| 4/20/2010 5:19 PM |
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1950's TV guy
Member since: 12/12/2007 | | 1950's Dragnet | Most of us are aware that Shout! has taken the step to start releasing the 1960's version of Dragnet (after Universal's reletively poor release contributed to and/or caused a "one and done" situation).
I've just recently bought a set of "150 TV detective shows", all public domain. This set has 25 episodes of the 1950's Dragnet, and I'm surprised to doscover that the 1950's version is in many ways superior to the more well-known 1960's version.
In the 1950's version, Jack Webb seems more natural than the later series, less rigid and stiff both physically and character-wise. I think the 1960's version comes off as more of a mesage type series, a bit of an "us verses them" mentality. In the 1950's version, Jack Webb just wanted to bring a TV series that showed a realistic version of police work.
I also see discussion in the online community that many enthusiasts of the series feel that wat as well. Many would like to see more or all of the 1950's series released on DVD.
Of course, I realize things don't look hopeful for many 1950's and early 60's TV series that were filmed in black and white. (Part of the problem with the 1950's Dragnet series is that, with some episodes in the public domain, and selling extremely cheaply gives a "perceived value" that the series is basically worth next to nothing.)
I just wanted Shout! to be aware that there ARE fans of the earlier B & W series and perhaps if Dragnet "the color series" does well, we would very much like to see the earlier series on DVD. |
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| 6/25/2010 8:03 AM |
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kwoodwor
Member since: 2/19/2009 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | | I would love to see the 1950 Dragnet series released as well. I'd be one of the first in line to purchase it. |
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| 6/25/2010 9:43 PM |
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ElectricPeterTork
Member since: 6/25/2010 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | I'd also love to see the 50s Dragnet finally get full season releases, but not until Dragnet 6X and Adam-12 are finished.
the b&w Dragnet hasn't even been started yet. Adam 12 and Dragnet 6X were abandoned for too long, so I'd rather see those completed before Shout took on the b&w series. |
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| 7/1/2010 1:18 PM |
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Matthew E. Periolat
Member since: 6/24/2010 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | | Agreed, let's get the two remaining seasons of 60s Dragnet done before starting on the 50s Dragnet. Adam-12, while similar, I don't think would have an impact on Dragnet releases. |
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| 7/3/2010 12:30 PM |
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epaddon
Member since: 6/2/2007 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | Because the 50s Dragnet has been out of syndication since the early to mid-60s, the problem for any quality DVD release is that it would require Universal going back to the 35mm masters, because there was never a set of good tape transfers. And that is the real stumbling block to any kind of DVD release, unless we wanted to see the whole series through more assembled 16mm prints like we've seen with other Universal shows released by Timeless.
Strangely, I am more underwhelmed by 50s Dragnet as a TV show. As a radio show it works great, but when I see the same stories done on TV I find I get incredibly distracted by Webb's infatuation with tight close-ups. The story on radio allows me to envision a wider expanse, not these tight close-ups and focus more on the story itself. |
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| 7/7/2010 11:21 AM |
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tomswift2002
Member since: 7/2/2009 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | Well I've picked up a few PD releases of the 50's Dragnet and I've seen quite a few episodes that have come from tape, and I'm not talking about VHS (although there have been quite a few releases that you can tell came from VHS) but from possible 3/4 or Betacam SP. So it is highly possible that there are tape masters, but whenever the series gets released on DVD or Blu-Ray, hopefully whether its Shout or whoever, they ask Universal for some cleaner, High-Def transfers (sort of like what is going on with "The Twilight Zone" right now.
----- Original Post -----
by epaddon at 7/3/2010 12:30:01 PM
Because the 50s Dragnet has been out of syndication since the early to mid-60s, the problem for any quality DVD release is that it would require Universal going back to the 35mm masters, because there was never a set of good tape transfers. |
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| 8/11/2010 9:13 PM |
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JohnnyCanuk
Member since: 8/7/2010 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | I'd love to see one episode of the 50's Dragnet remastered from the original 35mm elements and included as an extra in one of the future 60's Dragnet season sets, just to see how good they look compared to the PD versions currently circulating. |
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| 9/22/2010 6:47 PM |
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JohnnyCanuk
Member since: 8/7/2010 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | Well, either great minds think alike :-) or someone took up my suggestion. Dragnet 1969 (Season 3) has a 50s Dragnet episode as a bonus. I'm curious about the source. Was this episode re-mastered from the original elements? I'm not going to complain if it isn't, although I'll be disappointed. I'd just like to see one episode from the original series taken from the original camera negative to see how good (or not) it can be, to use as a benchmark against the public-domain stuff. |
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| 10/24/2010 10:10 AM |
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bencasey
Member since: 5/12/2007 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | | How it would look is a moot point as the potential sales would never justify anyone paying the costs to transfer the show from the negatives. Universal hasn't done anything with the series in over 45 years and no outside entity would pay to license the show and then to master it. The best case scenario that's possible is a release from a clean set of 16s and that's even if those could be found. |
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| 10/25/2010 1:16 PM |
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Randrox
Member since: 10/7/2010 | | RE: 1950's Dragnet | | I liked the remake with the actor that played Al Bundy on Married with Children. |
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