MPI isn't all that bad...

[Miss_Winthrop]

I did pick up the Barnabas bobble-head at the fest and I'm looking forward to eventually getting a Dr Hoffman bobble-head if they produce one. I hope she's wearing the white lab coat and has the helmet style hair do.

I have to agree that MPI has done a good job on the VHS and DVD tapes overall.  I'm collecting the Dallas DVDs and the quality (pardon my French) sucks!  However, the first season of Dallas is in pretty good shape compared to the subsequent seasons.  I heard, but don't know for sure, that the Dallas DVDs are being produced in another country at a very cheap rate.

I look forward to getting the Collector's series on DVD.

[Barnabas'sBride]

I have the Barnabas and Josette bobbleheads, which are the only two I wanted. I'm not interested in having all of them.

[Devlin66]

I know the purists love the flashy DVD's with post card and fancy box.....but i have joined the economy tour which includes the following

I am close to having all 1225 episodes on dvd after going to sears and buying a dvd-r vhs combo machine where i can dub and edit all the dvd's to my liking.  Perhaps an illusion, but my dvd copies of the pre barn collectors series looks fresher than the original 54 volumes on vhs.........and thanks to Netflix i have had the dvd collections shipped to my home where i dubbed vhs copies back to dvd with amazing results....no bobbleheads, no club to join, and not having to wait till next year to see pre barn on dvd......happy happy joy joy!

I also did this with all the previous MPI vhs releases of special DS things like bloopers and music video etc.  The only thing i wonder is what is the longevity of a DVD-R....and should i keep my vhs stock as back up.......decisions decisions.  all this to say...thank you MPI for making the DS run available either on vhs or dvd...

[Sunny_Collins]

I have the Barnabas and Josette bobbleheads, which are the only two I wanted. I'm not interested in having all of them.

Oh man, I wish I had the bobbleheads! Much to my sorrow I don't have any of them.

[CastleBee]

I think I want a bobble head of Barnabas to put on the dashboard of my car.

If nothing else, it might inspire yet another version of an old standard - perhaps something a little like this...

Plastic Barnabas

Well, I don't care if I blow a tire
Long as I have my plastic vampire
Bobbling on the dashboard of my car
Through all spells and incantations,
We will travel every nation,
With my plastic Barn I will go far.

Woo HOO!

[Nancy]

That is hilarious, Castlebee!
I would also love to have a Barnabas bobblehead to put on the rear window, bobbling along as I drive! That would be too funny.

Nancy

[Sunny_Collins]

That's so funny, CastleBee! I need a bobblehead Barnabas, now!

[joe integlia]

i too have a dvd recorder but i choose to purchase the entire series on dvd. i have the entire collectors series on vhs and all the other episodes either from mpi or recorded off the new jersey network. the quality of the dvds purchased from mpi look so perfect especially in the color episodes. they look far superior than the vhs releases or any tv/cable broadcast. i too notice that anything recorded or copied on dvd does seem to improve the picture quality but nothing compares to the mpi dvd releases. renting the dvds and going from dvd to vhs then back to dvd was a good decision rather than going from the mpi vhs releases of the post barnabas episodes, however you could have also bought an inexpensive dvd player and played back the dvds on it and recorded them on your dvd recorder. just be thankfull mpi didnt put copyguard/macrovision on their releases!

[jimbo]

I was at the Fest and they forgot to bring size XL of the new commemmorative sweatshirts and many of the fans gave them a hard time justifiablely so.

This article states that MPI has sold over 300,000 units of the Dark Shadows DVDs. Let's see.  300,000 x $60.00 = mucho dinero. lol And that is not including the DS VHS  versions sales or the non- DS items in its huge library.

http://news.pajamasmedia.com/entertainment/2006/08/25/10467478_Spooky_soap_oper.shtml

The fact that nowhere on its "40th Anniversary" T shirt does it reflect the words 40th Anniversary that they were selling at the Fest which should say much about MPI. However, they did remember to reflect its website's address on the shirt. Perhaps they wanted to wait until they received more profits.

[Phil]

They let us buy the bloopers DVD 3 months early at the fest, so thumbs up there.

And as far as the "must join the club to get the DVDs" rule, you must look at the wording on the flyer:

"Currently, only members of the DVD Club will have the opportunity to purchase all 6 DVD Collections of Dark Shadows: The Beginning series before they're made available to the general public."

Sounds like they'll be available to anyone, just not as soon as they're available to club members. Since I'm only on Collection 5, I've got plenty of time to wait and see what happens...

[I Ching]

The following is contained in an article posted on PJM News:

Dark Shadows" launched the acting career of Kate Jackson, spawned several hit records and two feature films starring the TV cast, "House of Dark Shadows" (1970) and "Night of Dark Shadows" (1971). Both are set for DVD release next year, as is a seven-disc CD set of music from the series.

[Lydia]

Nice article.  The mention of "Sombras Tenebrosas" reminds me of an essay I wrote for French class in the spring of 1972.  The assigned subject was "My Favorite TV Show", so of course I wrote about "Ombres Sombres", closing it with a declaration of undying loyalty to a cancelled show.

[Sunny_Collins]

Very cool that the two movies will be released on DVD next year, and that there will be a boxset of music! 

Thanks for sharing! 

[BuzzH]

And as far as the "must join the club to get the DVDs" rule, you must look at the wording on the flyer:

"Currently, only members of the DVD Club will have the opportunity to purchase all 6 DVD Collections of Dark Shadows: The Beginning series before they're made available to the general public."

Sounds like they'll be available to anyone, just not as soon as they're available to club members.

Cool Housefly, thanks for posting that info.  I suspected as much, but they hadn't said for sure, so it's nice to know that eventually ALL fans will be able to buy the pre-Barn eps.

The fact that nowhere on its "40th Anniversary" T shirt does it reflect the words 40th Anniversary that they were selling at the Fest which should say much about MPI. However, they did remember to reflect its website's address on the shirt. Perhaps they wanted to wait until they received more profits.

How lame is that, not mentioning the 40th Anniversary on their so-called 40th Anniversary shirts!  Well, just contact BOBUBAS, he's got a gorgeous 40th tee, the BEST one he's ever done IMHO, and HE mentions the anniversary on his shirt. 

P.S. Jimbo, I think we met Sunday nite after the banquet, correct?  That night was a blur, had two HUGE cocktails, LOL!   

[jimbo]

How lame is that, not mentioning the 40th Anniversary on their so-called 40th Anniversary shirts!  Well, just contact BOBUBAS, he's got a gorgeous 40th tee, the BEST one he's ever done IMHO, and HE mentions the anniversary on his shirt.

P.S. Jimbo, I think we met Sunday nite after the banquet, correct?  That night was a blur, had two HUGE cocktails, LOL!

Hi BuzzH. You had two huge cocktails? Well that is only what you remember. LOL Yes it was I. It was great to finally meet you. Yes BOBUBAS out- did himself this year. That what a nice tribute to the 40th Anniversary. What a great looking shirt. Can't say the same for MPI.