John En Marsha (The Series) - Available now on DVD!

[Mr. Hankey]

I was shocked to see that John En Marsha, considered by many as the quintessential Filipino sitcom, has actually been released on DVD.

The DVDs cost Php 200 each. There are 5 volumes, all with the same cover art/product description - no indication of which/how many episodes are in each disc. Another "gem" from... Paragon. 

I'm really curious about these releases, but thinking about the number of unwatched DVDs on my shelf, I couldn't find it in myself to buy even one. 

I mean, to actually pay to hear Matutina's voice and watch her sweeping for cash is a bit too much.

"Kaya ikaw, John... Magsumikap ka..."

[espace]

... I'm really curious about these releases, but thinking about the number of unwatched DVDs on my shelf, I couldn't find it in myself to buy even one.  ...

Should you succumb to the temptation, please let us know how this DVD is.

waits 15 minutes for the reply with full review

seriously

[Luxinlex]

We never missed tuning in for this show back in the 80's. Being a child of the 80's, I think it will be somewhat nostalgic to watch the episodes again.

[yamota]

I WANT!! Will this be available in the US anytime soon??

[thegoodbyeguy]

I was shocked to see that John En Marsha, considered by many as the quintessential Filipino sitcom, has actually been released on DVD.

The DVDs cost Php 200 each. There are 5 volumes, all with the same cover art/product description - no indication of which/how many episodes are in each disc. Another "gem" from... Paragon. 

          Definitely a shocker seeing this classic TV show being released on DVD in this day and age. Now, if only they would released all episodes (from day one of Wanbol classes) of ISKUL BUKOL by a more realiable (?) distributor. Wishful thinking here.

[cicconeguy]

          Definitely a shocker seeing this classic TV show being released on DVD in this day and age. Now, if only they would released all episodes (from day one of Wanbol classes) of ISKUL BUKOL by a more realiable (?) distributor. Wishful thinking here.

ay saan kaya galing ang master tapes nito? the show was aired over rpn 9. did they sell all their umatic tapes to paragon? (naka-reel pa i'm sure yung iba.)

i used to work at ibc 13. our building was just below rpn's. i remember a friend who works at rpn telling me that they don't even have a copy of flordeluna anymore. mahina kasi ang archiving sa broadcast city noon (hanggang ngayon yata).

as for iskul bukol, sadly di naalagaan ang tapes nila. it was produced by our own little way and aired over ibc 13. when we had a grand homecoming tv special featuring all past and present ibc stars, ako in charge sa editing ng vtrs. ayun, naghalukay pa yung producer namin sa bodega ng our own little way. kasi nakatambak lang daw yung umatic tapes. puro alikabok at kalat-kalat. nakakalungkot.

hirap na hirap ako mag-edit nung special na yun . we even only have 1 umatic copy of see true ni ate luds. noong humiram kami sa kanya, ang kopya lang niya ng see true sa ibc 13 ay nasa....BETAMAX tapes.  (salamat sa merch/tv promo, they have copies of their tv plugs of old shows sa umatic.)

kaya every time i visit ibc and rpn, naku doon ako dumidiretso sa library. i'm sure dikit-dikit na ang umatic tapes ng old shows. di na nga kumpleto pati ang episodes. sayang na sayang.

oh well, that's part of tv history for you. remember, in the 80s ibc and rpn were like abs and gma. you could just imagine the shows they had back then. sadly, most of them were not archived properly.

[Luxinlex]

          Definitely a shocker seeing this classic TV show being released on DVD in this day and age. Now, if only they would released all episodes (from day one of Wanbol classes) of ISKUL BUKOL by a more realiable (?) distributor. Wishful thinking here.

Iskul Bukol on DVDs??? Yes!!! I will definitely buy those DVDs if ever it will be released because my sense of humor was somehow shaped by Tito, Vic & Joey, hehehe. I am sure that I will still laugh at the antics of these guys. Sayang naman if the tapes had not been properly stored. 

[yamota]

Yan ang problema sa ating mga pinoy eh, we don't care about our history, we don't learn from the past so we make the same mistakes over and over and over and over again, kaya wala tayong asenso eh

[thegoodbyeguy]

           Appreciate your views cicconeguy and Luxinlex.
 
           Been to Astro here in our area just to check this so-called DVD released of JOHN EN MARSHA. I kept reading at the back cover to see if there's any information about each DVD released and sadly just like Mr. Hankey as I quoted: "There are 5 volumes, all with the same cover art/product description - no indication of which/how many episodes are in each disc", I can't see any details like episode information about its released. The only difference between each volume is the 'NUMBER' of the volume. Everything else is pretty much the same as the others.
           I then asked the saleslady who handled the Paragon releases and surprise, surprise could not give me a direct answer to my simple question, How many episodes are there in each volume? Here's my own guess and I could be very wrong, there's only one episode in each volume. If only someone would sacrifice their hardearned P200 just to see the content(s) of this DVD? Never mind the quality, it's already a given.

  On a lighter note: The last time I saw ISKUL BUKOL reruns was when there's still CTV-31 and during 6pm weekdays, the station would show the classic tv sitcom in all its wacky glories. Saw guestings of Becky Misa, Joey Albert, Hadji Alejandro, the late Rio Diaz, Roderick Paulate and many more. Sigh.

[vin314]

mukhang sold out ang john en marsha? walang stock sa astro ng trinoma yesterday e..

[Dream11]

Meron pa sa Astro Podium. Madami pa nung huling punta ko (Friday). 

[pioneer]

Just bought all 5 volumes. So far, Part 1 contains only 4 episodes. Malamang yung iba ganun din ka dami.

Take note, Episode 1 is NOT the pilot episode. All episodes are just SELECTIONS.



In fairness, for an old pinoy sitcom, malinaw ang picture.

I bought mine at Astro Virra Mall.

[Mr. Hankey]

Thanks, pioneer! 50 pesos per episode seems fair for a Pinoy classic like this, especially if the picture quality is okay.

[techdude]

At least it gets preserved for future generations.  Hopefully, they will be able to find more episodes.  How many seasons ba ang John and Marsha?  I guess there should be 100 or so episodes?

[pioneer]

OFF TOPIC ------> I want PALIBHASA LALAKE   

[Mr. Hankey]

At least it gets preserved for future generations.  Hopefully, they will be able to find more episodes.  How many seasons ba ang John and Marsha?  I guess there should be 100 or so episodes?

I think it must be much, much more than that.

Seriously, we didn't have "seasons" back then - it was like a new episode every week for... a decade? Seventeen Years!

[thegoodbyeguy]

Just bought all 5 volumes. So far, Part 1 contains only 4 episodes. Malamang yung iba ganun din ka dami.

Take note, Episode 1 is NOT the pilot episode. All episodes are just SELECTIONS.



In fairness, for an old pinoy sitcom, malinaw ang picture.

I bought mine at Astro Virra Mall.

       
        Wow, Thanks for the post and info pioneer! Btw, would you happen to noticed (in the first volume, at least) if this JOHN EN MARSHA is in their later years (production wise)? 

[mattia]

Bought my copies - all 5 of them.  Will post reviews tomorrow.

Life IS good, eh?

[Superman]

I hope there will also be a release of Cafeteria Aroma, Iskul Bukol and Manok ni San Pedro

[pioneer]

       
        Wow, Thanks for the post and info pioneer! Btw, would you happen to noticed (in the first volume, at least) if this JOHN EN MARSHA is in their later years (production wise)? 

OO grrrrrrrr.....episode 1 pa lang andun na si Madel De Leon. 

[thegoodbyeguy]

       

OO grrrrrrrr.....episode 1 pa lang andun na si Madel De Leon. 

          Thought so. Thanks, I appreciate your reply pioneer. I could almost feel your disappointment for a moment there. But then again, glad that you bought them all for your own pleasure. Most probably, you will catch a then younger Brod Pete in that sitcom. Enjoy walking back down memory lane! 

[techdude]

As a trial, I bought the fifth volume.  It also features four episode of different length (35-42 minutes).  The picture is surprisingly clean (no specks seen) but is mildly pixelated even on a 32" TV, kinda like VCD on big screen TV.  Okay na rin.

What I don't like is that Paragon chopped off the opening and closing credits.  Paragon inserted it's own screensaver like opening and chopped off the ending, so many episodes seems to end prematurely, with say Dely Atayatayan uttering just one line of her trademark 'magsumikap ka.' and then fade to black, parang bitin.

Baka siguro, the ending credits could have given away the age of the episode, meron ba 'MCMLXXXIV' sa Pinoy sitcom?

But whatever, if this is the only way to relive a more stress-free youth of yore, then buy it is.   

Wonder how many more of these episodes are preserved, as stated if all are preserved it's good for 100 or so volumes.   Paragon might have strike the motherlode on this series, given that those who remember this series are also probably the age-group with the most disposable income...

[pioneer]

What I don't like is that Paragon chopped off the opening add closing credits. 

Maybe due to the issue of some rights or something. Maybe Paragon wasn't given FULL right to re-produce the episodes.

[mattia]

Here's a Mini - Review of JOHN EN MARSHA Volume 1 ( First two episodes )

I only watched the first two episodes of volume 1 and here's a simple review, for fans and non fans alike

DVD Review
Disc file size :  4.36 GB (dvd5 single layer)
Average bit rate :  3.84 mbps

Aspect ratio : Original fullscreen version
Audio :  2.0 stereo

Picture quality is clean compared to my other "Dolphy" dvds.  Grains are not noticeable in our 21 inch CRT TV.  However, it gets pixelated in our widescreen 34" TV.  Each episode is about 40 minutes so the entire disc is about 2 hours and 40 minutes ( 160 minutes ).  Fitting this all in a single layer disc will really bring out problems.    A dvd9 would have been more appropriate given the length of each disc.  And a double layer disc would have allowed for a higher bit rate recording for better pic and sound.  Nonetheless, i'd say it's of very good "VCD" quality.  Not bad at all.  

Sound is audible but inconsistent.  Sometimes it's too loud and at times become soft.  Dialogue shifts from the center speaker to the front speakers.

The Menus are okay.  You get a Main Menu and an Episode Selection menu.  Cool!  

I didn't really expect this DVD to come with good technicals.  In fact I was expecting a lot worse but it did exceed my expectations.  Besides, once you start laughing you'd forget all about the technicals and just marvel at the wit and humor of Dolphy, Nida Blanca, Dely Atay Atayan and the rest of the cast.  Which leads me to the Feature review-

Feature Review

Note : As the other members have pointed out, the episodes are non sequential.  So don't expect to start from the very first episode. This jumps from the newer episodes back to the old ones.  The first episode shows a much older Dolphy with an 8 year old granddaughter and the second episode shows a leaner Dolphy arranging for the baptism of the same granddaughter who was only 3 months old then.

EPISODE 1 :  Synopsis - John and Rollie Puruntong gets seduced by the flirtatious wife of Rollie's Boss.  
Guest Star : Jean Saburit as the boss's wife.   We see a heavy and mature Dolphy here so I guess this is one of the latter episodes.  Episode 1 starts out with Dolphy and Nida being Grandparents to an 8 year old girl who is the daughter of Madel and Rollie.  Maricel Soriano is nowhere in this episode.  We also see a very young Isko Salvador aka "Brod Pete".  Having been shown in the latter years of the sitcom, the jokes were somewhat recycled and lesser punchlines were delivered.  It's funny but not too much.  Entertainment Score is 3 stars out of 5 ( with 5 being the highest ).

EPISODE 2  Synopsis - Rollie and Madel looks for the right Ninong and Ninang for their 3 month old daughter
Guest Star :  Panchito as the "long lost" rich Kumpare of John Puruntong.  Compared to episode 1, this one's a classic!   You'll see a leaner, younger Dolphy delivering punchlines after punchlines.  And his perfect chemistry with an equally talented actress in Nida.  Maricel is here.  To top it all, this episode presents the inimitable, classic tandem of Dolphy and Panchito.  That restaurant scene literally made me cry with laughter.  The duo was so funny that you'll notice the "extras" at the back (as customers) falling off their seats, unable to control their laughter on the antics of Dolphy and Panchito.  If you ask why this sitcom successfully ran for 17 years, then here's one reason why.  I wish more episodes like these are in store in the other volumes.  I look forward to Babalu as one the guests.  Entertainment score is 5 out 5!

My wish is that Paragon or some other Video company will come out with a Remastered Special Edition. DVD9, double disc amaray case in a handsome boxset and with special features like interviews with Dolphy, Maricel, Rollie and all those still alive!  

But for now, I guess this is the best this classic sitcom will look on DVD.  Highly recommended!!!

[techdude]

Volume 5 episode one features jokes about loyalists, balimbings, MNLF, NPA, and peace talks.  This episode feature role-reversal with Dely being dirt poor while John being filthy rich.  They try to bring together  a feuding couple.  Of course, in the end, it shows that such role reversal can only happen in dreams, and the ending seems tacked on...  Starts okay but the subplot of the feuding couple is out of place and the resolution is chauvinistic in today's age.  One of the weaker John en Marsha episode. Rating: 1 1/2 of 5.

As for it being on DVD5, guess we will have to live with that.  Other local TV series from GMA and Star and not much higher with encoding rates.  They (Star/GMA) have better PQ because they are newer productions, and they may be on DVD9 but they cram like 6-to-10 episode into each DVD9 (ie Ysabella, Marimar, Enkantadia) so the encoding is similar...

[yamota]

I wonder who plays Rolly and Madel's daughter Joanna Marie? I know in the movie "John and Marsha in Amerika", baby Joanna Marie was played by Meryl Soriano (although the credits list her as Meryl Revillame), who is of course Willie Revillame's daughter and Maricel Soriano's real life niece.

[vin314]

the one who played rolly was rolly quizon (real life son of dolphy)

[thegoodbyeguy]

       
       Now, there's Vol. 6 and 7...

[yamota]

I already have vol. 1 and 2, and I just ordered 3 and 4 so slowly I'm collecting all of them.

[riverfan]

       
       Now, there's Vol. 6 and 7...

hanggang vol. 10 na ata from the last time i checked.