Warner Archive Announcements Thread (12 Viewers)

[Capt D McMars]

What confuses me is that No more Yogi and Huck from 1950s they claim music rights capital music library = yet FKB and Bennis the Menace and Donna Reed all use the same and are on home vid

it must be something that we're just not seeing?

 

[Keith Cobby]

Many of us asked for the past 14 years believe me. They wanted to release them but they have expensive music clearance issues that prevented WAC from releasing them. Sadly they have now moved past releasing classic TV on DVD so almost no chance these are released now.

I know nothing about music clearance, but if problems are restricted to a few episodes rather than fundamental to whole series, I would be perfectly happy to buy incomplete seasons or packages of episodes.

 

[Capt D McMars]

I know nothing about music clearance, but if problems are restricted to a few episodes rather than fundamental to whole series, I would be perfectly happy to buy incomplete seasons or packages of episodes.

they ran into that problem with WKRP but were able to minumise the issue by removing some of the tunes that originally aired...just saying.

 

[RobertMG]

they ran into that problem with WKRP but were able to minumise the issue by removing some of the tunes that originally aired...just saying.

Hi-Q (production music) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Ed Lachmann]

I sit corrected. I thought they'd come out from WAC on DVD-R. My mistake.

I only discreetly admit that those DVD-Rs that exist are NOT from WB (although I have them). BAD boy, I know! The 77 Sunset Strips, Bourbon Street Beats, Hawaiian Eyes look great for the most part but sadly the Surfside 6s are mostly horrid and almost unwatchable. I'd re-buy the official ones, all of them, in a second but sadly lack the opportunity to do so. Surfside 6 was a joyful and wonderfully crafted show. God, I hope WB has the original materials squirreled away somewhere!

 

[Camps]

I only discreetly admit that those DVD-Rs that exist are NOT from WB (although I have them). BAD boy, I know! The 77 Sunset Strips, Bourbon Street Beats, Hawaiian Eyes look great for the most part but sadly the Surfside 6s are mostly horrid and almost unwatchable. I'd re-buy the official ones, all of them, in a second but sadly lack the opportunity to do so. Surfside 6 was a joyful and wonderfully crafted show. God, I hope WB has the original materials squirreled away somewhere!

You raise a good point: Why hasn't Warner Archive released at least digital editions of 77 Sunset Strip? There are some good episodes in there. Right now the only (legit) homevid option that has hit my radar is the set from Germany's Pidax --- yet (like all Pidax product.... Pffffffffffffffffffft...) it's in German-only!

 

[Garysb]

I was surprised Parrish (1961) with Troy Donohue and Claudette Colbert (last film appearence) was broadcast on TCM at 4:3 instead of 1:85 or whatever it was supposed to be. Not sure if open mat or pan and scan . The DVD R Warner Archive disc is also listed as 4:3. Has it ever been released in it's proper aspect ratio? That is a film that needs a new master apparently.

As far as new releases are concerned I wonder how disc releases will be impacted by films entering the public domain 95 years after their release. We are fast approching the sound era and the 1930's. Will Warner Bros. and other studios make their restorations available on disc or streaming if anyone can make a copy and sell it ?

 

[Randy Korstick]

What confuses me is that No more Yogi and Huck from 1950s they claim music rights capital music library = yet FKB and Bennis the Menace and Donna Reed all use the same and are on home vid

I don't think all of the music is the same and there could be different circumstances with the way it is licensed. They definitely would have released the rest of Huckleberry Hound and Quick Draw McGraw a really long time ago if they could have.

 

[Randy Korstick]

You raise a good point: Why hasn't Warner Archive released at least digital editions of 77 Sunset Strip? There are some good episodes in there. Right now the only (legit) homevid option that has hit my radar is the set from Germany's Pidax --- yet (like all Pidax product.... Pffffffffffffffffffft...) it's in German-only!

Many of us asked for the past 14 years believe me. They wanted to release them but they have expensive music clearance issues that prevented WAC from releasing them. Sadly they have now moved past releasing classic TV on DVD so almost no chance these are released now.

 

[RobertMG]

I don't think all of the music is the same and there could be different circumstances with the way it is licensed. They definitely would have released the rest of Huckleberry Hound and Quick Draw McGraw a really long time ago if they could have.

Hope they clear the rights - what was bad was WB selling Boomerang as classic HB then dumping them and no way to see them unless I think streaming - they are mostly gone from youtube so maybe WAC will release them

 

[Randy Korstick]

I know nothing about music clearance, but if problems are restricted to a few episodes rather than fundamental to whole series, I would be perfectly happy to buy incomplete seasons or packages of episodes.

Its most of the episodes. Wac asked the question on their FB page years ago if people would still buy the episodes if they were heavily edited for music and the majority said no.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

they ran into that problem with WKRP but were able to minimise the issue by removing some of the tunes that originally aired...just saying.

WKRP was released by Shout! Factory and was an MTM title [now owned by Disney thru its acquisition of Fox]. Nothing to do with WAC.

 

[mskaye]

Many of us asked for the past 14 years believe me. They wanted to release them but they have expensive music clearance issues that prevented WAC from releasing them. Sadly they have now moved past releasing classic TV on DVD so almost no chance these are released now.

If Paramount can't release the insanely popular - and as vocal a fanbase - The Odd Couple tv series properly because of music rights issues, than no series can. The reputation andas influential, successful creator as Garry Marshall couldn't make Paramount do the right thing. So yes, let's move on.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I know nothing about music clearance, but if problems are restricted to a few episodes rather than fundamental to whole series, I would be perfectly happy to buy incomplete seasons or packages of episodes.

Music clearances are a nightmare. Just ask Sony Pictures re: Heavy Metal [took 15 years to get it out on VHS] or Paramount for Looking For Mr. Goodbar [released on VHS/Beta with replaced music, and never since]. It's only gotten worse in recent years, because music companies and rights holders will rake you over the coals to get their pound of flesh, even if the title isn't likely to generate a significant return on investment. Paramount has no problem ponying up for a Saturday Night Fever or Grease, because they're evergreen titles; anything less significant will make them blink.

 

[RobertMG]

If Paramount can't release the insanely popular - and as vocal a fanbase - The Odd Couple tv series properly because of music rights issues, than no series can. The reputation andas influential, successful creator as Garry Marshall couldn't make Paramount do the right thing. So yes, let's move on.

WOW did not know they did that too The ODD COUPLE - but getting back to WAC looking forward to comments on Mr Chips!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

As I heard it explained back then, the problem with releasing WB TV shows on disc was the expense of acquiring music rights. At the time of production, Warner's music publishing arm owned the music outright, but later sold off that part of the business. The broadcast rights (streaming has been legally determined to qualify as such) for music used in the shows are still contractually valid, but other means of distribution, such as then-unknown forms such as marketing copies of the shows to the public via video, were never specifically addressed, and so reside with the music's current owners.

Wonder if such "streaming" would/could include digital sales (which are really just sales of leased rights to watch the content)?

Personally, I don't really need discs of (most) shows -- I really don't want the extra storage requirement (in most cases) nor the relative inconvenience for binging or random watching purposes, so digitals for such usually work just perfectly for me. IF/when I do own discs for shows, I often just end up rewatching the digital copies (after the 1st time) instead, if they're included...

_Man_

PS: Before anyone argues anything about disc vs streaming because of what I just said, I do own tons of discs already (though, of course, not nearly as much as a few others on HTF, LOL) and am not against disc ownership/collection in general at all... and do continue to buy discs more or less as before, but have added streaming (both subscription-based and digital purchases and redemptions) to my plate the last couple years or so...

 

[cadavra]

As I explained on the 77SS thread, the WB detective series all used popular songs by legendary songwriters; Connie Stevens sang in almost every episode of HAWAIIAN EYE, and 77SS often featured the Frankie Ortega Trio performing tunes at Dino's, as well as pop standards as underscoring. Re-clearing those songs would cost a freaking fortune. And it's not just disc--if you've ever watched Carson or Cavett reruns on the nostalgia channels, you'll notice that all the musical performances have been deleted. I recently watched a Carson in which Mel Brooks did his famous bit about singing "Dancing in the Dark" in the Catskills. The entire set-up was there, but then there was an edit to Johnny laughing and saying "We'll be right back"--the song itself had been cut, even though he only sang about one chorus.

No one would love those detective shows on disc more than I would, but they'd never earn back even a fraction of the cost of those rights, so I have to content myself with the edited reruns on MeTV+.

 

[Robin9]

I was surprised Parrish (1961) with Troy Donohue and Claudette Colbert (last film appearence) was broadcast on TCM at 4:3 instead of 1:85 or whatever it was supposed to be. Not sure if open mat or pan and scan . The DVD R Warner Archive disc is also listed as 4:3. Has it ever been released in it's proper aspect ratio? That is a film that needs a new master apparently.

Parrish was one of four films in a Troy Donahue box-set released in the hey-day of DVD. I'll check that DVD tonight and report back tomorrow.

 

[timk1041]

I'd Love to see those detective shows remastered 77 Sunset Strip, Hawiian Eye, Route 66!! There are boots all over the internet...sad copies...it would be nice to see what WAC could do with these!! I'd buy them ~

Me too!

 

[timk1041]

What confuses me is that No more Yogi and Huck from 1950s they claim music rights capital music library = yet FKB and Bennis the Menace and Donna Reed all use the same and are on home vid

You mean Dennis The Menace