Pee-Wee's Playhouse coming to DVD this year! Maybe
 

Would you buy it? I only saw a few at the time, but I would at least rent it.




Pee-wee's Playhouse - Can Pee-Wee Come and Play on DVD?

Posted by David Lambert
5/30/2004


Mondo-Digital.com is reporting that Pee-Wee Herman is coming to play in Pee-Wee's Playhouse this year, just in time for the holidays. They show in their "Updates" section a "Pee-Wee's Playhouse Vol. 1 and 2" listing, coming from Image Entertainment and set for November 9th.

A word of caution from us, though. We've been in touch with Image recently about other titles, such as The New Twilight Zone, and they tell us that the dates shown at Mondo are very tentative, and extremely prone to change. While we didn't discuss Pee-Wee's Playhouse with our sources at Image, it's probably better for our readers to not get your heart set on any particular date prior to an official announcement. It will probably save you on some heartburn later!

Still, it's good to know that Pee-Wee, aka Paul Reubens, is on their minds for a DVD release. It's amazing to recall some of the names involved with this show, including the late Phil Hartman and even Laurence Fishburne! We'll get more information to you about all of this, just as soon as Image firms up their plans. Our thanks to Brandon Gantt for letting us know about this.


http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=1600

Maybe they'll release a box set to replace the VHS box set I already own. That would be the only way I'd purchase it.

By way of guest stars on Pee-Wee's Playhouse, don't forget a very young Natasha Lyonne. Any others?

I'd prefer season sets. Not like this show had tons of continuity or anything, but I loved it so much as a kid, I'd like to get them all. I'm just fine until they do that, though, since I own the VHS box set like Infidel.

I believe Jimmy Smits was a regular also.

I would like season sets also. Loved this as a kid. Will buy it on release day.

Sorry, but my bet is that it will not be a big seller.

I dunno. Some may be put off since Paul Reubens has been a media target since his incident in 1991, but most people who were around back then seem to remember the show fondly, so I think it could be a good seller.

Pee Wee is so '80s. [His] Big Adventure movie was entertaining for a while, but the novelty wore off quickly. The weekly show I thought was pretty stupid. I won't be wasting my money on this show. IIRC, the show didn't have any 'splosions in it so, no buy for me. :D

A lot of nay sayers here. Pee Wee's big adventure was pretty big, considering this show featured some up and coming stars in bit roles and was a good kids show I don't see why it wouldn't sell as good as say saved by the bell or any of the other shows on back in the day.

For the Penny shorts or for the word of the day I'll still be buying this.

I've been waiting for this ever since I saw the deluxe box set of VHS tapes. I hope they release it in a box quite similar to that, with all the nice art work decorating the set and the spines showing one big picture when put together. If it sells for under 80.00, I am snagging this (for the entire series)

Jimmy Smits played a repairman who came to fix Conky.

Count me as buying the entire set. Thanks Image Entertainment! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! (secret word: Image).

Did he do "shoe mirrors" on that show or just the HBO show?

Doesn't he do this in real life, too?

Well it was a kids show, so...of course he did...I mean...no.

There were how many episodes of this show again? 42? 44? I don't remember the exact number, but it was somewhere in the early fourties.

They could fit all the episodes onto two three-disc sets. :)
That or one huge six-disc set. :)

I'd be all over this. Back in college, there were Pee Wee's Playhouse marathons in the Student Union Building... anything can be a drinking game I suppose!

Definete buy.

I also have the VHS set, but if there are any special features -- any at all -- this will be a must-buy on the day of release for me.

-Case

I'd love to have this show. Very inventive and just fun. When there was a lesson, it wasn't pounded into your head with a hammer.

And I think the media makes a bigger deal out of his arrests than the general public does.

Now that I agree with. However it's probably got a "fall from grace" feel to it to the media. You know, here we had a supposed role model for the kids and then he gets caught in an adult theater servicing himself. Kinda shoots down any previous "do goodie" services that Pee Wee had going for him.

The problem I had with that is I always viewed the Pee Wee character as for adults, and he often played this character for adults in comedy clubs and appeared on late night TV playing the character. Pee Wee's Playhouse evolved out of that and I always felt the show had more of an edge to it that would appeal to adults. However, of course, the networks didn't know how to market it so they slotted in on Saturday morning. Late Sat AM, of course, since it wasn't for little kiddies and would appeal to an older audience, but I felt the show was a head of its time and perhaps still would be a head of its time if it were still on. And I also recall Bashki's Mighty Mouse cartoons aired either before or after this, and those were also made for a more adult audience and I believe heralded an age of animation that gave us Beavis and Butthead and Ren and Stimpy. Just because something gets stuck on Saturday morning doesn't automatically make it a kids show.

Image Entertainment officially announced their releases of Pee-Wee's Playhouse earlier today. They're going to release the entire series in 2 volumes, along with a separate Chiristmas special disc. Image doesn't include a release date for the set, but the "fall" time-frame would fit with the November 9th date that we reported on earlier.


CHATSWORTH, Calif.--Image Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: DISK) today announced the signing of an exclusive license agreement with Herman World, Inc., which will see the Company release the complete 45-episode (including 6 "lost" episodes never before released to home video) classic television series "Pee-wee's Playhouse," split between two box set collections, and also "Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special," on DVD this fall.

Paul Reubens, star and creator of the series, commenting on the deal, stated, "I am extremely pleased that `Pee-wee's Playhouse' will be available on DVD. The digital medium affords the shows a look that was not possible when they were originally broadcast or made available on VHS in the 1980s and '90s. I look forward to working with Image's creative, sales and marketing teams to make this series truly special."

Martin W. Greenwald, Image's President and CEO, commenting on the agreement, stated, "'Pee-wee's Playhouse' is an especially significant crown jewel in Image's ever-growing library of classic television programming. A show such as this, with the ability to appeal to all generations of viewers, is right in line with our strategy of releasing extraordinary television programming, such as 'The Twilight Zone,' our Richard Pryor shows and the award-winning 'Dick Van Dyke Show' that touches the widest audience possible. I am personally honored that Paul Reubens has chosen Image as his home for this legendary television achievement."

Barry Gordon, Image's Sr. Vice President of Acquisitions, stated, "'Pee-wee's Playhouse' showed how much more television was capable of delivering to a genre that had been around since the dawn of the medium. Paul infused his series with a creative energy, beauty and intelligence that works as effectively today as when the shows were first broadcast."

The groundbreaking and innovative "Pee-wee's Playhouse" was created by, produced by and starred Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman. "Pee-wee's Playhouse" was a top-rated children's show broadcast on CBS from 1986-1991 and the winner of numerous awards, including an outstanding 22 Emmys. In ensuing years, the program has attained an iconic status, with the character of Pee-wee continuing to attract new legions of fans aided by the Pee-wee movies, "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" and "Big Top Pee-wee." In fact, "Pee-wee's Playhouse" was just named by TV Guide as one of the top ten television cult classics of all time.

The Pee-wee phenomenon has continued to grow over the years with Reubens' creative merchandising of his most famous character. Pee-wee's likeness has appeared on carefully chosen and officially sanctioned collectibles, helping to capture a place in the hearts of millions of dedicated fans, both young and old.

Image, with the full cooperation and participation of "Playhouse" creator and star Paul Reubens, also plans to release in 2005 a definitive, specially packaged limited edition containing all 45 episodes with commentary by Paul Reubens and additional bonus material culled from Reubens' vast show archives.

About Image Entertainment:

Image Entertainment, Inc. is a leading licensee and distributor of DVD programming in North America with more than 2,500 exclusive DVD titles, and an emerging audio distributor with a growing library of audio releases in domestic release. Image also has exclusive videocassette, broadcast, video on demand, audio, streaming video and download rights for many of its exclusive properties. Image is headquartered in Chatsworth, California, and has a domestic distribution facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Image distributes internationally via sublicense agreements for available programming on DVD and videocassette as well as broadcast. For more information on Image, please visit www.image-entertainment.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may contain forward-looking statements which are based on the Company's current expectations, forecasts and assumptions. In some cases forward-looking statements may be identified by forward-looking words like "would," "intend," "hope," "will," "may," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "continue," or similar words. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from the Company's expectations, forecasts and assumptions. These risks and uncertainties include risks and uncertainties not in the control of the Company, including, without limitation, the current economic climate and other risks and uncertainties, including those enumerated and described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which filings are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Link to this page:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=1653

Damn, you beat me to it Buford. This is great news. Glad to hear not only every episode will be included, but those "lost" one's too. Bring on the Penny cartoons.

Most excellent news!

Holy Crap! :thumbsup: