What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (5 Viewers)

[GMBurns]

Bryan, like Glenn, I want to thank you for saving me some money, as I was about to order the newer (2012 Shout!) Laramie season 3 DVD set. It's such a shame that with the timing of TMG's original DVD sets, TMG only had access to these inferior collector's film sources and multi-gen video copies as transfers for their DVDs. Universal wouldn't provide them with new transfers. No better than what I have had for 25-30 years. And then Universal finally did the right thing for cable TV and went back to do new transfers from Vault 35 mm masters. Starz is not easily had in Canada, so I'm S.O.L.

I also checked, and that S3 episode of Laramie, The Last Journey, is included as a bonus on the State Trooper complete series DVD set from TMG that I already have. Along with other Rod Cameron guest star appearances in Tales of Wells Fargo (Assignment in Gloribee, color ep from '62), The Men From Shiloh (Gun Quest, 1970 single season follow-up to The Virginian), and Alias Smith and Jones (S3's The Last Journey)...all on a bonus disc in this first rate set of State Trooper that anybody who loves '50s TV should have.

At some point, I might still buy the newer S2 and S3 of Laramie to finally confirm whether or not Shout finally got access to the new HD sources by 2012. Amazon "reviews" offer no answer about this, and I can't find a clue elsewhere. I could always return them, but that involves spending money that I would rather devote to WAC, KL and Criterion Blu-ray movies, of which I have many on my waiting list. I already have tons of bad source, home made collector's circle TV junk in boxes of stuff that will never see the light of day for a studio or licensed disc release.

One thing to remember about the great Norm Andersen, the founder of Timeless Media Group, is that he always wanted to give us the best possible transfers for these classic Universal shows that he licensed the rights to for DVD, pioneering the platform to an astonishing degree, especially for the Westerns that he himself loved so much. But he was foiled by Universal's initial intransigence in hesitating to do the right thing and give him vault source transfers for Laramie, Soldiers of Fortune, M-Squad and Checkmate, among others. TMG was forced to seek out collector's sources to cobble together their releases of these (which are still pretty good, regardless). Of course, Universal finally relented for other shows like The Virginian (also thanks to Starz buying it) Peter Gunn, Mr. Lucky, Staccato, State Trooper, Coronado 9, Going My way, 87th Precinct...Wagon Train, Laredo, Alias Smith and Jones (older, existing transfers done for TV in the '90s) and others I can't think of off the top of my head, to finally allow TMG and Shout! the chance to release greatly superior DVD sets of these.

Randall, I've got an Amazon gift card so I just ordered the 2012 release of Laramie season 2. The possibility is just too tantalizing not to spend $20 and investigate. I can't do screen captures to save my life, but I will let you know how it looks to the "naked eye".

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
The Addams Family
"The Winning of Morticia Addams" (S1E34)

It doesn't seem to matter if the kids, or Uncle Fester, or even Lurch are close by--Gomez (John Astin) is in constant and visible lust for his wife Morticia (Carolyn Jones). Maybe that's why they're altogether ooky.

So, this enduring amour between the two has Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan) on edge after reading an article illustrating that truly happy couples should fight like dogs with one another. Explaining this to Morticia and Gomez is hopeless, as they're practically humping on the staircase, kitchen, patio, crawlspace--oblivious to Fester's fervent desire to make both miserable to "save" their marriage. Having the strategic logic of a donut, Fester nonetheless enlists the rest of the family to help foment discord between Gomez and his cara mia. Thus begins a number of harebrained schemes about as effective as a bicycle on ice.

Watching The Blair Witch Project; Mrrowwww! Morticia displays built-in back scratchers

At wit's end, Fester contacts the author of the article--a psychologist of dubious pedigree--to meet with the lust-ridden couple. In short order, the doctor becomes smitten with Morticia's black-clad figure and witty disposition. She resists his advances. "Doctor! Please! I'm married to Gomez!" she cries. "Who's Gomez?" murmurs the besotted doctor.
This is a bridge too for Gomez, who demands a duel. The doctor is apparently a renown world class swordsman, causing Fester and Morticia to call off the contest before Gomez is sliced into fruit salad. Harmony and passion are soon restored.

I always enjoyed The Addams Family over The Munsters due mainly to the exquisitely dry humor of John Astin. Fred Gwynne's Herman Munster was a bit...um...over the top.

 

[Rustifer]

I love how Ironside has his own version of the Batmobile, a big police truck painted gunmetal grey, equipped with electric wheelchair ramp, phone, and coffee machine.

Oh man, Jeff...I must dig up some Ironside episodes to review! Poking fun at Raymond Burr as Perry Mason has always been one of my favorite targets. Raymond Burr in a wheelchair is a caricature-baiting no-brainer...

 

[Rustifer]

Rin Tin Tin and Circus boy were both favs when I was a kid - don't care much for them now Randall.

Yeah, some stuff just doesn't deserve the title "classic". Right along with you, Marv.
By the way, after Circus Boy-- whatever happened to Micky Dolenz?

 

[Mysto]

Yeah, some stuff just doesn't deserve the title "classic". Right along with you, Marv.
By the way, after Circus Boy-- whatever happened to Micky Dolenz?

Come on Russ - the Monkees show wasn't THAT bad (maybe - perhaps - sort of) well he made some more money and had a few hit records. He also was in a Mike Hammer - a show that is a guilty pleasure of mine.

 

[ScottRE]

I don't do a lot of reviews, but I was in a writing mood.

The Fugitive – “The Last Oasis.” I tend to avoid the color episodes of this superb series mainly because the fourth season is a little weaker and poor David Janssen was obviously exhausted. I also felt the series worked best as a noir drama and the CBS restoration of the black and white episodes is amazing. I would love to see the series in high def because the blacks are deep and the patterns on the tweet sport coats are hypnotic.

Anyway, this episode was actually a lot more fun than I remembered, however I wouldn’t have bet on this as a gripping opening episode. It’s actually pretty run of the mill. Kimble stumbles onto a group of orphans being cared for by a pretty single blonde (the always appealing Hope Lange) while being hunted by an obsessed policeman (Mark Richman this time). There are interludes where the girl of the week “figures out” that Kimble is “running from something” and because he’s awesome asks him to hang around. Since he’s in Mexico, he actually considers it, but that pesky cop tracks him down. Since this ain’t Gerard, there’s no chance in hell of any real suspense. Did anyone watching think a cop other than Gerard would be the one to nab our Fugitive? Still, it’s a nicely done time passer and still relied on the library music of the first 3 seasons before they started leaning hard on Dominic Frontiere’s scores.

The Untouchables – “Ten Thousand Suspects.” Anytime Bruce Gordon is featured, the episode just crackles. This is a very involving episode with more strong character actors than most low budget films of the day could afford. I love the preview openings of this series, often involving Ness bursting onto the scene and yelling “Hold it!” before pumping a dozen rounds into a retreating thug. Leslie Neilsen is his usual excellent and serious self. The real honors go to Ned Glass. His sleazy confidence melting into panicking desperation under interrogation is amazing to watch. This is a guy who really is forgotten by time, he was superb.

Star Trek – “A Private Little War.” This is not an episode people jump to when they think of “best” episodes. But this parable about Viet Nam is expertly mounted. In a rare change, Kirk is alone with McCoy on a landing party jaunt while Spock is in sick bay recovering from a gunshot wound. It’s one of the rare times Nimoy was sidelined and has nothing to do with the main story. So it’s up to Kirk and McCoy to debate arming the peaceful primitives with exactly the same weapons the Klingons are supplying to the more warlike villagers. There is a lot going on in this one as Kirk tries to help Tyree, a blood brother he met in trip to this planet earlier in his career. The gorgeous Nancy Kovack plays Nona, his “witch” (literally) wife who wants superior firepower. Since she saved Kirk from the poison of a Mugato bite using ancient roots and spells, he is under her power to a small degree. This adds fuel to McCoy’s side of the argument that Kirk’s judgment might be impaired.

Aside from the solid debates, we get a lot of action, fantastic location shooting, and some fun as Spock deals with his injuries. The episode ends on a very dark note, which at this point in the run was rare. No overdone jokey banter with lighthearted music. Death with the promise of more to come is what Kirk leaves this planet with. And the sober library music used to close the episode seals it. This was Star Trek at it’s social commentary best. A very underrated episode.

 

[ScottRE]

Oh no..I guess 12 years ago I was just happy to own it on DVD. No comparison. poor quality, and what's this...syndicated cuts to boot.

Stay away.

View attachment 88780

And by the way the DVD was upconverted as good as it can get.

Man, this reminds me of when I got Branded on DVD. Also from Timeless. I popped it in and was flabbergasted. Easily the worst transfer of a TV series I had seen outside of dollar store public domain stuff, or those old Fleischer Superman cartoon VHS tapes I would find at department stores for a buck in the 80's. Branded also had the syndication cuts. From what I understand Timeless' release of The Guns of Will Sonnet was the same. Just the syndie prints running at 2 am back to back at the time transferred to DVD. On one hand, that nostalgic guy in me who loves watching old 16mm prints of shows to recapture the feel of when I first saw them is happy. On the other, they're freaking unwatchable on anything over a 12 inch tube set.

 

[Flashgear]

I have both of the TMG complete series releases of Branded and Guns of Will Sonnett, both sourced from the old KingWorld syndicated cuts of the same era (1970s-80s?)...both are far from optimum in PQ of course, but they are both eminently watchable to me on my 55" and 65" LED displays, but as Scott attests, your mileage may vary as they say. To my eye, Branded looks a lot better of the two, and is probably the better series as well. Branded also has some very desirable bonus features, a video biography of Chuck Connors, a video interview with Johnny Crawford, who reunited with his old Rifleman co-star for an episode (A Coward Steps Aside, S1), and three video interviews with Larry Cohen...one about turmoil on the set, with some hilarious anecdotes about Chuck Connors...another about the "making of", origins and production at Kanab Utah, and another on Larry Cohen's early career (The Defenders) and TV afterlife, which soon involved Coronet Blue and The Invaders...great set overall, despite the 2:30 or so missing from each episode.

 

[Bryan^H]

Bryan, thanks so much for taking the time to do this. Those Timeless releases aren't so hot after all. But I appreciate all your effort.

I agree wholeheartedly with Glenn...thanks very much for the comparison shots on Laramie, Bryan! The HD version looks great - certainly in comparison to the beat-up, blurry old prints used for the DVDs.

This is a series that I've largely ignored because of just how awful those Timeless DVD releases looked. Nice to know that Starz HD are showing some good old shows like this (not that I am able to get that channel, or at least the same lineup, here in Japan).

Bryan, like Glenn, I want to thank you for saving me some money, as I was about to order the newer (2012 Shout!) Laramie season 3 DVD set. It's such a shame that with the timing of TMG's original DVD sets, TMG only had access to these inferior collector's film sources and multi-gen video copies as transfers for their DVDs. Universal wouldn't provide them with new transfers. No better than what I have had for 25-30 years. And then Universal finally did the right thing for cable TV and went back to do new transfers from Vault 35 mm masters. Starz is not easily had in Canada, so I'm S.O.L.

I also checked, and that S3 episode of Laramie, The Last Journey, is included as a bonus on the State Trooper complete series DVD set from TMG that I already have. Along with other Rod Cameron guest star appearances in Tales of Wells Fargo (Assignment in Gloribee, color ep from '62), The Men From Shiloh (Gun Quest, 1970 single season follow-up to The Virginian), and Alias Smith and Jones (S3's The Last Journey)...all on a bonus disc in this first rate set of State Trooper that anybody who loves '50s TV should have.

At some point, I might still buy the newer S2 and S3 of Laramie to finally confirm whether or not Shout finally got access to the new HD sources by 2012. Amazon "reviews" offer no answer about this, and I can't find a clue elsewhere. I could always return them, but that involves spending money that I would rather devote to WAC, KL and Criterion Blu-ray movies, of which I have many on my waiting list. I already have tons of bad source, home made collector's circle TV junk in boxes of stuff that will never see the light of day for a studio or licensed disc release.

One thing to remember about the great Norm Andersen, the founder of Timeless Media Group, is that he always wanted to give us the best possible transfers for these classic Universal shows that he licensed the rights to for DVD, pioneering the platform to an astonishing degree, especially for the Westerns that he himself loved so much. But he was foiled by Universal's initial intransigence in hesitating to do the right thing and give him vault source transfers for Laramie, Soldiers of Fortune, M-Squad and Checkmate, among others. TMG was forced to seek out collector's sources to cobble together their releases of these (which are still pretty good, regardless). Of course, Universal finally relented for other shows like The Virginian (also thanks to Starz buying it) Peter Gunn, Mr. Lucky, Staccato, State Trooper, Coronado 9, Going My way, 87th Precinct...Wagon Train, Laredo, Alias Smith and Jones (older, existing transfers done for TV in the '90s) and others I can't think of off the top of my head, to finally allow TMG and Shout! the chance to release greatly superior DVD sets of these.

Hey guys,
thanks so much for the feedback. I'm going to post a lot more screen caps as I watch classic TV, along as comparisons between new HD, and older DVD sets.
Classic TV on DVD, and Blu-Ray (and streaming now) is my passion, and I'm glad to be a part of this thread!

Thanks again. I really appreciate it!

 

[Flashgear]

I don't do a lot of reviews, but I was in a writing mood.

Well done Scott, I hope you are inclined to do more reviews, as these are expertly constructed and insightful as well. I was 11 going on 12 when those episodes of The Fugitive and Star Trek first aired in 1967-68. Big year for television in my memories as I mentioned before. I can't remember if the obvious Vietnam parallel for A Private Little War was even evident to my rather oblivious self, and for us the war was a very worrying constant in our lives, with two of my cousins in the field of battle that summer...and boy, oh boy, Nancy Kovack made quite the impression on my own burgeoning animal instincts, ha, ha...

 

[Bryan^H]

Was a huge fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer back when it was airing, never missed an episode. Ditto with Angel. Season 2 is one of the best of the run, for sure. I have the complete series on DVD but rarely put one on...though the S6 musical episode "Once More with Feeling," has gotten played several times. Judging from your screenshots, the show looks really good in HD streaming...

Thanks also for those splendid shots of a young Charisma Carpenter from Baywatch, Bryan! I thought she was very good on Buffy, and even better on Angel. Even at the time, it was obvious that something suspicious went down behind the scenes that led to her abrupt firing from the series. Sorry to hear all these reports about Joss Whedon's behavior on set, as I really like a lot of his TV work, including the wonderful and sadly short-lived Firefly.

Great pic of Cordelia there!

I was obsessed with Buffy/Angel when they first aired. I remember buying the DVD sets as they were released, and even bought a region free DVD player because the UK sets were released quite a bit earlier than the U.S. releases.

I bought a bunch of props form the show when the series ended from the official Fox auction on E-Bay. I'm not even sure what they are worth anymore as that was nearly 20 years ago. All but one were "physical screen used props" meaning the actors used them in scene.

I have the phone Buffy used in "The Body"
the foreign exchange book Cordelia holds in "Inca Mummy Girl"
I also have another prop that was screen used but not held by an actor. One of my favorite purchases over the years by far are the continuity polaroid photos of the girls used as a reminder of what they were wearing on set for continuity purposes.
They are great. I'll try and get some pics of them later on to show you.

 

[Flashgear]

Mannix
3.3 “Return to Summer Grove”
3.4 “The Playground”
Somewhat to my surprise, ol’ Joe Mannix doesn’t get coldcocked a single time in either of these episodes…though he does have the brakes tampered with in his rental car in “Return to Summer Grove,”

More typical is “The Playground,” an ingenious way to shoot entirely on the Paramount backlot and make it fit the story. Mannix is hired to find out who is trying to kill an egotistical film star (Robert Conrad, perfectly cast almost too close to type), who lives like a prince with his entourage on the studio lot. Conrad is quite good here (as he always was playing arrogant heels; see the Columbo episode "An Exercise in Fatality"), and he and Mike Connors have some good, tense scenes together. Lovely Leslie Parrish co-stars. Director Paul Krasny tries to compensate for being stuck on the backlot with all sorts of odd, arty camera angles.

Enjoyed your reviews of these two Mannix episodes Jeff, which to my mind are two of the most memorable early episodes. And the series looks great, as your splendid screen caps prove, a real pleasure to behold.

Ironside
1.3 “Dead Man’s Tale”
1.4 “Eat, Drink, and Be Buried”
1.5 “The Taker”
Still working my way through the S1 set. This show is a fun, easy watch, even if the mystery plots don’t always hang together. We get some good guest stars in these episodes: Farley Granger, Richard Anderson and Lee Grant in “Eat, Drink, and Be Buried”; William Schallert and Peter Mark Richman in “The Taker”; and Jack Lord and blonde German stunner Susanne Cramer in “Dead Man’s Tale.” I love how Ironside has his own version of the Batmobile, a big police truck painted gunmetal grey, equipped with electric wheelchair ramp, phone, and coffee machine. This also makes it easy for the producers to film extended location shots of the truck careening through the streets of San Francisco without having to go to the trouble and expense of bringing the cast there.

Susanne Cramer in "Dead Man's Tale," as the Swedish fiancee to a mobster who's planning to give evidence to Ironside and is rubbed out by the mob before he can talk:

Jeff, as you make your way through Ironside season one, watch out for an uncredited O.J. Simpson turning up as a crime scene onlooker in episode 8, Price Tag: Death...I really would have preferred to see him playing the corpse, a role much better suited to his acting skills...sorry to hear about what became of Susanne Cramer, but your feature tribute to her is well done indeed, with those great captures...it's sometimes sad when you investigate what became of some of these lovelies in their off screen lives...

The Dakotas – 1.12 “Trial at Grand Forks”
This is a real acting showcase for Ms. Cramer, who plays a German countess sentenced to hang for killing her husband, a cruel general in the Imperial army. It’s Marshal Regan (Larry Ward) and company’s onerous duty to carry out the execution, much to their distaste.

Yes, another offbeat but memorable episode of this series. Jack Elam fans were in for a treat, as were those of Larry Ward, who never had a better chance to shine in his later career...

Jericho – 1.1 “Dutch and Go”
Short-lived WWII espionage series from producer Norman Felton, focusing on a crack trio of skilled commando types that operate behind enemy lines. The team is composed of American Army Captain Franklin Sheppard (Don Francks), expert in psychological warfare; Royal Navy Lieutenant Nicholas Gage (John Leyton, Willie the “Tunnel King” in The Great Escape), expert in demolitions; and French Air Force officer Jean-Gaston Andre (Marino Masé), weapons expert. Judging from this first episode, the show plays like a cross between a non-comedic Hogan’s Heroes and – understandably, given its producer – The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Those looking for much in the way of realism will be disappointed (let’s just say that The Rat Patrol is a model of believability in comparison), but the leads, especially Francks, are pretty good and the action is plentiful and well-staged. Jerry Goldsmith wrote the main theme.

Ha, ha...yes, I would think that The Rat Patrol was the more believable series, as pertaining to WW2 authenticity, but as you say Jeff, both were rich in yahoo factor (love, love Rat Patrol just the same)...Jericho is a show that didn't play in my part of Canada in 1966-67, so WAC's release was the first time I'd seen it. And Don Francks was a well known Canadian actor to boot...the concept of Jericho was obviously based on the hundreds of real life "Jedburgh" teams of WW2...each of them comprising a trio of an Englishman (or Canadian or Commonwealth national), an American and a Frenchman, all trained to special forces standards to conduct reconnaissance, intelligence and sabotage in occupied France, inserted there by parachute or clandestine landings just before D-day...a good enough series with a definite early Man From UNCLE feel, benefiting from being filmed on the same MGM lot and utilizing their wonderful 'European Village' set that Combat! had also benefited from until the 'Uncle' people had them turfed off the lot in 1966...apparently, the Combat! pyrotechnics made for far too much clean-up when Napoleon and Ilya showed up to pretend they were on the modern day Riviera or some such place...

Here's my WW2 related TV dramas collection...these are the official studio or licensed DVD releases...the WW2 TV comedies like Hogan's Heroes and McHale's Navy are separated with my huge sit-com collection, as are the DVD and Blu war related feature films...I also have "alternative" DVD sets for the TV series of 12 O'clock High, Silent Service and some of Convoy...and my other peacetime military series on DVD, Steve Canyon, is in with my B+W contemporary drama collection...my SF/Fantasy/Horror TV stuff is relatively small by comparison...everything dwarfed by my massive TV Westerns collection, ha, ha...

 

[GMBurns]

I enjoyed watching the Timeless releases of Branded and Guns of Will Sonnett. The syndicated versions and somewhat murky prints are not ideal, for sure. But I had never seen either series and was grateful to get them. Ditto for Checkmate, an even better series that looked a little worse. But it has become a favorite and is well worth having even in subpar condition. The thing I appreciated about Timeless was that they put out some things that I never would have seen otherwise.

 

[Darby67]

Timeless' complete series releases of The Rebel and Riverboat are terrific in terms of presentation and content.

 

[ScottRE]

I also have "alternative" DVD sets for the TV series of 12 O'clock High

My home-made collection of this amazing series was cobbled together from ME-TV airings and uncut 16mm print copies and I'm fairly happy with them, but I'm always looking for a better master. I've seen a couple of grey market sites for this show, one with a "Criterion" version and another which was from the History Channel reruns. Unless this kinda discussion is frowned upon, what's the source of your prints? Are they passable? You can PM if this is a no-no.

 

[Purple Wig]

The only Timeless release I found difficult to watch were the few episodes of Laramie that were included on a sampler collection (1 disc each of 3 TMG releases). Will Sonnet did suffer a bit from some confusing syndication edits but really only one episode was hard to follow. Wish it was still around rather than smothered by Shout Factory.

 

[Flashgear]

Randall, I've got an Amazon gift card so I just ordered the 2012 release of Laramie season 2. The possibility is just too tantalizing not to spend $20 and investigate. I can't do screen captures to save my life, but I will let you know how it looks to the "naked eye".

Thanks Glenn, I hope you (and we) won't be disappointed. I would think that Shout would have trumpeted the better, Universal sourced HD transfers for their reissued releases had they had access to them for the 2012 editions of Laramie, and was naturally suspicious that I couldn't find any clue about whether that was the case, either in the sketchy press release or customer "reviews". I hope Amazon hasn't also contributed to the potential confusion by mixing up the 2007-09 and 2012 releases somehow, which is more likely to happen with marketplace dealers.

Another thing I wonder about is if the 2016 ViaVision/Madman R4 Australian release of Rawhide season four is also sourced from the relatively awful old transfers as seen in the 2011 R1 CBS volumes? Just wondering, as these releases were separated by 5 years, during which time CBS apparently remastered season 4 for streaming only. Of course, that didn't prevent those nitwits from putting out the 2015 Rawhide complete series set with the awful transfers for S4 included in that set as well! Even after all this abuse, I'm not the only Rawhide fan who would have re-purchased the whole series just to finally get S4 right. That great season deserves the same immaculate CBS remastering for disc that the other seasons got. Although season one was also apparently not remastered with much newer transfers, but that season still looks great to me....I should post some screen caps from S4 to let others know what I'm talking about. The 2011 flub seems to have originated in a temporary CBS home video budgetary issue...that same year Bonanza season 2 also debuted on DVD from older transfers, though those were fine enough for me, nothing like the much inferior S4 Rawhide transfers. This is the kind of thing that makes you feel like you've just been kicked in the head...

My home-made collection of this amazing series was cobbled together from ME-TV airings and uncut 16mm print copies and I'm fairly happy with them, but I'm always looking for a better master. I've seen a couple of grey market sites for this show, one with a "Criterion" version and another which was from the History Channel reruns. Unless this kinda discussion is frowned upon, what's the source of your prints? Are they passable? You can PM if this is a no-no.

Scott, I agree that 12 O'clock High has some great episodes overall, and principally in Robert Lansing's season one. It's always killed me a little that this series hasn't received an official, high quality DVD release. Certainly, it is essential to a good QM TV collection as well. We were told that Shout! (and probably TMG before them) made inquiries about licensing the series for disc and were told not even to bother. I think Duffin and Matheis' book The Twelve O'clock High Logbook comes closest to establishing why there are possible rights issues concerns in releasing it on DVD. Had they ever wanted to, I think that Fox themselves could have released it unchallenged on DVD. But a licensee would potentially be far more exposed to possible challenges from the literary estates of Beirne Lay Jr. and Sy Bartlett. I think that when Shout asked Fox about it, the Paul Monash corporate memos from way back in 1964-65 came back to haunt them.

I have two alternative sets on DVD, including the 'Criterion' set, neither ideal but unlikely to ever be improved upon. I think if you have MeTV recordings, the show will never look better than those. Almost the same thing with the History Canada recordings that you can watch on Youtube, I hope those stay put. But all of those are also syndicated edits, missing about 3:30 to 4:00...if you have the much older Goodlife network recordings, those are at least complete but time-sped by the usual 4%...the 'Criterion' 12 O'clock High set (nothing to do with the well known snobs who run the 'Criterion Collection' of boutique Blu-rays) is still derived from good quality Goodlife network recordings, but lovingly compiled and professionally authored with interactive onscreen menus, bonus features of collectibles (they also sell a 'Robin Hood' Toby Mug as seen in the 1949 Oscar winning film as the Mess' signal of "mission flying today"), actor biographies and photo galleries by genuine fans of the show. Only 2 episodes per DVD-R. These guys are supporters of the 'Planes of Fame' museum at Chino, near Ontario California, where the outdoor 'Archbury' airfield scenes were filmed with the 'Picadilly Lilly' B-17 that has since been further restored, although not to flying status...but she can taxi on all four engines now rather than just the two as seen during the TV series' years...incidentally, the "918th Bomb Group" operations building at Chino was regrettably demolished recently.

I only have a few 12 O'clock High episodes derived from 16 mm film. The Crash being among them, the S1 episode filmed at Malibu with Robert Lansing and Albert Paulsen adrift in their survival rafts. We're Not Coming Back from S2 is another. It's great to see this show on film, as it's the only way to see the original commercial bumpers, with fanfare and commercial outro with announcer flourish, which always adds to my enjoyment. It's always mystified me as to why more episodes didn't turn up in film collectors' trading circles for 12 O'clock High. But I once compared my Goodlife recordings with the History Canada recordings and was disappointed to see too many important scenes missing from the History Canada versions. Which I assume is the same, if not worse, with the MeTV versions, which although now cropped for widescreen, ironically look the best of all...

 

[JohnHopper]

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I’m currently discovering Disc 2 of Gunsmoke season 8.​

I was very pleased to witness the introduction to Quint Asper episode.​

The Next on Gunsmoke trailers are restored and are a true joy.​

​

 

[GMBurns]

Laramie season 2. Sigh. I crossed my fingers. I put a rabbit's foot in my back pocket. I held my breath. Then I popped in a disc of Laramie season 2, and yeah - no. Flecks and specks. I do have some Timeless releases that I consider grungier looking (Cimarron City, Checkmate). But a friend made me a copy of some season 3 episodes he got off Starz Encore, and this TMG release is definitely not from the same source. Bummer. Still, I have developed a fondness for Slim and Jess, so I will keep my purchase. And there is something sort of quaint about a black and white series that looks grungy.

 

[ScottRE]

Scott, I agree that 12 O'clock High has some great episodes overall, and principally in Robert Lansing's season one. It's always killed me a little that this series hasn't received an official, high quality DVD release. Certainly, it is essential to a good QM TV collection as well. We were told that Shout! (and probably TMG before them) made inquiries about licensing the series for disc and were told not even to bother. I think Duffin and Matheis' book The Twelve O'clock High Logbook comes closest to establishing why there are possible rights issues concerns in releasing it on DVD. Had they ever wanted to, I think that Fox themselves could have released it unchallenged on DVD. But a licensee would potentially be far more exposed to possible challenges from the literary estates of Beirne Lay Jr. and Sy Bartlett. I think that when Shout asked Fox about it, the Paul Monash corporate memos from way back in 1964-65 came back to haunt them.

I have two alternative sets on DVD, including the 'Criterion' set, neither ideal but unlikely to ever be improved upon. I think if you have MeTV recordings, the show will never look better than those. Almost the same thing with the History Canada recordings that you can watch on Youtube, I hope those stay put. But all of those are also syndicated edits, missing about 3:30 to 4:00...if you have the much older Goodlife network recordings, those are at least complete but time-sped by the usual 4%...the 'Criterion' 12 O'clock High set (nothing to do with the well known snobs who run the 'Criterion Collection' of boutique Blu-rays) is still derived from good quality Goodlife network recordings, but lovingly compiled and professionally authored with interactive onscreen menus, bonus features of collectibles (they also sell a 'Robin Hood' Toby Mug as seen in the 1949 Oscar winning film as the Mess' signal of "mission flying today"), actor biographies and photo galleries by genuine fans of the show. Only 2 episodes per DVD-R. These guys are supporters of the 'Planes of Fame' museum at Chino, near Ontario California, where the outdoor 'Archbury' airfield scenes were filmed with the 'Picadilly Lilly' B-17 that has since been further restored, although not to flying status...but she can taxi on all four engines now rather than just the two as seen during the TV series' years...incidentally, the "918th Bomb Group" operations building at Chino was regrettably demolished recently.

I only have a few 12 O'clock High episodes derived from 16 mm film. The Crash being among them, the S1 episode filmed at Malibu with Robert Lansing and Albert Paulsen adrift in their survival rafts. We're Not Coming Back from S2 is another. It's great to see this show on film, as it's the only way to see the original commercial bumpers, with fanfare and commercial outro with announcer flourish, which always adds to my enjoyment. It's always mystified me as to why more episodes didn't turn up in film collectors' trading circles for 12 O'clock High. But I once compared my Goodlife recordings with the History Canada recordings and was disappointed to see too many important scenes missing from the History Canada versions. Which I assume is the same, if not worse, with the MeTV versions, which although now cropped for widescreen, ironically look the best of all...

I had a good time making my DVDs of the series, even going to the trouble of making load up videos and a menu video with music and disc art. These will do until a better release comes along. Thanks for the info about yours!