Product Description

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 02/24/2009 Run time: 1003 minutes Rating: Nr

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12037 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2004-06-08
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 5
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 1003 minutes

Amazon.com
The first television series to depict the American soldier in combat during the Vietnam War, producer Zev Braun's Emmy-nominated Tour of Duty earned critical acclaim during its three-season run. Judging by the number of Internet sites devoted to the program, it also remains a fan favorite more than a decade after its 1989 cancellation; said fans should be pleased with this five-disc set, which compiles the entire 1987 debut season in a slightly altered format. What's untouched on this set is the drama and tension endured by the men of Company B, a racially and socially diverse platoon led by Sgt. Zeke Anderson (Terence Knox), as they serve their twelve-month tour in 1967. The 21 episodes of the first season (largely helmed by veteran TV writer-director Bill W.L. Norton) take the platoon from their formation at Firebase Ladybird ("Pilot") to the brutal battle to take Hill 1000 ("The Hill") that concludes the season on a downbeat note. What's missing, as longtime fans will immediately note, is the theme song (the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black") and much of the vintage rock music that played throughout the series. They've been replaced by generic (if effective) library tracks, which may lessen the impact of certain favorite scenes for viewers familiar with the broadcast versions. Also, no other extras are available on the disc, which is a slight disappointment, but for fans, simply having the entire first season might be satisfying enough. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

Don't be stupid! Just release it already!
I loved this series and I was too stupid not to tape it while it was on TNT airing in the Chicago area. I just hope the studio will follow the money making trend of releasing shows on DVD. I do not want to resort to trying to out bid some other fool on eBay for copies from the TV on VHS. I want DVD quality and I will pay any amount to have this series in my collection.

Orginal music and more
First off, let me say that I think some people are blowing this whole music thing way out of proportion. I have copies of some of the original Tour of Duty shows on tape, as aired on TV. All the original Tour of Duty instrumental music (including the shows instrumental theme song) is still here, and still the same. Only the professional, licensed artist music is missing. In place of that music, is more instrumental music that very often fits in and compliments the mood and feel of this great show. Some of the added music isn't all that bad either. Sure, some may not be as great as some of the missing period bit songs. But if you look at it closely, you might find that the show now has a more concentrated feel to it and lets you think more about what's going on in front of the camera and what the actors are doing, instead of grooving with popular tunes. It actually is a step up in the realism department in some ways. This does not mean I don't care about the missing music, just that it has its good points as well. For the people who only just care about the missing music, they need to learn some of the lessons taught within the show itself...

The fact is, that Tour of Duty was an incredible show, with fantastic acting, good writing, and great crew work. A lot of sweat and pain obviously went into it and it still stands as a great testimony to being one of, if not the greatest, war series ever to be filmed. They provided not only a record of insight into the Vietnam War, but into humanity.

Stop waiting and get it on DVD
Tour of Duty showed alot of us why it is such a popular series, when it first debuted and when it was moved from saturdays to prime time again last year. The show touched alot of people and confronted alot of issues that in the past were issues people turned the other cheek too, in a way, it reminds us what we owed the people who served our country over there, how they had nobody but each other to lean on, and how an ungrateful some of our countrymen treated our soldiers upon their return from Vietnam. I have alot of the shows on tape, but like many others who wrote reviews, my copies are getting worn out. This is one series I'd love to own on DVD, I mean Band of Brothers came out of nowhere and look how well it did, and how popular it was, this series has the same kinda staying power, if the people who wrote this would help us push to put it out on DVD you would do all your fans a great service, I hope my voice is heard and that eventually this will be released on DVD.

Sincerely,
Zack Bleecker