World Famous Comics: M*A*S*H - Martinis and Medicine Complete Collection
M*A*S*H - Martinis and Medicine Complete Collection
Starring: Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Gary Burghoff, Larry Linville Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: Unrated Binding: DVD Format: Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC Number of Discs: 36 Number of Items: 36 Region Code: 1 Release Date: November 07, 2006 Running Time: 6695 minutes Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Theatrical Release Date: September 17, 1972
Product Description: Contains all eleven seasons of the television show M*A*S*H. Item Type: DVD Movie Item Rating: NR Street Date: 11/07/06 Wide Screen: no Director Cut: no Special Edition: no Language: ENGLISH Foreign Film: no Subtitles: no Dubbed: no Full Frame: yes Re-Release: no Packaging: Sleeve
Amazon.com: This M*A*S*H-tastic 36-disc collection is one for the television time capsule. It contains all 11 seasons of this multi-Emmy Award-winning series, PLUS Robert Altman's 1970 iconoclastic anti-war classic, PLUS two discs of special features, including two reunion specials and a series retrospective episode of A&E's Biography. As with the individual season sets, there are no new episode commentaries, a major disappointment. But M*A*S*H-ophiles will enjoy this set's other bonus features, including emotional behind-the-scenes footage of the filming of the last half-hour episode, "As Time Goes By," the inevitable bloopers, interviews with cast members as well as fans about their favorite episodes, a segment about the series' "Jocularity," a parade of PSAs (cut down on salt to avoid heart disease), and the text of an unproduced script penned by Alda for an episode titled, "Hawkeye on the Double." All of this material (except for a commemorative booklet) is available elsewhere in different configurations, but this space-saving (albeit ungainly packaged) box set collects them all under one tent.
Adapted for television by legendary comedy writer Larry Gelbart, the series has long since supplanted Altman's film in the public's consciousness. Life and death at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War doesn't seem like ripe fodder for a comedy series, but M*A*S*H masterfully balanced laughter and tears (less so in its later, more preachy seasons). It often does play better without a laugh track (a viewing option for all episodes). During its run, M*A*S*H survived several delicate operations, including the departure of Gelbart after season 4 and the loss of core ensemble members McLean Stevenson as Col. Henry Blake and Wayne Rogers as Trapper John (after season 3), Larry Linville as Frank Burns (after season 5) and Gary Burghoff (a veteran of the original film) as Radar (after season 8). The show thrived with the introduction of some new blood, Henry Morgan as "regular Army" Col. Potter and Mike Farrell as compassionate BJ (season 4) and David Ogden Stiers as elitist Charles Emerson Winchester III (season 6).
M*A*S*H was honored with the prestigious Peabody Award "for the depth of its humor and the manner in which comedy is used to lift the spirit and, as well, to offer a profound statement on the nature of war." This was a sitcom that did not always leave you laughing, as witness the classic season 3 episode "Abyssinia, Henry." And throughout its run, M*A*S*H broke the sitcom mold with several episodes, including "The Interview" (season 4), in which Clete Roberts interviews the staff of the 4077th, "Point of View" (season 7), subjectively seen through the eyes of a wounded soldier and "Life Time" (season 8), which unfolds in real time. M*A*S*H boasted one of television's greatest ensembles, fully embodied characters who each became icons, most notably Alan Alda, who served with distinction as Hawkeye, the series' soul and conscience. But a special salute to Loretta Switt, whose Margaret Houlihan went from "Hot Lips" to nobody's pushover. From the "Pilot" to the feature-length finale, "Goodbye, Farewell & Amen," still the most-watched episode in history, this essential (but not so much if you bought the individual season sets) collection honors one of television's greatest half-hours. --Donald Liebenson
Great Quality ^ We've watched several of the DVD's from this series and all are excellent quality. This was purchased to replace another set that we purchased on the Internet where we found that several were unusable. I wish we had just bought from Amazon to begin with. You will be pleased with your purchcase if you buy this set.
DVDs are not packed well ^ I read the reviews before I bought this set and knew that the DVDs were packed tightly and get easly scratched so we bought individual cases to put the seasons in. We just got done watching them, there were 2 episodes in the first season that were to scratched up to watch, a disc in season 7 and to my disappointment over 6 chapters in the series finale were to scratch up to watch. We did not even take them out and put them back in the binder. MASH is an excellent series and they ended it very well. They need to find a better way of packing when you get all 11 seasons together.
Damaged discs ^ I ordered this product new. From the first 3 seasons, many of the DVDs were scratched and would skip. One disc wouldn't even play. I sent it back and hopefully the next one will be in better condition.
Series ^ If you like the entire series, this is the way to go! From about season four or five on you can play the entire disc one episode after another. Not available on the first few seasons. Although some have complained about the packaging, I have found that mine holds together quite well, and is neatly designed complete with Radar's clipboard inside front flap! If you are a fan of the show and would like the entire series, it is worth it to have them all together in one package like this. Very satisfied.
Poor Condition ^ This product was new in box with plastic around it. When I opened it, the disk started falling out on the floor. The glue that holds the pages together did not hold and the disk would not sit in their slots. Several of the disks have scratches on thim. The cover is coming apart and the spine has separated from the the body of the case. I am not happy with this purchase.
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