Ultimate TV Westerns 150 Movie Pk * One Step Beyond Mill Creek DVD's ANY REVIEWS? (1 Viewer)

[Chas_Michael]

Hello there,

any reviews for the latest Mill Creek DVD boxes of Ultimate TV Westerns 150 Movie Pk and the One Step Beyond 50 show box?

comparisons to what is already out there in the PD DVD world?

 

[Gary OS]

I'll be more than willing to share my thoughts as soon as my set arrives. It's in the mail via Amazon.com and should reach my doorstep by this weekend. Since I own quite a few Alpha westerns and other PD released westerns, I should be able to give some type of appropriate review.

Gary "perhaps others will receive the set before me and give us some good info in the next day or two" O.

 

[Chas_Michael]

thanks, looking forward to your review!

 

[docdoowop]

I've only just cracked the box but the Annie Oakley shows are what you would expect, quality-wise. Some visual noise and darkness to the picture, but that's forgotten quickly once you get into the shows. The 6 Annie episodes all have full open and closing credits and theme music *except* for one episode which has Annie & Tagg doing a personalized Canada Dry Ginger Ale intro and outro plus two commercials within the program! Packaging is just like Mill Creek's "50 Movie Pack" boxes; twelve two-sided discs in individual sleeves inside a cardboard box.

On a side note, I emailed an appreciation to Mill Creek's marketing department and got this reply:

"Hi Curt,

Thanks for the feedback and support. We plan a Best of TV Detectives
150 Episode Collection later in the year.

Warm regards,

Mill Creek Entertainment
Ian Warfield
President & COO"

Now we get to speculate on the forgotten TV Detective genre. Here's hoping we get Boston Blackie! BTW the "One Step Beyond" box has apparently been delayed, at least through Family Video:

"Hello Curt,

We're sorry to inform you that the following title(s):

Best of One Step Beyond 4 - Disc Set DVD

is still backordered. While most titles arrive in stock within 30 days, some
are more difficult to obtain. Your credit card has not been charged for this
item at this time. We appreciate your business and your patience. We will
continue to monitor your order for an additional 30 days and provide you
with updates as they become available."

 

[Bob Hug]

You just know that this set will have a slew of 1950s "Dragnet" episodes, but it will be interesting to see if Mill Creek adds any "new" episodes that haven't appeared on other PD collections. I'd also bet that we'll see episodes from the Ralph Bellamy series "Man Against Crime" a/k/a "Follow That Man." There are also a few PD episodes of shows like "Richard Diamond" and "Peter Gunn" and I expect that we'll see these as well. But I'm really curious to see what they will come up with for this new set; with 150 episodes, there's bound to be a surprise or two. It's also great that Mill Creek's President took the time to drop you a thank you note.

 

[Gary OS]

I'd fall out of my chair if any "Boston Blackie" episodes were a part of this collection. But I'm not getting my hopes up for such a nice surprise. More than likely the set will include the stuff Bob has mentioned - "Dragnet", "Man Against Crime", "Federal Men", etc... Things that are already available through sources like CC or Alpha.

Gary "I guess we can dare to dream though, can't we" O.

 

[Bob Hug]

I think there's a very good chance that we'll see at least one episode of "Boston Blackie" on this collection for the simple reason that it's being released by Mill Creek, which is the successor to TreeLine Films. TreeLine put out a single disc titled "Crime Stories" several years ago (now out of print) that included (presumably) public domain episodes of shows like "Public Defender," "Mr. & Mrs. North," "Highway Patrol," and a single episode of "Boston Blackie." This same disc also appeared as part of TreeLine's 100 Episodes Megapack, an early DVD compilation of PD TV episodes. So I think that, at least, that one episode of "Boston Blackie" will appear on the set. It's a good episode, too, with a great fight scene near the end that occurs on a bridge, where the middle section of the bridge is elevated during the fight . . . very suspenseful. It's the only episode that I've ever seen from the "Boston Blackie" series. Incidentally, I don't believe that "Highway Patrol" is public domain though, like numerous shows from that era, it's possible that an episode or two might be.

 

[Gary OS]

Very encouraging news, Bob. I'd love to see "Boston Blackie" on this set.

Gary "the pricing for these dvds is usually low enough to make it worth double dipping on episodes I already own if I can get a few new ones" O.

 

[docdoowop]

I've spoken to Mill Creek's Ian Warfield and there will be a 2d "Ultimate TV Westerns" box in the fourth quarter of this year. The current volume is off to the best start the company has had. Expect lots more Roy Rogers.

 

[Bob Hug]

Ah, another one to speculate on as to what might be included . . .

I think it's fairly safe to say that we won't see any more of the following shows on volume 2, simply because each of them have between one and three episodes that are PD:

Bat Masterson (2 eps.)
The Deputy (2 eps.)
Wyatt Earp (1 ep.)
The Rifleman (3 eps.)
Wagon Train (3 eps.)

On the other hand, BCI Eclipse/Brentwood released a similar compilation of PD Western episodes that included a single episode each of "Sugarfoot" and "Stoney Burke" which, I suspect, will appear on this second collection.

I really wish that someone would release "Stoney Burke" officially; it was made by Daystar Productions, the same people behind the original "The Outer Limits" and starred a pre "Hawaii Five-O" Jack Lord in the title role, along with support from Bruce Dern, Warren Oates, and a pre "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" Bob Dowdell. A DVD release through one of the independents is probably the only way this series might see the light of day.

 

[docdoowop]

Agreed, Bob. Stoney Burke would be *very* welcome.

 

[michael_ks]

Though I've never seen it, I'd almost certainly blind buy "Stoney Burke" just for the fact that I admire the talent that was behind Daystar: Leslie Stevens, Dominic Frontiere, Conrad Hall, Leon Chooluck, Jack Poplin and several others. I've always been curious whether the series was somewhat reminiscent of OL in terms of tone and texture.

 

[Bob Hug]

The one “Stoney Burke” episode that has surfaced via Brentwood is titled “Point of Entry” and was actually a pilot for a proposed Daystar series to be called “Border Town” that would have starred Cesare Danova and William Smith as, respectively, Mexican and American policemen in an unnamed border town. Antoinette Bower, a good character actress who did a lot of episodic guest star roles in the 1960s and 1970s, is also in this episode. Some of Dominic Frontiere’s music cues from “Stoney Burke” can be heard in other series like “The Outer Limits” and even “The Rat Patrol.” Conrad Hall’s black & white photography is excellent throughout. Of the show’s principal cast members, only Bruce Dern does not appear in this episode. Watching this single episode is like eating the proverbial potato chip . . . once you see it, you want more.

 

[Chas_Michael]

SO....BACK TO MY ORIGINAL THREAD SUBJECT.

Are there any reviews as to the quality of this set compared to the other PD DVD's OF THE SAME INCLUDED SHOWS?

 

[Chas_Michael]

bump.

Did anyone have an opinion on the quality?

Thanks.

 

[Gary OS]

It's typical PD type stuff. Some of the episodes are decent, some are kinda rough. None are pristine and none are unwatchable. Just a mixed bag.

Gary "but it's still worth having all these different classic westerns, even if they aren't in the best of shape" O.

 

[Chas_Michael]

Thanks Gary. Did you compare them to other PD releases?

 

[Gary OS]

Not yet. But I do have a number of the same shows on other PD discs and from a random viewing this set looks about the same as others (such as Alpha or CC stuff). It's no better or worse, IMHO. But if I get a chance to do some side by side type comparisons, I will. Then I'll report back.

Gary "this is such a great deal, it really doesn't matter much to me if the individual episodes aren't pristine" O.

 

[Chas_Michael]

OK Gary, that would be great!

 

[Tim Tucker]

bump.

I just saw the Mill Creek One Step Beyond set in the 2-for-$10 dump bin at Wal-Mart.

It's tempting at that price, but what are the quality and completeness of the episodes?