Good news. Season 2 dvd IS complete and uncut - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jharison · 05-14-2005, 06:47 PM

There are no cut episodes on the MFM season 2 dvd.

As posted earlier on another thread, I have viewed the 4 episodes which RHINO stated to be "..shorter syndicated" versions.. because "the original masters could not be located".

Happily,upon viewing, no footage is missing.

RHINO must have used the time-compressed prints from the 1984-94 syndication run. These prints have been time-compressed to allow stations to run more commercials, but no scenes have been cut.

I am speculating that when RHINO timed these episodes and found that they ran shorter than the others, they assumed that it was because they had missing scenes,not that they had been time compressed.

This is why they printed the disclaimer.

It is unfortunate that their statements resulted in confusion about the content of the shows.

Hopefully, this will serve to set the record straight.

Munsters#1 · 05-14-2005, 07:24 PM

What the hell's time compressed?

jharison · 05-14-2005, 07:36 PM

Basically it involves using a computer to very subtly speed up the film. It is most noticable during the opening and closing credits when the music runs slightly faster than normal.

I am by no means an expert at explaining how it works. I might have read somewhere that the film may be speeded up more during certain transitional scenes,like a establishing shot or landscape. Every little bit helps,apparently, and close to 2 minutes can be compressed off a tv show by using this method.

This is as much as I know about the subject.

Munsters#1 · 05-14-2005, 07:59 PM

You know, you're right! The Munsters Season 2 opening credits on TV Land are subtly sped-up. I guess it does save time!

jharison · 05-15-2005, 09:50 AM

Having said how good it is to have all the footage intact, it should be noted that there are technical glitches in some episodes.

I have not watched all 38 shows,but so far, I can report that there is triangular distortion in the tag scene of Martin's Favorite Martian and the picture has vertical shaking in several spots in the Miss Pringle episode.

Munsters#1 · 05-15-2005, 04:04 PM

The Munsters Season 1 DVD doesn't have any of that. But there are a lot of minor white and black "snowflakes", 1 film crack, and a slight sound glitch. But the overall quality of a 40 year show is superb!

-----

But back to MFM, is the Season 2 DVD in color or B&W?

jharison · 05-15-2005, 10:37 PM

MFM season 2 is in Black and White.

I think, for some strange reason, Amazon.com advertised it as being in color.

TV Knowledge Fan · 04-06-2006, 04:49 PM

...can compress any TV show or movie is called a 'Lexicon'. It can electronically compress a 26 minute TV episode into 22 minutes by "speeding" up the picture without audio distortion (and that's why everything sounds "a bit faster"). At the same time, the device can also "expand" any movie by slowing the picture down (again, without any noticeable distortion- but it looks AND sounds "a bit slower")...so if a movie runs, say, 90 minutes, it can be "expanded" to 100 minutes to fit a two-hour time period (with commercials, of course!).

As for "MY FAVORITE MARTIAN" being in black & white during its first two seaons (1963-'65), keep in mind that CBS did NOT telecast any shows in color during that period. When the network began a partial schedule of color telecasts in September 1965, "MY FAVORITE MARTIAN" was one of the network's few filmed series to "convert" to color for its third (and final) season. Even "GUNSMOKE" didn't start filming their color episodes until a year later (in 1966)!

1960'sTVfan · 11-04-2010, 11:48 AM

There is an error on back of the season 2 DVD case. "Never Trust A Naked Martian" is NOT one of the time compressed episodes. "The Great Brain Robbery", not mentioned on the case as one of the time compressed episodes, IS in fact time compressed. At least the four time compressed shows are all together on the same side of a disc. Episodes 1, 4, 6, and 8 on disc 1 side A are the four time compressed shows in this DVD set.

jharison · 11-06-2010, 01:58 PM

Thank you for noting the error that RHINO made.

Then those 4 episodes (1,4,6 and 8) on disc 1 side A are the ones that were time compressed for syndication. However, they do not appear to be missing any footage, correct? It is just that the rate of the film had been speeded up to allow time for an extra commericial when shown in syndication.

1960'sTVfan · 11-06-2010, 07:48 PM

I watched those four episodes and I didn't notice anything irregular where something might be cut. So yes I think it's safe to say that these are complete shows time sped to 22 1/2 minutes. It's slightly noticeable, the dialog and music goes a little faster than normal.

05-14-2005, 07:24 PM	#2
Munsters#1 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 29, 2004 Posts: 2,928	What the hell's time compressed?
	__________________ X-Mas is coming. Click below for more details. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listmania/list-browse/-/28JRL03ERHR7B/qid=1129244826/sr=5-2/ref=sr_5_2/102-5182930-0843327

04-06-2006, 04:49 PM	#8
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	One of the devices that... ...can compress any TV show or movie is called a 'Lexicon'. It can electronically compress a 26 minute TV episode into 22 minutes by "speeding" up the picture without audio distortion (and that's why everything sounds "a bit faster"). At the same time, the device can also "expand" any movie by slowing the picture down (again, without any noticeable distortion- but it looks AND sounds "a bit slower")...so if a movie runs, say, 90 minutes, it can be "expanded" to 100 minutes to fit a two-hour time period (with commercials, of course!). As for "MY FAVORITE MARTIAN" being in black & white during its first two seaons (1963-'65), keep in mind that CBS did NOT telecast any shows in color during that period. When the network began a partial schedule of color telecasts in September 1965, "MY FAVORITE MARTIAN" was one of the network's few filmed series to "convert" to color for its third (and final) season. Even "GUNSMOKE" didn't start filming their color episodes until a year later (in 1966)!

11-06-2010, 07:48 PM	#11
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,053	I watched those four episodes and I didn't notice anything irregular where something might be cut. So yes I think it's safe to say that these are complete shows time sped to 22 1/2 minutes. It's slightly noticeable, the dialog and music goes a little faster than normal.
	Last edited by 1960'sTVfan; 05-22-2019 at 02:45 PM.

05-14-2005, 06:47 PM	#1
jharison Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 25, 2000 Posts: 95	Good news. Season 2 dvd IS complete and uncut There are no cut episodes on the MFM season 2 dvd. As posted earlier on another thread, I have viewed the 4 episodes which RHINO stated to be "..shorter syndicated" versions.. because "the original masters could not be located". Happily,upon viewing, no footage is missing. RHINO must have used the time-compressed prints from the 1984-94 syndication run. These prints have been time-compressed to allow stations to run more commercials, but no scenes have been cut. I am speculating that when RHINO timed these episodes and found that they ran shorter than the others, they assumed that it was because they had missing scenes,not that they had been time compressed. This is why they printed the disclaimer. It is unfortunate that their statements resulted in confusion about the content of the shows. Hopefully, this will serve to set the record straight.

05-14-2005, 07:36 PM	#3
jharison Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 25, 2000 Posts: 95	Basically it involves using a computer to very subtly speed up the film. It is most noticable during the opening and closing credits when the music runs slightly faster than normal. I am by no means an expert at explaining how it works. I might have read somewhere that the film may be speeded up more during certain transitional scenes,like a establishing shot or landscape. Every little bit helps,apparently, and close to 2 minutes can be compressed off a tv show by using this method. This is as much as I know about the subject.

05-14-2005, 07:59 PM	#4
Munsters#1 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 29, 2004 Posts: 2,928	You know, you're right! The Munsters Season 2 opening credits on TV Land are subtly sped-up. I guess it does save time!

05-15-2005, 09:50 AM	#5
jharison Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 25, 2000 Posts: 95	Having said how good it is to have all the footage intact, it should be noted that there are technical glitches in some episodes. I have not watched all 38 shows,but so far, I can report that there is triangular distortion in the tag scene of Martin's Favorite Martian and the picture has vertical shaking in several spots in the Miss Pringle episode.

05-15-2005, 04:04 PM	#6
Munsters#1 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 29, 2004 Posts: 2,928	The Munsters Season 1 DVD doesn't have any of that. But there are a lot of minor white and black "snowflakes", 1 film crack, and a slight sound glitch. But the overall quality of a 40 year show is superb! ----- But back to MFM, is the Season 2 DVD in color or B&W?

05-15-2005, 10:37 PM	#7
jharison Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 25, 2000 Posts: 95	MFM season 2 is in Black and White. I think, for some strange reason, Amazon.com advertised it as being in color.

11-04-2010, 11:48 AM	#9
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,053	There is an error on back of the season 2 DVD case. "Never Trust A Naked Martian" is NOT one of the time compressed episodes. "The Great Brain Robbery", not mentioned on the case as one of the time compressed episodes, IS in fact time compressed. At least the four time compressed shows are all together on the same side of a disc. Episodes 1, 4, 6, and 8 on disc 1 side A are the four time compressed shows in this DVD set.

11-06-2010, 01:58 PM	#10
jharison Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 25, 2000 Posts: 95	Thank you for noting the error that RHINO made. Then those 4 episodes (1,4,6 and 8) on disc 1 side A are the ones that were time compressed for syndication. However, they do not appear to be missing any footage, correct? It is just that the rate of the film had been speeded up to allow time for an extra commericial when shown in syndication.