2) Episode synopses (39 dubbed episodes and 13 undubbed episodes)
I guess you'll include my episode synopses on the DVD sleeves (with a "Sleeve notes" credit) - if these are being retyped, can I proof-read them, as I did with the video sleeves? (to eliminate any typo errors)
NOTE: There were some errors on Monkey video sleeves 1 and 2, and it would be nice to fix these for the DVDs.
3) Original transmission dates (UK and Japan)
I was wondering - since this Monkey DVD release is going to be a real collector's treat (as it'll feature all episodes ever made), would it be a good idea perhaps to include for each episode:
a) Original UK transmission date
b) Then for the 13 undubbed episode, you could put - "never transmitted in the UK" or "only ever shown in Japan"
Optionally, if you wanted to, you could also include:
c) Original Japan transmission date
d) This would show that all the 13 undubbed episodes have been shown in Japan, but never before in the UK
UK & Japan transmission dates for all 52 Monkey episodes
Here's the transmission dates for all 52 episodes of Monkey:
Note:
- I've listed them by DVD (so they correspond to the 3 English-dubbed episodes
and undubbed episode that will appear on that disc)
- For each episode
* I've listed both the UK and Japan date of original transmission
* I've listed the number it appeared in the transmission sequence for the UK
and Japan
- For episode 37, "Pretty as a Picture", I've listed the UK transmission date
as "???". This is because it wasn't screened in the first run on the BBC, but
it definitely has been transmitted since then - I just don't have the date - so
best keep this as "?".
Monkey DVD 1
---------------------
1. Monkey Goes Wild about Heaven
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 1): 16 Nov 1979
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 1): 1 Oct 1978
2. Monkey Turns Nursemaid
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 2): 23 Nov 1979
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 2): 8 Oct 1978
3. The Great Journey Begins
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 3): 30 Nov 1979
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 3): 15 Oct 1978
U1. You Win Some, You Lose Some
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 29): 25 Nov 1979
Monkey DVD 2
---------------------
4. Monkey Swallows the Universe
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 4): 7 Dec 1979
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 4): 22 Oct 1978
5. The Power of Youth
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 5): 14 Dec 1979
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 5): 29 Oct 1978
6. Even Monsters Can be People
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 6): 11 Jan 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 6): 5 Nov 1978
U2. Pigsy Learns A Lesson
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 30): 2 Dec 1979
Monkey DVD 3
---------------------
7. The Beginning of Wisdom
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 7): 18 Jan 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 7): 12 Nov 1978
8. Pigsy Woos a Widow
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 8): 25 Jan 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 8): 19 Nov 1978
9. What Monkey Calls the Dog-Woman
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 9): 1 Feb 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 9): 26 Nov 1978
U3. The Land With Two Suns
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 31): 9 Dec 1979
Monkey DVD 4
---------------------
10. Pigsy's in the Well
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 10): 8 Feb 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 10): 3 Dec 1978
11. The Difference Between Night and Day
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 11): 15 Feb 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 11): 10 Dec 1978
12. Pearls Before Swine
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 12): 22 Feb 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 12): 17 Dec 1978
U4. The House of the Evil Spirit
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 32): 16 Dec 1979
Monkey DVD 5
---------------------
13. The Minx and the Slug
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 13): 29 Feb 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 13): 24 Dec 1978
14. Catfish, Saint and the Shape-Changer
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 14): 7 Mar 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 14): 7 Jan 1979
15. Monkey Meets the Demon Digger
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 15): 14 Mar 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 15): 14 Jan 1979
U5. Am I Dreaming?
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 33): 23 Dec 1979
Monkey DVD 6
---------------------
16. The Most Monstrous Monster
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 16): 31 Oct 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 16): 21 Jan 1979
17. Truth and the Grey Gloves Devil
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 17): 7 Nov 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 17): 28 Jan 1979
18. Land for the Locusts
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 18): 14 Nov 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 18): 4 Feb 1979
U6. The Tormented Emperor
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 34): 30 Dec 1979
Monkey DVD 7
---------------------
19. Vampire Master
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 19): 21 Nov 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 19): 11 Feb 1979
20. Outrageous Coincidences
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 20): 28 Nov 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 20): 18 Feb 1979
21. Pigsy, King and God
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 21): 5 Dec 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 21): 25 Feb 1979
U7. Between Heaven and Hell
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 35): 6 Jan 1980
Monkey DVD 8
---------------------
22. Village of the Undead
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 22): 12 Dec 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 22): 4 Mar 1979
23. Two Little Blessings
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 23): 19 Dec 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 23): 11 Mar 1979
24. The Fires of Jealousy
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 24): 26 Dec 1980
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 24): 18 Mar 1979
U8. Better The Demon You Know
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 40): 10 Feb 1980
Monkey DVD 9
---------------------
25. The Country of Nightmares
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 25): 2 Jan 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 25): 25 Mar 1979
26. The End of the Way
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 26): 9 Jan 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 26): 1 Apr 1979
27. Pigsy's Ten Thousand Ladies
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 27): 16 Jan 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 27): 11 Nov 1979
U9. The Fake Pilgrims
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 45): 16 Mar 1980
Monkey DVD 10
---------------------
28. The Dogs of Death
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 28): 23 Jan 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 28): 18 Nov 1979
29. The Foolish Philosopher
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 29): 30 Jan 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 36): 13 Jan 1980
30. Who Am I?
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 30): 6 Feb 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 37): 20 Jan 1980
U10. The Tenacious Tomboy
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 48): 6 Apr 1980
Monkey DVD 11
---------------------
31. What is Wisdom?
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 31): 13 Feb 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 38): 27 Jan 1980
32. The Fountain of Youth
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 32): 20 Feb 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 39): 3 Feb 1980
33. A Shadow So Huge
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 33): 27 Feb 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 41): 17 Feb 1980
U11. Stoned
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 49): 13 Apr 1980
Monkey DVD 12
---------------------
34. Keep on Dancing
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 34): 6 Mar 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 42): 24 Feb 1980
35. Give and Take
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 35): 13 Mar 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 43): 2 Mar 1980
36. Such a Nice Monster
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 36): 20 Mar 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 44): 9 Mar 1980
U12. Hungry Like The Wolf
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 50): 20 Apr 1980
Monkey DVD 13
---------------------
37. Pretty as a Picture
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 37): 22 Nov 1985
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 46): 23 Mar 1980
38. Mothers
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 38): 27 Mar 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 47): 30 Mar 1980
39. At the Top of the Mountain
UK - originally transmitted (as episode 39): 3 Apr 1981
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 52): 4 May 1980
U13. Monkey's Yearning
UK - never transmitted
Japan - originally transmitted (as episode 51): 27 Apr 1980
4) My web site URL
Will it be possible to include my web site URL somewhere in the DVD package (on the DVD)?
The web site URL to use is:
www.monkeyheaven.com
It could say something like on the video labels:
For more Monkey, see www.monkeyheaven.com
4b) Error on Monkey DVD 5 sleeve
By the way, I noticed an error on the Monkey DVD 5 sleeve - on the back of it,
where it lists the unseen episode, it reads:
U4 Am I Dreaming?
It should be:
U5 Am I Dreaming?
(guess it's too late now though - but would be good if there's an opportunity
to change this for a future run of the DVD sleeves)
4c) Names for the 4 x 13 episode Monkey DVD boxsets
I like the idea of breaking down the Monkey episodes into 4 boxsets, but would
be wary of calling them seasons 1 to 4. I was thinking something like:
"Season 1 (box one)"
"Season 1 (box two)"
"Season 2 (box one)"
"Season 2 (box two)"
would be more accurate.. anyway, plenty of time before all this is finalised I
guess.
However - to keep everyone happy, I'd suggest not making these any of these limited edition - to give everyone the opportunity to collect the whole lot, include them in every DVD :)
[I've had so many emails from people complaining that they've bought Monkey videos which haven't had the free postcard in them - they didn't realise they're limited edition]
6) Promo items to send away for
Promotional items to send away for (i.e. as with the posters and T-shirts that accompanied the Monkey video release):
- Mugs
- Keyrings
- Photograph stills / prints
- Complete set of postcards
- Soundtrack CDs (you could import a batch of Godiego's "Magic Monkey" CDs from Japan, and sell them on)
7) Monkey Calendar
I've just thought of a cool promotional extra for the UK Monkey DVDs.... how about if the 1st Monkey DVD contained a small Monkey calendar:
- Very basic (I'm guessing spiral-bound like a small notebook), and small (A5 size maybe - around double the size of the Monkey postcards)
- Each page could have:
- A classic photo of a character from Monkey
- The calendar for that month (obviously)
- A narrator's quote (words of wisdom for that month)
- URL of the Fabulous Films web site (and mine too if you like)
- A circled date indicating the release date of the Monkey DVD that's out that month - a constant reminder for people to buy the next DVD
- If you wanted, you could circle the birthdays (and birth year) of all the main actors in Monkey (I have all this info)
I could *REALLY* see it taking off - people would die for a little Monkey calendar like this (never been done before), and would have to buy the first Monkey DVD to get theirs!
Then - if you make the first Monkey DVD *seriously* impressive - they'll just have to buy the rest of the series.
A big bonus - people would put their Monkey calendar on display - either at home or in the office - they'd show their friends, who'd then find out about the Monkey DVDs, and they'd have to buy the 1st Monkey DVD too to get their calendar...
Some notes:
A) Don't make this limited (you know how people were with the postcards in the Monkey videos) - put one in EVERY DVD :)
So people would buy the 1st DVD, _knowing_ that they'll get a Monkey calendar with it
B) This photo of Tripitaka (Masako Natsume) is a MUST for the calendar:
http://www.monkeyheaven.com/masako.html
3) Make it a 22 MONTH calendar - taking them all the way through from March 2002 -> December 2003.
Towards the end of 2003, you can mark on the calendar the 25th anniversary of Monkey first hitting Japanese screens
If not 22 months, then maybe a more standard length, like 15 months - it'll take them all the way through the release schedule of the Monkey DVDs
Remember -> the longer the calendar, the longer it stays on people's walls, and the more publicity for the Monkey DVDs - so why not 22 months? :*)
I think this would be a great promo item to launch the Monkey DVDs!
8) Monkey Posters / Postcards
For both of these, it would be good if different designs were used from the
ones used for the Monkey videos - to make them more collectable.
Will there be posters available? (there were promo posters on sale with the Monkey videos)
If there's any way possible, it would be FANTASTIC if you could produce a poster for each of the 4 main characters - using the HIGH-RES photos / slides you've received from NTV. I'm talking literally a blow-up of the photos, with no reference to the Monkey DVDs... I'm not sure if you could get away with doing this though (as maybe this would be classed as merchandise, and you're only allowed to produce promotional items?)
Just one idea - the photo of Monkey you've used in this article: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=News&id=2909 would make the BEST MONKEY POSTER EVER!
9) Fridge Magnets
Something I thought of the other day, a bit of a strange one - but you could
produce Monkey FRIDGE MAGNETS!?
(i.e. a fridge magnet for each of the 4 main characters, and maybe other
characters too)
They would certainly be unusual promo items, and I imagine they'd be popular!
10) Poster extra for 25th anniversary box set
I've had a brainwave for a poster that would be great as a freebie with the 25h
anniversary box set - a poster featuring a COMPLETE EPISODE GUIDE for Monkey,
i.e. listing the episode title and synopsis for all 52 episodes.
Either:
(a) A poster of Monkey & co., with the titles and synopses around the edges of
the poster, starting at the top, and going around in a clockwise direction, all
the way around.
(b) A poster which doesn't have a central picture, but which has a grid
containing all 52 episode titles and synopses.
For each episode, as well as the episode title and synopsis, also include the transmission date info, and a picture from the episode - the one that's used in the DVD packaging.
11) T-shirts
I'd be interested to hear any ideas for designs etc. One that springs to mind
would be to have 1 t-shirt for each of the 4 main characters, featuring the
character's name and photo on the front, and a classic quote from them (either
beneath the photo on the front, or else on the back) - for example, Pigsy's
would have to be "Give Pigsy a kiss!" with a grinning photo of Pigsy no.1 on
the front.
Monkey quotes for the Monkey t-shirt designs
To be honest, I don't have a great memory for quotes from Monkey, and have
never really kept a list or anything... but, I've looked on various web sites,
in episode summaries etc., and have pulled out some quotes for each of the
characters.... to get some more, just watch a classic episode - I reckon these
ones may well have some great quotes:
- episode 25 "The Country of Nightmares"
- episode 23 "Two Little Blessings"
- episode 8 "Pigsy Woos a Widow" should be good for Pigsy quotes
Here's my list...
***************************
Monkey
-------
Great Sage Equal of Heaven!
I love to fight!
Monkeeeeeeeey!
Deeemon!
I Am The Greatest - Will You Demons Never Understand?
Oi!!
Get ready to fight!
Please excuse me when I say that you really are extraordinarily dim!
Alright! Let battle commence! Wine and... bananas! Bring on the dancing girls!
You've got a soft heart master, and your head is no better
What's the point of it? If it hasn't got a point, where's the point of that?
You're not a god, you're a birthday cake
Tripitaka
----------
Om mani padme hum
No violence, Monkey!
All life is precious to a follower of Buddha
I forbid you!
You should live without fear. There's as much chance of good things as bad things.
It is holy to bear the unbearable
To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom
Pigsy
------
I'm hungry!
Give Pigsy a kiss
How lucky I am to have been born so handsome
A woman, a beautiful woman, a very beautiful woman
Oh help. I am an idiot
If I have one fine quality it's that I don't tell the truth about everything
I shall bash that hairy ape the very next time I catch him nodding off
I've grown rather fond of this body thankyou. I don't want to die.
You wouldn't demean yourself hitting a pig
Another fine mess you've gotten me into
Sandy
-----
I hate scriptures
I always knew he was a swine
You can often improve on ignorance but stupidity is incurable
The dog woman was it? Ignore it then, she's a bitch
Pigsy was telling me of his latest invention- dehydrated water
If men could have children, swine could fly
She's older than Buddha's whiskers
***************************
12) Monkey action figures
A guy in the UK called Nick Cathery has made some amazing action figures of the
main characters, complete with weapons, accessories, and even a cloud.
These were made almost 3 years ago - note: he never offered these for sale, he
just made them as part of his model-making hobby.
You can see his figures here: http://www.monkeyheaven.com/gallery_nick.html These would make great figures, if these were mass-produced.