Customer Reviews

Beverly Hillbillies: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

26 newly-restored and unedited episodes with the classic opening and closing theme songs.

Disc 1
Series Introduction, by Linda Kaye Henning
Pilot Episode: The Clampetts Strike Oil (September 26, 1962)
Getting Settled (October 3, 1962)
Meanwhile, Back at the Cabin (October 10, 1962)
The Clampetts Meet Mrs. Drysdale (October 17,1962)
Jed Buys Stock (October 24, 1962)
Trick or Treat (October 31, 1962)
The Servants (November 7, 1962)

Disc 2
Jethro Goes to School (November 14, 1962)
Elly's First Date (November 21, 1962)
Pygmalion and Elly (November 28, 1962)
Elly Races Jethrine (December 5, 1962)
The Great Feud (December 12, 1962)
No Place Like Home (December 26, 1962)
Jed Rescues Pearl (January 2, 1963)

Disc 3
Back to California (January 9, 1963)
Jed's Dilemma (January 16, 1963)
Jed Saves the Drysdales' Marriage (January 23, 1963)
Elly's Animals (January 30, 1963)
Jed Throws a Wingding (February 6, 1963)
Jed Plays Solomon (February 13, 1963)
Duke Steals a Wife (February 20, 1963)

Disc 4
Jed Buys the Freeway (February 27, 1963)
Jed Becomes a Banker (March 6, 1963)
The Family Tree (March 13, 1963)
Jed Cuts the Family Tree (March 20, 1963)
Granny's Spring Tonic (March 27, 1963)

Bonus features:
Original Cast Sponsor Commercials
CBS-TV Network Promo
Documentary: Paul Henning & The Hillbillies
Vintage Variety Show Appearances by Buddy Ebsen & Irene Ryan
Unaired Pilot with Extra Footage

This restored set has some very nice extras and the restoration of the episodes will make you put those PD DVDs in the trash can.

The only complaint is, why only 26 episodes from the 36 episode first season. One of the missing episodes is show #13 "Home For Christmas", which MPI is putting on a "Christmas with The Beverly Hillbillies & Petticoat Junction" DVD. Unfortunately, it interrupts the flow of the continuing story line. In the pre-Christmas episode the Clampetts are in Beverly Hills. Then jump to the post-Christmas episode and the Clampetts are back home in the hills.

Otherwise we are getting the first 27 episodes, minus the Christmas show, of season 1.

All of the criticisms pointed out in previous postings are true: no, this set does not contain the complete first season; yes, they should have included the Christmas episode; yes, the sound and picture quality could be better; yes, they should have indexed the times of each episode individually instead of running them all together; yes, it would seem that a DVD set that has the apparent support of someone as important (not to mention as fabulously beautiful) as our beloved Linda Kaye Henning probably should not contain these flaws.
Nevertheless, this set is worth every penny for two reasons: 1. all the episodes are (at least as near as I can tell) COMPLETE and unedited, to include the "third" verse of the opening credits where they plug the "sponsor of the week", and, 2. there are a solid TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES of the extremely rare and highly sought after Cast Commercials. These are the particularly valuable Episode Related Cast Commercials, which continue the plots and story lines of each episode they are associated with (same as with the CC's on the 2nd and 3rd seasons of the Andy Griffith DVD sets, and hopefully future sets as well). No, they aren't integrated into each show, which would have been a better way to do it. Still, to have them at all is a true blessing, particularly the Winston cigarette commercials (I do not smoke myself, but I am nevertheless delighted to have these. Given the arrogant certainty with which the modern day political correctness thought police presume to impose upon us whatever they judge to be in our best interest, it is truly amazing that these were allowed to be included on the DVD). Watching the C.C.s all together I was expecting a few, maybe ten minutes worth or so, but they just go on and on, it's great. As near as I can tell ALL episodes on this DVD are accompanied by their respective Cast Commercial (many of which also contain the ending title card blurbs, and some episodes also contain interesting short little "public service" announcements at the end).
As for the documentary, it is entitled "Paul Henning & the Hillbillies". While informative, yes, it does spend a great deal of time talking about him and not specifically the show itself, and some viewers might find this a bit tedious. However, at the end of the documentary the whole story is revealed, and you can put two and two together: apparently Mr. Henning passed away this year. Considering the depth of involvement that Linda Kaye Henning granted to this and to the Petticoat Junction release, it is reasonable and gracious that MPI recognize her father, to whom, after all, we do owe the creation of these shows in the first place. Both Paul and Linda deserve a salute from all of us, and the inclusion of this documentary is entirely appropriate.
This show ran for 274 episodes over nine seasons, all of which are deserving of release on DVD. Buy this set today and let the big wigs know that there is a serious fan base of customers who are anxious to see the whole awesome, delightful series on DVD!!

I don't know why, but a retailer near my home had this out last weekend. This wonderful set is everything you would hope for (Like other reviewers, I'm disappointed it's not the full season, but at least it's a full sequence, and we can hope Vol. 2 continues right where this leaves off.)

Picture quality is great. (I'd never noticed how many of the backdrops, like the laundry room off the kitchen, were two-dimensional.) Episodes are complete, of course, with scenes I'd never seen. Each episode even has an "extended" theme song, where the Clampetts hawk that week's sponsor (Winston cigarettes or Kellogg's Corn Flakes). And the promised commercials (same two products) are great too. It looks like each episode had it's own commercial in the same setting. I lost count but there are at least 20 of them, not the 3 or 4 I was expecting. The bonus features of Buddy Ebsen on some "vaudeville" special and Irene Ryan on a show hosted by Roy Rodgers and Dale Evens were fun to see one time.

And the shows: priceless. With witty writing and excellent acting, especially by Raymond Bailey (Mr. Drysdale) and Buddy Ebsen, though of course Irene Ryan and Max Baer are hilarious performers too. Most TV series find their legs in the second season, but the first four episodes here (all I've watched so far--I'll update this review if any technical glitches turn up) are brilliant.

The minor complaints: The "unseen" pilot is really just a slightly different edit of the well-known first episode. And... that's about it really. I guess the booklet could have provided more background on the bonus materials. (There is an hour-long documentary feature that I haven't watched, "Paul Hennig and the Clampetts", that might have more information.) But really, if you think you want this set, you do want it.

I can't dislike this set. Having watched/enjoyed "The Beverly Hillbillies" since its initial run on CBS, it's a treat to have most of the first season on a single DVD set. The humor is sharp/funny, right from the very first episode...and seeing the original extended openings, featuring plugs for the program's two alternating sponsors at the time (Winston and Kellogg's), is wonderfully nostalgic...it didn't take long for those "sponsor of the week" jingles to bring a smile.

I can't comment on the full set, having only viewed the first three episodes. If the first three are any indication, though, I can't help but question the claim on the packaging that these have been "restored." A couple of splices in the openings have been observed, sound quality is anything but pristine, and end-of-reel cue marks (poorly etched onto the film frames, way too reminiscent of 16mm syndication prints) are extremely distracting...as are the many vertical film scratches that resurface all too often from too many trips through a dirty projection gate, episodes two and three in particular.

Very little effort appears to have been devoted towards the restoration of the film elements. MPI notes, on the packaging, that some material on this DVD came from producer/creator Paul Henning's private collection. Perhaps that's where these episodes came from, as current copies of the same shows for broadcast look/sound noticeably better.

That's the bad, now for the good. Scratches and other anomalies aside, the episodes are at least presented unedited, and look far better than the knockoff DVD versions of this show that usually sell for $5.00 and under. Image quality is very sharp/clear. And the version of the pilot seen here (under the title "The Hillbillies of Beverly Hills") is a different edit, including a very funny "glimpse of things to come" segment at the end, featuring Raymond Bailey. Then, there are the extras...they're marvelous, particularly two excerpts from the ABC program "Hollywood Palace," one featuring Buddy Ebsen and one featuring Irene Ryan (in character as Granny, this one is side-splittingly funny). There's also a wonderful documentary about Paul Henning, the show's producer, and an interview with Max Baer that's great fun to listen to...and original commercials, featuring the cast members in character, plugging the sponsor for that week. I loved these as a kid and they're still great fun to watch, frequently as entertaining as the program itself.

My feelings about this set are indeed mixed...but in spite of my mediocre three-star rating (solely for the less than pristine image/sound quality observed so far) it's a purchase that will never be returned or given away! I love it, flaws and all.

The picture quality on this is very horrible. There are tons of black vertical lnes, grain, film cracks, film jumps, digital blurs, and poor sound in most episodes. Plus it doesn't even have the X-Mas episode, and it's short 10 episodes of the first season.

When you release a TV series on DVD, you want to restore it to absolute full picture quality, so that fans can remember this show in it's best condition. But, The Beverly Hillbillies, will just be remembered as a poorly restored old show. This DVD set doesn't have as near as good picture quality as The Andy Griffith Show, Gilligan's Island, The Munsters, I Love Lucy, and The Dick Van Dyke Show.


Overall, a very bad DVD release for The Beverly Hillbillies!

Yes, this isn't the complete first season. And yes, many of these episodes have been released before (badly!). But for what it is, this collection rates 5 stars. For starters, it's the only DVD release that contains the original theme song over the opening and closing credits. It's also the only set to feature the first 27 episodes (minus the '62 Christmas episode, coming in a few weeks on a separate DVD) in chronological order. And these are 27 of the funniest of all Beverly Hillbillies episodes -- funnier than those from season two, much funnier than those from season three, and MUCH MUCH funnier than seasons 4-9 (the color episodes).

All episodes here are uncut & unedited, and feature bonus footage from the sponsor after the opening credits. There's also a large collection of both Kellogg's and Winston Cigarettes commercials, performed by the cast (it's strangely ironic watching the Winston spot that features Bea Benederet [Cousin Pearl] smoking, considering she died of lung cancer just a few years later). I've heard the reason the complete first season isn't here is that MPI only has the rights to the first 27 shows, and Paramount owns the rest. If enough people buy THIS collection, more episodes may get released.

I've been waiting for this for a looong time! Only complaint though, is, why only 26 episodes? Why not the ENTIRE 1st season? Still, it will be better than the 2-disc set that came out before from Diamond Entertainment.

I love this show and I really love what there dojng with extras commercials and everything but all as they needed to do is add another disc and this set would have been a beginning of a masterpiece.I hope they don't scrue up every season like this and throw the dvds out of wack but the way things are looking by even throwing the christmas episode out of poportioned order that just might happen.

It's about time this is coming out on decent DVDs. I have all the Columbia House VHS(30 volumes, 3 eps each) which are taken from mint condition prints. MPI historically has done well with putting out complete runs of TV series(Dark Shadows a good example).

Here's hoping in later volumes we will see the Kellogg spots as a bonus. Commentaries/interviews by Max Baer Jr and Donna Douglas would be nice as well.