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The Official LUCY ON BLU-RAY Thread!


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We are using the same MFH programs that Gregg put on the DVDs. The idea was to use the radio programs that "inspired" the later TV episodes... So, for example, if an episode of My Favorite Husband inspired "The Diet," that episode is included on the same DVD/BD disc as "The Diet."  The radio episodes that have no direct "connection" to a TV episode are not being used.

 

I believe there are something like 13 episodes of MFH on the season one set, but only 5 on season two. (So much of season two had to do with the baby -- there was nothing comparable in the radio show.

 

There are something like 37 radio episodes included in the entire 6-season run of I Love Lucy -- which is just about 30% of the entire radio series library (which is something like 124 episodes). While it would be interesting to do a full series set of MFH, I fear that only the die-hard Lucy fans would be interested. Old radio shows in general have no appeal with the general public...

 

What is really sad is that when you read a bio these days about almost any movie star from classic Hollywood... It does not have to be Lucy -- take whomever you wish: Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Loretta Young, John Wayne, etc. -- you will read about that star's MOVIE career, but learn almost nothing about their performances on radio.  And some of them had HUGE careers in radio.  The studios encouraged it because it helped promote their latest movie, and was not seen as competition, the way TV later was.  Even so, "Old Time Radio" today does not seem to be on anyone's radar, even though it was a hugely important medium for nearly three decades...

 

Which, again, is why I relish the fact that at least for now, a precious few of our "vintage TV" programs (like I Love Lucy) have maintained their popularity and continue to be recycled into the various "new media" forms, including on-line streaming and, yes, Blu-rays...

 

tjw

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We've gotten way too spoiled by the $25-30 paid for full seasons on DVD. 

The Blu Ray price  is still only $2 an episode (depending on what the retail price turns out to be).  TWO dollars!!

And this $2 does not even count the fabulous extras.

 

When I think of what I paid in the 80s for grainy/blue-ish/flickering 16mm-to-VHS transfers of Lucy stuff.

 

Hi Joe,

 

Two things:

 

(1) I know/understand what you are saying. My Dad felt the same way 35 years ago when he was "asked" to repurchase his favorite Sinatra/Crosby/Jolson/Big Band records from the 1940s yet again on CD. He'd already bought them on 78rpm shellac discs, then on 45rpm discs and 33 1/3 rpm albums, then on stereo (real and manufactured)... And in his way of thinking, it was all the same material...

 

But each time the "sound" was better, cleaner, crisper...

 

Now we are doing much the same thing with video formats rather than audio...

 

(2) I am not sure to what you are comparing the cost of these sets? To the cost of movies on Blu-ray?  to Blu-rays of current TV shows?

 

As I mentioned earlier, I believe these are in line with the other TV-on-Blu-ray sets that CBS is doing, at least on the Vintage side... Movies usually include only about 2 hours of material, plus whatever "extras" are added in... Brand new/current movies AND TV shows have the advantage of being produced in a high-def format to begin with...

 

Our set has 35 half- hours of material as its base, plus the "extras" that we are adding in... I cannot be specific about the extras until the CBS publicity department puts out our official press release, but let me just say that MOST of the extras (which should be read as any material above and beyond those initial 35 half-hours) have all been remastered in high-def. (Not all, but MOST.

 

Our biggest "cost" is labor (man hours)... We started the Season One set in January, 2013, and we still are not finished -- which is probably why the set got postponed a month... Last night, while watching ice skating on the Olympics, I received a new batch of materials that needed to be proofed and returned to CBS early this morning... In the past 13 months there have been literally dozens of people involved with the preparation of this set (and all three vintage sets, I am sure): video and audio engineers, editors, colorists, menu artists, authoring craftsmen, artists to create the packaging, etc., etc., etc.  While I earn only a very modest consultancy fee, I know that the decisions I recommended the past 13 months have cost the company thousands and thousands of dollars...

 

We are not just going to a vault or storage closet, taking out the 35 shows, slapping them on some discs and putting them out... There ARE companies that do just that, but that is not what CBS Home Entertainment is all about. 

 

Quite honestly, I am astonished that CBS and the other major companies are even embracing TV-on-Blu-ray... As recently as 5 years ago, when we started work on THE LUCY SHOW, the consensus of opinion in the industry was that TV shows would NEVER be released on Blu-ray... They did not think there would be enough people interested, and were fearful that the then exorbitant production costs would not come down... Those costs have come down quite a bit over the last few years, but Blu-rays are still more expensive to manufacture than DVDs... Thankfully, too, there is a lot more interest among the public in seeing these vintage programs in High-Def, which makes these projects possible...

 

All of which is a very long winded way of saying that no one is deliberately price gouging... But these sets are very expensive to produce...

 

Hope this explains it, Joe...

 

tjw

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 While it would be interesting to do a full series set of MFH, I fear that only the die-hard Lucy fans would be interested. Old radio shows in general have no appeal with the general public...

 

It's true and a real shame (and THEIR loss).  It's such a different entertainment experience.  When I was in grade school, a local radio station ran "Old time Radio" from 6:30 to 8:00 each night.  There was a 15 minute episode of "Lum and Abner" followed by different shows.  I liked "Lum" but the one I fell in love with was "Vic and Sade" which like "Lum" was originally a  15 minute 5-day a week show.  Tremendous writing and performances.  Deceptively simple but truly insightful. And funny!  I collected as many V&S's as I could.  Years later I found another person who was as into the show as I was: BOB CARROLL, JR.!

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We are using the same MFH programs that Gregg put on the DVDs. The idea was to use the radio programs that "inspired" the later TV episodes... So, for example, if an episode of My Favorite Husband inspired "The Diet," that episode is included on the same DVD/BD disc as "The Diet."  The radio episodes that have no direct "connection" to a TV episode are not being used.

 

I believe there are something like 13 episodes of MFH on the season one set, but only 5 on season two. (So much of season two had to do with the baby -- there was nothing comparable in the radio show.

 

There are something like 37 radio episodes included in the entire 6-season run of I Love Lucy -- which is just about 30% of the entire radio series library (which is something like 124 episodes). While it would be interesting to do a full series set of MFH, I fear that only the die-hard Lucy fans would be interested. Old radio shows in general have no appeal with the general public...

 

What is really sad is that when you read a bio these days about almost any movie star from classic Hollywood... It does not have to be Lucy -- take whomever you wish: Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Loretta Young, John Wayne, etc. -- you will read about that star's MOVIE career, but learn almost nothing about their performances on radio.  And some of them had HUGE careers in radio.  The studios encouraged it because it helped promote their latest movie, and was not seen as competition, the way TV later was.  Even so, "Old Time Radio" today does not seem to be on anyone's radar, even though it was a hugely important medium for nearly three decades...

 

Which, again, is why I relish the fact that at least for now, a precious few of our "vintage TV" programs (like I Love Lucy) have maintained their popularity and continue to be recycled into the various "new media" forms, including on-line streaming and, yes, Blu-rays...

 

tjw

For exactly this reason (that it wouldn't sell on its own), I was hoping the entire MFH show (I know some episode may not be extant anymore, I myself only have 107 of the 124 as mp3s downloaded from the Internet) would be part of these blu-rays. They take up almost no space, especially on a blu-ray disc, and there are many discs to come...

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We've gotten way too spoiled by the $25-30 paid for full seasons on DVD. 

The Blu Ray price  is still only $2 an episode (depending on what the retail price turns out to be).  TWO dollars!!

And this $2 does not even count the fabulous extras.

 

That could get you two cheese sandwiches at the One Oak Cafe.

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Before I reply, a somewhat brief note:

 

- I really enjoy "The Lucy Lounge". Even though I have not been an active poster, I have checked it out almost regularly and plan to become an active poster again. There are some of you on here that I know from my past visits to the old "Lucy-Desi Days" and a "Lucy's Birthday Celebration" from some years back. It's been several years since I've been able to afford to visit and miss all of you.

 

Now to get on topic:

 

- I have the ILL Complete Series DVD set with some miscellaneous Lucy DVDs such as "Long, Long Trailer", "Forever Darling", Stone Pillow", the new release of the Lucy-Desi Milton Berle Special, and a bunch of Goodtimes Video's cheap Lucy DVDs. I watch my ILL DVDs just about everyday. Totally addicted!!! I would love to get the Blu-ray but probably won't be able to afford it. Perhaps I can afford a "Complete Series" Blu-ray down the road that may come with a bonus disc. I wish that there was going to be a DVD version with all the new bonus features for two reasons. One being the price and two being the easier accessibility to watch the DVD version. I have one Blu-ray and three DVD players in my house. I don't need Lucy in HD. I just want the material not already on the Complete Series such as the Criterion Collection material and the makeup and wardrobe tests.

 

I miss u all.

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  • 1 month later...

Now that we are getting close to the blu-ray release date any news or thoughts about the new set?

 

Well I'm sure I'll receive brickbats for this but I still feel it's exorbitantly over-priced and may seriously prohibit sales, unless outlets like Costco, Sams Club, etc. offer it for an even deeper discount than Amazon.com does.... which doesn't mean it will preclude me from buying it (lord knows it'll be too hard to wait 6 or more months for the price to come down!!) but I really hate to because by voting with my purchasing dollars it may signal to CBS that I am still one big shnook of a fan who will buy anything ILL regardless of the prices....but I also hate to "boycott" the release in any way because 1) I know the folks behind the scenes have put their heart and soul into this release and more importantly, 2) I'd hate to be in any way responsible for any further ILL blu-ray releases from being released due to "lack of interest."

 

I think CBS should be ashamed for putting die-hard fans and consumers in such an awful position.  Just my two centavos.  :fabrary:

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In the meantime go rewatch your whole Lucy collection. I'm amazed at what the blu ray does to just improving DVDs. I noticed things I never did before as it really brighten ups a picture. Just image what real HD will look like.

I have been watching my DVDs on the blu ray player and they do look great. I really need a bigger TV to get the full impact, though.

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We are using the same MFH programs that Gregg put on the DVDs. The idea was to use the radio programs that "inspired" the later TV episodes... So, for example, if an episode of My Favorite Husband inspired "The Diet," that episode is included on the same DVD/BD disc as "The Diet."  The radio episodes that have no direct "connection" to a TV episode are not being used.

 

I believe there are something like 13 episodes of MFH on the season one set, but only 5 on season two. (So much of season two had to do with the baby -- there was nothing comparable in the radio show.

 

There are something like 37 radio episodes included in the entire 6-season run of I Love Lucy -- which is just about 30% of the entire radio series library (which is something like 124 episodes). While it would be interesting to do a full series set of MFH, I fear that only the die-hard Lucy fans would be interested. Old radio shows in general have no appeal with the general public...

 

What is really sad is that when you read a bio these days about almost any movie star from classic Hollywood... It does not have to be Lucy -- take whomever you wish: Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Loretta Young, John Wayne, etc. -- you will read about that star's MOVIE career, but learn almost nothing about their performances on radio.  And some of them had HUGE careers in radio.  The studios encouraged it because it helped promote their latest movie, and was not seen as competition, the way TV later was.  Even so, "Old Time Radio" today does not seem to be on anyone's radar, even though it was a hugely important medium for nearly three decades...

 

Which, again, is why I relish the fact that at least for now, a precious few of our "vintage TV" programs (like I Love Lucy) have maintained their popularity and continue to be recycled into the various "new media" forms, including on-line streaming and, yes, Blu-rays...

 

tjw

 

Just getting to this post, Tom; sorry; busy on the chronology; but, I want to thank you immensely for keeping us (here on the Lounge) valuably and accurately informed of these very important things about 'our Lucy' - thanks again.  You are the best.  Loving you, JK - say hi to Richard for me....

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Not just the opening... all of the original broadcast elements...

 

Maybe a person "cannot go home again," but Jonathan and I wanted to present these shows exactly the way the world first experienced them back in the 1950s.  And for the most part, we have been fairly successful.  On the other hand, many people have told us, "I grew up watching these shows with the heart-on-satin openings and closings, and those make the show special for me."  So for those people, THAT format is available also... 

 

Sorry about the price tag. But I can attest to the fact that we/CBS spent a lot of money producing this set... I hope that everyone that does buy the set enjoys it!

 

tjw

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Not just the opening... all of the original broadcast elements...

 

Maybe a person "cannot go home again," but Jonathan and I wanted to present these shows exactly the way the world first experienced them back in the 1950s. And for the most part, we have been fairly successful. On the other hand, many people have told us, "I grew up watching these shows with the heart-on-satin openings and closings, and those make the show special for me." So for those people, THAT format is available also...

 

Sorry about the price tag. But I can attest to the fact that we/CBS spent a lot of money producing this set... I hope that everyone that does buy the set enjoys it!

 

tjw

I am certainly buying it. With all these features it's definately worth it. I can't wait to see what they do for the next 5 seasons!

 

I think I'm a bit too excited thanks to the fact season one of I Love Lucy is my favorite season of all time. The beginning of all the Lucy magic.

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Another nice review:

 

http://www.blu-raydefinition.com/reviews/love-lucy-ultimate-season-1-blu-ray-review.html

 

It's mainly a laundry list of what's included, but also has some nice screen-grab photos and review comments.

 

The reason reviews are so important -- now more than ever -- is the fact that Home Video stores have all but disappeared.  Okay, most of the fans know what sets are being released when, but the general public does not... And with the death of brick-and-mortar stores that carry videos, impulse buying is all but gone... So hopefully some of these reviews will help "get the word out" to the general public who would be interested, but do not sit and troll the internet to see "what's new"...

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