Kinescopes

[retzev]

What do you think when you cue up your next episode of DS and realize it's a B&W kinescope?

Are you disappointed? Or do you, like me, think to yourself "oh...cool, a kinescope."

[PennyDreadful]

I kind of like the kinescopes.  They give episodes that grainy, old horror movie feel.

- Penny

[CyrusL]

Usually I say, "Oh yeah, another epsode that would be lost if not for the kinescope."
     I have begun to think of the black and white years in my own vernacular as "the Universal period" and the color years as "the Hammer era." I'm sure Penny knows what I mean. The black and white kinescopes do have an unearthly quality that almost remonds one of those "EVP" ghost contact films.  My wife actually prefers the B&W period. Without sounding like an elitist, I wish they would give an FAQ at the DS festivals as it seems every year at least two people ask why some of the episodes go back to b&w etc, and it takes quite a bit of time to explain. My polite gripe if you will is that this was well explained in KLS's books and elsewhere and takes time away better used at the fests. Ok, that's my Dennis Miller mini-rant for today, lol 

Michael

[Charles_Ellis]

I've always wondered about the possibility of having the post-August '67 kinescopes colorized.  We know what the sets, costumes and characters look like in color, and since they were originally presented that way, putting the color back would be a way of restoring these episodes to the max.  It HAS been done with some Doctor Who installments from the 1970s in which the original tapes were damaged.

[BuzzH]

Usually I say, "Oh yeah, another epsode that would be lost if not for the kinescope."

I'm w/you, at least we have the episode!  I'd take a kinoscope of episode #1219 (the 'lost' episode) over an audio track and TV screen grabs anyday!  Although I prefer the color eps, because of the wonderful costumes, particularly when they go back in time, and the gorgeous sets of Sy Tomasoff, I *do* have a certain affinity for the early B&W eps.  For example, I can't imagine a better format for the early Barnabas eps when [spoiler]he's kidnapped and is terrorizing Maggie.  The B&W make those eps all the more eery.  And I *love* that the ep where he's chasing her through the underground tunnels of the Old House is a kinoscope because that just totally sets the mood of horror for me.[/spoiler]

I've always wondered about the possibility of having the post-August '67 kinescopes colorized. 

Oh no, no, no!  God, don't colorize, I hate colorizing!  I'm a big believer in leaving things as they were originally meant to be.  I hate that Ted Turner colorized so many old movies.  I nearly blanched when I heard To Kill A Mockingbird had been colorized and made sure when I bought my copy it was the original B&W. 

[Sandor]

One of my favorite episodes is a kinescope - episode #683 - featuring Julia's hypnosis of Chris Jennings, Barnabas & Julia's ominous suspicions about David & Amy, a visit from a ghost, and a touch of grave-digging at the finale... not to mention a nice voice-over from Don Briscoe at the beginning.  It almost has a more gothick feel to it in black & white - and it's a bit of a jolt when the next installment goes back to color.

[Charles_Ellis]

BuzzH, maybe you didn't read my post properly!!!  I was talking about kinescopes made after DS went to color in August of 1967- I'm advocating replacing the color in the kinies for episodes that were originally shown in color and the master tape was lost.  Can't make it any plainer......

[BuzzH]

BuzzH, maybe you didn't read my post properly!!!  I was talking about kinescopes made after DS went to color in August of 1967- I'm advocating replacing the color in the kinies for episodes that were originally shown in color and the master tape was lost.  Can't make it any plainer......

Um, why so venomous?  No need to get nasty Charles, we're all friends here. 

[Charles_Ellis]

I wasn't being venomous- believe me, my bark is worse is much worse than my bite....

[BuzzH]

I wasn't being venomous- believe me, my bark is worse is much worse than my bite....

O...kay then. 

[Phil]

The kinescopes definitely have an ethereal, "not-film-not-video" look, but as a fan of both the original B&W eps and the acid-trip color palettes of the later ones, the kinescopes are a distant third. Why, you ask?

- the actual B&W eps were using different lenses on different cameras. They had a sharpness that the color eps don't, and the kinescoped color eps are kind of mush in comparison;

- I have to admit that the kinescope eps, because of their low contrast and frequently muffled audio tracks, put me right the hell to sleep. It's like the opposite of audiovisual stimuli.

I'm grateful they exist, glad we have the whole show (aside form that one "lost" one), but I don't get excited about the idea of back to back kinescope eps (which is what did me in tonight, eps 351 & 352.)