Not happy, Jan.
Here I am, doped up on cold medicine, and all I wanted to do tonight was curl up on the couch with my Dawson’s Creek Series 3 DVDs I brought back from the States. So I popped in the disc and hit Play All. (I’d skip right to the Pacey-and-Joey-smooching episodes, but I won’t feel like I’ve really earned it unless I watch all the shite ones that come before.) Imagine my surprise when, instead of Paula Cole’s familiar warbling of the title song, they played some other random crap! WHAT. THE. HELL. There’s random crap music all through it! Turns out that the original music cost too much. THAT SUCKS. One of the best only pleasures of the Creek was its savvy usage of 90’s pop songs. AND I AM DENIED. I am most seriously put out.
jp
June 22, 2007 — 12:30 pm
If the DVD licensing wasn’t included at the time of securing the rights for airing it happens heaps. Totally frustrating.
Other shows that were delayed in getting to DVD as a result were Beverly Hills 90210 & Melrose Place. (Similar random crap replacing key tunes of the period).
China Beach is one they have decided NOT to put out on DVD as a result of the music being integral to the show.
I would have thought Dawson’s was recent enough for it to be a non-issue though (but I suppose it just beat the start of the DVD mania).
Kris
June 22, 2007 — 1:17 pm
Apparently, this is also the reason WKRP in Cincinnati will never be released on DVD. That sucks!
jp
June 22, 2007 — 1:39 pm
ahhhh. However, they can still be broadcast on TV with the original soundtrack. It Does make you wonder about the viability of Pay TV and their Tivo equivalents for purists.
TOAST
June 22, 2007 — 8:05 pm
Kills me. They first did it with “Tour of Duty”, even replacing the theme music. The music (all old 60’s and 70’s classic), was important not just for ambiance, but historical context.
Myself (and many others) have said that they’d be happy to pay for the full royalties for the soundtrack, even if it were to double (or more) the price.
As a result, some folk are trying to collect and put on bittorrent the original series with the oringial soundtrack, taken from 20 year old VHS tapes. If I’ve purchased the DVDs and I legally own copies of each track that’s played (there’s no more than a double album’s worth), there must be some legal defence in doing it.
Dawson’s another matter, when it was first released, there was some digital broadcasting and digital capture going on, so I’m sure there are 100% quality originals out there.
Amy
June 22, 2007 — 8:25 pm
No! I’ve been holding out for WKRP. I loved that show