1991 Series To Be Released On DVD

[Misa]

But does anyone really want to buy a messed up DVD of the 1991 show? I was really looking forward to this release, and now I'm not sure if I want to buy it. I was going to buy it because it is a pretty good show not perfect but it had potential. And buying it might help get something moving on a new show, and get more interest going, but I can't just throw away 40 some bucks either.

Misa

[ShadowsAtlanta]

Thanks to everyone for the good information.  I have cancelled my pre-order on Amazon.  I will only consider buying the set if I hear from someone who's watched it that it's not the hatchet job it appears to be.    :-

[jimbo]

Thanks to everyone for the good information.  I have cancelled my pre-order on Amazon.  I will only consider buying the set if I hear from someone who's watched it that it's not the hatchet job it appears to be.    :-

It was a difficult decision to make but I decided not to cancel my pre-order with Amazon as I am interested in seeing the greater clarity the DVD will provide (unless MGM can find a way to screw that up as well) compared to the videos' version. Plus I agree with Misa in that if it sells well, it may catch the networks' attention. But you are right that this DVD box set could be one big hatchet job.

[victoriawinters]

It's really official now on this aspect ratio business.  This just in my late night e-mail from Shadowgram:

*** Updates on MGM's planned October DVD release of the 1991 DS series. Please note it appears the episodes will be "in an artificially-created Wide-Screen format as if the episodes were filmed for exhibition in motion picture theaters." MGM's DVDs have only what was aired on NBC in 1991 and there are no planned bonus features.

Fans interested in the 1991 series may want to consider MPI's limited quantities of its VHS tapes, at the reduced price of $9.98 each. These include filmed footage not broadcast by NBC and never seen on TV. MPI also has the "DS Resurrected" VHS tape at the same reduced price. It has cast interview clips, bloopers, and behind-the-scenes footage. None of this material is on the MGM DVDs.

I agree moving the DS Catalog is a good thing to do but hoisting such a turkey on the DVD consuming public is not a good thing.  We want all of DS, the entire damn picture, warts, bloopers and all.  We should accept nothing less no matter what version it is.

[MsCriseyde]

It's really official now on this aspect ratio business.

Please note it appears the episodes will be "in an artificially-created Wide-Screen format as if the episodes were filmed for exhibition in motion picture theaters."

I'm not sure the phrasing here necessarily makes it "really official." The phrase used here is "it appears," which suggests that SG is operating from the same information we've already been referring to in this thread.

Do I hold out any hope that the release won't be widescreen? No. But SG isn't offering a definitive answer here. The only thing offered as fact was the sales pitch for the MPI videos. 

[jimbo]

I agree moving the DS Catalog is a good thing to do but hoisting such a turkey on the DVD consuming public is not a good thing.  We want all of DS, the entire damn picture, warts, bloopers and all.  We should accept nothing less no matter what version it is.

Hi victoriawinters.This is truly an interesting debate. Should we allow ourselves to buy such a turkey for the greater good of the franchise? I agree we should want all of DS but is it in our best interests for the DVD to sell well? It's unfortunate that MGM placed us into this unnecessary predictament when we and the franchise deserve the highest complete and quality DVD.

[Gothick]

This is definitely one of those situations where the prudent will wait and read the trade reviews before purchasing.

I wonder whether Barbara Steele had any scenes in the deleted sequences from the 1990 pilot?  Maybe *I* should invest in some of those MPI tapes...

G.

[Darren Gross]

It's a conundrum. On one hand you want to support all the DS releases (especially for a big studio like Sony/MGM) to prove the viability of the movies as titles that will sell well, but you really don't want to support a visually butchered release and reinforce the studio decisions that caused it to be released this way...

Dilemmas.

I'll keep my eyes open for a release in another region in case its done correctly over there, perhaps Japan who have much higher quality control standards than the US does.

A company like Warners is 100 times more likely to enquire about the sales figures for the 91 set from MGM (versus MPI for the classic series) as a basis for making a decision on the movies release question (when someone in marketing decides it might be a good idea, they'll look into sales figures before making the final decisions) but its quite conflicting to promote sales of an inferior release.

DS is such a lame-duck franchise anyway, the last thing you want to do is the hobble the thing any further...

[jimbo]

It's a conundrum. On one hand you want to support all the DS releases (especially for a big studio like Sony/MGM) to prove the viability of the movies as titles that will sell well, but you really don't want to support a visually butchered release and reinforce the studio decisions that caused it to be released this way...

Dilemmas.

I'll keep my eyes open for a release in another region in case its done correctly over there, perhaps Japan who have much higher quality control standards than the US does.

A company like Warners is 100 times more likely to enquire about the sales figures for the 91 set from MGM (versus MPI for the classic series) as a basis for making a decision on the movies release question (when someone in marketing decides it might be a good idea, they'll look into sales figures before making the final decisions) but its quite conflicting to promote sales of an inferior release.

DS is such a lame-duck franchise anyway, the last thing you want to do is the hobble the thing any further...

As much as I hate MGM to get away with this murder, I will support the franchise by buying the DVD. Look what MGM is doing to us-they are dividing us and they are making us look to Japan for help! lol  In all seriousness, and as you said, I do believe there will be entities who will be closely watching the dvd sales as a barometer for future DS projects-like restoring the movies and/or a new series. It will be interesting to see if MGM/Sony will be heavily promoting the dvds' release or will give it little promotion. I guess MGM will soon be making the official announcement as it has yet to indicate the dvds' release on its website. Thanks Darren for looking out for us.

[Darren Gross]

I wouldn't say 'closely watching' but Sony/MGM will be monitoring the sales as they usually do...

Their website does have it up here....

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/catalog/catalogDetail_DVD027616124258.html

Looking towards a Japanese release isn't really a challenge any more thanks to the internet. I buy discs from Japan all the time, particularly at www.cdjapan.co.jp Expensive, but very easy to arrange.

Now, whether they decide if there's a market there for it...who knows...

If I hear anything about another region release, I'll be sure to post it.

[MsCriseyde]

Not that it will accomplish much, but there is an email address for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Customer Service on their web site. It's sphe_customer_service@spe.sony.com

[hornet]

Not only am I'm glad to find this forum, but I'm doubly glad to find this thread.

I've been FUMING about how MGM has completely butchered the DVD release of this mini-series that I love more than words can describe. I was so thrilled to hear that the DVD release was coming, then disapointed that it was not the expanded/uncut version as released by MPI but just the original NBC broadcast versions. Oh well I thought, I guess I can handle watching those extra 20 minutes or so on my old MPI VHS tapes. At least the rest of it will be in perfect DVD quality, so I was definitely still going to buy it.

But then came the death blow. MGM in their infinite wisdom had decided to create FAUX widescreen versions by chopping off the top and bottom of the picture so that the 5% of consumers who have a HDD TV and/or who don't know any better will be able to watch a show that was NEVER INTENDED to be seen in "Widescreen" to be viewed in said format only. As someone pointed out in an earlier message, Warner Bros. did this same STUPID THING with the first season of Kung Fu and I have not bought that set for that very reason. Warner Bros. apparently learned their lesson however and heard fans who HATED this and has released season 2 and 3 in the original fullscreen 4:3 (1.33:1) TV screen ratio, and to quote Barnabas, "as it was meant to be!". Now hopefully they will re-release Season 1 in the same format. Otherwise I will never ever buy that worthless set.

And the same is true with this WORTHLESS DVD release from MGM.

I know some of you want to support the franchise. Well do that by buying the MPI releases and NOT letting the idiots at MGM force feed you crappy releases like this. If they see that people will buy whatever they put out even when it completely destroys something, then we as consumers/fans aren't being taken into consideration and get what we deserve.

I urge everyone to not only boycott this DVD release, but to write, email, and/or call MGM and SONY and tell them how displeased you are about this and how you are NOT going to buy it. That's what I'm gonna do.

Dan

[jimbo]

Welcome Dan to the board.

I do see your points. I am just having a difficult time in taking a position against the DS franchise by not buying the 91 series dvd. There are many fans of the show who are interested in a new DS series and having both DS movies fully restored and released on DVD. If the 91 series dvd sells well, it may enhance the chances of a new DS project and the movies released on DVD. Sony/MGM from what I read here will be watching the sales of this DVD as they normally do. If the dvd sells poorly it will probably decrease the chances of a new DS project/DS movies release on dvd. To me it is that simple. I do agree MGM should not be able to get away with this butchery but I think the cost is too high to pay for not supporting the franchise by boycotting MGM. The DS franchise could use an injection of positive buzz.

[Gothick]

This is just my personal opinion, and I'm not criticizing anyone intentionally by stating it, but I really do not think fans should be expected to purchase sub-par products or deliberately mangled prints of DS material in the altruistic interest of "supporting the DS franchise."

I also want to issue a plea for fans to wait until we get hands-on reviews of the actual product from the trade sites before proceeding to write letters of complaint.

If you want to take the time to write a letter, I suggest sending it via snail mail. It may have changed but I remember being told back in the 1990s that studio offices took snail mail letters much more seriously than stuff received online, for whatever reason.

Finally, I don't see why Warners would take the sales of the itty-bitty 1991 series set more seriously than those of the massively plentiful MPI sets, which seem to be doing very well--or at least getting an awful lot of exposure in trade sites on the Internet!

but then, I do not pretend to know what goes on inside the head of today's studio executive--far from it!

G.

[Darren Gross]

Hi Steve.

While the MPI sets are prevalent and well-distributed, the sales figures of a major studio like MGM/Sony would more closely gel with sales from another major. MGM/Sony will spend more money on marketing and ads, and have better sales and distribution people that can get their titles ordered in higher quantities at more stores....Now, the average consumer might not notice any ads or marketing, as they won't usually hit the big magazines but there will be a noticeable presence in the video trade magazines like Video Store and Video Business etc. that are important.

Botched framing or not, the 91 MGM series will probably sell 2 to 3 times better than the MPI sets do, so you can see where the studios are coming from on marketing and sales evaluations.