MovieChat Forums > In Search of... (1977) Discussion > DVD Box Set Review

DVD Box Set Review

posted 11 years ago by AaronCapenBanner
25 replies | jump to latest

After finally purchasing this series from Amazon, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the box, DVD cases, and picture quality of the series. Some complained that the box was small, but I liked the music box-like design of it.
I loved being able to view this series on my Television, rather than my computer screen, and watching it again was like finding an old scrapbook of favorite childhood memories.

The only negative is the lack of any Leonard Nimoy involvement in updates or commentaries(none at all). Why VEI declined to make this available in stores is unfortunate, and unwise, since this is something they should have been otherwise proud to showcase.

I'll make separate posts for each of the six seasons, two specials, and 2002 remake.

[–] AaronCapenBanner 11 years ago

Both "In Search Of Ancient Astronauts" & "In Search Of Ancient Mysteries" were good, if a bit dry. Rod Serling narrates both, and was a good choice, having one of the best narrative voices ever.

Neither was re-mastered, but watching them this way reminds me of seeing them in grade school, where they were made available, and interesting for young children who only knew Rod from "The Twilight Zone"(always in syndication!)

Worth watching, if not as good as the subsequent series.

[–] AaronCapenBanner 11 years ago

Series starts off with 'Other Voices', an odd choice, since 'The Loch Ness Monster' seemed to be filmed first.

Liked the large set of photos that Nimoy appears from when introducing the episodes, though this was later dropped, as he appeared on location more.

Favorite episodes were 'The Loch Ness Monster', 'Ghosts' and 'UFOs'.

No duds!

[–] AaronCapenBanner 11 years ago

Where Season One left off, this continues without missing a beat.

Favorite episodes were 'The Swamp Monster', 'Haunted Castles' and 'The Coming Ice Age'.

'The Secrets Of Life' dates, but otherwise watchable, though the least so far.

[–] Poisoned_Dragon1964 10 years ago

I've been watching some of them this week, touching upon old favorites, and spotted something in 'Swamp Monster' I'd never noticed before. Remember the re-enactment of the couple in the woods, frantically tending a circle of small fires in order to fend off the bellowing beast lurking just beyond the range of the fires? Well, the one who's supposed to be the wife looks more like a shorter, skinny guy wearing a big floppy wig. He carefully keeps his face away from the camera, and at one point, during all that bending and stooping, the wig nearly comes off and he has to grab it and adjust it!

'Haunted Castles' is excellent.

§« The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters. »§

[–] AaronCapenBanner 11 years ago

I know I'm repeating myself, but series remains remarkably consistent in quality.

Favorite episodes: 'UFO Captives', 'Monster Hunters' and 'The Money Pit Mystery'.

'Sherlock Holmes' used too much footage from an old, obscure film adaption I've never seen, but was still ok, though disappointing after the superb job done with 'Dracula'.

[–] AaronCapenBanner 11 years ago

Big change this season was Mr. Nimoy now sports a mustache, which he would keep for the rest of the series. Otherwise, if it isn't broke...

Favorite episodes were 'The Amityville Horror', 'The Lost Colony Of Roanoke' and 'The Missing Heir'.

Nimoy would take a more personal role in presenting 'Vincent Van Gogh' and the result is most interesting as a result.

[–] AaronCapenBanner 11 years ago

A slight dip in quality this season, though still has mostly excellent entries otherwise.

Favorite episodes were 'Lee Harvey Oswald', 'Jimmy Hoffa' and 'The Castle Of Secrets'.

'Laugh Therapy' and 'Great Lovers' were weak; far too frivolous to be an episode, and other subjects would have been worthier for filming.

[–] Poisoned_Dragon1964 10 years ago

Favorite episodes were 'Lee Harvey Oswald', 'Jimmy Hoffa' and 'The Castle Of Secrets'.

'Lee Harvey Oswald' used to be one of my favorites, until my views on the assassination changed a couple of decades ago.

Interesting piece of trivia regarding 'The Castle of Secrets': ISO began introducing pieces of music from the Capitol Music Hi-Q library to supplement the Rinder/Lewis pieces written for the show, which were beginning to wear a little thin. There's a piece that turns up in this episode that I next heard seeing Creepshow (1982) at the theater, during the 'Father's Day' segment. I have pursued this piece of library music across the decades, unable to identify it, hoping to collect it. I even corresponded with John Harrison, trying to identify it (he couldn't; he thought it was a piece called 'Deep Sea Test,' but I've since found that one - it was originally written for Sea Hunt (1958), and used in 'Something to Tide You Over. So it's evident he didn't know which piece I meant ). My search continues.

I can't agree with you about 'Great Lovers'; I think it's a superb episode, retouching the themes already established in the series with 'The Man Who Wouldn't Die.' I especially enjoyed the enactment of Don Juan's encounter with the Devil. Did you know the episode was written by Nimoy himself?

§« The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters. »§

[–] AaronCapenBanner 10 years ago

I can't agree with you about 'Great Lovers'; I think it's a superb episode,

You make a fair point, though I wouldn't say superb; after repeated viewings, my opinion has softened, Nimoy did a fine job writing, it's just that I didn't find it as compelling as most, though appreciate the need for a diversity of episode topics, and it was different!

The only episode I find difficult to sit through remains 'Laugh Therapy'

[–] Poisoned_Dragon1964 9 years ago

Update: As it happens, John Harrison was right; one of the pieces was called 'Deep Sea Test'; the problem was finding which artist was responsible. It turns out that it was by William Loose, and most of the material borrowed by In Search of... (1976) to supplement the Rinder & Lewis music bible was all from a single Capitol Music Hi-Q collection called "Series D: 107-108, 'Oceans and Ghosts.'"

Here's the second track from that album, called "Tide Research," used in episodes like The Castle of Secrets (1981):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQLuQWWuuU

§« The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters. »§

[–] AaronCapenBanner 8 years ago

Another nice link Poisoned Dragon1964.

[–] Poisoned_Dragon1964 8 years ago

Follow my current signature; it's the whole album. 

§« https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhG6uc7fN0o »§

[–] AaronCapenBanner 11 years ago

Last season was still of high quality, though one change was having the writing, producing, and directing credits at the start of the episodes.

Favorite episodes were 'The Elephant Man', 'Jim Jones' and 'Houdini's Secrets'.

'Biofeedback' was ho-hum, and 'Life Before Birth' surprisingly graphic in its showing of a real childbirth. Subject makes on think it would be more philosophical in pre-life memories than it is, but ironic that a title using the word birth would bring the death of the series!

Sad to see it end, but either ratings had dipped, or Leonard wanted to focus on upcoming "Star Trek" sequels.

Love this show, a 10/10!

[–] AaronCapenBanner 11 years ago

The case says Season 7, but that is misleading, as it has nothing to do with the original other than using its title.

Sad to say, this 8-episode, hour-long version is a dreadful insult, both ugly to watch, and cheap, using all the shallow storytelling, quickly-edited, slow-motion head-turning that I've come to hate in reality series.

Mitch Pileggi(A.D. Skinner from "The X-Files") does a credible job as host, though his presence only reminds you that this was the kind of dreck that "The X-Files" would ridicule in spoofs,in its humorous episodes.

Eminently forgettable, I'll never watch it again. What were they thinking here?

At least the series proper is well worth owning, and holds up beautifully.

[–] wallacesawyer 10 years ago

I think you're being a little hard on Pileggi's episodes. Misleading to call the set Season 7 I'll admit, this is not Nimoy's IN SEARCH OF, but I didn't mind this version. I enjoy mystery shows in general, and this one is worth checking out. It explores some interesting stories including the Bray Road werewolf, the killer lions of Tsavo (which inspired the GHOST AND THE DARKNESS movie with Val Kilmer), and an possible update on the D.B. Cooper mystery.

Though there's only eight episodes, the episodes are at least a hour long. That was nice.

http://www.freewebs.com/demonictoys/

[–] AaronCapenBanner 10 years ago

I did like The Ghost and The Darkness (1996) with Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer. A 7/10 from me.

I think the D.B Cooper mystery remains unsolved.