Dark Shadows, the 131-disc DVD set

[23skidoo]

As Bart Simpson would say, Ay Carumba!

MPI is releasing a 131-disc DVD set of the complete original Dark Shadows TV series. That's 1,225 episodes.

If that's not a record, I don't know what is.

Here's the original press release:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Dark-Shadows-The-Complete-Original-Series/16643

Originally scheduled for release on May 8, TV Shows on DVD reports today that the release date has been pushed back to July 10. No reason is given, though I bet it probably has to do with the logistics of doing quality control on 1,225 episodes!

As one who actually considered buying the complete Law & Order set, and who might invest one day in a complete Simpsons set, and who would jump at buying a complete Doctor Who if that were ever possible, I can't fault Dark Shadows fans wanting all 1,225 episodes. But man ... that's a lot of TV!

Alex

 

[BillJ]

Averages out to almost ten episodes per disc if there's no special features. They are going to compress the shit out of the episodes.

 

[C_Miller]

Hopefully this will get it to Netflix. I'd be really interested in watching the show.

 

[Greg Cox]

FYI: The new issue of Horrorhound magazine (with Barnabas on the cover) has a nice retrospective on the original series, complete with fun photos of most of the original merchandise: games, puzzles, plastic models, Gold Key comics, novels, digests, even the Viewmaster set! (Most of which I remember from my childhood.)

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Hopefully this will get it to Netflix. I'd be really interested in watching the show.

I don't think they have 1200 episodes but they do have Dark Shadows on demand. I've been watching them here and there, and being only a half hour (did it get longer later?) they go by pretty quick.

 

[Greg Cox]

I've been watching them here and there, and being only a half hour (did it get longer later?) they go by pretty quick.

Nope, it was always a half-hour soap opera.

Every weekday at 4 pm, as I recall.

 

[Harvey]

They are going to compress the shit out of the episodes.

Probably, but weren't the shot on video in the first place? If so, it won't be that bad (especially since their 30-minutes minus commercials each).

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

They are going to compress the shit out of the episodes.

Probably, but weren't the shot on video in the first place?

Yep.

And I don't think there'll be much compression. 10 half-hour episodes, less commercials, equals < 5 hours of material per disc. The L&O discs all have four or five (1 hour each, less ads) eps per disc, working out to about the same amount of time, and they look fine.

 

[Saga]

i doubt compression will be a problem. the old dvd sets had forty episodes spread over four of five discs. each episode is anywhere from 18-23 minutes long and yes, it was shot on video. the quality isn't all that great to begin with.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Fascinating. I've never heard of this show before - probably because it was never shown in the UK. I'll probably try to catch the Burton/Depp film. I don't think I'd relish the idea of watching 1,225 episodes even if I did have nostalgic memories of it, which I don't.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ AFAIK, the original series has at least a whole season go by before Barnabas even shows up.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

^ AFAIK, the original series has at least a whole season go by before Barnabas even shows up.

Netflix starts with the arrival of Barnabas and I think it's in the 200s.

 

[Hound of UIster]

Isn't this that horror drama that use to air on Scifi?

 

[Sindatur]

Isn't this that horror drama that use to air on Scifi?

Vampire/Supernatural Soap Opera aired in the late 60s-1970s, I believe, and yes, they did air it on SciFi Channel for awhile

 

[timothy]

I am so excited by this news I am so getting it. Dark shadows has everything vampires, witches,ghosts and if corouse time travel. Also looking forward to the movie even though they turned it into a period comedy. I just can't pass on tim burton & Johnny Depp.

 

[Greg Cox]

Isn't this that horror drama that use to air on Scifi?

Vampire/Supernatural Soap Opera aired in the late 60s-1970s, I believe, and yes, they did air it on SciFi Channel for awhile

Believe it or not, it was a huge hit back in the day, inspiring tons of magazine covers, merchandise, etc.

There were even two feature films back in the seventies: House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows.

 

[Davros]

Isn't this that horror drama that use to air on Scifi?

Vampire/Supernatural Soap Opera aired in the late 60s-1970s, I believe, and yes, they did air it on SciFi Channel for awhile

Believe it or not, it was a huge hit back in the day, inspiring tons of magazine covers, merchandise, etc.

There were even two feature films back in the seventies: House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows.

I had 2 different Dark Shadows board games.

 

[Greg Cox]

Vampire/Supernatural Soap Opera aired in the late 60s-1970s, I believe, and yes, they did air it on SciFi Channel for awhile

Believe it or not, it was a huge hit back in the day, inspiring tons of magazine covers, merchandise, etc.

There were even two feature films back in the seventies: House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows.

I had 2 different Dark Shadows board games.

Me, too, including the one where you had to build your own skeleton.

And I made both of the plastic model kits.

 

[Captain Craig]

^ AFAIK, the original series has at least a whole season go by before Barnabas even shows up.

Netflix starts with the arrival of Barnabas and I think it's in the 200s.

Yeah, this was a factoid to me. I was at an FYE and they had several sets of the DS show for sale and one or two sets contained the phrasing of such "Before Barnabas Arrives" on the packaging.

That set in the OP is massive. A fan would likely buy this to have vs really sitting down over time to rewatch 1,200 episodes. I mean crap, you'd need a flowchart to try and find episodes of interest or main focus.

 

[Davros]

I had 2 different Dark Shadows board games.

Me, too, including the one where you had to build your own skeleton.

I still have the coffin from that one.