1991 Series To Be Released On DVD

[jimbo]

MGM is so cheap, they were bought like a two-dollar whore on the street by Sony!

Could not have said it better myself. I would love to see how MGM will market this release? Its marketing department (probably only one employee left) doesn't have many selling points to promote the release with. Will they say, come watch the scenes that were not deleted? Give me a break. I am surprised they are releasing this in surround sound and not convert it to mono to save a buck.

[victoriawinters]

My guess, the score is in stereo and sound effects in 5.1.  The VHS is in Hi-Fi Stereo.  I thought I heard them play left, right speakers when we played them here recently.  I thought I was dreaming.  (Probably just dreaming about Michael T. Weiss and Adrian Paul.)

Hopefully, the sound should be ok even if it's not the entire release with deleted scenes, with no extras and a hacked up picture from the cheapos who let themselves be bought out by Sony for $2 like a whore on the street.  Prices for whores must be falling.

[Darren Gross]

I should make the point that whether it's going to be widescreen is still not 100% known. We're basing that on spec sheets and the Sony and other websites. Once a press release actually hits in the next few weeks, we'll know for certain. It the moment, it's more of a rumor than fact...hopefully.

We do know there won't be any extras. That's been confirmed.

I'll be very surprised if it's in Dolby Surround and not Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. They'd have had to spend money in order to bump it up to Surround.

TBH with the extremely rare exception of a huge DVD release like WEST SIDE STORY, the 007 films or GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY, the video division over at MGM almost never initiated brand new transfers- they would be hard pressed to spend money for that area. So, where do these new transfers come from? I've been told that the video division would pay attention to the new transfers that the TV and International TV divisions would do and then, once done, nab them for DVD release. They got the benefit of a brand new transfer without having to spend their departments money on it...The TV division foot the bill.

This is one of the reasons you'll find a few non-anamorphic letterboxed transfers in the DVD catalog. The DVD division won't spend the money for the new transfers, so they simply port over the old laserdisc master which is over 10 years old.

[jimbo]

Well at this point, is there any possibility that MGM is considering any input frpm DCP? I understand from here that DCP is in contact with MGM and on the same hand I also understand that DCP has zero standing as far as MGM is concerned. Is there any possibility that MGM has "heard" the public's outcry regarding the stated format's release? Is MGM concerned about what the prospective buyers have to say? I guess if the answers are no, the only happy people will be DC and company as they will get some $ out of this release.

[Darren Gross]

Again, whether the release is actually planned as widescreen or is just a typo is not officially known at this point.

We are looking into it with the appropriate people. If so, you'll hear it what the real deal is here first.

Afterwards a huge hoo-haa at the Home Theater Forum would be the place to start, if this thing is going out widescreen.

I'll let you all know.

[victoriawinters]

Yes, we shall pow wow at the Home Theatre forum.  For sure, let us know.

[jimbo]

Yes we will make our presence known at the Home Theatrer forum boards. MGM does not know who they are dealing with. lol They will feel our wrath if they don't comply with our wishes. I don't think MGM does not want another curse to be placed on them.

[MsCriseyde]

The latest blurb from TVShowsonDVD.com is not very encouraging:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4081

[Mysterious Benefactor]

No extra footage. No extra features. And a frame butchering 1.78:1 aspect ratio. What a brilliant marketing strategy! 

Well, at least there's a nice photo on the back cover - that's worth the $39.99, right?   :-   No? Not particularly for those of us who already have a copy of it.

Oh, well...

[Darren Gross]

Well, an actual cover graphic is about as official as it gets.

Terrible news.

Those on the Home Theater Forum...go at it.

Unleash hell.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I tried to make light of the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, but I just realized to acheive that MGM will be cropping slightly more than 25% of the length off the frame!! 

[jimbo]

Thanks MsCriseyde for the updated information.

I wonder if the folks at MGM (Moronic Group Miserables) ever considered DCP's suggestion that the DVD not be released in the widescreen mode? At least MGM was given a heads up by DCP on how crappy the picture is going to look.

[PennyDreadful]

 How ridiculous.  I'm glad I have the MPI tapes.  I believe they are still available for a limited time through MPI, for those who are interested.

[Gothick]

Wow.  Am I understanding correctly that the company is releasing mangled, butchered versions of this series on DVD?

I've never been much of a fan of the 1991 series, but I'd say doing THIS to it is crossing a line, in my eyes.

What was it with that show, anyway?  It seemed as if it was under a curse from the get-go.  (Holy Goddess, now I'm sounding like Mrs J during the Tom/Julia storyline).

One does have to wonder, though...

G.

[victoriawinters]

Yes, Gothick this is correct.  It crosses a line for fans of any Dark Shadows as well as those who like to see old TV shows released on DVD.  Already, we have lost the 2004 WB series.  This created a huge set back for the Night of Dark Shadows restoration project as Darren Gross has previously relayed to us.  Having a sucessful new show would have created a momentum for the entire catalog.  This means we might have the Classic TV series back on the air.  If it doesn't sell because this release is a mess, the Classic series is going to ultimately be set back further.  Many won't notice the clipping.  However, many will notice it and word will get around that the picture is clipped, does not have any extras (interviews, bloopers, commentary or other), and is the extended version.

Fans should be mindful that when dissing any new Dark Shadows and attempting to "kill" it, it slows and impedes the progress of the movie restorations and the Classic TV show.  If something is selling, marketing notices.  If it's not, then they don't do a thing.  This may not always be a hard and fast rule but generally business is business and not an issue of fandom.

The curse thing could be an issue with Angelique but who knows.