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The Official LUCY ON BLU-RAY Thread!


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I personally have no idea how to use technology, so I always prefer hard copies. I've rented three movies from iTunes and I could only figure out how to make one of them work. Literally all my friends watch is Netflix and the occasional thing on TV (I was surprised by how many watched the color Christmas special out of their own will) I buy lots of specialty movies and shows like Criterion or stuff from Shout Factory. I think if ILL was ever put on Netflix, DVD and Blu Ray sales would be absolutely dead, as that is my main reason for not buying a lot of my favorite TV shows. On a side note, how did the Andy Griffith and Honeymooners sales go? 

 

From what I hear... THE HONEYMOONERS did the best of the three. Not "great guns," but fair... Poor "Andy Griffith" was abysmal. Again, that's just the rumor. In other words, none of the three did anywhere near what was expected.  All the sets got great reviews. The quality of the work was there, it's just that the big fans already owned the material in another format, and few people were anxious to buy things all over again...

 

I think THE HONEYMOONERS had an edge because it was a "one season" package.  All the other episodes are the tape shows that are owned by the Gleason estate and issued by another company. CBS owns only the half-hour film shows, a single season of 39.  So people knew it was a one-time-only expense, and were willing to pay it.

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That's another good point. If I Love Lucy was released as a single complete series set (reasonably priced), it would've been a big seller, I imagine. Problem is, it's a long show, so lots of discs and a high price. Still, as long as CBS is willing to put them out, all the way to Life With Lucy, I'll gladly buy them. I did my part with Season One.

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Or The Dick Van Dyke Show?

Hope I don't regret jumping into the fray here with my two centavos but I think the price point CBS set for all 3 blu releases under discussion here really made the low sales a self-fulfilling prophecy.  The entire complete Dick Van Dyke Show set on blu for example could be had for less than the single sets referenced above!  I get that they're more expensive to produce than DVDs, the extra material (and the people who work diligently behind the scenes to put it together) doesn't come easily or cheaply but you can't expect the average consumer -- this diehard fan even had a hard time with it -- to cough up over $100 for a single season of a 60+ year old sitcom, not when they could either get the entire series for that on DVD or invest it in other TV shows for a third of that.

 

Make the price point a bit more realistic and surely sales would improve (it couldn't hoit!).  Keep releasing them at $125 retail and we'll never see Season 3!!!

 

BTW: check out what the Ultimate Season One is going for NOW (from DVDPriceSearch.com):

 

DVD Planet $ 36.99

DeepDiscount.com $ 36.99

Amazon $ 41.96 

Walmart.com $ 41.96

Best Buy $ 49.99

Barnes & Noble $ 58.35

CD Universe $ 55.09 

DVD Empire $ 78.99

 

 

 

 

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That's another good point. If I Love Lucy was released as a single complete series set (reasonably priced), it would've been a big seller, I imagine. Problem is, it's a long show, so lots of discs and a high price. Still, as long as CBS is willing to put them out, all the way to Life With Lucy, I'll gladly buy them. I did my part with Season One.

 

I understand the suggestion that I LOVE LUCY should have been put out as a full-series set on Blu-ray... We could feasibly have done that, but only if we just put out the heart-on-satin masters and whatever extras we still have in the vault from Gregg's compilations.  But neither CBS nor I thought that would be a very exciting package.  It's already out there as a full-series DVD set.  The decision to do the series on Blu-ray resulted from discussions we had about issuing the two versions of the shows -- the heart-on-satins AND the original broadcasts.  We all hoped the original broadcasts would be interesting enough to drive the sales...

 

In order to do the original broadcast features, we had to go back to whatever 16mm prints of those shows that we could find, clean them up, and have them remastered in High-Definition... This is what cost a fortune both in money and time.  It took us nearly two years to do the two seasons that now exist.  Okay, we were not working 24/7 on them, but we were working diligently...  In order to do the full-series set, it would have taken at least four to five years of work... That's a lot of time and money to invest in a project that may or may not be the huge success we hoped it would be... So, we decided to release these as they were ready. 

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I understand the suggestion that I LOVE LUCY should have been put out as a full-series set on Blu-ray... We could feasibly have done that, but only if we just put out the heart-on-satin masters and whatever extras we still have in the vault from Gregg's compilations.  But neither CBS nor I thought that would be a very exciting package.  It's already out there as a full-series DVD set.  The decision to do the series on Blu-ray resulted from discussions we had about issuing the two versions of the shows -- the heart-on-satins AND the original broadcasts.  We all hoped the original broadcasts would be interesting enough to drive the sales...

 

In order to do the original broadcast features, we had to go back to whatever 16mm prints of those shows that we could find, clean them up, and have them remastered in High-Definition... This is what cost a fortune both in money and time.  It took us nearly two years to do the two seasons that now exist.  Okay, we were not working 24/7 on them, but we were working diligently...  In order to do the full-series set, it would have taken at least four to five years of work... That's a lot of time and money to invest in a project that may or may not be the huge success we hoped it would be... So, we decided to release these as they were ready. 

How about if you had one extra special THING on each season release, like the Lucy in Nashville or many other Lucy appearances that have yet to make it to dvd let alone Blu Ray.  Oh and i could never figure out why a superior special like the Lucille Ball Special with Bob Hope made it but not as a special release like her other specials.

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IMO I don't think the original broadcasts are stressed enough, as I wasn't exactly sure what that meant until I started watching the set. I was totally psyched when I realized it meant I was watching the commercials that were broadcast that exact night. I thought it would just be stick figure openings. If that was more prominent on the packaging, maybe people would be more intrigued. And of course, price is always an issue. I assumed Lucy would do the best of the three releases, but the reasons you give for Honeymooners doing the best would make sense.

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I would also like to congratulate on the packaging, I have the DVDs that were 4-5 slim cases in the cardboard boxes and they're a real bitch to deal with. I'm always trying to track down a DVD since they're all separate and I just put those cardboard slipcovers in a box in a closet because they're so darn fragile. You can only imagine my happiness when I saw that the Blu Ray comes in a normal case!

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I will never renounce my love of physical media. Never. Especially when people have limits on bandwidth or gigabyte access per month, HD streaming can be a real data drain. And what about those who don't have decent internet connections. Believe me, I used to live in rural Maine, it doesn't exist everywhere. Physical media is a must, in those instances. I agree that online access is a handy alternative, especially for someone who just wants to see something once without necessarily owning it. But digital copies and streaming should never replace the hard disks.

 

Will CBS put out a two-pack of seasons 1 and 2 for those of us who missed season 1 the first time around? That might make more of an incentive.

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Will CBS put out a two-pack of seasons 1 and 2 for those of us who missed season 1 the first time around? That might make more of an incentive.

 

I have not heard anything about a "two pack" but it's a possibility. In fact, when we get closer to the release date, I will make the suggestion to the marketing people.

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The only reason I ended up buying ILL on DVD at all was because there was a two season pack at Target for like $15 or something. If it hadn't been for that, I would've kept watching the same episodes on tape recorded off TV. That purchase got the ball rolling on me buying the official versions of her shows and movies, so maybe a two season pack would be a good idea. I've easily spent $1,000+ on Lucy DVDs since then, so who knows?

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I have not heard anything about a "two pack" but it's a possibility. In fact, when we get closer to the release date, I will make the suggestion to the marketing people.

And please please please stress to them that abandoning Lucy's shows on blu-ray would be a crime!

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How about if you had one extra special THING on each season release, like the Lucy in Nashville or many other Lucy appearances that have yet to make it to dvd let alone Blu Ray.  Oh and i could never figure out why a superior special like the Lucille Ball Special with Bob Hope made it but not as a special release like her other specials.

Do all future blurays have to have every episode with its original promos like "Call for PhiiiiLliiip Mooooorrriiiissss"in the episodes? (It did get on my nerves after a while. Lol). Couldn't they have put one episode with that and every other ep from that season with the heart on satin including the extras? It's nice to see how they actually looked when they aired but I'm more interested in the episodes themselves with all the deleted scenes in tacked. Just a thought.

:lucyhmm:

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Do all future blurays have to have every episode with its original promos like "Call for PhiiiiLliiip Mooooorrriiiissss"in the episodes? (It did get on my nerves after a while. Lol). Couldn't they have put one episode with that and every other ep from that season with the heart on satin including the extras? It's nice to see how they actually looked when they aired but I'm more interested in the episodes themselves with all the deleted scenes in tacked. Just a thought.

:lucyhmm:

 

 

Including each episode as originally broadcast, with all original commercials, interstitials, etc., is the plan.  Funny you mention the Philip Morris mascot. One very talented and normally very cool-headed techie at CBS told me after working on Season One that if he ever hears that "Call for Philipppp Moooorrrisss!" again, he was going to run screaming from the building!

 

Having grown up hearing Johnny, it's like old home week for me to have him back on the program where he belongs.

 

I particularly loved seeing the early John Stephenson commercials that were shot right on the Ricardo livingroom apartment set. And they did special commercials just for Christmas and New Years weeks... Even the later commercials were all geared especially for the program. Most of them end with the spokesman saying, "Now let's look in on the Ricardos..." or some such line.  Eventually the Arnazes started to do the third commercial, and like the stars of a variety or talk show, they often end the spot by saying, "Good night. See you next week!"  All very organic... All part of the whole...

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Including each episode as originally broadcast, with all original commercials, interstitials, etc., is the plan.  Funny you mention the Philip Morris mascot. One very talented and normally very cool-headed techie at CBS told me after working on Season One that if he ever hears that "Call for Philipppp Moooorrrisss!" again, he was going to run screaming from the building!

 

Having grown up hearing Johnny, it's like old home week for me to have him back on the program where he belongs.

 

I particularly loved seeing the early John Stephenson commercials that were shot right on the Ricardo livingroom apartment set. And they did special commercials just for Christmas and New Years weeks... Even the later commercials were all geared especially for the program. Most of them end with the spokesman saying, "Now let's look in on the Ricardos..." or some such line.  Eventually the Arnazes started to do the third commercial, and like the stars of a variety or talk show, they often end the spot by saying, "Good night. See you next week!"  All very organic... All part of the whole...

That's part of blu's "charm": the options to watch these multiple ways and whatever the mood .... Plus someway, somehow you guys (Tom, Jonathan, Rick etc.) keep coming up with amazingly rare, cool stuff we've NEVER seen before!! How is this possible so many many years -- DECADES --later??? So so cool!!

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again: great job, can't thank you enough, keep up the good work and PLEASE keep 'em coming!!!! :wub: :wub: :wub:

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Yes, the original broadcasts are an amazing time capsule. They must be preserved. Which is why simply looking at the immediate dollars and cents of it all is a mistake, in my view. I have Lucy's entire TV library (sans Life With Lucy and the odd special, I guess) on DVD, and I will gladly supplant or augment that with blu-rays.

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Yes, the original broadcasts are an amazing time capsule. They must be preserved. Which is why simply looking at the immediate dollars and cents of it all is a mistake, in my view. I have Lucy's entire TV library (sans Life With Lucy and the odd special, I guess) on DVD, and I will gladly supplant or augment that with blu-rays.

 

Bingo! You just said the magic word -- "preserved."  Sadly, program preservation is a costly undertaking, and none of the networks or studios are interested in taking on that expense unless there is a way to make back some or all of that investment.  Hence, the "heart" version of the shows are all nicely preserved and will hopefully live on for generations to come... But the "original broadcasts" are -- even at this point -- in ghastly need of repair. Until this blu-ray project came along, no one could justify spending the necessary capital to remaster the original openings, commercials, etc. They were considered relics, museum pieces... But the films quite honestly are rotting... In another few years, they may not be playable at all...

 

So for Jonathan and me, and many of our associates, this is a "two pronged" project -- (1) make the Blu-rays so the world can see this material again, but first (2) remaster the disintegrating films so they will be properly preserved for later use (perhaps in ways unknown to us today)...

 

So if the Blu-ray project stops, I am afraid these films will not have a very happy future...

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Bingo! You just said the magic word -- "preserved."  Sadly, program preservation is a costly undertaking, and none of the networks or studios are interested in taking on that expense unless there is a way to make back some or all of that investment.  Hence, the "heart" version of the shows are all nicely preserved and will hopefully live on for generations to come... But the "original broadcasts" are -- even at this point -- in ghastly need of repair. Until this blu-ray project came along, no one could justify spending the necessary capital to remaster the original openings, commercials, etc. They were considered relics, museum pieces... But the films quite honestly are rotting... In another few years, they may not be playable at all...

 

So for Jonathan and me, and many of our associates, this is a "two pronged" project -- (1) make the Blu-rays so the world can see this material again, but first (2) remaster the disintegrating films so they will be properly preserved for later use (perhaps in ways unknown to us today)...

 

So if the Blu-ray project stops, I am afraid these films will not have a very happy future...

But isn't that what they used to say about the VHS and then the DVDs, that they wouldn't last very long, that eventually one would not be able to play them?  I recorded the Life with Lucy as they played and still watch them thirty years later.  I admit that as you keep recording them or rather make copies of them, that the quality diminishes every time BUT i am always watching things that i've had for decades and never play and yet when i do, they are always flawless.  I understand that it's probably different for FILM though, and you as an expert, WOULD KNOW.  By the way, let me echo Joey's statement that all of you responsible  for these Lucy Preserves are doing an awesome job and we Lucy fans thank you profusely and say, please keep it going for future generations to enjoy the First Lady of Comedy.

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Including each episode as originally broadcast, with all original commercials, interstitials, etc., is the plan.  Funny you mention the Philip Morris mascot. One very talented and normally very cool-headed techie at CBS told me after working on Season One that if he ever hears that "Call for Philipppp Moooorrrisss!" again, he was going to run screaming from the building!

 

Having grown up hearing Johnny, it's like old home week for me to have him back on the program where he belongs.

 

I particularly loved seeing the early John Stephenson commercials that were shot right on the Ricardo livingroom apartment set. And they did special commercials just for Christmas and New Years weeks... Even the later commercials were all geared especially for the program. Most of them end with the spokesman saying, "Now let's look in on the Ricardos..." or some such line.  Eventually the Arnazes started to do the third commercial, and like the stars of a variety or talk show, they often end the spot by saying, "Good night. See you next week!"  All very organic... All part of the whole...

I actually enjoyed watching it the way it was seen. Is it me or does anyone find John Stephenson a bit creepy? Lol!  :lucydisgust:

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So for Jonathan and me, and many of our associates, this is a "two pronged" project -- (1) make the Blu-rays so the world can see this material again, but first (2) remaster the disintegrating films so they will be properly preserved for later use (perhaps in ways unknown to us today)...

 

So if the Blu-ray project stops, I am afraid these films will not have a very happy future...

I have a hypothetical. Assuming sales are strong (or okay), how long would it take to remaster in HD the entire Lucy TV library (hopefully including Life With Lucy), and how long would it take to come out on Blu-ray? And is some stuff even possible to remaster, or are the DVDs the best we'll ever have? And finally, is the remastering entirely contingent on blu-ray sales? What about general future-proofing of iconic television for Netflix and such?
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