Customer Reviews

Fantasy Island - The Complete First Season

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's about time! Finally, some of the fine work of Aaron Spelling is being released on DVD. Charlie's Angels came out a few years ago to coincide with that dire movie, then we had a long dry spell until August '05, with the release of T.J. Hooker. Hart to Hart is due out in October, then in November...Fantasy Island! My picks for next Spelling shows on DVD: Matt Houston and Family. Oh please, oh please!

Fantasy Island was a mid-season replacement, so its first season ('78-'79) only had 14 episodes and one two-hour TV movie, "Return to Fantasy Island" (the original TV Movie "Fantasy Island" aired in January '77). The episodes in the first season are as follows:

ESCAPE / CINDERELLA GIRLS Diana Canova, Bert Convy
BET A MILLION / MR. IRRESISTIBLE Henry Gibson, John Schuck
THE PRINCE / THE SHERIFF Ed Begley Jr., Lisa Hartman
FAMILY REUNION / VOODOO Juliet Mills, John Gavin, Lauren Tewes, Howard Duff
LADY OF THE EVENING / THE RACER Christopher George, Jerry VanDyke
TREASURE HUNT / BEAUTY CONTEST Gene Barry, Louis Nye
THE FUNNY GIRL / BUTCH AND SUNDANCE James MacArthur, Marcia Strassman, Christopher Connelly
SUPERSTAR / SALEM Leslie Nielsen, Gary Burghoff, Vera Miles
TROUBLE, MY LOVELY / THE COMMON MAN Don Knotts, Nancy Walker, Bernie Kopell
THE OVER THE HILL CAPER / POOF! YOU'RE A MOVIE STAR Ray Bolger, Foster Brooks
REUNION / ANNIVERSARY Michele Lee, Jim Backus, Lucie Arnaz
KING FOR A DAY / INSTANT FAMILY David Doyle, Theodore Bikel, Adam Rich
FOOL FOR A CLIENT / DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE Ken Barry, Rich Little, Lana Wood
CALL ME LUCKY / TORCH SINGER Richard Dawson, Dick Butkus, Edd "Kookie" Byrnes


Now, just look at that list of luminaries! I mean, you won't come across Natalie Wood's sister Lana just anywhere. Marcia "Mrs. Kotter" Strassman? Gary "Radar" Burghoff? Normally you'd have to watch at least a month's worth of Match Game to see all these stars. But not with the advent of Fantasy Island on DVD. Now all you have to do is pop in one of these discs and you'll soon see Herve Villechaize once again ascending the spiral staircase, ringing the bell, and calling out, "De plane! De plane!" then scampering back to Mr. Roarke's side just in time to oversee Ken Barry being handed his fruity rum drink.

I tell ya, they just don't make 'em like this anymore.

One of my favorite shows of the late 70's was Fantasy Island. Coupled with Love Boat, this was a one-two punch for ABC in its heyday of the 1980's.

From The waterfall seen during the opening sequences which is the real-life Wailua Falls in Kauai, Hawaii to Mr Roarke's sly "Welcome to Fantasy Island" as he lifts his glass to toast this guests, this show was class.

The DVD of the first season which includes the two pilot movies is wonderful. It barely dates itself and is still a lot of fun to watch. This 13 hour collection has sixteen great episodes. The DVD extras include the end caps (Next week on Fantasy Island) and two short features. The only thing that is missing a Ricardo Montalban audio commentary
on an episode or two

I can wish Love Boat (with its 3 pilots), Vegas (with Robert Urich) and Matt Houston appear on DVD soon

This is a great TV DVD collection. The shows are fun to watch, with their fun, but often silly, adventures. With some of the 70's fashion, the show offers a lot to laugh at, err, feel nostalgic about. While the series isn't exactly the most high quality drama in the world, it is based on an extremely creative concept. The never ending line of great guest stars and the breathtaking scenery add great elements for the viewers enjoyment.

At the center of the show is the host, Mr. Rourke, played to perfection by Ricardo Monteblan. He does so well, it's impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. He represents a consistent anchor each episode of the series, which otherwise varies dramatically from week to week, depending on the various guest stars and their fantasies.

The typical episode goes something like this:
1) A few guests arrive with unique fantasies.
2) Mr. Rourke delivers a fantasies of sorts.
3) The fantasies aren't exactly as requested.
4) However, the fantasy Mr. Rourke gives each of them turns out to be exactly what they REALLY needed.
5) Everyone leaves the island as a satisfied customer.

Although the formula is very consistent each week, the variety of the guest stars and the uniqueness of each fantasy make this a very entertaining show. Also, the beginning of each episode starts you wondering as to how Mr. Rourke will fulfill each fantasy with his own special twist. This was one of the better sitcoms of the 70s.

While there are a couple of special features included, this package doesn't have an overwhelming supply of special features that some packages have. Nonetheless, this is a DVD collection that is worth owning.

Sony Pictures listed on their brochure (version 10) of available TV shows on DVD, that "Fantasy Island" Seasons 1 and 2 were produced. This week I noticed that their version 11 now listed only Season 1 as available. I and others are disapponted, especially after reading that Season 2 was produced and ready for sale. Sony, please get it straight! We are waiting patiently for additional seasons of this great show.

When I reflect on classic TV shows other than comedies or "good guy/bad guy" dramas, "Fantasy Island" rates among the very best. Great cast, very well written stories with fresh content each episode. How nice it was to enjoy great programming like this without concern for language and scenes that would require shielding our kids/grandkids from inapproriate content. Also as I viewed Season 1, I remembered the quality guest stars that were hosted. "da plane. da plane!"

Again Sony, please give us the entire series.

UPDATE 4-2-2009: Well it is now over two years since I wrote my review, and STILL waiting for Season 2! I sure hate it when Sony and others produce a Season 1, get us excited that one of our favorite TV series will be revisiting our homes, and then just as our appetites whets for more, our hopes for additional seasons diminish more each year we wait. Look at "Quincy, ME"; it has takem 3+ years for Season 3 to be announced. C'mon studios, this is like tempting a dinner guest with a great steak dinner, and then after their 1st fork-full, snatching their plate away.

Finally One Of My Favorite Shows From The 1970's Comes To DVD. Fantasy Island Where Mr. Rourke And Tattoo Make Your Every Fantasy Come True. Can't Wait For Season 2 To Come To DVD

I grew up watching Fantasy Island as a kid and I came across the dvd set of season one by accident. I watched the entire series and loved it. I was reminded of the catch phrase "The The Plane" shouted by Tatoo whenever the plane would arrive with the guests. The series was aired in the 70s, which you can tell by the clothes and guest stars of each episode.

I would higly recommend this series to anyone, especially if you grew up with it or those wanting to discover the series for the first time. I would describe the show as a mixture of supernatural, fantasy, action, drama and humor, something for everyone.

The premise of the show is that each guest will pay the host Mr Rourke whatever they can afford and have a fantasy of theirs come true. They come to the island by plane and the guests are from all walks of life and ages.

Often the fantasy they paid for does not end up the way they anticipated, some of the fantasies paid for by the guests can become dangerous, however Mr Rourke and his able assistant tatoo are always on hand to make sure things to do not become life threatening. They often step in when required. Mr Rourke takes a personal interest in each fantasy and he will help guide the guests when the need it and he will teach each person a life lesson if they need it.

Mr Rourke may not be human, he could be an angel or something more mysterious, because some of the fantasies he creates can come from the guests past or from a period of time in history and the way they are created does lead the question, who is he really? Even his assistant tatoo has his questions.

While I was thrilled with season 1, I still have not seen season 2 and apparently sony who distributes the series has no plans to release it due to poor sales. So everyone who has bought it and has seen review to keep the hope alive of season 2 being released.

Well I too brought this first season a few years ago now and like season 3 of Hardy Boys-Nancy Drew mysteries they seemed to have stopped at a certain point and do not want to release the rest of it.If the studios think by holding back they are going to make a bucket load of money down the line they are very mistaken as most of the people are getting older like me. They will lose market share of these older TV series from the 70s and 80s.I have all of Magnum PI and The A Team and a bunch of 80s shows, as I am 42 now i was a teenager when these shows were on in New Zealand in the early 80s and loved them , but when talking to someone who is in there teens about them they look at you like you are from another planet when you mention these shows to them.We have a big discount store here called The Warehouse they had The Brady Bunch all five seasons of them on special they did go quick but i looked at the people buying them and they must have been in there late 50s early 60s so i think in the end there will be less and less of people buying these older shows.So the beancounters at Sony , CBS and all the other studios that have the rights to these older shows you guys need to get off your backsides and release the rest of these classic shows as in a few years there will be no one left to buy them.And I tell you what drives me bananas is this Vol 1 with 12 episodes on it which is normally half a season being released at a time for a outrageous price, this is just ripping people off , the whole season guys or don't bother about it.

OK, so what's with Season 2 not being released? This show was on for seven seasons. Considering the state of the world today, we could all use the timeless message of "be happy with what you have -- what you think you want is never better."

With the recent passing of the great Ricardo, can someone please release the remaining seasons of this great show. I hate when season 1 is released of great shows and you buy it thinking the other seasons will soon follow and then they don't! This is ridiculous! Would they just release season 2 already!

Remember Saturday nights in the 70's? Every Saturday we looked forward with excitment to seeing the latest episode(s) of Fantasy Island. You'll enjoy this show---the acting and the interesting stories. Go for it! Email:boland7214@aol.