The Monkees: Season 1
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Movie Reviews of The Monkees: Season 1
Movie Review: For Pete's Sake! This set Forgets That Girl & other songs!
Summary: 4 Stars
Overall, I think Rhino's Monkees First Season DVD box is very well done. But, there is one major aspect of the Monkees TV show that I wish Rhino considered when they compiled this collection:As you may know, many of the songs played during the "Monkee-Romps ®" were changed when the show was rerun during the summer of 1967, and some were changed again when the show was shown on Saturday mornings. In many cases, it was these re-worked shows that were included when the show went into syndication in the 1970's. Since many of us grew up with the syndicated versions, it would have been nice for Rhino to include them on this set. It gets a bit tedious to have to sit through "Last Train to Clarksville" or "I'm a Believer" for the umpteenth time. Since DVDs are capable of containing many soundtracks, it would have been fun to have "You Told Me", "Forget That Girl", "Shades of Gray", "For Pete's Sake" and "Steam Engine" available on this collection. (These songs only appeared in the syndicated episodes while the songs they replaced could be found on other episodes.) As a result of Rhino not including the alternate soundtracks, the wonderful Headquarters album doesn't get much representation here at all...
Apart from this, the set boasts very handsome packaging. The record player design is just as novel as the TV set design the old VHS box had (but the booklet included in the video box was much better than the small pamphlet included here). As others have mentioned, the DVDs *do* fall out of the cases rather easily. To solve this problem, I placed the DVDs into some CD-ROM sleeves that were handy. This works well and keeps the DVDs from rolling across the floor when you take them out.
I also liked the commentaries, although Micky's absence from the proceedings is unfortunate... I hope he turns up on the second season box, as it would be sad if he didn't provide commentary on the episode he co-wrote & directed! (I also hope Peter provides commentary on the episode he directed!)
So, I think this is a very good collection, but with a little more thought on Rhino's part, it could have been a bit better for those of us who grew up with the Monkees every day after school (when the show was in syndication).
Movie Review: What Monkee Fans Have Been Waiting For
Summary: 4 Stars
This box set from Rhino has been worth the wait for Monkees fans. The audio and video are excellent for the most part, which make these first season episodes a pleasure to watch. The picture quality is so good that you will see things in the background that you have never noticed before, even if you've seen the episodes dozens of times. The packaging for this six-disc set is outstanding. The box looks like a little record player and the discs are inside little cardboard sleeves that replicate actual Monkee 45s.
Select episodes have audio commentary from various people connected with the Monkees, except for Micky Dolenz who is sorely missed. He was hilarious on the audio commentary for the "Daydream Believers" DVD and would have had some entertaining things to say about these episodes. Here's hoping he will be on the second series box set.
The booklet that comes with the set is a bit lacking but the discs make up for this by including trivia on each episode from a well-known Monkee website. However, some trivia that has previously not been seen before would have been nice.
When I reviewed Rhino's Monkees Volume One & Two on Amazon, I mentioned several things that I thought would make good extras when the entire Monkees series came out on DVD. Rhino has lived up to most of my expectations, including putting the alternate version of the pilot in the set and most of the Monkees TV commercials. That being said, most of the commercials are of poor quality and look like they were taken off of a bootleg tape called "Secret Video Files" that is in wide circulation among Monkee fans. I still appreciate them being included though. I was also a bit disappointed that the episodes did not feature the alternate music soundtracks from reruns and syndication.
Despite these minor flaws, here's hoping the same creative people work on the release and packaging of the Monkees Season Two DVD set.
Movie Review: Some Guys Have It....
Summary: 4 Stars
What a fabulous box set. The episodes are still extremely funny and childlike in a good way and I especially love the time filling slots where they talking about themselves - Davys stories about going home are so English and easy for me to associate with the humour 36 years on! I wish they had done more of this as these clips are too short. Would also have been good to see Peter and Mickys screen tests.The adverts are a bit weathered but really funny "Ricey bubbles so crisp and nourishing, Eat'em every day!". Had me in stitches!!
Shame that some of the songs were different and that there was no commentary from Micky. Also it would have been nice to see a face to face interview with each of them talking about what they've done since the Monkees rather than just the usual "manufactured image" "its like Leonard Nimoy really becoming a Vulcan" stuff.
The packaging is a bit flimsy - think they need to rethink that for next time - Please Please Please !! mine has to travel to England!! At least a paper sleeve for each disc so it doesn't scratch? Go on - push the boat out!
Cant wait for season two - I like the contrast in their image and seeing them take the mickey out of their original style of show - its time for the Monkee Scare - ahhhh! I think ive fancied them all at some stage (except Micky - sorry!) but I have to say that if I was the woman on the black label advert there is no way i'd have ran past Mike Nesmith!! Its the first time ive seen him smile I think!!
Thanks for reading.
This is John Smith asking you to save the Texas Prairie Chicken!! (See how nice that works... blackbird wise!)
Movie Review: A packaging disaster?
Summary: 4 Stars
NO WAY!!! This might be the greatest packaging for a boxed set ever. Who says it does not fit? It will fit on any shelf I have in my house, including some that regular DVD's are too tall for. So it is not as tall as the others, so what? Moving on to what's important.When you open the box there are six sleeves, each containing a disc. This can be a problem if you don't know how to treat things. I recommed before sliding a disc back into the sleeve that you make sure there are no loose materials inside the sleeve that will rub against the finish of the DVD and scratch it. That is really all that can happen, otherwise it's 100% perfect. Hint or word to the wise; Don't eat around your DVD's anyway and you won't drop foreign particles into the sleeves or get grease on the cardboard.
The extra minute of footage not originally aired on some of the episodes was completely amazing to see. This includes Mike and Davy's screen tests. Hilarious and spontaneous. The picture is fabulous and the audio is great too.
When you are watching and it appears that they are not playing or singing the correct things and words it's not the audio track. lol... That's how they were originally released. It gets four stars from me because it lacks subtitles. If you want to watch this quietly to avoid bothering roommates or can't understand what they are saying, too bad. And you can forget about other languages. This does not really bother me but I am fair to the needs of all when reviewing commerical items for mass consumption.
Classic television. What's the season 2 package going to be, a televsion?
Movie Review: My new review... Great BUT...
Summary: 4 Stars
Micky and even David did not take part on any commentary. The episodes were in the best shape that I have ever seen them... I liked the MONKEES GET OUT MORE DIRT episode.. Seeing those 4 guys go after April was a riot! The picture was crystal clear! You can really see the wires that they had Micky hooked up to!Seeing the pilot in the MM format gave me a bit of a headache! I am glad that the pilot had the Monkees doing the songs in the finished product...
The Monkees in Concert was amazing to see and watching this makes me think about my concert experiences with the Monkees.. I cried when Micky did his James Brown bit and at the end when the show was over... Looking back on that last one, they STILL kept that same magic right through the final tour in 2001..
I agree about the little disc covers for the set... Take special care when taking out the discs... All in all, I am glad to have this set... Columbia House lost out on this gem... The old Record player box was rather nice...
I hope that the specials, music videos from the 80s, and Heart & Soul Videography go for the DVD treatment next...OH... Be sure to enclude the Christmas video from MTV too... It had all the Monkees in that one..
It was good to see the interviews on how the Monkees happened, and I really look forward to Season 2.. I hope that Micky and Davy will do some commentary on that disc... Till Season 2 comes out... I will be really enjoying this firat set...