1991 Series To Be Released On DVD

This is exciting news! I really do love the 91 revival series because it was my first introduction to the world of DS. If it wasn't for that series, I wouldn't have become interested in the original. I think this proves that the WB could have gotten both new and old fans interested in the series if they had given it a shot (yes, I'm bitter).  I hope that  the interviews, ottakes and bloopers video (Dark Shadows Resurrected) is included in the DVD release. I was also kind of hoping for more behind the scenes stuff and all new interviews, especially since some of the actors and writers grew up watching DS. I'd love to know more about how they used the original as a blueprint for the revival series. 

I don't believe these are going to have any bonus features. Certainly no new ones have been commissioned for it and with only two months before release, its far too late, unless the date got bumped.

If they manage to scramble and get some material on it at the last minute, it'd have to be material that showed up on the MPI 'Resurrected' tape, the deleted scenes re-integrated into the MPI episodes or contemporary promotional material like commercials, taped press conference etc.

If they do include the cut material from the 2-hr pilot episode, it'd be best placed as separate deleted scenes. Those scenes were put together almost fifteen years ago on analog video and would look quite poor next to the HD mastered episodes proper...

Not that there's anything wrong with that material as it'd all be worth including, but the different departments need at least a few months to get the appropriate legal clearances and sign-offs, plus all the encoding, subtitling and mastering for all the discs.

These have been off and on the schedule for the last two years. A shame, really, as I would have jumped at the chance to produce new featurettes, unbleep the outtakes, and record a commentary for an episode or two.

But then again, MGM didn't out any extras on the classic OUTER LIMITS sets...

On the other hand though, with the current confusion due to the recent Sony purchase of MGM (which displaced hundreds of MGM employees) we're lucky that they're even on the schedule.

On the other hand though, with the current confusion due to the recent Sony purchase of MGM (which displaced hundreds of MGM employees) we're lucky that they're even on the schedule.

Isn't that the truth... 

Thanks again, Darren, for explaining to us about all the work that needs to take place before something like a re-edited film (in the case the VHS release print of those Dark Shadows episodes) can be released on DVD.

At first, the announcement that the firm is releasing the original episodes minus the extra footage that would be expected from a DVD release seemed either stupid or just plain mean--or both!  But now it seems as if they're rushing the episodes out in an effort to make a quick buck and can't afford the many months of time that would be required for the process you describe here.

I hadn't heard about the Sony purchase of MGM.  Isn't everything in LA going to wind up being owned by Disney/Warners??

Steve

I hadn't heard about the Sony purchase of MGM. Isn't everything in LA going to wind up being owned by Disney/Warners??

I certainly hope not. I think its time for another batch of anti vertical integration suits to hit these conglomerates and break them up. Too few people control way too much...

I don't think its a case of rushing it out. Studios spend three to four months at least just in the preparation and authoring area alone, not including any new film to tape transfers. Although its just recently that its been announced, its been known and evaluated and been worked on for months before then. They had all that time to decide on bonus materials and put something together. They evaluated the options and made their decision.

Again, while I don'tbelieve at this moment that they are going to have substantial bonus features, I'm sure the appropriate DCP people are continuing to contact them to hopefully cajole them into including some things...We won't know for a little while until the official press release hits...

Darren thanks for providing additional information on the 1991 DS series being released on DVD. Just some random thoughts I have as a fan of DS. I know that MGM/UA owns the rights to the series but doesn't Dan Curtis have any input on what goes on the DVDs? Another example would be if the 2004 pilot was ever released on DVD, would DCP also have any input? I don't know if these questions can be answered by anyone, but generally speaking I think DC should have some voice in this matter. My second thought (thank goodness I am only capable of having two lol) is the timing of the 1991 series release on DVD. Is MGM attempting to capitalize on the revival of supernatural series on tv this fall as opposed to two years ago? I am hoping that MGM realizes that there is plenty of "life" left in the DS franchise.

I see that our lovely Professor did not forget to include in her Fest report the presentation you made at the Fest on the movies' restorations. Proves my point that us fans really do care about your efforts. I hope the WB wakes up soon and gets your project off the ground.

Hi Jim.

A very teeny, tiny, infinitesimal amount of producers and directors have any say over what the studio puts on dvd or video. Most don't have any contractual final cut over what goes in the theaters either!

If Paramount wants to put out TITANIC, then they probably have to consult James Cameron- it's probably in his contracts these days.
If not, they can do whatever they want with it, as long as it doesn't break the original production contract.
(For example, if Cameron had contractual final cut, then Paramount could not cut the film down to 100 minutes and re-release it theatrically in a special 'studios exciting edit.')

Now Cameron's a huge name. Dan Curtis is not. At this stage, he's lucky enough to even get anything produced, nevermind negotiating for points of control. It wasn't Dan Curtis' name that got the DS pilot made- it was John Wells'.

So, we're talking about a series (1991) made years before the advent of DVD and most certainly no contractual controls over its video releases (other than standard residuals) were written into it.

MGM/UA can release it in whatever packaging, with whatever extras (or not), and in whatever format they want and whenever they want. Probably the only limitation is the cast and primary crew billing on the package which may be contractual through the unions- its something agents fight for. They don't need Curtis approval, nor do they even need to inform him of its impending release.

Now, what you'll find in something like an ALIAS, 24 or LOST is that the studio will put together a package of extras and special features and work directly with the executive producer and cast to make a set of extras that all the main heads can participate and take part in.  They do this for a couple of reasons - 1) these are huge shows and the DVDs will be huge sellers and revenue producers and the marketing department knows that the more bonus materials and exclusive material on the disc, the better it will sell. It's one of the reasons they call it ADDED VALUE MATERIAL and 2) the studio has an ongoing relationship with the creative people and exec producers of these ongoing series. They want these people happy so that they continue to produce successful shows that make the studio/corporation money. It's how a DVD like the ED WOOD disc was pulled just after its release, then altered and re-issued months later with changes. Word is Tim Burton didn't want one of the bonus featurettes on the disc and wanted to include some deleted scenes. The studio, obviously, wants a hit director like Burton to have a good relationship with them, and continue to come to them with his projects, so in this case they were williing to bend over backward and pull the current disc, make the changes and re-author, repress and re-release the disc just to make him happy.

If Dan Curtis were to call MGM/UA the day before the 1991 series set was released and ask them to pull the disc and re-release it with extras, they'd laugh and hang up the phone. The 1991 series will probably do well enough on DVD, but its not going to be a huge blockbuster seller and its not a major release for them. Just another catalog title to put on the market for a small revenue return.

MGM may be attempting to capitalize on the upcoming supernatural series or whatever. But it initially was put on the schedule when the pilot was being mooted last year. Jim and I mentioned to the MGM folks that they should release it on DVD back when I worked on the Burnt Offerings commentary and shortly after it started appearing on schedules...It was pulled from the schedule shortly after the WB debacle and has been off and on (as have dozens of other titles) during the Sony transition period...At this stage, they probably don't remember why it was on the schedule in the first place!

As for last year's pilot, that's a bit of an unknown. It would all depend on what deals were worked out initially...They'd most likely have to consult Wells, Curtis and Verheiden and negotiate some kind of contract for that release, and at that stage the three could ask for changes or offer better terms in exchange for commentaries or whatever...Curtis hates the pilot though, so you won't see him championing its release...In the case of Wells though, they'd consult him any way out of courtesy as in the Tim Burton example above...

...Curtis hates the pilot though, so you won't see him championing its release...

Curtis hates the pilot?  Damn!  Now I AM sorry I didn't get to see it.

Thanks Darren for the very informative post! I just learned a lot about the inside world of DVD making. I did not know that DC had no creative input in the upcoming 1991 series release and how his ability to get a project produced has greatly diminshed. But then again DC has been unable to get a new DS project off the ground for so many years and, as you said, DC needed John Wells to pitch the idea of a new DS to the WB.
 It is so frustrating to just read that The Omen will be reborn as a new theatrical movie. You would think that DS would have no difficulty in finding a home on a major network in recent times and especially in the current climate of supernatural shows cropping on the networks this fall. So what will it take to get a new DS project off the ground? I guess on the small screen we would still need Wells to pitch a new DS project to the networks ( I hope Wells has not given up on DS). I just don't see DS making it to the big screen without a big time actor and Director like Burton.
In any event, I do look forward to the 1991 series on DVD and it can only give the franchise more visibility.

I wouldn't give Curtis' taste much credence these days. His idea for DS for 2005 would have been to give us the first hr of the 91 pilot shot for shot, smoke and all. His directorial vision hasn't evolved in 20 years...

After all he liked ME AND THE KID enough to put his own $3M into it!

Anyone who thinks that JIM FYFE was the perfect modern realization of THAYER DAVID's BEN STOKES character needs a contributing producer to say the least...

Well's option has lapsed so its back in DCPs hands again.

So what will it take to get a new DS project off the ground?

What we need is for me to get off my ass and hurry up and write and direct a couple big hits, so that when the studio asks what project I'd like to do next I can say "DS...But only if you let me restore the two films as part of the deal." 

I wouldn't give Curtis' taste much credence these days. His idea for DS for 2005 would have been to give us the first hr of the 91 pilot shot for shot, smoke and all. His directorial vision hasn't evolved in 20 years...

Tell me about it! It was quite shocking to see just how much DC ripped off his own previous work in the episodes of the '91 series that he directed - from his own version of Dracula to hoDS. He completely duplicated entire sequences and that was quite disheartening. In fact, before I read your latest post, I was going to respond to your previous one by saying that it doesn't surprise me in the least that DC hated the WB pilot because he probably thought it should have been yet another shot for shot remake of hoDS. Spare us!    As I said, one of the things I really enjoyed about the WB pilot was that it wasn't yet another remake of hoDS...

Well's option has lapsed so its back in DCPs hands again.

That's very unfortunate to learn. 

I wouldn't give Curtis' taste much credence these days. His idea for DS for 2005 would have been to give us the first hr of the 91 pilot shot for shot, smoke and all. His directorial vision hasn't evolved in 20 years...

After all he liked ME AND THE KID enough to put his own $3M into it!

Anyone who thinks that JIM FYFE was the perfect modern realization of THAYER DAVID's BEN STOKES character needs a contributing producer to say the least...

Well's option has lapsed so its back in DCPs hands again.

Didn't ME AND THE KID win something like 5 Academy Awards? lol I think DC has made up his $3M loss in the last decade (a severe understatement).

Yeah I remember here at the Board about the discussion on when Fox several years ago had commissioned a new DS pilot script and how DC submitted a script almost identical to the 91 series. Another blown opportunity.
It is a shame that Wells is no longer involved in pitching a DS project to the networks. I was hoping that Wells and DC would attempt a new DS project together. How is your arm Darren? lol

Yes get off your ass. LOL

Didn't ME AND THE KID win something like 5 Academy Awards?

Me and the Kid couldn't win an Academy Award even if it was in a line-up of one. Seriously, it is shockingly bad - a cheery family film that passes of child abduction as a fortunate experience...  it's kinda like imaging him pitching Our Fathers as a recruitment film for the Catholic church.

Me and the Kid couldn't win an Academy Award even if it was in a line-up of one. Seriously, it is shockingly bad - a cheery family film that passes of child abduction as a fortunate experience...  it's kinda like imaging him pitching Our Fathers as a recruitment film for the Catholic church.

That was funny Stuart and sad too. Don't know why DC was so confident in this movie that he personally invested $3M into it. It says a lot I guess.
 With John Wells now out of the picture, a new DS project kind of looks bleak. Is anybody returning Curtis' phone calls? lol