www.falconcrest.org | Deutscher FALCON CREST - Fanclub / German FALCON CREST Fan Club
 

 

 
  

All in all, the DVDs are highly recommended.
 
The following is an overview of some positive and negative aspects about the discs
(revised 01/10/2011 — referring to the first production run):
 
 
 
Package Design

 

  • Regions 2 and 4:
  •  
    • The artwork was developed by SOUL MEDIA and WARNER HOME VIDEO (Spain) with the DFCF Board of Directors serving as creative consultants and providing applicable photographs.
    •  
    • All publicity stills from the show are from season 2 only; none of them is printed flip-flopped on the package this time.
    •  
    • All photos of buildings and vineyards were taken at the original filming locations by the DFCF Board and licensed to WARNER BROS. for the use in the artwork.
    •  
    • Basically as an inverted color scheme, the colors from the first DVD box are in use again. The red from the lettering was put in the background this time, the lettering is white now.
    •  
    • The new character image compilation on the front (revised final draft; 09/09/2009) does not show all major rôles from this season's main title, but a few characters only.
      The pictures in the compilation are a combination of various season 2 publicity stills:
      • The picture of JANE WYMAN comes from a duo portrait with ROBERT FOXWORTH.
      • The picture of DAVID SELBY comes from a duo studio portrait with SHANNON TWEED.
      • The picture of ANA ALICIA is from a single portrait of her in a wicker chair.
      • The pictures of ROBERT FOXWORTH and LANA TURNER are from a duo portrait of both stars.
      • The background of the composition is a vineyard at dawn.
       
    • Contrary to the advice of the DFCF, different typefaces from the ones in the season 1 box set were used on the back sleeve:
      • The seasonal summary is written in "Times Roman" (instead of "Gotham Book").
      • The billing block is written in "Univers Ultra Condensed Regular" (instead of "Univers Thin Ultra Condensed").
       
    • As this artwork was not designed at the WARNER BROS. headquarters in Burbank, CA, but by the European WARNER HOME VIDEO branches, it is not completely identical in the various markets this time. This results in slight differences in the DVD packages of the various European editions, particularly in the design of the inlay card with the episode overview.
    •  
    • As a DFCF special feature, an interview about the development of this artwork, "The Complete Artwork Story", is available in the Bonus Material section.
    •  
    • The episode synopses in the Nordic edition were changed at the very last minute. Originally, SOUL MEDIA intended to use synopses written by the DFCF, but the WARNER BROS. headquarters in Burbank, CA demanded extremely short synopses. There are several flaws in their final version:
      • After # 020 <2.02>, the synopses still refer to "The Globe" although the correct terminology is "The New Globe".
      • The episode titles of # 029 <2.11> and 030 <2.12> should have been in quotation marks because they are meant to be quotes, as the opening credits of these episodes indicate.
      • In # 037 <2.19>, the correct listing of the writers is GARNER SIMMONS (first) and E.F. WALLENGREN (second), as seen in the opening credits; WARNER BROS. mixed them up and listed ERNIE WALLENGREN first.
      • In # 039 <2.21>, "Sheriff" is misspelled "Sherriff".
      • Incoherent: Unlike season 1, the original airdates of the episodes are not listed this time.
       
    • The episode synopses in the edition for the German speaking countries were revised by the DFCF for WARNER HOME VIDEO (Germany) so they do not contain the minor flaws from the Scandinavian edition.
    •  
    • The episode list on the inlay card in the Australian release has several minor flaws:
      • # 023 <2.05> is listed as "The Expose" whereas the official spelling in the opening credits of the episode is "The Exposé" (acute, i.e. diacritical mark above "e", missing).
      • The episode titles of # 029 <2.11> and 030 <2.12> should have been in quotation marks because they are meant to be quotes, as the opening credits of these episodes indicate.
       
       
  • Region 1:
  •  
    • The U.S. artwork is completely different. It was designed entirely by the Burbank headquarters of the WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION, the WARNER BROS. division in charge of releasing MOD (manufactured on demand) products.
    •  
    • All publicity stills on the front sleeve are from season 2 only; none of them is printed flip-flopped on the package this time. The publicity photos were pre-selected in the WARNER BROS. slide archive in May 2010 by DFCF President THOMAS J. PUCHER to secure correct photo identification per season; after appropriate shots were singled out, the final choice for the artwork was made by the WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION.
    •  
    • The white background of the packaging is to be kept in the U.S. design line. Therefore, only the color of the lettering was changed; the green color, however, does not seem to follow a specific concept with regard to the series contents (such as white wine and red wine, for instance), but seems to be a randomly chosen color scheme only.
    •  
    • Incoherent with season 1: The falcon logo and the coat of arms with the seasonal numbering are outlined only this time.
    •  
    • The new character image compilation on the front does not show all major rôles from this season's main title, but a few characters only.
      The compilation is a retouched extract of the official season 2 cast group photo.
      It remains a mystery, however, why DAVID SELBY, who is the new key component to season 2 and portrays one of the most important characters in the series, was not incorporated into the key art.
    •  
    • The photo of the Victorian Mansion on the back sleeve was taken by SASCHA KURZ (DFCF) and licensed to WARNER BROS. for the use in the artwork.
    •  
    • The photo of ROBERT FOXWORTH and LANA TURNER on the back is mirror-inverted although that same picture had been revised by the DFCF for the European releases.
    •  
    • The U.S. artwork does not have a billing block (credits) on the back sleeve.
      Neither does it have an inlay card or any other episode list.
    •  
    • The inlay paper is too small for the Viva Multi-Disc box so certain parts of the artwork, which are supposed to be on the front and on the back, actually appear on the spine.

 
 
Picture and Sound Quality
 

  • Regions 2 and 4:
  •  
    • Please refer to the essential information from season 1 in that respect.
    •  
    • Although the original picture negative was not digitized this time either, the picture quality is much richer in contrast and sharper than the average digitized picture in the season 1 set.
    •  
    • The region 2 PAL master of # 032 <2.14> was slightly damaged on the left edge of the picture frame (see yellow mark):

    • In the German language region 2 release, the scene with Richard and Melissa in bed in # 033 <2.15> (approximately 35:43) was edited in the version aired on television. That particular portion of film was dubbed by new German speakers for the DVD.
     
     
  • Region 1:
  •  
    • In the U.S. edition, the DVD transfers of # 019 <2.01> and 028 <2.10> come from a video master (instead of an early generation film print), resulting in some discoloration near the top of the screen and static lines near the top sometimes.
      The other episodes, however, are slightly better in picture quality than the region 2 release as they are from an earlier generation of release prints.
    •  
    • The audio of # 019 <2.01> in the U.S. edition is not as loud as in the other episodes.
     

 
Edited Parts
 

  • Regions 2 and 4:
  •  
    • The episodes per se are
      • unedited in the Nordic edition — they are the same as in their original U.S. broadcast on CBS;
      • basically unedited also in the configurations in the German speaking countries, Spain and Australia, with the exception of # 025 <2.07>; in that episode, the scene with Lance, Angela and Julia in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion study, when Lance denies that he is Joseph's father, is missing (approximately minute 37).
        A request for a statement on that issue was sent to WARNER HOME VIDEO; details will be stated here upon receipt.
       
    • Again, some scenes before the main title of each episode were cut off:
      • The "LORIMAR Presents" logo is missing.
      • In the configurations distributed in Australia as well as in Spain and the German speaking countries (contrary to the Nordic releases), the teaser trailers, which featured a short sneak preview of the respective episode, are missing also.
       
       
  • Region 1:
  •  
    • In the U.S. edition, # 019 <2.01> and 027 <2.09> are shortened. Instead of using the original CBS versions, syndication prints (shortened for U.S. reruns) were used. Approximately three minutes of playing time are missing in these episodes.
    •  
    • In # 028 <2.10> and 033 <2.15> through 035 <2.17>, the teaser trailers with the sneak previews before the main title were cut off.
     
 
Additional Footage
 

In region 1, # 029 <2.11> through 032 <2.14> (all on disc 4) contain the original CBS bumpers between acts 2 and 3, including the announcer ROY ROWAN's voice saying "'Falcon Crest' will continue" over the closing of act 2. A unique version of the main theme's key part plays in the background of these bumpers. Contrary to this season's main title, the "Falcon Crest" title appears beneath the coat of arms in those segments:

 
 
Different Takes
 

In regions 2 and 4, the scene in # 036 <2.18> when Linda comes to see Cole at the Gioberti House (approximately minute 27) is footage from a take that is different from the original TV airings used by LORIMAR in both PAL and NTSC areas. This concerns the first part of that scene from the moment Cole comes down the stairs to the cut before Linda and Cole are in the kitchen.
 
For technical reasons, WARNER HOME VIDEO re-transferred this scene from the original picture negative in their archives; not from what LORIMAR had selected as the final version though, but from a different take. This part underwent an artificial deterioration to match the usual video quality, but the exchange can be noticed from the slightly different camera angles and the actors' different movements. The most striking aspects are as follows:
 

  • Audio:
  •  
    • The background score — continuing from the preciding scene (Maggie and Chase's argument at the County Building) — "stutters" during the cut from the establishing shot of the Gioberti House to the interior scene (striking repeat of a part of the cue).
    •  
    • The audio and the picture are slightly out of sync both in the English version as well as in all the dubbed versions.
    •  
     
  • Picture:
  •  
    • In WARNER HOME VIDEO's PAL version for the DVDs, the camera remains for an unusually long time on the stair landing at the beginning of the interior scene before Cole finally appears (see the following screen grabs — upper row).
      Compare: Only a split second goes by until Cole appears on the landing at the beginning of the scene in LORIMAR's original PAL version for television — also LORIMAR's NTSC TV version as used for the region 1 DVDs (screen capture at the bottom).
    •  
    • In WARNER HOME VIDEO's PAL version for the DVDs, Cole slams the front door shut (see the following left screen grab).
      Compare: He closes the door, using the doorknob, in LORIMAR's original PAL version for television — also LORIMAR's NTSC TV version as used for the region 1 DVDs (right screen capture).
    •  
    • In WARNER HOME VIDEO's PAL version for the DVDs, Linda is completely out of the frame right before the cut to the kitchen (see the following left screen grab).
      Compare: Linda's sleeve still remains to be seen right before the cut in LORIMAR's original PAL version for television — also LORIMAR's NTSC TV version as used for the region 1 DVDs (right screen capture).

 
 
Menu
 

  • Incompatible menu aspect ratio:
  •  
    • In the region 2 configurations distributed in the German speaking countries, the aspect ratio of the DVD menu is 1.66 : 1 (High Definition), i.e. not compatible with the episodes, which are in their original 1.33 : 1 (= 4 : 3) aspect ratio. This is the same problem that occurred in the season 1 release.
      Modern TV sets, however, experience no problems at all to adjust to the correct aspect ratio automatically.
    •  
    • In all other configurations, the aspect ratio of the DVD menu is fully compatible with the episodes this time, i.e. in the 1.33 : 1 (= 4 : 3) aspect ratio.
     
     
  • Menu design:
  •  
    • The configuration in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is as simple as in season 1.
      This time, however, all discs have background sound effects; but the embedded music is the main theme version of season 1, as it is the case with most other series released by WARNER BROS. Strangely enough, the embedded theme suffers from an 8 % acceleration unfortunately.
      The menu design does not match the artwork of the regions 2 and 4 packaging, but refers to the white region 1 packaging with its green lettering. The WARNER HOME VIDEO Burbank headquarters insisted on using that white menu despite the red packaging.
    •  
    • The configuration in Spain is as simple again as in season 1 and has no background sound effects again.
      The character compilation and the row of photos is not the same as the final version on the DVD package. For the menu, WARNER HOME VIDEO (Spain) accidentally used the next to last draft before the final revision was made. Compare the various drafts in "The Complete Artwork Story" in the bonus material section.
    •  
    • As in season 1, the look of the configuration in Scandinavia is more appealing. All discs have background sound effects; the embedded music, however, is the main theme version of season 1, as it is the case with most other series released by WARNER BROS.
    •  
    • The U.S. configuration is simple. As there are no subtitles and no additional audio layers besides the original English audio in the MOD edition, it is just one page per disc without sound effects.
      Some episode titles in the menu are not quoted exactly:
      • # 023 <2.05> is listed as "The Expose" whereas the official spelling in the opening credits of the episode is "The Exposé" (acute, i.e. diacritical mark above "e", missing).
      • The episode titles of # 029 <2.11> and 030 <2.12> should have been in quotation marks because they are meant to be quotes, as the opening credits of these episodes indicate.

 
 
Subtitles
 

Depending on the availability in the various country-specific configurations, please refer to the essential information from season 1 in that respect.

 
 
Technical Details
 
  • Note that the Spanish edition is not only labeled as compatible to DVD region 2 this time, but also to DVD region 4.
  •  
     
  • The region 1 edition does not contain regularly pressed discs, but burnt DVD-R discs as this is a so-called MOD release ("manufactured on demand", i.e. made to order).
  •  
     
  • For general technical specifications, consult the Technical Details section.