself.

 

[Scamp]

facebook.com/tvshowsondvd/posts/10156717316966063 …

Well, I am thrilled to see the 6 seasons of Dragons:Race to the Edge are being released although it would have been nice to have them all release before the 3rd film hit theaters.

 

[MartinP.]

In looking into this a bit further...the Jack Benny set comes in three volumes.

--The first volume (5 discs) are the 10 Jack Benny Specials plus the Tribute Special.

--The second volume (3 discs) is all of the 18 episodes in Shout's release The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes collection.

--The third volume (4 discs) contains 39 episodes, 32 of which are the Jack Benny Program and 7 are other programs he appeared on. Mill Creek has a collection available listing 39 episodes which appears to be the same as this. Reviews on Amazon say the quality of it isn't so good, I wonder if this one will be the same.

______________

I have the Lost Episodes Collection already. I'd like the specials, but if the quality of the Third Volume isn't any better than what the Mill Creek collection is, you can buy that for $16 or so.

 

[darkrock17]

In looking into this a bit further...the Jack Benny set comes in three volumes.

--The first volume (5 discs) are the 10 Jack Benny Specials plus the Tribute Special.

--The second volume (3 discs) is all of the 18 episodes in Shout's release The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes collection.

--The third volume (4 discs) contains 39 episodes, 32 of which are the Jack Benny Program and 7 are other programs he appeared on. Mill Creek has a collection available listing 39 episodes which appears to be the same as this. Reviews on Amazon say the quality of it isn't so good, I wonder if this one will be the same.

______________

I have the Lost Episodes Collection already. I'd like the specials, but if the quality of the Third Volume isn't any better than what the Mill Creek collection is, you can buy that for $16 or so.

I saw that as well, Why would Time Life re-release poor quality PD episodes? This is Time Life were talking about, like Shout, they do their best to restore shows to the best of their ability and then add hours of features as well.

 

[rmw650]

I saw that as well, Why would Time Life re-release poor quality PD episodes? This is Time Life were talking about, like Shout, they do their best to restore shows to the best of their ability and then add hours of features as well.

Really hard to figure out what TL does anymore with these releases, such as their futile attempt to sell the entire series of The 3 Stooges that already was made available for months and months on time...just another money grab by TL is how I'm looking at this and then figuring this is TL as well, how this might get distributed through the retail sector like they've been doing with the Roasts, Carol Burnett show and a host of other releases they made in the past via exclusives and such. Good set but I'll pass on this UNLESS they can make that first volume with the TV specials and tributes available separately at a reasonable cost, then I'm in.

 

[BobO'Link]

I saw that as well, Why would Time Life re-release poor quality PD episodes? This is Time Life were talking about, like Shout, they do their best to restore shows to the best of their ability and then add hours of features as well.

Once upon a time I would have agreed with this. However their latest 3 Stooges release appears to be nothing but a repackage of previously released material. Reports are they didn't even bother to change the original menus and nothing was remastered. Some of that material was originally a MC release. I have all the prior releases that make up the two TL packages and spent less than half what TL wants for their versions. Based on that release there's no way I'll purchase this one before finding out exactly what's been done.

 

[John*Wells]

https://www.facebook.com/tvshowsondvd/posts/10156733152321063

 

[MattPeriolat]

https://www.facebook.com/tvshowsondvd/posts/10156733152321063

The big news here is Universal getting Rocky and Bullwinkle back out. They picked up the rights after the Classic Media purchase. Hopefully the sales are there to justify getting more Classic Media material either re-released or released period. For example, anyone who wants Lone Ranger or any future Lassie releases, since they were Classic and are now Universal should be paying attention here.

 

[darkrock17]

The big news here is Universal getting Rocky and Bullwinkle back out. They picked up the rights after the Classic Media purchase. Hopefully the sales are there to justify getting more Classic Media material either re-released or released period. For example, anyone who wants Lone Ranger or any future Lassie releases, since they were Classic and are now Universal should be paying attention here.

I was excited about this upcoming re-release but was quickly disappointed that it's the same set released before. Why did Tiffany Ward, Jay Ward's daughter agree or allow for the series to now be called Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends? Why not keep it they way it was shown originally as Rocky & His Friends for the first two seasons and for the last three as The Bullwinkle Show and collectively call the entire series The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show as most people know the show by this name.

Also why did Bullwinkle Studios and Sony change the openings. Here is what on the DVD's.

This is from season 1.



This is from season 2.



Here are the originals for both of those seasons when it went by Rocky & His Friends were it aired weekday afternoons on ABC. The series was produced in color, but from 1959-1961 not everyone could afford color TV's though.

Original season 1, note the music is different for both opening and closing than what the used on the DVD's.



Original season 2, the same music season 1 is used again.



Now comes season 3 where the show moved to prime time in the fall of 1961 on NBC were it was the lead-in to Walt Disney's Wonderful World Of Color. It was during this season that a Bullwinkle puppet was used for the first couple of episodes as a host between the segments, usually making lots of jokes about the sponsors, the network, and even Walt Disney himself.

Original season 3 with the puppet intro.



The same intro minus the puppet, this from the syndicated version of series from The Program Exchange seen in the 80's and 90's. Notice that the "The" is missing from Bullwinkle's hat.



The Puppet host ended when it told kids to pull the knobs of their TV's so that they wouldn't miss the next week's episode. NBC was flooded with calls and letters that kids had done just what the puppet told them and we'll the puppet's time was up. The next week the puppet told the kids to glue the knobs back in and a few episodes after that the puppet was discontinued.

It was during it's time on NBC that the now famous Broadway style theme music was used. The theme was used earlier in the 15 minute syndicated series called The Rocky Show in 1960, it was done in a parade style tempo.



From the examples I've provided, I want to know what made Bullwinkle Studios and Sony to change it for the DVD release? Was their a license issue with the original music? Did they think that for some reason or another that Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends sounded like a better name?

 

[Gary16]

I was excited about this upcoming re-release but was quickly disappointed that it's the same set released before. Why did Tiffany Ward, Jay Ward's daughter agree or allow for the series to now be called Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends? Why not keep it they way it was shown originally as Rocky & His Friends for the first two seasons and for the last three as The Bullwinkle Show and collectively call the entire series The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show as most people know the show by this name.

Also why did Bullwinkle Studios and Sony change the openings. Here is what on the DVD's.

This is from season 1.



This is from season 2.



Here are the originals for both of those seasons when it went by Rocky & His Friends were it aired weekday afternoons on ABC. The series was produced in color, but from 1959-1961 not everyone could afford color TV's though.

Original season 1, note the music is different for both opening and closing than what the used on the DVD's.



Original season 2, the same music season 1 is used again.



Now comes season 3 where the show moved to prime time in the fall of 1961 on NBC were it was the lead-in to Walt Disney's Wonderful World Of Color. It was during this season that a Bullwinkle puppet was used for the first couple of episodes as a host between the segments, usually making lots of jokes about the sponsors, the network, and even Walt Disney himself.

Original season 3 with the puppet intro.



The same intro minus the puppet, this from the syndicated version of series from The Program Exchange seen in the 80's and 90's. Notice that the "The" is missing from Bullwinkle's hat.



The Puppet host ended when it told kids to pull the knobs of their TV's so that they wouldn't miss the next week's episode. NBC was flooded with calls and letters that kids had done just what the puppet told them and we'll the puppet's time was up. The next week the puppet told the kids to glue the knobs back in and a few episodes after that the puppet was discontinued.

It was during it's time on NBC that the now famous Broadway style theme music was used. The theme was used earlier in the 15 minute syndicated series called The Rocky Show in 1960, it was done in a parade style tempo.



From the examples I've provided, I want to know what made Bullwinkle Studios and Sony to change it for the DVD release? Was their a license issue with the original music? Did they think that for some reason or another that Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends sounded like a better name?

The explanation I read was that Jay Ward didn’t want to keep paying Frank Comstock for the music so he had the new music recorded. It ran that way on the air too so it was not changed for the dvd. I’m disappointed they didn’t go back to the original music (maybe they tried but it was too high for the budget).

 

[darkrock17]

The explanation I read was that Jay Ward didn’t want to keep paying Frank Comstock for the music so he had the new music recorded. It ran that way on the air too so it was not changed for the dvd. I’m disappointed they didn’t go back to the original music (maybe they tried but it was too high for the budget).

Where did you read that about Frank Comstock? If that is true then why was Fred Steiner's Broadway style theme changed as well? His theme is most associated with this series.

 

[Mark Y]

Do not be confused about the Jack Benny set.

The 68 episodes includes:
All 10 of Jack’s hour-long color television specials.
50 hilarious episodes of The Jack Benny Program.
Plus 7 other programs starring Jack!
Plus 1, A Love Letter to Jack Benny, a tribute to Jack hosted by his funniest friends.

The "92 episodes" set includes the 68 episodes above,
but the extra 24 (to make it 92) are all Bob Hope specials.

"Plus Thanks For the Memories: The Bob Hope Specials 10 DVD collection, featuring:
24 Bob Hope Specials."

They're gonna start that again...cue the confusing multiple versions of the same stuff.

It's great that these are being released though!

 

[Gary16]

Where did you read that about Frank Comstock? If that is true then why was Fred Steiner's Broadway style theme changed as well? His theme is most associated with this series.

In the book "The Moose That Roared -- The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, Flying Squirrel and a Talking Moose" by Keith Scott (July 2000) pages 336-337:
"In 1961 [Fred Steiner] wrote the music for NBC's Bullwinkle Show. General Mills had requested all-new themes for the cartoons; Jay
Ward wanted new music as well, so he could control future publishing rights; Comstock's deal had allowed the composer to retain rights through Criterion Music. Skip Craig said, "Coincidentally, Steiner had actually conducted the Mexican orchestra when Comstock's music was recorded back in 1959."

 

[Mark Y]

The explanation I read was that Jay Ward didn’t want to keep paying Frank Comstock for the music so he had the new music recorded. It ran that way on the air too so it was not changed for the dvd. I’m disappointed they didn’t go back to the original music (maybe they tried but it was too high for the budget).

I note the same tune used on the individual R&B cartoons for the NBC airings was redubbed onto the Seasons 1 and 2 show openings for DVD. I am under the impression all those changes were made for an internationally distributed (outside the U.S.) version of the show in the late 1990s.

One of the closings -- the Season 2 one with the hourglass -- shows up in two different versions on the DVDs (depending on the show), one with a 1960 copyright date and the other dated 1997. I think one or two lines of dialogue are different as well.

General Mills (the sponsor) owns the U.S. TV rights to the shows "in perpetuity," and apparently owns the configurations of the shows that were in syndication. (DFS Program Exchange is out of business, right? What has become of the shows they distributed?) I believe it's likely that this has something to do with the "rebranding" of the show, to make it distinct from the U.S. syndicated versions.

The word "the" is (annoyingly) missing from the final shot of the post-1990 Bullwinkle Show opening because it was freeze-framed to replace the 1961 copyright notice with a 1987 one, and in the original footage, the word "the" appears simultaneously with the copyright notice. However, it was left untouched in one (but only one) episode -- I think one of the "Jet Formula" ones.

For years the official party line was that "Stokey The Bear" had been destroyed, then not only does it pop up on DVD, but all along, clips of it had been used as bumpers on "Dudley Do Right And Friends."

It would be really cool if "Hoppity Hooper" could get a legit release. But that doesn't seem too likely.

 

[darkrock17]

In the book "The Moose That Roared -- The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, Flying Squirrel and a Talking Moose" by Keith Scott (July 2000) pages 336-337:
"In 1961 [Fred Steiner] wrote the music for NBC's Bullwinkle Show. General Mills had requested all-new themes for the cartoons; Jay
Ward wanted new music as well, so he could control future publishing rights; Comstock's deal had allowed the composer to retain rights through Criterion Music. Skip Craig said, "Coincidentally, Steiner had actually conducted the Mexican orchestra when Comstock's music was recorded back in 1959."

That explains Comstock's score being replaced on season's 1 & 2 DVD, but what about Steiner, though why did Bullwinkle Studio and Sony replace him as well for season's 3-5 DVD's?

 

[dana martin]

and for a moment there i was excited about Rocky and Bullwinkle, but now, i guess i will just have to live with the original complete series release.

would have been nice to see Universal put forth a little effort in to releasing this correctly, instead of the syndicated prints. This had the potential to mach WB's great work on Popeye The 40's Vol 1. , but not from what is being discussed.


at least i have the promise that Jonny Quest is getting the proper treatment

 

[darkrock17]

and for a moment there i was excited about Rocky and Bullwinkle, but now, i guess i will just have to live with the original complete series release.

would have been nice to see Universal put forth a little effort in to releasing this correctly, instead of the syndicated prints. This had the potential to mach WB's great work on Popeye The 40's Vol 1. , but not from what is being discussed.

The 100% Complete Bull-winkle set wasn't 100% complete as every episode was around 22 minutes, 3 minutes are missing per episode.

This is why companies like Shout Factory should be in charge of these classic series, they would've put in the time and effort to restore this show to how it was originally broadcast.

 

[Randy Korstick]

The 100% Complete Bull-winkle set wasn't 100% complete as every episode was around 22 minutes, 3 minutes are missing per episode.

This is why companies like Shout Factory should be in charge of these classic series, they would've put in the time and effort to restore this show to how it was originally broadcast.

Not always Shout has many TV show blemishes on their record and a few Animated shows. Underdog was released as incomplete 17 minute episodes and Tennessee Tuxedo was not even put together as episodes just all broken up as a huge mix of cartoons. Shout can only release what the studios give them and then do some additional clean up and special features. So them getting shows from WAC or the Bullwinkle shows does not mean they will be complete unless the studio provides them with complete episodes.

 

[Neil Brock]

Anybody ever think that the fact the R&B is public domain has something to do with all of this? Maybe because of that they felt the need to create new versions of the shows which they then could try to register for copyright?

 

[bmasters9]

Shout can only release what the studios give them and then do some additional clean up and special features. So them getting shows from WAC or the Bullwinkle shows does not mean they will be complete unless the studio provides them with complete episodes.

So basically what you're saying is, it's not all Shout!'s fault-- the studio is somewhat to blame as well?