 | |
List Price: $199.99 | | Label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 457
Released: November 7, 2006 |
| Our Price: $95.90 |
| Used Price: $99.98 |
|
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Disc 1-3: M*A*S*H Season 1
Disc 4-6: M*A*S*H Season 2
Disc 7-9: M*A*S*H Season 3
Disc 10-12: M*A*S*H Season 4
Disc 13-15: M*A*S*H Season 5
Disc 16-18: M*A*S*H Season 6
Disc 19-21: M*A*S*H Season 7
Disc 22-24: M*A*S*H Season 8
Disc 25-27: M*A*S*H Season 9
Disc 28-30: M*A*S*H Season 10
Disc 31-33: M*A*S*H Season 11
Disc 34: M*A*S*H (The Movie)
Disc 35: M*A*S*H: Televisions Serious Sit-Com Bloopers My Favorite M*A*S*H Cast Interviews Last Day of Filming Jocularity PSA's Saxophone Promo Just the FAQs - Game
Disc 36: M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion Fan Base Memories of M*A*S*H Script from never made episode
Description of M*A*S*H - Martinis and Medicine Complete Collection:
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
M*A*S*H - Martinis and Medicine Complete Collection Reviews:
Never delivered 
2009-12-04 - I have tried contacting the company twice, and they have not gotten back to me. They have not shipped it, even though I payed for it over a month ago. they gave me a delivery date of Nov 6th-24th, which should have been ample time to send me my order. I would like know how to contact a seller other than email, since that seems to be useless.
M*A*S*H!!!!! 
2009-12-03 - I am in M*A*S*H heaven with this set! I'm SOOOO glad that I stopped buying the individual box sets years ago and sold them all. This is the absolute PERFECT set!!! Quality is unbelievable!!!
He was delighted with this gift!
2009-11-16 - My sweetheart is an over the road trucker. He has been watching the first 3 seasons of MASH before he hits the rack for years. Now he has the entire collection and could not be happier.
Classic Mash is a must!
2009-11-16 - Very good quality for the time it was initially filmed, easy to use format. Biggest problems is package which will probably scratch up your dvd's if you continually remove and replace. Recommend saving the box and putting the disks in a nice clear plastic or jewel cases. Also there is no "play all" feature on the disks which means each episode must be selected from the main menu. Other than that, great price, great seller, very prompt and as described.
Excellent DVD collection 
2009-09-26 - If there is anything missing from this wonderfully nostalgic set, I'm unaware of it. The video and audio are very nice indeed. Major Frank Burns is still as universally unlikeable as ever. But he can't get over on anyone. The laughter never stops.
As has been mentioned in previous reviews, this set comes in a rather unwieldy case that resembles an old Red Cross package. The discs are slid into heavy paper slots in the package, slots that could cause scratches on the playing surface. I agree that a small CD binder or set of protective sleeves should be used in lieu of the packaging provided.
Also, I wanted mention something that I found rather annoying ~ the episodes do not run consecutively. With many TV show DVD sets, episodes continue to play, one after the next. The viewer need only press Play once and the disc runs from start to finish.
Not so with this set. Each episode ends with a menu. The viewer must navigate back to the Home menu then navigate to the next episode. Then choose Play Episode. So keep the remote close by. You'll need it for every episode in this set.
