MovieChat Forums > The Fugitive (1963) Discussion > Old subject - Official DVDs vs VHS tapes...

Old subject - Official DVDs vs VHS tapes from TV

posted 14 years ago by donofthedial
10 replies | jump to latest

I have all 120 episodes on VHS tapes recorded from Channel 56 in Anaheim, Ca.

I recorded them myself in the mid or latter '80s. They look good still and I would delete the commercials as I taped them. All the episodes ran uncut. All the beginnings and endings are intact.

OTOH, it would be nice to have all the episodes on convenient DVDs.

I keep hearing about music replacements and edited versions on DVD.

Have those issues been resolved?

[–] loughsprng 14 years ago

Well it seems that Fuge fans are pretty much divided on this issue, but I'll give you my personal take on the situation. I can recommend both Season One and Season Four - they have been released intact for the most part. Season Two and Season Three I'm afraid are still messed up with regards to the underscore and at least one episode from Season Two remains edited - "Ballad For A Ghost" with Janis Paige.

The worst set is Volume One of Season Two with ALL of the original underscore replaced by horrendous synthesizer "music" that really destroys the atmosphere and feel of the original show. The best set of those two seasons would be Volume One of Season Three. Quite a bit of the original music was kept in and all of Pete Rugolo's score is there. The other sets are a mish-mash of original music and "out of place" synthesizer replacement "music" that really ruins the experience (for me at least) of enjoying this classic series in it's intended form.

Since some of the original underscore has been kept in and most of Rugolo's music is retained, some fans have come to accept the official releases. I guess it just depends on how sensitive you are to the altering of the original format. I can live with Season One and Season Four, but Season Two and Season Three remain unacceptable for myself and quite a few other fans. Luckily, like you, I have alternative sets to watch - and those are the ones I go to when I want to enjoy my all time favorite series.

[–] sabunassar 14 years ago

Some more comments to add...S2V1 with all of the original music replaced, was when the uproar began. Some of us still bought it though and, within a few months, the studio offered a completely free replacement DVD set (just like new)with much of the original music restored. Unfortunately, that offer eventually expired.

I don't know whether the studio starting shipping the newly updated S2V1 DVDs to new buyers after that point, but I don't think so. So, you could be stuck with horrendous music for the 1st 15 episodes of S2. The good news is that after that, the studio went back to original music for the most part and didn't repeat the botch job they did on S2V1. I think the sheer number of complaining fans and negative articles taught them a lesson.

As for the other seasons, I would agree that S1 & S4 were most true to the original series wrt music. You still hear odd synthesizer music played way too loud that seems a bit out of place, but that didn't distract me too much in enjoying the series. I guess it's a matter of how much modification you would be willing to live with for the DVD quality.

Now that the series is just about completely released on DVD, I don't ever see them releasing it again just to update music. So, we are destined to have this as the official release. I watch the episodes on a nice 52" LCD and it's been wonderful to see.

[–] donofthedial 14 years ago

I wonder if they realize how many people won't purchase the DVDs b/c of their screw-up?

Hopefully, this official release has an end date on it where the rights go up for bids again....and that the next outfit does it right.

[–] donofthedial 14 years ago

Thanks for the reply.

Well, I guess I could buy the unaltered seasons.

I don't want any synthesizer music.

The ideal thing would be to have some editing genius take the soundtrack from my VHS videos and take one of the high visual quality DVDs and burn a new DVD with the VHS original soundtrack and the official DVD picture. Sadly, that won't happen anytime soon.

:(

DOTD

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"Drop the coffee, but give me the Top Ramen."

[–] sabunassar 14 years ago

Actually, what you are asking for has already been in the works. There is a team of people called Fugitive Audio Restoration Team (F.A.R.T. & no, I'm not kidding) who have been doing exactly what you mentioned. They stripped the audio from the release DVDs and replaced it with completely original audio.

To get the files, you would need to download them through the torrent network. I don't know if you're familiar with how to download through torrent, but you can search the Internet for information if you want to go that route.

I believe the team is already up to date with S4V1 and I assume they would continue once S4V2 is released next week. The files are released as standard AVI format ~500MB each. You could easily burn 8 episodes to a standard DVD or more on other formats. There are many options to play these files on your TV, such as an external media player (laptop, Xbox, PS3), DVD/BR players supporting various formats/codecs, etc.

Here's some torrents to get you started:
http://www.kickasstorrents.com/search/the-fugitive-f.a.r.t/

IMHO, the best torrent client is uTorrent:
www.utorrent.com

[–] model101 14 years ago

Meh, I am happy with what I got.

I do have the Season 2 replacement discs.

I just have to get the last 1/2 if season 4 and I am officially done. I have the complete series.

[–] donofthedial 14 years ago

Thx!

Saving your posts for smarter times in my brain~ :)

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"Drop the coffee. No, not that one. The other one. Did you drink from this cup yet? Damn it!"

[–] larryhilson 14 years ago

I had 118 episodes on VHS with commercials with tapes getting old, so it is great to have the complete series on DVD with the final release this week. I watched the original series in the 60's as a young teenager, long before the thought that DVD would even be invented that you could watch these shows again in the future.
I had my Season 2 Vol 1 replaced by CBS when they offered, but I wish they had not tinkered with the rest of Season 2 & Season 3. It varies from episode to episode in those issues depending on the scores used in the taping of those particular episodes. As a fan of my favourite show & having watched the episodes dozens of times, you can noticed the change instantly & it does iritate in spots. But at least I have the series after all these years of waiting in quality, no commercials, along with my copy of the Music CD soundtrack of the music by Peter Rugolo & a great book on every episode & rare facts written by Ed Robertson, The Fugitive recaptured - 30th anniversary companion. Finally I have a copy of the Wanted poster on Richard Kimble which you can obtain from Nebraska - his home state(Check his profile for details on obtaining). Naponee Historical Society I guess I have everything I need.

There is 1 thing in the final episodes that has always bothered me, that I can't figure out, & I don't know why they didn't retape it, back in the 60's if indeed it was a slip. Lloyd Chandler confesses to his wife, & says that after the 1 arm man killed Helen, about an hour?? later he hears a car assuming it was Kimble & runs out the back door. What was the 1 arm man doing all this time, if Kimble almost runs him down. Shouldn't he have said, "minutes later" I heard a car, & ran out the back door.
Thank you & enjoy my fellow fans.

[–] jarth-2 14 years ago

F.A.R.T. stinks.

[–] donofthedial 14 years ago

Thx, Larry - I do not know what I will do. Maybe a truly proper set will come out....some day.

DOTD