The Blu-ray Disc release of The Monkees — The Complete Series was set for January 29, 2016. Now, TV Shows on DVD reports the release has been delayed until Friday, April 29, 2016.
The Monkees TV series premiered in 1966 and ran for two seasons, before being cancelled by NBC. The show was later re-run on ABC, CBS, and in syndication. The Monkees are: Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork.
Rock star David Bowie, who died January 10, 2016, was born David Robert Jones. Early on, he performed as Davy Jones and Davie Jones, but eventually adopted David Bowie as his stage name. He did this, in part, to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, who was born David Thomas Jones.
The Monkees’ Davy Jones passed away, February 29, 2012.
From TV Shows on DVD:
The site has GOOD news, though, along the way: there’s now cover art for this title, shown at bottom, which the site describes as “a lenticular 3-D cover mount that ‘moves’ as you tilt it!” They also remind us that “This collection is strictly limited to 10,000 individually numbered boxes and once those are sold out, this edition and bonus disc will never be available again. Don’t miss out – pre-order your copy now!” They also give us complete info now, about the content…including all bonus material:
- Discs 1-7:
- All 58 original, uncut episodes of THE MONKEES, remastered in HD from the original film negatives
- Audio commentary from all four Monkees
- NEW audio commentary from Micky Dolenz, Rodney Bingenheimer and “Monkee Girl” Valerie Kairys Venet
- Alternate “Saturday morning rerun” versions of 10 episodes with alternate songs and mixes
- All in the original glorious mono direct from the film audio mags
- Disc 8:
- The 1968 movie HEAD, in HD
- Optional DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround soundtrack
- Audio commentary from all four Monkees
- Disc 9:
- The 1969 NBC television special 33 1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MONKEE, restored from newly discovered video elements
- Audio commentary from Micky Dolenz
- Disc 10 – BONUS DISC, AVAILABLE IN THIS STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION ONLY!:
- Original screen tests
- Original TV commercial spots featuring The Monkees
- Newly discovered outtakes from THE MONKEES TV series
- Newly discovered color promo film for “Randy Scouse Git” created for TOP OF THE POPS and unseen since its original airing
- Never-before-seen backstage footage of The Monkees at the 1967 Emmy Awards
- Newly discovered outtakes from the movie HEAD
- Newly discovered outtakes from the TV special 33 1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MONKEE
- The Monkees on THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW in 1969, including “Nine Times Blue” and “Everybody Loves A Nut (with Johnny Cash)”
- The Monkees on THE GLEN CAMPBELL GOODTIME HOUR in 1969, including a medley of “Last Train to Clarksville/I’m A Believer/Salesman” and a performance of “Tear Drop City”
- The Monkees on ROWAN & MARTIN’S LAUGH-IN in 1969
- Davy Jones performing “Someday Man” from the 1969 TV special MUSIC BAG, unseen since its original airing
Newly restored color promo film for “Oh My My”
Get more details from this September 2015 press release, also via TV Shows on DVD:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CELEBRATE THE 50th ANNIVERSARY WITH
THE MONKEES
THE COMPLETE SERIESON BLU-RAY DISC
January 29, 201650 years ago today, on September 8, 1965, when producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider placed a classified ad in The Hollywood Reporter seeking “4 insane boys,” they had no idea that they were about to unleash Monkee-mania! But that’s exactly what happened the following year, when the first episode of The Monkees debuted on NBC on September 12, 1966.
On the 50th anniversary of that fateful casting call, Rhino is excited to announce the upcoming release of the entire series (58 episodes) in stunning high-definition Blu-ray for the very first time, painstakingly restored from the newly located original film negatives. The 10-disc Blu-ray collection, which also includes the 1968 cult-classic HEAD, along with many never-before-seen outtakes from the film. It’s the beginning of many surprises planned to celebrate The Monkees’ 50th anniversary in 2016.
- All 58 episodes, newly remastered in stunning HD from the original negatives for the very first time, plus the 1969 TV Special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee
- Bonus material featuring commentaries from all four Monkees, original Kellogg’s Monkees commercials, and more
- The 1968 Monkees film HEAD in HD, with never-before-seen outtakes
- Unique packaging, including a 7″ of two previously unreleased TV mixes
- Strictly limited to 10,000 individually numbered sets
- Only available at Monkees.com
Shipping January 2016, THE MONKEES – THE COMPLETE SERIES ON BLU-RAY is now available for pre-order exclusively at Monkees.com. This fan edition is individually numbered, and is strictly limited to 10,000 sets – this WILL sell out quickly, so place your pre-order now!
Watch the original TV spot for The Monkees:
What do you think? Are you a fan of The Monkees TV show? Do you plan to buy the complete collection, when it comes out on Blu-Ray?
I’m old enough to say that I actually watched it when it was on TV for the first time…. I was in high school & loved these guys!