Tony Bensley
Senior HTF Member
Released by Warner Brothers, the Gilligan's Island Season and series DVD sets were first issued in 2004/05 as double-sided/dual layered discs. The DVDs were housed in fold out cardboard casing, which included episode listings, and supplements information.
The above was reissued in 2012 on single-sided/dual layered DVDs. The discs are housed in a snap spindle setup within plastic snap casing. The episode listings, and supplements information are included as separate booklet inserts.
Pros:
For DVD format, the episodes from all 3 Seasons have a very decent bitrate, due to a comparatively low episode per DVD ratio. While the first Black & White Season has a maximum of 7 twenty five minute episodes per disc, the subsequent Color Seasons contain no more than 6 episodes per DVD! For a bit of perspective, 8 or 9 twenty two - twenty five minute episodes per DVD was, and is the most common scenario, although at least one home video company unfortunately routinely exceeds that, often by a significant margin!
Simple, user friendly menus that play the entire theme according to Season, with 'Play All' and 'Episodes' access options. Subtitles in English, French and Spanish are also included.
Cons:
No subtitles for the opening and closing themes.
Double-sided discs are inherently annoying and problematic. (2004/05 Season and series sets.)
Discs sometimes pop out of the snap casing (I only have this problem with Season 3*, for some unknown reason!). (2012 Season and series reissues)
Incongruities & Imponderables:
The inclusion of "More Episodes On Other Side Of Disc" on the 2012 reissues, are indicative that no menu alterations or modifications were done!
The Bamboo framing in the menus, while perfectly suited to this series, don't look unlike an option that can be accessed in any number of DVD Menu setup software programs! I'm just saying!
The best Color cover photo of the Gilligan's Island cast is featured on the Season 1 Black & White DVD set?!!?
Why does the first Season 1 disc only contain the Pilot episode, plus a few bonus extras? Whether on the single-sided DVD, or previously issued flipper discs, even with the extra supplements, this has always struck me as rather awkward! At least with the 2012 reissue, I suppose one could consider this the unofficial last Season 1 supplementary disc, if that makes it any easier. This doesn't quite work for me, unfortunately!
Some end of Season 2 supplements on its 6th DVD, which contain only two episodes, would have been nice!
While any Sherwood Schwartz commentary is welcome, was he on a single episode per Season set limit, and why are all three of these for early (In each Season!) episodes? In my opinion, commentary on the final Season 3 episode could have been most insightful!
Finally, what a shame that none of the then surviving Gilligan's Island cast members were rounded up to provide some much valued commentary from their perspectives for the initial 2004/05 releases! Among the now remaining two, I'm pretty sure that only Dawn Wells would be willing to provide some for any potential Blu-ray release, as Tina Louise has had little to do with the show (Other than informal cast reunions, without any commercial tie in!) since it's 1967 cancellation.
** Truth be told, I'd be very interested in hearing Tina Louise's side regarding why things became so sour between her and Sherwood Schwartz. Of course, it could very well be details that nobody wants to hear. That's just how life is, sometimes, sad to say!
* Could this perhaps be because of the Season 3 DVD set containing one fewer disc (5 DVDs), than for each of the first two (6 DVDs) Seasons? Crappy as its visual quality is (Not to mention, incomplete!), I've inserted my DIGIVIEW DVD of RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND (1978), to put this to the test!
P.S. It didn't work! I can only figure that it must be some slight, but unfortunately unknown (Otherwise, I'd attempt to fix this!) anomaly with the casing! The only solution that I've found to be fairly effective is keeping the spine from shifting when opening the Season 3 DVD case, which itself can be a slightly tricky exercise! Incidentally, there is a somewhat better (At least, more complete!) version of RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND available for viewing on YouTube!
** EDIT: See subsequent posts regarding Tina Louise and Sherwood Schwartz, who evidently got along just fine!
The above was reissued in 2012 on single-sided/dual layered DVDs. The discs are housed in a snap spindle setup within plastic snap casing. The episode listings, and supplements information are included as separate booklet inserts.
Pros:
For DVD format, the episodes from all 3 Seasons have a very decent bitrate, due to a comparatively low episode per DVD ratio. While the first Black & White Season has a maximum of 7 twenty five minute episodes per disc, the subsequent Color Seasons contain no more than 6 episodes per DVD! For a bit of perspective, 8 or 9 twenty two - twenty five minute episodes per DVD was, and is the most common scenario, although at least one home video company unfortunately routinely exceeds that, often by a significant margin!
Simple, user friendly menus that play the entire theme according to Season, with 'Play All' and 'Episodes' access options. Subtitles in English, French and Spanish are also included.
Cons:
No subtitles for the opening and closing themes.
Double-sided discs are inherently annoying and problematic. (2004/05 Season and series sets.)
Discs sometimes pop out of the snap casing (I only have this problem with Season 3*, for some unknown reason!). (2012 Season and series reissues)
Incongruities & Imponderables:
The inclusion of "More Episodes On Other Side Of Disc" on the 2012 reissues, are indicative that no menu alterations or modifications were done!
The Bamboo framing in the menus, while perfectly suited to this series, don't look unlike an option that can be accessed in any number of DVD Menu setup software programs! I'm just saying!
The best Color cover photo of the Gilligan's Island cast is featured on the Season 1 Black & White DVD set?!!?
Why does the first Season 1 disc only contain the Pilot episode, plus a few bonus extras? Whether on the single-sided DVD, or previously issued flipper discs, even with the extra supplements, this has always struck me as rather awkward! At least with the 2012 reissue, I suppose one could consider this the unofficial last Season 1 supplementary disc, if that makes it any easier. This doesn't quite work for me, unfortunately!
Some end of Season 2 supplements on its 6th DVD, which contain only two episodes, would have been nice!
While any Sherwood Schwartz commentary is welcome, was he on a single episode per Season set limit, and why are all three of these for early (In each Season!) episodes? In my opinion, commentary on the final Season 3 episode could have been most insightful!
Finally, what a shame that none of the then surviving Gilligan's Island cast members were rounded up to provide some much valued commentary from their perspectives for the initial 2004/05 releases! Among the now remaining two, I'm pretty sure that only Dawn Wells would be willing to provide some for any potential Blu-ray release, as Tina Louise has had little to do with the show (Other than informal cast reunions, without any commercial tie in!) since it's 1967 cancellation.
** Truth be told, I'd be very interested in hearing Tina Louise's side regarding why things became so sour between her and Sherwood Schwartz. Of course, it could very well be details that nobody wants to hear. That's just how life is, sometimes, sad to say!
* Could this perhaps be because of the Season 3 DVD set containing one fewer disc (5 DVDs), than for each of the first two (6 DVDs) Seasons? Crappy as its visual quality is (Not to mention, incomplete!), I've inserted my DIGIVIEW DVD of RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND (1978), to put this to the test!
P.S. It didn't work! I can only figure that it must be some slight, but unfortunately unknown (Otherwise, I'd attempt to fix this!) anomaly with the casing! The only solution that I've found to be fairly effective is keeping the spine from shifting when opening the Season 3 DVD case, which itself can be a slightly tricky exercise! Incidentally, there is a somewhat better (At least, more complete!) version of RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND available for viewing on YouTube!
** EDIT: See subsequent posts regarding Tina Louise and Sherwood Schwartz, who evidently got along just fine!
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