GL on DVD!

[vetsoapfan]

Yes, it's sad for long-time viewers when once-major, leading characters are reduced to "talk-to" supporting players. I hated seeing Sara as just a therapist who would nod and listen to her patients, and occasionally suggest they needed more extensive psychiatric care. It was like watching poor Jessie Brewer on GH go from front-burner heroine to a (very) occasional walk-on. But the executives believe teens are the target audience, and that they will not watch "old folks". I disagree strongly, of course.

[DRW50]

I think some of the older GL characters who were phased out probably had reached their limit, but Sara was the exception - I think she still had a lot of story left in her. Unfortunately, beyond ageism, women who didn't hoot and holler or serve as somewhat campy figures didn't seem to fare well either.

[vetsoapfan]

Douglas Marland said that even when he was writing the show, the network wanted him to phase out the older players, but he resisted, pointing out that if they stayed around, he could definitely find something for them to do. I agree that Sara still had untapped storyline potential, and I was very annoyed when she was finally written out in such a dishonest (by the writers) fashion. The character said on-screen that she was leaving Springfield temporarily on medical-related business, and then disappeared forever. They didn't even mention her years later when Adam returned for Blake's marriage to Phillip. Grunt.

[Paul Raven]

I don't think Sara's marriage to Dean Blackford did much for the character.Didn't she just come back from a cruise with a new husband? Who then turned around and tried to kill her! Sara had already been through a similar story years before.Sara didn't seem to integrated into the story,so it was easy for her to slip through the cracks.Maybe Mike/Sara could have been considered to mold her into the next matriach? Millette's career was in soaps,so I'm sure she would have stuck around.

To be over 40 and a soap hopper in the 80's was not a great thing.A lot of people who went from show to show in the 60's and 70's were not in demand in the next decade.

[Chris B]

For the German collection that is certainly a unique group to put on the cover. So odd seeing an older woman in the center. I'm so happy that release is happening for those of us who want consecutive episodes. I think that collection will help me get a better feel for the older episodes that I'm not familiar with. I do find it odd they started from the beginning and not at a peak period. It looks like they just went for the older stuff aired, not necessarily the most popular stuff. That might affect future sales.

I still need to get those B&B DVDs. That seems to be doing very well over there.

[soapfave06]

Are the German DVDs available in English or will they have subtitles?

[Goldensoaps]

Fortunately, they are in English!!!!!!! And If this first pack sells well, there will be more packs with the continuing episodes from 1979!!!! They are also selling B&B in English and they have edited in DVD the first 125 episodes from 1987 in 5 packs!!

[soapfave06]

Thanks Goldensoaps! That's awesome, this is my favorite time period of GL so I will have to buy.

[rlj]

I needs me a Phillip and Beth DVD, anything in the Stables or in NY, something with Bolger, the Plane Crash, and throw in Rick and Mondy LOL!

[DavidsMuse]

I'd like to buy this set and probably the next few sets as well, since 1979-1980 brings Roger's initial reign of terror to a close! Does this first set contain 25 episodes on 5 discs?

[zanereed]

Regarding the German set - I wonder if Soap Classics would be willing to release something similar like this now. I have to assume that SC were the ones who did the tape transfers for this German set. For those of us in the USA, would you be willing to purchase this in a similar format, or even a "bare bones", "on-demand" type of format - a format similar to how Warner sells the Falcon Crest season sets on DVR-r's?

[~bl~]

Actually the German sets were done off the tapes they already had in Germany.

[RogerNewcomb]

When shows are aired in other countries and dubbed into another language they get a copy of the master tape which has separate tracks for the dialogue and background music. So they use the video and (I guess) the background music but add their own vocal track with their own voice actors.

Zane, I asked SC to clarify the ins and outs of this so hopefully something clear and concise will be coming soon.

[zanereed]

Thank you for the clarification, ~bl~ - my bad!

Out of curiosity, does the German tape library of 1979 episodes contain anything that the P&G/Soap Classics tape archive does *not*? I would assume "no", but my guessing hasn't exactly been on the money at all .

And thank you, Roger, for at least looking into the possiblity of perhaps an "on demand" purchase of these 1979 episodes (music clearances aside, of course).

[Khan]

I think it was saynotoursoap who said once not to accept the common wisdom that the early years of many soaps are "lost"; that, because of overseas distribution, it's easier to track down earlier episodes than one might suspect (assuming, of course, that other countries do a better job of archiving shows than the U.S.).