Posted: Dec 17th 2003, 8:13 pm
Info from tvshowsondvd:
We are pleased to be among the first - perhaps even THE first - to report that Beverly Hills, 90210 is coming to DVD this coming spring.
Artisan Entertainment, who was recently purchased by Lions Gate Entertainment (the deal was finalized today), has penciled onto their 2004 schedule a pair of DVD releases for 90210.
First the bad news: Artisan does not have the clearance to do complete season sets, nor will they have time to get such clearances. As with Charmed, the rights to all Spelling Entertainment shows, including 90210, revert to Paramount in 2005. Paramount's parent company integrated Spelling Entertainment into their corporation back in March 1999, when the Viacom board of directors approved an offer to purchase the remaining stock for the succesful production company. At the time of the offer they owned 80% of all stock in Aaron Spelling's company.
Artisan's DVD plans, therefore, are limited to 2 single-disc releases: The Pilot, which is the 2-hour-long (with commercials) show that introduced us to the Walsh family as they set up home - and school - in what would soon become America's most famous zip code. The other release is The Graduation, based on the double-length Season 3 finale, "Commencement". The focus here is on the end of high school, and all the changes in store for the 90210 gang.
Both of these were previously released by Artisan - under their "Republic" banner - on VHS, and those tapes included supplements such as cast interviews and music videos. It's too early to say yet whether these extras, or any others, will make it onto the planned DVDs. However, it certainly is possible we'll see them, or perhaps different bonus material.
Both of these extended episodes featured some classic rock songs on them, such as "Boulevard" by Jackson Brown and "School's Out" by Alice Cooper. It will bear watching to see whether these soundtracks can be delivered intact, or if instead the ugly monster of music rights costs will rear it's head.
IF these obstacles can be avoided, and all goes well, then Artisan hopes that you can buy these (at a reasonable, but as-yet-unnamed, price) as soon as May 18, 2004. But keep in mind that nothing is set in stone yet, and that no official announcement has been made by the studio. This news is just a heads-up, and nothing more. Stay tuned, because we'll keep you posted, as always.