Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Yes,MPI has finally started its' release of the Jackie Gleason Show.This set gleans its' material from the 1966-70 series which was filmed in colour.It contains the "Trip To Europe" series first done back in the late 50s.It's an updated and I think just as good version as its' black and white counterpart.
This was the first(Gleason) show series to be shot in colour and Gleason certainly makes effective use of the medium as is evidenced by the myriad of coulourful costumes worn by both cast and crew.
Now before I go any further I think for the sake of those that have read the above "review" by Mr.Gaita I should clarify two essential points.
Firstly is that this set is a three disc set,with nine episodes.
Secondly these are NOT hour long sketches nor are the entire shows one sees here an hour long.Indeed no Honeymooners sketch in any Gleason show(excluding specials of course) were ever one hour in length.The running time of these shows range anywhere from 46-49 minutes...in total.
What has happened is,for whatever reason,MPI has CUT Gleasons' entire opening monologue sequence.What we get is everything AFTER that,i.e. the Honeymooners sketch and,if time permitted because sometimes it didn't,Gleasons' closing words,thank you to the audience and introduction of the cast.The cutting of the opening is certainly not a make or break situation but it is VERY disappointing and the big reason I gave this set a star less than it should get.
With that aside let's get back to the review.I must say that I never saw any of Gleasons shows in colour because I simply didn't own a colour set until years later.Only the more financially well to do in my neighbourhood had colour sets and those I did see sported this terrible reddish-greenish blury picture.I was quite happy to stick with my B&W.
MPI has done a pretty good job in presenting these shows but not a great one.The clarity is fine but the film just shows its' age much more than it should and I think a better job could have been done to bring it up to the standard of other shows from that same time.
As far as Gleason,Carney,Kean and McCrae are concerned I just can't say enough about them.The two principles are right on top of their form the entire way through.Their chemistry is immediately apparent and they know their characters inside and out and the fun they have with each other spills out to us(and the live audience then).Kean and McCrae of course are no slouches in their departments considering the big shoes they had to fill.Remember the so called Classic 39 were still on TV at this time and everyone who watched THIS show were intimately familiar with that one.There were unfair comparisons then and there are now with their counterparts Meadows and Randolph.In my oppinion there is and never was any comparison at all.No one could take Meadows and Randolphs' places and both Kean and McCrae knew this from the get go.So they did THEIR thing not imitations,which would have fallen as flat as a pancake had they attempted to do so.Therefore the new dynamic they brought to their parts blended nicely with Gleason and Carneys roles.This oppinion has never been a popular one with hardcore fans of the Honeymooners,but it's one I've never waivered from since those years when I first saw them.
I must also give a special mention to the June Taylor dancers.I had forgotten but seeing these talented people again after almost 40 years is a pleasure in itself.They were a hard working bunch of hoofers to be sure and I invite viewers to pay special attention to the dancing in the Irish segment of this series.The footwork would make even Michael Flatley jealous I'm sure!
This is Vol#1 of what I hope will be a total release of all the Honeymooners sketches from this show of this period.I believe there are somewhere around 33 sketches left to be released,if this is MPIs' plans that is.Remember also that NOT every Jackie Gleason show had a Honeymooners sketch.Like Jackies' early 50s shows the sketches done on this particular series could be of various lengths also,if as I say there was one done at all.
Lastly I should mention that this series(The Trip to Europe) has been the only one previously syndicated and released on TV.On TV it also included a sketch called "King of the Castle".This had them back home and some events that happen after the trip.MPI must have thought this particluar segment didn't warrant inclusion because it wasn't technically part of the "trip",so I'm sure it will be released on a future set.
In conclusion I would certainly recommend this set to any Honeymooners fan and having said that this set should not be relegated just to "die -hard" fans of the show,as the editorial "review" states.Nothing could be further from the truth.These shows are light,true to the Honeymooner format and an experience the whole family can enjoy.And come to think of it that's exactly who were watching and enjoying them back in 1966!
It also states that these sketches "are weighed down" by the musical numbers.This is also,in my oppinion,total bunk.The numbers compliment and sometimes enhance the sequences.It is absolutely precious to see both Carney and Gleason arm in arm singing their hearts out before us.And their small "dance" routines together have to be seen.It's a beautiful thing!
The work MPI has done on them certainly could have been better and their cutting of Gleasons' entire opening sequence is a travesty but as I stated earlier not a deal breaker.
This is a set that belongs in everyones' DVD collection!
Click Here to see more reviews about: The Color Honeymooners - Collection 1 (1966)
The Color Honeymooners (a/k/a The Jackie Gleason Show), a top-rated comedy/variety program aired, "from the sun and fun capital of the world – Miami Beach!" on Saturday night from 1966-70 on CBS-TV. This long-running series marked the final weekly TV show for "The Great One."Reprising their famous characters from The Honeymooners, the cast was led by Jackie Gleason (Ralph Kramden) and Art Carney (Ed Norton). Newcomers Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean played long-suffering wives Alice and Trixie. Like popular variety series of the time, the show's format was a clever combination of new comedy sketches coupled with classic Honeymooners bits. Plenty of big name guest stars and a generous helping of singing and dancing rounded out the hour. Regulars included Gleason's glamorous Glea-Girls; the June Taylor Dancers; Sammy Spear and His Orchestra, and announcer, Johnny Olson. This 4-disc boxed set includes 10 episodes and bonus features: In 25 Words or Less, Ship of Fools, Poor People of Paris, Confusion, Italian Style, Curse of the Kramdens, The Mod Couple, You're in the Picture, We Spy, Petticoat Jungle, Mexican Hat Trick
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