V: The Original Mini-Series (1983) / The Final Battle (1984)

[brian9229]

The centerpiece of my childhood. I can't wait to play it for my kids.

[The Great Owl]

It would be nice for them to go whole hog on this, and release a V Complete Saga set, with the 1983 V miniseries, the 1984 V: The Final Battle miniseries, and the 1984-1985 television series.

[Luke Dodge748]

This is Fantastic news! This show really did scare 8 or 9 year old me ... I cannot wait to own it again.

[overmang5]

I own the Original mini series and Final Battle on DVD, but a Blu-ray would be awesome.

Nothing like green scaly makeup and masks in HD.

[klauswhereareyou]

I always like to see vintage TV movies and mini-series get put out in HD.

[Traveler]

Definitely picking this one up Day 1! Also getting The Final Battle AND the TV series if they eventually get the green light as well!

[albert_m2]

They should just release everything at once. Certainly this and the Final Battle make sense in one set. I don't know anyone who wouldn't want both.

They used to air combined a lot after the original air dates.

And it's only a few discs total.

[stvn1974]

Originally Posted by albert_m2

They should just release everything at once. Certainly this and the Final Battle make sense in one set. I don't know anyone who wouldn't want both.

They used to air combined a lot after the original air dates.

And it's only a few discs total.

Maybe it is a good idea that they release each series by themselves. Assuming that they do release everything. It is WB so if they were to release it all at once we would get the mini series, the Final Battle and the regular series all crammed on one disc.

[dickdarlington]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

Maybe it is a good idea that they release each series by themselves. Assuming that they do release everything. It is WB so if they were to release it all at once we would get the mini series, the Final Battle and the regular series all crammed on one disc.

V and V: The Final Battle can easily fit on one disc each with proper compression and encoding. V is only 196 minutes, TFB is 256 minutes. Best case scenario, TFB uses a BD-50 for the first two parts and a BD-25 for the third.

[filmbuffTX]

I watched the 2009-2011 ABC series as it originally aired and didn’t see the 80s miniseries until years later on DVD. I can’t say I thought the 80s version was better. About equal. The reboot was really well made with a nice production design and visual effects. Great characters and cast as well. I still need to pick up the two seasons it had on Blu-ray. I’ll definitely be getting the original miniseries as well.

[mar3o]

Oh hell yes! I've been waiting ages for this one.

They should really include V: The Final Battle as well and make it a package set. Why not include both?

What about aspect ratios? It was aired as 4:3 but later released theatrically and on DVD as widescreen. If there is only 1 aspect ratio, it should be 4:3 imo, as that's how it was originally intended to be seen, and how most of us remember it. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing them include both aspect ratios to make everyone happy. But if it's just one, it should be 4:3 or many are going to be frustrated.

Originally Posted by BPW2016

I hope they release it in the 1.33:1 original broadcast ratio and not the matted 1.85:1 version that Kenneth Johnson insisted upon for the DVD release.

Agreed. He insisted on it being released on DVD in widescreen as it was released theatrically in Europe I believe, but it really should be the unmatted 4:3 that gets released on blu-ray.

Also, what about his DVD commentary? Will that be on the blu-ray?

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by JMDiaz718

Excellent mini-series kinda ruined by two things, Diana puppet eating a guinea pig and the birth of the little green squeeze toy (V Final Battle). Still, an awesome show!

I certainly wouldn't say it was ruined by a few bad effects shots. Yes, some of the effects don't hold up so great now. That doesn't bother me in the least. It's an 80's TV mini-series. I don't expect the effects to hold up to today's standards.

What matters is the epic scale and scope, and the characters and stories it tells. It's an amazing production, and the story itself still holds up remarkably well even now. That's what matters.

[moviebuff75]

I just bought the dvd. I collect miniseries and I was tired of waiting.

[BPW2016]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Agreed. He insisted on it being released on DVD in widescreen as it was released theatrically in Europe I believe, but it really should be the unmatted 4:3 that gets released on blu-ray.

I believe his intention was that it should be released theatrically overseas but it never was. It was only ever broadcast on TV - in the UK, it was scheduled by ITV, along with The Final Battle, to be shown as counter-programming to the 84 Olympics which was being covered by the BBC. Smart move too because it was a ratings hit!

Originally Posted by mar3o

Also, what about his DVD commentary? Will that be on the blu-ray?

I very much hope so!

[Michael24]

Has anybody read Kenneth Johnson's V: The Second Generation novel? I learned about it awhile back and that it's a direct sequel to the original mini-series, ignoring the events of The Final Battle and the TV show. Was wondering how it is.

[albert_m2]

I watched the 2009-2011 ABC series as it originally aired and didn’t see the 80s miniseries until years later on DVD. I can’t say I thought the 80s version was better. About equal.

I the original back in the 80s, but did watch the new version as it aired.

The new version was ok. Of course it had better effects, but it lacked the characters. It was way too generic and also lacked the WW2 allegory aspect that the original did well.

[Kieran Seymour]

Originally Posted by Michael24

Has anybody read Kenneth Johnson's V: The Second Generation novel? I learned about it awhile back and that it's a direct sequel to the original mini-series, ignoring the events of The Final Battle and the TV show. Was wondering how it is.

Terrible. The man can't write prose for toffee. There was some slight interest in seeing how he envisioned the story carrying on from the mini-series, and in revisiting some of the old characters, but I'm glad it wasn't inflicted on us on television.

There's enough good ideas that go wrong despite best intentions without starting out with bad ideas, and ultimately that's what The Second Generation was. It had a real feeling of an old man shaking his fist at clouds that had passed 25 years earlier.

Unless he genuinely thought it would get produced - and if he did, he really should have known better - it would have been a better book if he'd just gone for a straight continuation that picked up the story the day after the mini-series ended.

Best ignored IMO.

[Decky]

Originally Posted by Michael24

Has anybody read Kenneth Johnson's V: The Second Generation novel? I learned about it awhile back and that it's a direct sequel to the original mini-series, ignoring the events of The Final Battle and the TV show. Was wondering how it is.

I hated it. MUCH worse than The Final Battle. Poorly written with terrible pacing.

[Michael24]

That's disappointing to hear. I know he left during production of The Final Battle because he wasn't happy with certain changes or something (I'm assuming network-imposed changes to his script), although I've never read exactly what those changes were.

[Braktastic]

Finally!