Shout Factory Working on a Complete-Series "WKRP in Cincinnati"

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Planbee, May 8, 2014.

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  1. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse


    " Warning: The Odd Couple on DVD is cut: In about .01 type font on the back of each DVD case, there's a warning stating "Music has been changed for this home entertainment version." Well, not so much changed as hacked out with all the subtlety of a Tex Avery-imagined meat cleaver. My memory is that on the plurality of shows, Randall's Felix frequently would break into popular song, usually something by Berlin, Gershwin, or Cole Porter, or maybe a line or two from a popular Broadway musical. This sort of thing was legally cleared for network broadcast and syndication, but presumably not for home video. "

    http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/35818/odd-couple-the-complete-series-seasons-1-5-the/
     
  2. RockWizard

    RockWizard Forum Resident

    I almost bit on buying Odd Couple DVD. When I read review about the cutting, I stayed clear. I remember seeing a Happy Days S2 box. You have to really look to see the disclaimer about the music on the back part of the cover sleeve. I have Season 1, but that's it. That's a show where the show is ESSENTIAL to viewing(and hearing) it properly.
     
  3. pdenny

    pdenny 22-Year SHTV Participation Trophy Recipient

    Location:
    Hawthorne CA
    Thank you Don for your explanation. I believe every word of it. These shows are indeed part of the American experience and should not be butchered out of ignorance or avarice. THE ODD COUPLE is maybe my favorite 70's sitcom and it pains me to see it chopped up so ignominiously.

    At least we still have "Happy and Peppy and Bursting with Love" :>
     
    mmars982 and MMM like this.
  4. BluesOvertookMe

    BluesOvertookMe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX, USA
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  5. RoyalScam

    RoyalScam Luckless Pedestrian

    And, "Once there was a man named Oscar - Oscar, Oscar, Oscar!"

     
    MLutthans likes this.
  6. CusBlues

    CusBlues Fort Wayne’s Favorite Retired Son

    OMG!!! You must have woken up in a huge sweat after that one.
     
    BluesOvertookMe likes this.
  7. spanky1

    spanky1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    East Tennessee
    Well, he probably had a FEVER!
     
  8. Can anyone confirm that the episodes respresented will be the orignial ones and not the cut syndicated ones?
     
    lpfreak1170 likes this.
  9. aberyclark

    aberyclark Well-Known Member

    You would think some of those would be in public domain by now
     
  10. TJSBeatles

    TJSBeatles Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Hi everyone, like most of you WKRP is my favorite show of all time, so I've been reading this board with great interest since the Shout Factory DVD's were announced. Just signed up for the forum today to share some info I just received after e-mailing their customer service team this morning. Here's what I wrote, and below is their reply as of 11:41 AM c.s.t. Basically, I'm hoping that no news is good news. (Please forgive the length of my e-mail, I get a little carried away sometimes. Too much coffee and/or maybe I'm nuts...)

    My e-mail:

    Hi there. Several weeks ago, I ordered the pre-release of "WKRP" (please see order # above), canceling my order with Amazon to ensure that I'd receive the product faster. (I also much prefer to order from the actual company releasing an item.)

    I've been well aware of your phenomenal reputation and care of archival releases ever since the Rhino Records early days in the 1980's. But I'm troubled that almost 60 days before the release, there is no word as to what will be on the set. As you know, the FOX dvd release some years back was many things, none good: a nightmare, a rip-off, and an insult to fans of this great show. While many fans of the show heard creator Hugh Wilson's remarks that the music was - as of a month or so ago - "85% cleared", it's frustrating that there's no information about the shows on the product page.

    As such, there remain so many questions, all valid when spending this kind of money for a beloved, classic sitcom on DVD: Are these the original, un-cut episodes as seen on on CBS during its' original run, or from the first-generation syndication package? Heaven forbid, are these from the recent, heavily truncated syndication package? How much of the original music has been retained? If music has been substituted, have voice-over actors been hired to overdub new lines? (Horrifying examples of this abound both on the FOX DVD - it hurts to even type the word FOX, by the way - and in the syndication package. The substitution of "Hot Blooded" in "A Date With Jennifer" was bad enough, but the overdubbed dialogue which replaced "Tiny Dancer" in "The Americanization of Ivan" was outrageous. (Whomever came up with "Hold my order, Terrible Dresser" should probably be put on trial.)

    As you can tell from the various message boards online, this show - while a stunning 36 years old! - remains an absolute classic and favorite for those of us in our late 30's and above. While I very much trust and respect Shout Factory, a little more transparency and information would be wonderful. I want this complete set very much - hence the immediate pre-order - but as the days fly by, I fear I'm gearing myself up for a major disappointment; not to mention a rather significant hole in my wallet. (Our household budget doesn't usally allow for a $100+ purchase of almost 40 year old shows, no matter how beloved.)

    I would appreciate very much if I don't get an automated response, or a "we'll look into this for you". To whomever is reading this, please forward it along to the right people who might contact me directly and shed some light on what I can expect in late-September. I'm not foolish enough to expect perfection on these DVD's - I can only imagine how impossible it must be to license the Beatles songs used in several episodes! - and will rely on my digitized copies of my old VHS copies for 100% authenticity. But as a loyal fan, I would very much like more information to set the right tone before these DVD's arrive. A little transparency now will go a long way towards ensuring that I (and loyal fans everywhere) remain confident in the Shout Factory brand going forward.

    Thanks so much for your time - again, please please please don't sent me an automated or soulless response. That will be infuriating. I will very much hope that you take the time to forward this to someone who can answer my questions in a forthright, honest, manner.

    Shout Factory Reply:

    The version of the series on our set will not be the heavily truncated version found in syndication, nor the previous version released by Fox on home video, which had so much of the original music replaced. We’re doing our best to include every scene uncut and as many pieces of original music as possible. The production process is still ongoing, and will probably go right up to the wire on this one, so I’m afraid I don’t have anything more definite to pass along to you at this time.

    Best,

    Customer Service

    Shout! Factory

     
  11. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Thanks for the effort. My $ 107.00 is on the line here, so I appreciate it !
     
    TJSBeatles likes this.
  12. rockclassics

    rockclassics Senior Member

    Location:
    Mainline Florida
    I have to think that a lot of fans are waiting to hear what this will include / not include prior to purchasing. Shout Factory is only hurting / reducing their pre-orders by not being more open about what has been licensed so far.
     
    Doug Sulpy and TJSBeatles like this.
  13. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    I have to agree. A list of what's been accomplished to date would make a lot of us more secure at this point.
     
  14. This will be a great release if they are indeed the original CBS episodes and have the 85% that's been mentioned.
     
  15. albert_m

    albert_m Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atl., Ga, USA
    is there any doubt Shout is involved precisely because of the music challenges?

    Let's be realistic - it's unlikely that 100%. So being realistic, the set will be mostly intact and we never be better (any holdouts etc aren't going to change).

    I see no reason to agonize over a lack of details. Extras are fine, but ultimately are never why I would buy or not buy a show or film.

    Don't let perfect be the enemy of good... or to me great.
     
  16. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Huh ?
     
  17. albert_m

    albert_m Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atl., Ga, USA
  18. TJSBeatles

    TJSBeatles Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Hi Albert. I get it - to a point. Because the "perfect" details, to many fans, remain a major component of what made the show so memorable, indeed unlike any other episodic sitcom in history. As an example, The Wonder Years and Miami Vice both used music as part of a soundtrack, whereas music on WKRP was integral to our collective belief that this was an actual radio station. The music on this show was almost the 9th character. As we saw on the FOX set (not to get too political, but even typing the word FOX makes me vomit a little bit), when they couldn't clear the music, in came the voice over actors dubbing strange new, nonsensical lines. Or worse, scenes were cut. (I'm aware we all know this.) This is no way to preserve and ensure a successful legacy for any popular artistic entity, TV or otherwise. The example I've always used is A Hard Day's Night. Imagine expecting to immediately hear that legendary opening chord, but it's been modified or replaced. It would change the entire experience. I'm not trying to equate the cultural influence of WKRP to that film (though, on a personal level, it's close), but changing even the smallest moments which remain indelible for the vast majority of fans feels like a travesty and a severe undermining of the original creative intent.

    It's no surprise that so many of us have still have our old WKRP episodes on VHS (and/or have transferred them digitally). Mine come from the third or fourth year of syndication back in '87, and again in '91, both on WGN. So you're right - to some, expecting perfection might be folly. But for me, a guy who was blown away by the clearances and quality of the SCTV DVD's from Shout, I don't see why I shouldn't expect or at least very much hope for perfection here. Precedent has been set with other shows - by some miracle - coming to DVD intact. I want no less for WKRP In Cincinnati.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2014
  19. albert_m

    albert_m Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atl., Ga, USA
    I think music as character may apply to some moments, but certainly not all of the show. Please understand, I would LOVE the show to intact in its original form, but we HAVE to be realistic and expect it's not going to be as it was, but we can expect it to be significantly better than what FOX gave us. I just hate seeing unrealistic expectation in every discussion involving this show.

    I know it's not going to be perfect, but love the show and am looking forward to what I'm sure a situation where most of the show is intact and I can't dismiss that and not enjoy that over false expectations.

    I'm also looking forward to the Wonder Years and expect that it won't be perfect either... two shows I would have not to have after all this time.
     
    TJSBeatles likes this.
  20. TJSBeatles

    TJSBeatles Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Good points, Albert. Agreed.
     
  21. TJSBeatles

    TJSBeatles Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    All right Fellow Babies...

    Doing some WKRP digging today and found these two disclaimers both on Amazon's website (http://www.amazon.com/WKRP-In-Cinci...1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407263349&sr=8-1&keywords=wkrp) and the Shout Factory listings page (http://www.shoutfactory.com/product/wkrp-cincinnati-complete-series).

    I'm choosing to take this not-great news on the Amazon product page's recent addendum to the Editorial Review with a grain of salt:
    Please note: Where possible, original music from the series is included in this release. Over 70% of the original music is contained in the set. Missing music is due to inability to obtain rights for some content.

    On the Shout Factory page, the recent addendum is more ambiguous; perhaps because, as mentioned in the customer service reply I posted above, they're still trying to license rights at the last minute:
    WKRP in Cincinnati has had a complicated history of music rights restrictions. To make this the most comprehensive DVD release possible, we are doing our best to include every scene uncut and to license as much original music as possible.

    Keeping fingers crossed...
     
  22. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Thanks Again TJS !!! I for one, really appreciate your vigilance.
    Hell, few in my life have ever helped me look out for my money !
    I hate how we've gone from 85% to 70% , even though neither was an exact number.
     
  23. TJSBeatles

    TJSBeatles Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    You got it, MYKE. I'm just so fascinated by this whole release - have loved the show since syndication when I was a kid, and have been waiting for this day since those VHS releases in the mid 1990's. I'm still going to get this release, as this could very well be the last chance for this show in any complete form other than from decades-old VHS copies from TV; and I remain nervously optimistic... (I'm a Cubs fan, so I'm good at that - and also good at dealing with the resultant sadness...)
     
    Mister Charlie likes this.
  24. albert_m

    albert_m Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atl., Ga, USA
    We just don't know what the % will be. There's no way that Amazon knows more than Shout. I'm just glad that I pre-ordered already. I'm locked in for about $100 and now it's at $130....
     
  25. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    I've never owned it in any form, but loved it from 1978 on. I'll pass if anything major like Tiny Dancer is omitted.
    Just my own personal choice, since it is my $ 107. :laugh:
    I too was / am ? a Cubs fan going back to my birth there, in 1958. Gladstone Park. Likely have told you that before.
    Barely counts anymore since the first 14 years were there, and the last 42 have been here.
     
    pdenny and TJSBeatles like this.
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