What's the last TV DVD/Blu-ray you bought? (4 Viewers)

[Flashgear]

--Why would ViaVision's seasonal releases have only episode names, and no other info?

--Also, I purchased that Kung Fu all-in-one DVD because I had never seen that 70s offbeat ABC Western; was it any good then?

Ben, I don't know why ViaVision wouldn't have replicated the CBS/P episode guide on their paper insert, considering that ViaVision's licensed sets are the very same video files, menus, bonus features (commentary by Andrew J. Klyde and episode intro and outro by Mitch Vogel) and in the case of season 10, a 9 minute clip of Dan Blocker on the 1969 Jack Benny birthday special and episodic press photo galleries (for every episode) as their CBS/P release counterparts. I can get all the episode info from IMDB and my books anyway. Though with ViaVision, these have black with silver script labeling on the discs, and not the greyish CBS/P disc labeling that we're so familiar with. The ViaVision discs are even labeled volume one and volume two, though they are of course together in the single 8 disc case and not two 4 disc volumes as in North America.

The big deal for me is that I saved about $60 American in buying the ViaVision Bonanza seasons 10 and 11 over what I would pay for the CBS/P half-season volumes. Ordered directly off Amazon. ViaVision does great work (nearly all region-free), and I have many of their releases, and some from their earlier incarnation, Madman Entertainment. And their Imprint line is also very active with Blu-ray.

As to Kung Fu, I watched it first-run during my high school years. It was a huge TV and pop-culture hit for 63 episodes from 1972-75. I liked it, but sometimes found it a little too predictable, and on occasion, a little too preachy for my taste (as many shows were during the later 'Relevance' era). But it had great action, and the usual familiar and great guest stars that we all love. And it gave many of Hollywood's Asian acting community a real showcase, not least the wonderful Keye Luke. Also welcome stalwarts like Philip Ahn, James Hong, Victor Sen-Yung, Richard Loo, Khigh Dhiegh (Hawaii 5-0's Wo-Fat), Benson Fong (well known restauranteur), James Shigeta, Tad Horino, John Fujioka, Clyde Kusatsu, all the top Asian-American actors with a long and under-appreciated acting heritage in Hollywood. Loved them all!

Nothing against David Carradine, as a fine actor he made that role his own, but Kung Fu would've been a much more exciting show had they given the role to the great Bruce Lee (who was up for the role and if what I read is accurate, wanted to do it!).

I don't have Kung Fu in my DVD collection, but might pick it up if I see it at a good price. I do see that some of the season releases were clipped to reformat the original 1.37 to faux widescreen 16:9...other more knowledgeable members here can probably answer as to which season and edition those are, or yourself once you dig into your new complete series set.

 

[Desslar]

The big deal for me is that I saved about $60 American in buying the ViaVision Bonanza seasons 10 and 11 over what I would pay for the CBS/P half-season volumes. Ordered directly off Amazon. ViaVision does great work (nearly all region-free), and I have many of their releases, and some from their earlier incarnation, Madman Entertainment. And their Imprint line is also very active with Blu-ray.

Nothing against David Carradine, as a fine actor he made that role his own, but Kung Fu would've been a much more exciting show had the given the role to the great Bruce Lee (who was up for the role and if what I read is accurate, wanted to do it!).

Do you know if ViaVision/Madman releases of British shows are also region free? I've had my eye on their Minder set, and maybe The Sweeney and The Bill as well.

I remember Kung Fu being on in syndication as a kid, but not sure if I watched it much. I think one's enjoyment today will partially rest on whether you can accept Carradine as being an Asian kung fu master. It's a bit of a stretch, although Carradine makes a good effort. Overall the show feels a little on the slow side to me, but then I'm not much of a western fan.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I think one's enjoyment today will partially rest on whether you can accept Carradine as being an Asian kung fu master. It's a bit of a stretch, although Carradine makes a good effort.

Carradine's character is only half-Chinese, an orphan who was raised by Shaolin monks, detailed in the show's (excellent) 90-minute pilot episode. Luckily, the producers don't try to "Yellowface" him up.

I do agree that Kung Fu can be slow, and at times grim and downbeat, but IMO it's a very good show, at least in the first two seasons (can't speak to it's 3rd and final season, as I don't own and don't remember much about it, other than it veers quite a bit more into mysticism.) Carradine does well in the part, though I agree with Randall that it would've been great if Bruce Lee, who helped come up with the idea for the series and expected to star, had got the part instead. It would have had a very different tone, however (can't see Bruce playing such a peaceful, gentle character somehow...but the requisite fights each episode would have been terrific).

 

[jayembee]

I don't have Kung Fu in my DVD collection, but might pick it up if I see it at a good price. I do see that some of the season releases were clipped to reformat the original 1.37 to faux widescreen 16:9...other more knowledgeable members here can probably answer as to which season and edition those are, or yourself once you dig into your new complete series set.

The first season set has the episodes re-formatted in 16x9. There were lots of complaints at the time, so the second and third seasons were released in 4x3. Warner didn't seem to think that it was worth it to reissue S1 in 4x3, so it's still 16x9.

 

[Desslar]

Carradine's character is only half-Chinese, an orphan who was raised by Shaolin monks, detailed in the show's (excellent) 90-minute pilot episode. Luckily, the producers don't try to "Yellowface" him up.

I do agree that Kung Fu can be slow, and at times grim and downbeat, but IMO it's a very good show, at least in the first two seasons (can't speak to it's 3rd and final season, as I don't own and don't remember much about it, other than it veers quite a bit more into mysticism.) Carradine does well in the part, though I agree with Randall that it would've been great if Bruce Lee, who helped come up with the idea for the series and expected to star, had got the part instead. It would have had a very different tone, however (can't see Bruce playing such a peaceful, gentle character somehow...but the requisite fights each episode would have been terrific).

Let me throw out another casting idea: Chuck Norris. How great would that have been? Talk about a different tone.

 

[The 1960's]

My Colonel March of Scotland Yard set shipped from Amazon Canada today, and I should have it tomorrow!

Randall whatever happened to your review of this release? Did it end up being the same prints currently streaming on YouTube and particularly Amazon Prime?

The first season set has the episodes re-formatted in 16x9. There were lots of complaints at the time, so the second and third seasons were released in 4x3. Warner didn't seem to think that it was worth it to reissue S1 in 4x3, so it's still 16x9.

All three seasons are streaming on Prime in HD. Took a bit of time to get accustomed to viewing in 16:9 but I couldn't watch it any other way now. As you can see here, it is stunning!

 

[TLones1060]

McHale's Navy. I bought the complete series last week at WalMart in-store for $29.96. Was also at Amazon for the same price. Included:a few new interviews and both full length feature films. Also waiting for "Broadside" from Etsy to come next week. This was something of a spinoff from "McHale" starring Kathy Nolan and Sheila James, with Edward Arnold in the "Binghamton" role and Dick Sargent as Arnold's "Carpenter." Both produced by Edward J. Montagne for ABC.

 

[The 1960's]

After viewing several episodes of my recently arrived Bonanza season 10 set, the all-in-one ViaVision region-free set (though like several other ViaVision sets, it's marked 'region 4' on the box), and spot-checking all the other episodes in that set (which look absolutely stunning! And season 10 was very strong with many excellent episodes!), I immediately followed up with buying the ViaVision Bonanza complete season 11 (1969-70, 28 episodes on 7 discs)...both of these save me considerable money on buying the North American CBS/P half season volumes for both seasons (the last Bonanza seasons released in split volumes).

The ViaVision discs are identical to the original CBS/P sets, menu and including the same bonus features and photo galleries. Only difference is that ViaVision's paper insert only has the episode titles with no airdates or other details as the CBS/P sets have...I'll complete the series eventually with the CBS/P sets for seasons' 12, 13 and 14, and the remastered season 2.

Randall will you getting the ViaVision release of Rawhide Season 1 in HD?

Amazon.com

 

[Flashgear]

Randall whatever happened to your review of this release? Did it end up being the same prints currently streaming on YouTube and particularly Amazon Prime?

Hello Neal! I've watched about a third of the Colonel March of Scotland Yard set, and am very happy with it. Episodes look very good, from 16mm in great condition, and complete with early era TV running times approximating 27 minutes each. 26 episodes on three discs. Same great quality that Film Chest showed us with the complete series of Decoy and Deadline, including a similar coated paper insert with episode guide, in this case 4 pages with each episode having a screen capture, synopsis, cast, trivia and airdate (presumably U.S. OADs).

Here's a new promotional trailer that Film Chest/Multicom Entertainment have up on YT...

Randall will you getting the ViaVision release of Rawhide Season 1 in HD?

Neal, I have it in my Amazon cue, and will definitely get it at some point. Though I'm disappointed that ViaVision won't be following up with more Rawhide seasons. We all know that season 4 especially needs to have new transfers to Blu, which will always be my preference. I know you have the season one Blu set, so you did what you could to encourage them. Many great episodes in that first season, including some of my absolute favorite episodes in the whole mighty run. Rawhide was incredibly strong right off the bat, and didn't need time to warm-up to greatness!

 

[BobO'Link]

Home Improvement - S6, S7, S8 to complete another series.
Doc Martin - S8
Pushing Daisies - S2 to complete this one.

 

[The 1960's]

Hello Neal! I've watched about a third of the Colonel March of Scotland Yard set, and am very happy with it. Episodes look very good, from 16mm in great condition, and complete with early era TV running times approximating 27 minutes each. 26 episodes on three discs. Same great quality that Film Chest showed us with the complete series of Decoy and Deadline, including a similar coated paper insert with episode guide, in this case 4 pages with each episode having a screen capture, synopsis, cast, trivia and airdate (presumably U.S. OADs).

Here's a new promotional trailer that Film Chest/Multicom Entertainment have up on YT...


Neal, I have it in my Amazon cue, and will definitely get it at some point. Though I'm disappointed that ViaVision won't be following up with more Rawhide seasons. We all know that season 4 especially needs to have new transfers to Blu, which will always be my preference. I know you have the season one Blu set, so you did what you could to encourage them. Many great episodes in that first season, including some of my absolute favorite episodes in the whole mighty run. Rawhide was incredibly strong right off the bat, and didn't need time to warm-up to greatness!

Randall thanks for posting the Film Chest (Multicom Entertainment) YT video but all three are from the exact same source. Note the Multicom Entertainment Group Inc. bumper is present at the beginning of each. In addition right below the sample video there's a link to WATCH ON AMAZON. The only difference I can see is that the YouTube videos originating from Baby Boom, exhibit far more compression being much smaller files. The Amazon Prime episodes are likely larger files and thus look even better than those on YouTube, and the DVD files are likely even bigger, (800mb to 1 GB each), again looking even slightly better, but not enough to make me wanna buy it.

One additional comment. The contrast looks best on the sample video, and while it's only a sample, that might indicate some inexpensive restoration process was used to improve the contrast levels. Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Jasper70]

Haven’t been here in a while, these are the last sets I purchased.
Magnum, P.I. Mill Creek complete Blu-ray set. Totally satisfied with it. Excellent picture quality and English subtitles, if only they had included the subs on Rockford Files and Miami Vice I’d own those too.
Chips complete series on DVD. Really enjoying this show I watched as a kid. The last season not so much, funny to see Bruce Jenner as a regular.
Munsters complete series on DVD. Just got a few weeks ago and haven’t started watching it yet.
The Incredible Hulk complete Blu-ray set. Really enjoyed it, PQ was good but I wouldn’t say great.
I have seasons 1-4 of Emergency! Need to get the last few to complete the series.

 

[Desslar]

Haven’t been here in a while, these are the last sets I purchased.
Magnum, P.I. Mill Creek complete Blu-ray set. Totally satisfied with it. Excellent picture quality and English subtitles, if only they had included the subs on Rockford Files and Miami Vice I’d own those too.
Chips complete series on DVD. Really enjoying this show I watched as a kid. The last season not so much, funny to see Bruce Jenner as a regular.
Munsters complete series on DVD. Just got a few weeks ago and haven’t started watching it yet.
The Incredible Hulk complete Blu-ray set. Really enjoyed it, PQ was good but I wouldn’t say great.
I have seasons 1-4 of Emergency! Need to get the last few to complete the series.

Great choices! I have all of those except Munsters, which isn't really my thing. Also have Rockford Files and Miami Vice on blu-ray.

Chips really is comfort TV to me. Easygoing but also plenty of action. And you get a pretty good tour of LA.

 

[Jasper70]

I picked up the Munsters for $2 at a thrift store, I grew up watching reruns so I think it’ll be nice to revisit it after all the years. Also picked up the complete Soap for $1, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it at all but for the price I’ll give it a shot.

 

[Desslar]

I picked up the Munsters for $2 at a thrift store, I grew up watching reruns so I think it’ll be nice to revisit it after all the years. Also picked up the complete Soap for $1, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it at all but for the price I’ll give it a shot.

Wow! I need to shop at your thrift store.

 

[Jasper70]

Wow! I need to shop at your thrift store.

I’m a full time media seller for the past 15 years. I go hunting several days a week. While I have bought a small part of my collection at retail prices, 95% of the few thousand discs I own came at severely discounted prices. Several years ago while it was OOP I got the Twilight Zone complete Blu-ray set for $6. I still own it. The thrill of the hunt is great. Obviously I’m looking for inventory to sell but occasionally get something for my collection.

 

[Desslar]

I’m a full time media seller for the past 15 years. I go hunting several days a week. While I have bought a small part of my collection at retail prices, 95% of the few thousand discs I own came at severely discounted prices. Several years ago while it was OOP I got the Twilight Zone complete Blu-ray set for $6. I still own it. The thrill of the hunt is great. Obviously I’m looking for inventory to sell but occasionally get something for my collection.

I'm surprised that there would be enough physical media coming through a thrift store that there would be reason to go multiple times a week. Especially with everyone turning to streaming for the last decade. You must live in an ideal community where physical media fans with good taste are shedding their collections.

There's a Reddit community called dvdcollection, in which people are constantly making boastful posts about the huge stacks of discs they bought from thrift stores for a dollar each or whatever. This piqued my interest at first as a possible shopping strategy, but when I looked through the titles in these stacks I noticed they were 99% junk - DTV-ish titles and major studio flops - the kind of stuff you would expect to find eternally gathering dust in a bargain bin (no diamonds in the rough like Twilight Zone). I couldn't figure out why these posters were so proud of these hauls of junk, but maybe they are somehow reselling them and earning a few bucks here and there.

 

[Flashgear]

Here's a new review from CINEMA RETRO Magazine about Film Chest's new DVD set of Boris Karloff's complete series of Colonel March of Scotland Yard...with fascinating detail on the history and production of that show, including details on the people behind the series, including renowned American expatriate director Cy Endfield's (Hell Drivers, Mysterious Island, Zulu, Sands of the Kalahari, etc.) involvement as producer and directing three episodes under the alias of 'Donald Ginsberg'...

DVD REVIEW: "COLONEL MARCH OF SCOTLAND YARD: THE COMPLETE 26-EPISODE SERIES" STARRING BORIS KARLOFF (FILM CHEST MEDIA) - Cinema Retro

 

[Jasper70]

I'm surprised that there would be enough physical media coming through a thrift store that there would be reason to go multiple times a week. Especially with everyone turning to streaming for the last decade. You must live in an ideal community where physical media fans with good taste are shedding their collections.

There's a Reddit community called dvdcollection, in which people are constantly making boastful posts about the huge stacks of discs they bought from thrift stores for a dollar each or whatever. This piqued my interest at first as a possible shopping strategy, but when I looked through the titles in these stacks I noticed they were 99% junk - DTV-ish titles and major studio flops - the kind of stuff you would expect to find eternally gathering dust in a bargain bin (no diamonds in the rough like Twilight Zone). I couldn't figure out why these posters were so proud of these hauls of junk, but maybe they are somehow reselling them and earning a few bucks here and there.

I drive a lot. Although I’m in a big city, I regularly drive 1 to 1.5 hours to go to other cities. Pawn shops used to be a major source of DVDs but unfortunately most of them no longer buy DVDs. Just yesterday I picked up several box sets. The Winds of War, War and Remembrance (HIGHLY RECOMMEND watching these), a UK import that has both Titanic and Avatar 3d Blu-ray, The Magnificent Seven four movie set and a. Few other sets. All $1 each. Some days are not so good, some days are great. Been doing this full time for many years. You develop multiple sources and relationships.

 

[Jasper70]

Also, 99% of the DVDs I see are worthless. You should take a day, hit thrift stores and the flea market, you might be surprised at what you find.