'Seinfeld' DVD shows up...finally [$49.95 per volume]

[NFS4]

It's from Variety.com, but it requires you to subscribe. So here a C&P from Avantgo on my iPAQ:

'Seinfeld' DVD shows up...finally
Discs make much ado about nothing

By Scott Hettrick The much-anticipated "Seinfeld" DVD will be introduced by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment on Nov. 23 in two four-disc volumes packed with a collective 24 hours of bonus material.

First volume will include the original 1989 pilot (and an alternate version) called "The Seinfeld Chronicles" and the first four episodes that ran before the network cautiously ordered 13 more, also on the disc, making a total of 18 episodes.

The second volume includes the next set of 13 episodes ordered followed by the back nine, for an additional total of 22.

The show about nothing will cost fans $49.95 for each volume, or $119.95 for a two-volume holiday gift set that includes exclusive "Monk's Diner" salt and pepper shakers and collectible playing cards plus a limited-edition script with handwritten notes by co-creator Larry David.

It was the production of all the hours of new interviews, audio commentaries and making-of programs and the amalgamation of hours of deleted scenes, outtakes and unused footage of Seinfeld's standup comedy routines from the first few seasons that kept the DVD from being released earlier.

Seinfeld credits series exec producer Howard West of Seinfeld's Shapiro/West & Associates management team for the elaborate special edition of the DVD.

"He actually stepped in, stopped that train and redirected the whole thing to what it became," Seinfeld told Daily Variety.

Reopening the store
It was also West and Seinfeld who quenched the fast-rising flames of discontent among the rest of the "Seinfeld" cast last December when they balked at participating in the DVD without compensation.

"You know, people do deserve money for services," Seinfeld said. "But the thing was that all the books are closed on the show, so it's kind of hard to go back and open them -- all these corporate entities that own pieces of the show, they're disinclined to revisit those deals. It (was) kind of a boarded-up store at this point."

After "twisting a few arms," Seinfeld and West tailored a compromise deal that requires the actors to participate in all bonus material for every forthcoming season set of DVD releases.

"They were only too anxious to be part of it," Seinfeld said of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander. "But, you know, it still needed to be equitable."

All the cast members participated extensively in the new bonus features, as did Seinfeld, David and many others.

The series will surely rake in plenty of money. The top-selling TV title on DVD this year by far is surprise hit "Chappelle's Show," with more than $50 million in consumer spending.

Ben Feingold, president of Columbia TriStar, which is believed to be preparing the release of "Spider-Man 2" around the same time, said the studio will treat the "Seinfeld" releases as they would a big feature film in terms of the holiday marketing push.

"Seinfeld" also has been treated like a major film from a technical standpoint, with the entire series being digitally remastered in high-definition.

 

[Rickten]

so it sounds like first two seasons? Did I read that correctly?

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Rickten
so it sounds like first two seasons? Did I read that correctly?

Sounds like it. This is gonna be one expensive series.

 

[Turkish]

Cliff notes? Did they release all seasons? Damn I'm getting it anyways, why the heck am I asking questions...

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Rickten
so it sounds like first two seasons? Did I read that correctly?

Sounds like it. This is gonna be one expensive series.

Crickye, there were 8 or 9 seasons right? $50/season x8 = $400 bones. That's too rich for my poor student blood. 🙁

 

[MacBaine]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Rickten
so it sounds like first two seasons? Did I read that correctly?

Sounds like it. This is gonna be one expensive series.

It'll be the first series where I won't even look at the pricetag when I buy it though.

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Rickten
so it sounds like first two seasons? Did I read that correctly?

Sounds like it. This is gonna be one expensive series.

Crickye, there were 8 or 9 seasons right? $50/season x8 = $400 bones. That's too rich for my poor student blood. 🙁

same here... I'll buy it when I graduate in May and get a job 😛 Till then, I'll rely on my harddrive 😉

 

[Linux23]

the only part I caught was the High Definition part. Woohoo, why buy the DVD's when the High Def version will be available soon!😀

 

[wfbberzerker]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Rickten
so it sounds like first two seasons? Did I read that correctly?

Sounds like it. This is gonna be one expensive series.

i bet you they're gonna milk it for all its worth, too.

 

[AmericasTeam]

Well, you could always buy the complete series in low definition on ebay for $30.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Linux23
the only part I caught was the High Definition part. Woohoo, why buy the DVD's when the High Def version will be available soon!😀

😕 Do you think you'll be recieving your high definition episodes via email? They're on the DVDs doofus! 😛

 

[iamme]

yeessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

 

[ky2pip]

Awesome....this and Simpsons are must have series.

 

[Parrotheader]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Rickten
so it sounds like first two seasons? Did I read that correctly?

Sounds like it. This is gonna be one expensive series.

Crickye, there were 8 or 9 seasons right? $50/season x8 = $400 bones. That's too rich for my poor student blood. 🙁

I've got a job and disposable income, but that's too rich for me too. Seinfeld is my second favorite show all-time (behind Cheers), but they both come on so much in syndication that I have a hard time justifying paying to watch them. I've yet to buy one of the Cheers DVDs either. I probably will if the show starts to fall out of favor in syndication (which I doubt will happen anytime in the next decade.)

 

[NakaNaka]

Short article on it from USAToday

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: MacBaine
It'll be the first series where I won't even look at the pricetag when I buy it though.

 

[Shelly21]

Cool, going to put it in my netflix queue as soon as the series shows up there.

 

[iamme]

according to USA Today, Volume 1 will have Seasons 1 & 2, while Volume 3 will have Season 3.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: Linux23
the only part I caught was the High Definition part. Woohoo, why buy the DVD's when the High Def version will be available soon!😀

😕 Do you think you'll be recieving your high definition episodes via email? They're on the DVDs doofus! 😛

The episodes will not be in high definition. "Digitally remastered in high-definition" only means that the sutdios scanned the film into a resolution greater than DVD, made all the color/frame/video corrections, and then scaled the video back down to regular definition for DVD.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: Linux23
the only part I caught was the High Definition part. Woohoo, why buy the DVD's when the High Def version will be available soon!😀

😕 Do you think you'll be recieving your high definition episodes via email? They're on the DVDs doofus! 😛

The episodes will not be in high definition. "Digitally remastered in high-definition" only means that the sutdios scanned the film into a resolution greater than DVD, made all the color/frame/video corrections, and then scaled the video back down to regular definition for DVD.

I'll be checking my email then.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: Linux23
the only part I caught was the High Definition part. Woohoo, why buy the DVD's when the High Def version will be available soon!😀

😕 Do you think you'll be recieving your high definition episodes via email? They're on the DVDs doofus! 😛

The episodes will not be in high definition. "Digitally remastered in high-definition" only means that the sutdios scanned the film into a resolution greater than DVD, made all the color/frame/video corrections, and then scaled the video back down to regular definition for DVD.

I'll be checking my email then.

I'm not sure what you're blathering about, but I was responding to the comment about the episodes being available in high definition format and DVD.

DVD is not a high resolution format. If the episodes are actually in HD, then they won't be on DVD - it'll be on something like D-theater, Blu-Ray, etc.

email?😕