Storyteller DVD

[kustomboy]

well, let's deal with the great first. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE THESE ON DVD! THANK YOU HENSON!!!! I can't believe they put these on dvd, now let's get the rest of them (greek mythology episodes). I haven't seen these since I was a kid so this dvd is a great treasure of Henson work.
But, did they really need to pile 241 minutes on 1 dvd? These are THE WORST dvd transfers I have ever seen. They are compressed all to h*#%! They look flat like they are being shown through a screen (there are lines all over the dvd and appear to be over the top of the print). There is no detail in the characters faces and it just looks downright ugly in some scenes. Now, if this is how they looked when they were shot, that's fine, I can deal with it. I just wish they would have spread it out over 2 dvd's to allow for a better transfer. I know that this dvd has a limited market and the cost of 2 dvd's was probably out of the question and to keep the price low they "maximized value" by putting as many episodes on the disc as possible but I feel like I'm not watching these in the best possible quality and that kind of bugs me.

But back to the bright side. It is wonderful to have these on dvd. They probably look better than any VHS copy I could get, so I will take the poor transfer with a grain of salt and just shut up now and be happy to have them on dvd.

The RMH dvd looked good, not perfect, but good considering the age of the footage. The colors seem vibrant and jump off the screen. There is some evidence of compression but it's not bad. A few shakes too but it's a good watch.

 

[Phillip]

kustomboy,

Thanks for the feeedback. I don't have my copy yet (will very soon). So all nine episodes are one side of the DVD? I really thought they would at least include a two-sided DVD in order to get a little bit better quality. Looking forward to seeing these myself.

By the way, if you would like to expand on your comments some, you can submit a review of the Storyteller DVD collection here...

http://forum.muppetcentral.com/showthread.php?t=9409

 

[scarecroe]

Oh man, that's not good. You've got me all worried now.

 

[grouchman]

Oh man, that's not good. You've got me all worried now.

me too. i gave up early trying to find any local retail sources for either storyteller or the ed sullivan collection (although i might have given up too soon), and ordered them online. haven't gotten them yet, but i am also dismayed to hear they've tried to cram nine half-hours on one side of a dvd.

i'll hope for the best...but won't erase my vhs copies off HBO/satellite just yet!

 

[Jennifer12]

Marketing needed....

Well, I bought my copy of Storyteller with The Two Towers on Tuesday. I haven't watched all of the Storyteller episodes yet, so I can't really write a review. I'm savoring them and watching one by one.

I agree it would have been nice to have more than one disk. It also would have been nice to have some commentary by Brian Henson or someone else who was involved with the series, but I'll take what I can get.

When I went to Suncoast video on Tuesday, I went on my lunch hour and there was a huge display for The Two Towers as soon as you walk in. Evidently others had snapped up their copies because the display was about 3/4 empty. The Storyteller, however, wasn't anywhere on the new release shelf. I had to ask the clerk, and she looked at me like she had no idea what I was talking about. She asked me if it was "Jim Henson's Storybook?" anyway, she disappeared, then came back with it, so I don't know if it was on the children's shelf or if she went into a back storage area to get it.

So I was thinking, it could really do with some marketing. I think a lot of the people who are snapping up the Lord of the Rings DVDs would be in the right demographic. It would appeal to an audience interested in fantasy. I don't think many people are familiar with it at all, or they only vaguely remember the series. Henson needs to get some type of advertising out there.

Jennifer

 

[Scooter]

I really enjoy the storyteller stories but you are right, they are kind of poor in quality. SOme parts are really hard to see details in. I still love it and have watched the thing about a dozen times since my mom and I got it.
--Scooter--

 

[DrGoshposh]

They look flat like they are being shown through a screen (there are lines all over the dvd and appear to be over the top of the print).

I'm glad you said this. I was beginning to worry that this was a problem with my particular copy. I will say that some of the episodes look better than others. "Fearnot" was the first I saw, and all the way through, it had that "screen" look that you spoke of. Then I watched "The Heartless Giant", and the picture was much, much better.

But, as you say, this is great entertainment, and I think it ranks up there with Jim Henson's finest work. So, like you, I'm glad to have the shows on DVD, but I agree it could look a little better.

Scott

 

[Lu775]

Well, I bought my copy of Storyteller with The Two Towers on Tuesday.

Me too. Hey, did you notice the covers of both DVD's are kinda similar?
Just the colours used and font and such.

 

[Patty]

First of all, I LOVE this DVD! It's incredible to see these again.

I've watched this DVD five times ... I even brought it to my mom's house over the holiday, and she's looking for it now.

Yes, half of the episodes look fuzzy, but you know, I think that's how they were filmed/taped. Because I remember many of them looking fuzzy back in the 80's, too.

Other episodes -- the later episodes that were filmed after 1987 -- look much sharper. That's likely a result of how they filmed the last leg of the series. It's not a coincidence, though: all of the episodes with a date of 1989 look good.

I don't think the compression really affected the DVD quality. I think you're seeing the episodes as good as they get.