Disney Zorro series coming to COZI-TV

Just saw a commercial on COZI-TV, they'll start airing the old Disney Zorro series in January, two episodes per day at 11 am eastern. Looks like they're colorized though, but I guess it's better than nothing.

 

I would prefer to see these in their B&W glory.

 

Just discovered this excellent thread for the Zorro tv series Disney made from 1957-59. Guy Williams will always be my favorite Zorro, although I enjoyed Duncan Regehr's portrayal of the character on the Family channel series from 1990-94. Currently, the only classic Zorro releases I have on DVD are the "The Mark of Zorro" starring Douglas Fairbanks, the 1949 "Ghost Of Zorro" serial starring Clayton Moore and the box set for the 1990s tv series starring Duncan Regehr . It's both saddening and frustrating to think that Disney has not released a complete box set of the 50s series.

 

Very true indeed. The black and white versions are still the best. I believe Disney colorized the episodes during the early 1990s and at the time that project was considered a major undertaking. At this point, I would purchase a complete box set of the series either in preferred black and white or in color. Hopefully Disney will come to their senses and release a definitive version of this excellent classic series.

 

I don't know if you all are aware that Disney had released it via their movie club couple of years ago. Here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/Walt-Disney-T...UTF8&qid=1448400196&sr=8-6&keywords=zorro+dvd

http://www.amazon.com/Walt-Disney-T...UTF8&qid=1448400294&sr=8-8&keywords=zorro+dvd

 

Thanks friend. You certainly have excellent taste. Are the Disney movie club releases manufactured as silver DVDs? At this point, I'll buy the series in color or preferred black and white.

 

From what I know they are legit pressed dvd's from the company. It's just that the powers that be in Disney underestimated the audience and only pressed a certain amount and put them on their Disney Treasures Tinned Box dvd sets and sold them only through their official movie club several years ago. I don't know why they only sold them through there when more obscure projects like El Fego Baca and Scarecrow of Romney Marsh got regular retail releases.

It used to be that the colorized dvd release was much less expensive than the original b&w dvd tin release but it seems on Amazon that is not the case anymore.

 

I used to be a member of the Disney Movie Club. I joined specifically to get the colorized Zorro series on DVD, which were issued in two box sets or as ten individual DVD's. Over the years I bought the entire back-catalog of Disney classics up through 1967, plus selected titles after that year. Then, when the monochrome versions of Zorro came out in two box-sets in the Walt Disney Treasures series, I bought the program again, in the last and final releases in that lamented series. The colorized episodes were okay, but the restorations of the black and white episodes are outstanding. When the sets went out of print, the $30 retail price began to escalate steeply. The program was artfully shot on 35mm film, not video, with all the care and skill of a feature film. My only complaint is that the program often descended into infantile slapstick humor when it should have been serious. We never feel as if Zorro or the Californians are at risk. That having been said, Guy Williams is a committed and believable Zorro, and I think the best actor to undertake the role.

Anyhow, the colorized episodes are still available through the Disney Rewards program, and occasionally on ebay and amazon marketplace.

Some episodes were re-edited into feature films and released into theaters in 1961 and 1962. These were released on VHS in the early days of that format, but have never been issued on DVD, despite a very loud and persistent consumer demand.

 

Neat! Had no idea those were made available on DVD either. Having read all of the available Elfego Baca books, the tv show was very complimentary to his character in real life. Robert Loggia is a great actor, that one and Zorro are probably my favorite Disney shows. Thanks again for the heads-up!

 

Elfego Baca | The Swamp Fox can be still be found on amazon marketplace, but be advised it's out of print and the price is rising:

http://www.amazon.com/Walt-Disney-T...7&sr=1-1&keywords=elfego+baca+disney+treasure

You'll find a couple of more episodes on Disney VHS that aren't included in the DVD set.

 

Was watching the 1947 "Son Of Zorro" serials starring George Turner. I like his costume for what it's worth, but the story and character deviated too far from the original. The Zorro in this story is supposed to be a descendant who lives in the post-Civil War era. His identity name is Jeff Stewart which is entirely plausible, although it doesn't sound Spanish enough for my tastes. I couldn't find a great deal of information about George Turner online, although it said he was born in 1900 and died in 1968.

 

George Turner quit acting in 1948:

George Turner - IMDb

Getting back to Disney, I think Walter Elias Disney gave up on the program much too soon. He should have given it another season of serious episodes, or shot an original feature in color instead of wasting the money on some of those kiddie films nobody is interested in now. Zorro has lasted. He never quite grasped the popularity of the program. A color feature would have been a huge hit, especially if it rose above stupid comedy and had a more serious edge.

 

I picked this VHS up at a thrift shop a little while back for a dollar. Great show, but no opening theme! Did the edited "movie" versions not use the theme?

 

Yes. The feature film, edited from three or four episodes, used the Zorro theme.

Some episodes were edited together into video-films on vhs like the one pictured above. I haven't paid much attention to those so I don't know if they use the theme or not, but it seems to me that the music tracks are inherent and would have to be there.

 

That VHS pictured does not have the opening theme. After the color "Walt Disney Home Video" logo there's a quick generic title-card ("Zorro and the Mystery of Don Cabrillo"). Then the familiar black and white "Walt Disney Studios" logo, then the Zorro logo, then Guy as Zorro slashing his "Z", while the voice-over says "the Walt Disney Studio presents Zorro starring Guy Williams (wick-wick-wick)". That whole bit takes maybe ten seconds, with a little background music, then the show starts. At the end the instrumental theme plays while the credits roll over a Zorro logo.

 

I recommend Zorro: The Complete Dell Pre-Code Comics from the early 1950s. The creator and original author of Zorro was involved in writing the narratives, which are more adult than either the films or the TV series. But it's still pure Zorro in visual terms, rich in the Spanish Colonial noir atmosphere. Each adventure is in full color except for the front page which is monochrome as originally published:




Zorro: The Complete Dell Pre-Code Comics: Johnston McCulley, Daniel Herman, Everett Raymond Kinstler, Bob Fujitani, Bob Correa, Alberto Giolitti: 9781613450666: Amazon.com: Books

Follow the links to more great Zorro comics from the character's best period.

 

I think that Tyrone Power was the first movie Zorro back in the day,but nobody can replace the cool[Guy Williams]..sorry Antonio!!

 

Why is that avail on ANY streaming service? This is insane. The only way I can watch the entire Disney tv series with Guy Williams is by buying the DVD's? Please anyone advise me on this. This just cant be. I do not want nor own a DVD player even though they are cheap now.

Its got to be avail somewhere to watch...........right?

 

Don't hold your breath but Disney was planning to launch a streaming service in 2019. With the recent acquisition of a big piece of Hulu I'm not certain that plan is still in place. However it's safe to say that Disney is interested in the streaming market segment and will be implementing something in the next year or two. Whether or not that will include vintage content such as Zorro remains to be seen. It's just as well you're aren't interested in the DVD--they are out of print and sell for $200 and up.

 

I am very, very confident that all these old Disney TV shows will be part of the streaming package.