Shout! Brings TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY 6/8

[AndyDursin]

Shout! going to be doing their customary fine job with excellent supplements...



TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY

THE COMPLETE SERIES

Starring Stephen Collins, Caitlin O’Heaney, Roddy McDowall, Jeff Mackay



AVAILABLE ON DVD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA

JUNE 8, 2010 FROM FABULOUS FILMS

Distributed by Shout! Factory



featuring 22 hours of adventures, extensive bonus content

and a special booklet jam-packed in a 6-dvd collector’s box set

Get ready to take on a thrill-ride to a backwater corner of the South Pacific as Tales of the Gold Monkey The Complete Series comes to DVD for the first time in North America on June 8, 2010 from Fabulous Films, distributed by Shout! Factory. Fans can relive the adventures of this much loved television show in a 6-DVD collectible box set featuring all 20 action-packed episodes, original pilot episode, a treasure trove of DVD bonus content, a special collector’s booklet and more! The collectible Tales of the Gold Monkey The Complete Series DVD box set is priced to own at $49.97.



Created by Don Bellisario and starring Stephen Collins (Private Practice, 7th Heaven), Caitlin O’Heaney (The Charmings), Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes), Jeff Mackay (JAG), Tales of the Gold Monkey aired on ABC in early 80’s and became a popular hit following the success of the Indiana Jones films. Set in 1938, this adventure series captures the ambience and character of a mysterious romantic era and chronicles a young American adventurer Jake Cutter (Stephen Collins) and his ragtag group of friends as they become involved involved in death-defying hi-jinx, transporting people-on-the-run in a well-worn Grumman Goose seaplane.


Extensive DVD Bonus Content:

* Original Double Length Pilot Episode
* Brand New 36 Minute “Making of” Documentary featuring Stephen Collins (Jack Cutter), Caitlin O’Heaney (Sarah Stickney White), writer-producer Tom Greene and Harvey Laidman (one of the directors for the series).
* Audio commentaries
* Photo gallery
* Series synopsis and biographies
* Character Sarah Stickney White’s original costume gallery
* Artifacts gallery
* 24-page collector’s booklet





Tales of the Gold Monkey The Complete Series

* Running time: 1008 mins
* Format: 1:33:1 (4x3)
* Audio: Dolby 2.0
* Rating: PG
* 6-DVD Set
* SRP: $49.97

[John Johnson]

Looks similar to the Region 2 Version.

[AndyDursin]

Just got a review copy in. Sadly the transfers look they've been derived from PAL masters as they exhibit time-compression -- and more over, they're not very good. Do not seem to have been remastered from the best available sources, overly glossy and not particularly well defined.

One of those "better than nothing" instances, I suppose, but it's a letdown.

[Eric Paddon]

Anything Shout puts out has never gotten the remaster treatment. It's always a case of the original rights holder dumping the last set of transfers made on the third party that will be doing the release.

[AndyDursin]

I will say in Shout's defense, I don't think they had anything to do with this release other than distributing it in North America. It has Famous Films' logo and copyright all over everything.

Very odd because this was a Universal series, no? You would've thought they had something better sitting in the vaults than this. Then again, maybe they do, but they didn't think it was worth spending any resources (namely, money) on improving what was here.

I should also clarify my comments -- the transfers do seem to be time compressed. Either that or they're cut. I'm guessing it's probably the former because even the "full length" pilot is under 90 minutes and back then it would've been 95 or thereabouts, meaning it's coming from a PAL source. Certainly looks and sounds like a PAL master.

[Eric Paddon]

It wouldn't surprise me that Universal would have given Shout the most *recent* set of transfers they had done which would have been the ones done for R2 instead of realizing it would have been better to use an earlier set that would have been better for the R1 market.

Apart from the fact that Anne Lockhart of Battlestar Galactica guests in one episode, there isn't much incentive for me to get the set since I never watched it when it was on. Maybe later when its available for a rock bottom rate.

[John Johnson]

Apart from the fact that Anne Lockhart of Battlestar Galactica guests in one episode, there isn't much incentive for me to get the set since I never watched it when it was on. Maybe later when its available for a rock bottom rate.

The episode in question is called "The Lady and the Tiger." Quite similar to the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Lost Warrior."

[AndyDursin]

Anything Shout puts out has never gotten the remaster treatment. It's always a case of the original rights holder dumping the last set of transfers made on the third party that will be doing the release.

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER is advertised as "fully remastered" at least. Looks it.