Dark Shadows - Complete Original Series DVD set

[wolfie]

It's a great looking set but there is not enough time in anyone's life to watch all this.

[Brazoo]

[B]
131 DVDs with all 1,225 Complete Episodes

Insane! I had no idea the show was a daily soap!

[Dark Shadow]

Great looking set, not a bad value either. Even at the MSRP of $600.00 it's about .49 cents per episode. At the discounted price of $383.00 it's about .31 cents. I purchased the original DVD boxsets (all 26) one at a time at various discounts (previously viewed, ebay scores, closeout sales, etc.) and spent an average of about .52 cents per episode.

If you watched 1 episode per day, it would take about 3 years and 4 months to see it in it's entirety. Each episode is about 22 minutes with the opening sequence (frequently a re-enactment of the ending of the previous episode), the title sequence & closing credits. Actual content is about 17-19 minutes. If one was committed (or committable ) he or she could easily take in 3-4 episodes per day and watch the entire series in a year's time, or less. Myself, I can watch a few daily, or skip weeks at a time and make up with marathon sessions of about 10-12 epidodes on rainy weekends.

Werewolf - Only one episode is completely lost. There is an audio recording of that episode (made by a fan on its original broadcast) that surfaced years ago that is presented with still images to bridge the gap between the previous & following episodes. There are several episodes (15-20, I think) in which the original video version has been forever lost, however the kinescope version of them remain completely intact and are presented in this collection as they have been in previous versions.

MIB41 - The series ends rather ubruptly while the main storyline is focusing in on a parallel universe. Most of the main characters of the modern day primary universe survive through the very end.

[Werewolf]

Werewolf - Only one episode is completely lost.

Ah, okay. Thanks for the info.

[The Toyroom]

Oh Man, you did that? I remember just saying "forget it" when I saw the gigantic wall of them at "Sam the record man" back in the day.

I didn't get super far...couldn't keep up...I think they eventually released 70+ volumes I wanna say and I only got up to about 21 or 22...

[Dark Shadow]

^ I'm glad I didn't invest in the VHS versions.

First of all, I would have hated to have to replace them on DVD...the tapes were expensive in their own right...not to mention the amount of shelf space needed

Secondly, I couldn't imagine not being able to FF 16x + through re-enactments, title sequences & credits when sitting through marathon sessions. Yikes!

[The Toyroom]

^ I'm glad I didn't invest in the VHS versions.

First of all, I would have hated to have to replace them on DVD...the tapes were expensive in their own right...not to mention the amount of shelf space needed

Secondly, I couldn't imagine not being able to FF 16x + through re-enactments, title sequences & credits when sitting through marathon sessions. Yikes!

Well that's hindsight Yes the DVD viewing options are better. But at the time I was excited to have the tapes. The $20-something a piece price tag though was a little prohibitive and is another reason I eventually bowed out.

I used to buy them at "Saturday Matinee" and every once in a while they'd have a higher volume out of sequence on the shelf and it was intimidating how many of them there were.

[Dark Shadow]

^ Believe it or not, I was expressing genuine relief as well as empathizing with your decision not to continue with the collection, sorry if you interpretted my meaning otherwise. Wish I could lay claim to some sort of ingenious foresight, but the reality of the matter is far less impressive. The truth is that I could not afford the VHS tapes when they were first offered up in 1989/1990. I was working two minimum wage jobs and carrying 10-12 units in school at the time. I, too, would have been excited to have the tapes, I just couldn't justify the expense at the time...but don't think for a second that I didn't covet them and frequently attempt to bargain with reason.

I was also hindered by the concern that MPI would go "belly up" or for any other number of reasons bow out of the project prior to completion. Having already been disappointed by the short run the show had in its premier syndication run of less than 150 episodes in the mid 70's, followed by the longer and still not complete run in it's second syndication attempt (1986-1988)...seasoned fans had legitimate reasons to expect yet another dissappointment.

By the time I had some extra income, Sci-Fi was already running the series on a daily basis and I had taken on the task of making my own collection. Power outages & various tape issues made for a less than perfect product, but it was better than nothing. By the time I had seen the whole series (although not in proper order) it was a safe bet that DVD releases were just around the corner...so I patiently waited...for what seemed like a very very very long time.

RE: the VHS releases, there were 254 tapes in all. Imagine the amount of shelf space that would have demanded.

And as for the DVDs...I am grateful to have them.
.............................

Also an FYI: MPI is re-releasing the individual DVD boxsets in a new revamped packaging style with an SRP of 39.99 per set...meaning that Amazon & Walmart.com are offering them up at about $24.99 each...beginning in April.

[MIB41]

Well that's hindsight Yes the DVD viewing options are better. But at the time I was excited to have the tapes. The $20-something a piece price tag though was a little prohibitive and is another reason I eventually bowed out.

I used to buy them at "Saturday Matinee" and every once in a while they'd have a higher volume out of sequence on the shelf and it was intimidating how many of them there were.

I know exactly how you feel Anthony. People tend to forget how prominent VHS was. And places like Columbia House were the only resource, in many instances, to get classic shows. I remember subscribing to all of the Lost in Space episodes. And believe it or not, I got them all! Three seasons worth. It was fun getting a tape each month and watching a couple of episodes. Back then I hadn't seen the show since the early 70's, so it was a real treat to rediscover all of those old classics. And the thing is, I still have every one of those. I spent enough money on the darn things, I couldn't find any reason to dump them because the format changed. Even after I got the DVD box sets. I'm still struggling with that too. I collected VHS as much as I did DVDs. I coveted those collections so much that it's very hard for me to see them as valueless.

[The Toyroom]

^ I still have mine but I've been contemplating what to do with them...If anything I'd at least like to replace the ones I have with the DVD versions but I wouldn't continue much beyond that...well maybe a little bit further....