A week ago we had the heads-up that Shout! Factory was working on a DVD release of The Saint - The Complete Series starring Roger Moore, and a separate lower-cost DVD release of The Saint - Seasons 1 & 2 as well. According to pre-order listings at Canada's Amazon.ca, these items are both scheduled to be released - at least north-of-the-border - on April 21st. At the time of that report, we didn't have any U.S.A. release info yet...and we weren't 100% sure it was the 1960's show starring a pre-007 Roger Moore, either!
However, now Amazon.com, the USA branch of the big e-tailer, has added their own American pre-order listings for the two titles! The entries there show that it's actually Shout!-owned the Timeless Media Group division putting out these items, and while there are no box art images yet, the descriptions included at those listings confirm the Moore-starring ITV program is indeed the focus of these items; we've got those for you below. We've also got Amazon.com links to each of the titles, and when you click on them you'll see that - at least according to Amazon, since Shout! still hasn't formally announced them - the American date for The Complete Series is May 26th, and the State-side date for Seasons 1 & 2 is a long way off, on October 13th. We'll tell you what's what with those dates once the studio makes a formal announcement, so stay tuned!
The Saint - The Complete Series: When sinners strike, call on THE SAINT! Modern-day Robin Hood. Wealthy man of mystery. Debonair rogue. Call Simon Templar what you will, but never cross THE SAINT. A timeless figure of adventure since his creation by Leslie Charteris in 1928, The Saint has thrilled adventure aficionados with his exploits in a variety of media, including novels, movies, and radio but nowhere was the dashing Mr. Templar more indelibly realized than in his 1960's television series, presented here in one outstanding collection: The Saint- The Complete Series.
Starring the perfectly-cast Roger Moore as Simon Templar, The Saint was a benchmark in the lifespan of the character, and a stepping stone to Moore taking on the role of an even more well-known man of action later in his career. Featuring thrilling acts of derring-do, beautiful places (and people), and a sly wit, this complete set of all 118 episodes of The Saint are a heavenly addition to your collection.
With guest star appearances by Oliver Reed (Tommy, Gladiator), Academy Award-winning actress Julie Christie (Darling, Doctor Zhivago), Donald Sutherland (The Dirty Dozen), Edward Woodward (TV's The Equalizer) a bevy of Bondian beauties (Goldfinger's Honor Blackman and Shirley Eaton, as well as Lois Miss Moneypenny; Maxwell), and many more. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer to the series, it's time to say Halo! to The Saint.
The Saint - Seasons 1 & 2: All 39 heavenly episodes from Season One and Two of THE SAINT! Modern-day Robin Hood. Wealthy man of mystery. Debonair rogue. Call Simon Templar what you will, but never cross THE SAINT. A timeless figure of adventure since his creation by Leslie Charteris in 1928, The Saint has thrilled adventure aficionados with his exploits in a variety of media, including novels, movies, and radio but nowhere was the dashing Mr. Templar more indelibly realized than in his 1960's television series, starring the perfectly cast Roger Moore in the title role.
Seasons One and Two of The Saint set the stage for what would become a six season run on television, and paved the way for the dashing Roger Moore to take on the role of an even more famous man of action later in his career. With guest starring appearances by such notables as Oliver Reed (Tommy, Gladiator), Academy Award-winning actress Julie Christie (Darling, Doctor Zhivago) and a pair of beauties from the spy classic Goldfinger (Honor Blackman and Shirley Eaton), The Saint is a wild and witty adventure that is every bit as fun and exciting today as it was when it first aired.
While the 2012 limited release of "The Most-Wanted Edition" is still readily available in many places (at, or sometimes above, the original list price of $242.99 SRP), the folks at CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution have now scheduled a May 5th "unlimited" re-release of The Fugitive - The Complete Series on DVD. This 32-disc set will be missing the thirty-third Bonus DVD from that previous package, but will have all the same contents (episodes and extras) as found in the eight individual half-season sets the studio put out in stores from 2007 to 2011. Excepting, of course, that the hard-won technical corrections are surmised to be in place, naturally! Specific pricing isn't available yet, but it's expected to be more attractive than the previous complete set.
So far, the Blu-ray set seems to be good. One comment from the avengers fan forum:
Got my Blu-Ray Set yesterday for 64€. It´s a 7 Disc Set. Picture quality is beautiful and the pitch seems to be correct - at least as far as i checked (I´m at disc three right now). You´ll be asked to choose the country in the start-up of each disc, Deutschland or United Kingdom. Depending on what you choose you´ll get german or english menues - if you decide for german you are also going to have the option of introductions for each episode by Oliver Kalkofe and Wolfgang Bahro - the same ones from the DVDs. Bonus also seems identical with the addition of an episode of "Armchair Theatre" starring Diana Rigg. Can´t remember seeing this one on the DVDs. So far i am pleased with the set and i hope it will continue like this for the color and the Tara season
A week ago we had the heads-up that Shout! Factory was working on a DVD release of The Saint - The Complete Series starring Roger Moore, and a separate lower-cost DVD release of The Saint - Seasons 1 & 2 as well. According to pre-order listings at Canada's Amazon.ca, these items are both scheduled to be released - at least north-of-the-border - on April 21st. At the time of that report, we didn't have any U.S.A. release info yet...and we weren't 100% sure it was the 1960's show starring a pre-007 Roger Moore, either!
The Saint - The Complete Series: When sinners strike, call on THE SAINT! Modern-day Robin Hood. Wealthy man of mystery. Debonair rogue. Call Simon Templar what you will, but never cross THE SAINT. A timeless figure of adventure since his creation by Leslie Charteris in 1928, The Saint has thrilled adventure aficionados with his exploits in a variety of media, including novels, movies, and radio but nowhere was the dashing Mr. Templar more indelibly realized than in his 1960's television series, presented here in one outstanding collection: The Saint- The Complete Series.
Starring the perfectly-cast Roger Moore as Simon Templar, The Saint was a benchmark in the lifespan of the character, and a stepping stone to Moore taking on the role of an even more well-known man of action later in his career. Featuring thrilling acts of derring-do, beautiful places (and people), and a sly wit, this complete set of all 118 episodes of The Saint are a heavenly addition to your collection.
I just ordered the complete b/w series box set of The Saint (DVD), 71 episodes for just a smidge over £22 in the Network sale (about the same price that a soundtrack CD [to the UK] would cost me!). Once I've finished my present Bones & Department S odyssey, I'll start on it.
...oh & there's Game Of Thrones seasons 3 & 4 to look at, just as well a social life is a thing of the past!
So far, the Blu-ray set seems to be good. One comment from the avengers fan forum:
Got my Blu-Ray Set yesterday for 64€. It´s a 7 Disc Set. Picture quality is beautiful and the pitch seems to be correct - at least as far as i checked (I´m at disc three right now). You´ll be asked to choose the country in the start-up of each disc, Deutschland or United Kingdom. Depending on what you choose you´ll get german or english menues - if you decide for german you are also going to have the option of introductions for each episode by Oliver Kalkofe and Wolfgang Bahro - the same ones from the DVDs. Bonus also seems identical with the addition of an episode of "Armchair Theatre" starring Diana Rigg. Can´t remember seeing this one on the DVDs. So far i am pleased with the set and i hope it will continue like this for the color and the Tara season
There was an issue in the UK DVD edition from Optimum and in the episode "The Town of No Return": the ending has a picture problem. I hope the Blu-ray fixes that.
Rawhide - Rope, Throw and Brand 'Em: Every Season of Clint Eastwood in 'The Complete Series' All 8 seasons are compiled into one shelf-friendly package this spring
The Wild, Wild West - 'The Complete Series' Re-Released in New Packaging 26-DVD set will sit more conveniently on your shelf than the previous Limited Edition package
Beloved Sci-Fi Series Makes Its Blu-ray Debut June 9th, 2015
In 5...4...3...2...1...Thunderbirds are GO! This summer, get ready to blast off with the team at International Rescue when Timeless Media Group, a division of Shout! Factory LLC, releases the highly anticipated Gerry Anderson show Thunderbirds: The Complete Series on Blu-ray and DVD on June 9th, 2015. Available for the first time on Blu-ray, the re-mastered high-definition transfer showcases the Supermarionation technique in exquisite detail never before seen, and promises audiences of all ages an outstanding showcase of thrills, action, and adventure with no (okay, maybe some) strings attached.
Featuring all 32 episodes of the popular science-fiction series in a 6 BR or 8 DVD set, Thunderbirds: The Complete Series also includes the documentary "Launching Thunderbirds," which includes a never before seen interview with Gerry Anderson, and a vintage publicity brochure as bonus features. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com
With its Atomic Age aesthetics and innovative production techniques, Thunderbirds has made an indelible impact on pop culture, cherished by legions of fans and influencing science fiction and animation for decades. The crown jewel of Gerry Anderson's visionary creative oeuvre, Supermarionation, Thunderbirds: The Complete Series joins the Stingray, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Fireball XL5, Joe 90 and Supercar complete series box sets released this year as part of the Gerry Anderson Collection from Timeless Media Group, a division of Shout! Factory, LLC.
Leap into the stratosphere of fun and excitement with Thunderbirds: The Complete Series! Operating from a top-secret island base in the year 2065, the Thunderbirds team at International Rescue - intrepid Jeff Tracy and his valiant sons Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon, and Adam - engage in a humanitarian crusade to protect the innocent. Traveling via land, sea, air, and space in their fantastically advanced vehicles, the Tracys take on the most impossible of missions with courage, honor and their greatest strength of all: the power of family.
Thunderbirds: The Complete Series Bonus Features: "Launching Thunderbirds" documentary Vintage Thunderbirds Publicity Brochure (requires BD-ROM /DVD-ROM drive)
So far, the Blu-ray set seems to be good. One comment from the avengers fan forum:
Got my Blu-Ray Set yesterday for 64€. It´s a 7 Disc Set. Picture quality is beautiful and the pitch seems to be correct - at least as far as i checked (I´m at disc three right now). You´ll be asked to choose the country in the start-up of each disc, Deutschland or United Kingdom. Depending on what you choose you´ll get german or english menues - if you decide for german you are also going to have the option of introductions for each episode by Oliver Kalkofe and Wolfgang Bahro - the same ones from the DVDs. Bonus also seems identical with the addition of an episode of "Armchair Theatre" starring Diana Rigg. Can´t remember seeing this one on the DVDs. So far i am pleased with the set and i hope it will continue like this for the color and the Tara season
There was an issue in the UK DVD edition from Optimum and in the episode "The Town of No Return": the ending has a picture problem. I hope the Blu-ray fixes that.
I finally received the BD set of The Avengers and I confirm they have fixed the picture issue on the episode "The Town of No Return": what a relief! And the sherry on top of the cake, the English subtitles are available and faithful to the dialogues—unlike some subtitles by Network. Not only the picture quality is superb but the sound is powerful and clear. This BD edition from UK is a must have. Highly recommended.
I finally received the BD set of The Avengers and I confirm they have fixed the picture issue on the episode "The Town of No Return": what a relief! And the sherry on top of the cake, the English subtitles are available and faithful to the dialogues—unlike some subtitles by Network. Not only the picture quality is superb but the sound is powerful and clear. This BD edition from UK is a must have. Highly recommended.
That seems to be the general opinion over at Avengers Fan Forum.
We relayed the word early last month about all the work that's being put into an upcoming high-def Blu-ray Disc release of Lost in Space. Now "Penny" herself, Angela Cartwright (fresh from a cast reunion with her co-stars, including Julie Andrews, from the legendary film release of The Sound of Music!), has posted on Facebook about how she's also reunited with her fellow surviving Space-mates, for the purpose of recording extras for the Blu-ray! Captions on some of the photos she posted say: "Lost In Space BluRay? You betcha!"
"With original cast commentary? Yes!"
"Will & Penny" (captioning a new photo of her with Bill Mumy)
"The gangs all here... Bill Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen, Mike Clark, Kevin Burns" We hope Angela doesn't mind us passing along the latter photo below! We know you're all big fans of the show (hey, I am too...since my youth!) and we can't wait to bring you the official studio word, once available. Stay tuned, and we'll update you further, and more information becomes available!
We reported the other day that Angela Cartwright, who played "Penny Robinson" on the show, had posted pictures from a recording session with cast members and other key people involved in putting Lost in Space on Blu-ray Disc, a release which will hopefully happen later this year. We're now pleased to pass along word from one of our longtime readers, David Alan Hall (thanks!), that Angela has yesterday posted a new photo gallery to her Facebook page: 9 photos called "LOST IN SPACE bluray 2015"...and which includes THE ROBOT! And also a model of the Jupiter 2 and a signed script, too! Go check that out.
We'd also like to touch on one other thing today. In our previous report about this, we passed along extensive word from Lex Kennedy's post at the "Lost in Space TV Series Remastered Petition" Facebook page, about technical details of how this release is going to look. Certain phrases in this seem to have caught the eyes of our readers: "The entire series has been beautifully remastered from the original 35mm film elements...The series is being presented in its original broadcast aspect ratio of 4:3, no CGI special effects have been added, and the first season has not been altered from the original black and white. Downloadable 16:9 versions will be available."
Some folks have questioned the wisdom of putting the "old" aspect ratio of 4x3 (a.k.a. 1.33:1 "square" format) on the Blu-ray Discs, and making the "current" (1.78:1 widescreen) aspect ratio of 16x9 only available via digital download (we presume UltraViolet or comparable, but nobody has said for sure). Those folks who are concerned about this say they prefer if their new widescreen HDTVs get "fully" used, instead of being "pillarboxed" (i.e., blank areas on the sides where the square-shaped 4x3 image doesn't get used). In the current world of widescreen TVs, "widescreen" is now "full frame" (remember how "full frame" used to mean "square," because widescreen would leave blank areas top and bottom?...my, how times have changed!).
Below we would like to pass along an almost-7-minute YouTube video from September 2013, the "Lost in Space HD Restoration Test" posted by Synthesis Entertainment. In it you see the level of restoration done, and how detailed the image is when shown in HD (high definition). As you'll see, it looks great whether the image is 4x3 or 16x9. The problem, you'll note in the test video, is that for the 16x9 widescreen image you get a tiny bit of extra image on the sides, but more importantly a chunk of the image is cut off from the top and bottom of the frame (a technique some in the industry jokingly refer to as "chop and crop"). Anything important in the image that takes place at the extreme top or extreme bottom of the frame for the original aspect ratio of 4x3, would simply be lost because of the conversion to widescreen 16x9. In one scene in the test video (1 minute 50 seconds in), "Maureen" (June Lockhart) mentions cookies and milk for the kids...but when the aspect ratio shifts to 16x9, the milk can no longer be seen! Only the bare tops of the milk glasses.
So, even though a bit of your TV's screen isn't going to get used when the Original 4x3 image is shown on the Blu-ray, be comforted by knowing that you're seeing ALL of the picture, and not losing anything by a conversion to widescreen. And most TVs will let you stretch that image, if you really prefer. The vast majority of our readers, we're happy to say, are VERY glad to hear that the original aspect ratio (OAR) of the show is being preserved (as it has been with other releases of vintage TV shows on Blu-ray Disc). Many of them say, "No OAR = No Sale"...and we can understand that completely!
Anyone wishing to fill in their full screen can choose to zoom in to their heart's content. The rest of us can't "zoom out." It's that simple.
I much prefer the fake widescreen. Closeups are tighter, medium shots are slightly off center which makes for better composition, and the widescreen gives it a more cinematic feel. Milk and cookies are not a great loss. LOL
I much prefer the fake widescreen. Closeups are tighter, medium shots are slightly off center which makes for better composition, and the widescreen gives it a more cinematic feel. Milk and cookies are not a great loss. LOL
Well. I guess personal preferences will vary. But I think that television directors, in a medium that thrives on closeups, would have given us tighter shots if that's how they felt the scene should be presented. There was hardly any technical limitation forcing them to frame as they did. Personally, I don't see any benefit to turning even more shots into closeups than there already are. As for the "cinematic feel," for the first 50 years of film, the 4:3 ratio WAS cinematic. The same was true for about the first 50 years of television as well.
A few years back, when the majority of televisions sold switched from 4:3 to 16:9, some predicted that soon the masses would demand that older 4:3 films be converted to 16:9 so that they could" fill their screens"--just as they had embraced pan-and-scan of widescreen movies to "fill their screens." Thankfully, that has not (yet) happened. But I suspect it is because most of the people that actually watch pre-1953 films are film aficionados, and not "the masses." The same is probably true of 50-year-old television series.
Irwin Allen's Beloved Sci-Fi Adventure Lost in Space Arrives on Blu-ray In Celebration of 50th Anniversary
Lost in Space The Complete Series
Featuring Over Seven Hours of Bonus Material and All-New Featurettes, The Robinson Family Comes Home in High-Definition September 15 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Set Includes Unprecedented Access to the Personal Archives of Irwin Allen
LOS ANGELES, CA (April 7, 2015) - Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment pays tribute to one of the most iconic television series of all-time as Lost in Space - The Complete Series arrives on Blu-ray for the first time ever on September 15. Running from 1965-1968, this collection allows fans to bring home Irwin Allen's intergalactic family saga that earned an enormous following of devoted fans over the years. Set in the space age future of 1997, follow the heart-racing, cliff-hanging adventures of John Robinson and his family aboard the Jupiter 2, along with Robot B-9 and the delightfully devious Dr. Zachary Smith.
Produced with Space Productions, Inc. and Synthesis Entertainment, this massive 18-disc set contains all 83 episodes remastered in high definition, and over seven hours of exciting extras with recently discovered content you won't find anywhere else in the galaxy. It's out-of-this-world fun for everyone! Highlights include new commentaries on classic episodes with the original cast, 50th anniversary interviews with the original series cast and hours of archive footage offering incredible and unprecedented access into Irwin Allen's personal archives. In addition, the Blu-ray includes an exclusive cast performance of Bill Mumy's unproduced 1980 epilogue script, featuring Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Mark Goddard and more!
Blu-ray Special Features
All-New Extras - Produced with Will Robinson Himself, Bill Mumy! New On-Camera Original Cast Interviews Featuring Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Guy Williams Jr. & Toni Williams Original Cast Audio Commentaries "No Place to Hide" (Un-Aired Pilot/Long Version) w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark "My Friend, Mr. Nobody" w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark "Attack of the Monster Plants" w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark "Return From Outer Space" w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Kevin Burns and Mike Clark "The Phantom Family" w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark "The Anti-Matter Man" w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark "The Promised Planet" w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark "Lost in Space: The Epilogue" - Special Cast Reunion Performance of Bill Mumy's 1980 Un-Produced Script w/Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen, Angela Cartwright, Veronica Cartwright, Guy Williams Jr., Toni Williams, Kevin Burns and Robot B-9
Archive Material: "No Place to Hide" - Original Un-Aired Pilot (Version #1/Long Version) "No Place to Hide" - Original Un-Aired Pilot (Version #2/Short Version) Guy Williams Screen Test for Lost in Space (1964) Bob May's Home Movies (1965) Lost in Space 1965 CBS Advertisers and Affiliates Presentation "Seven Wonderful Nights" Lost In Space Excerpt (1965/66 CBS Promo w/Dick Van Dyke) CBS Network Season One Television Spots (1965) CBS Network Season Two Television Spots (1966) CBS Network Preemption Bumpers w/Jonathan Harris and the Robot (Season Two) Lost in Space Season Two / Main Title (with alternate/unused theme music by Warren Barker) Lost in Space Special FX Outtakes (1965-68) (w/Lost in Space Rare Music Outtakes) Original Dick Strout Fox Promotional Interview with June Lockhart and Guy Williams (1966) Original Dick Strout Fox Promotional Interview with Jonathan Harris (1966) Lost in Space Animated Special (1973) Syndication TV Spots (1970s) Syndication TV Spots (1983) "Studs in Space" Promo #1 (Radio Promo for STUDS) ("Classic TV")(1992) "Studs in Space" Promo #2 (Radio Promo for STUDS) ("I'm Thinking")(1992) Never-before-released 20th Anniversary Interview with Irwin Allen (1985) "The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen" (1996) "Lost in Space Memories" (Program Interstitials for "The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen") (1996) "Lost in Space Forever" (Segment with Dr. Smith, Robot and Will Robinson Only) (1998) "Never Fear, Smith is Here" (Jonathan Harris A&E Biography) (2002) Lost in Space Animated Series Pitch (2005) (by Scott O'Brien) "The Ballad of William Robinson" (Music Video by Bill Mumy) Jonathan Harris and Al Lewis on MANCOW (Chicago Radio Show)
Original CBS Network Versions of Original Episodes: "The Reluctant Stowaway" "The Derelict" "The Magic Mirror" "Follow the Leader" "Blast off into Space" "Target Earth"
Lost in Space - The Complete Series Blu-ray Street Date: September 15, 2015 Screen Format: Full Screen (1.33:1) Audio: English 1.0 Mono DTS-HD Master Audio Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French Closed Captioned: Yes
