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(More customer reviews)Yep, pirates are in right now. Thank Johnny Depp for that and "Pirates of the Caribbean". Once again "Seinfeld" was ahead of the curve. "The Puffy Shirt" episode was one of many classics that came out of "Seinfeld" during its peak years-the fifth and sixth seasons. It's appropriate that it is in the Smithsonian right next to Captain Kirk's yellow spandex shirt and on the other side of the falsies of the first transvestite. Oh, and this shirt is a miniature puffy shirt (just in case you missed seeing it in stores). Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld and the cast found their groove and made the most of it with the most outrageous stories one can imagine in a comedy TV series. We also learn that just because a woman has a Chinese name that doesn't make her Chinese and that it's OK to eat out of the trash as long as your mother's girlfriend doesn't see you. Valuable lessons all and without them our lives would be diminished or, at the very least, less amusing. As time as progressed "Seinfeld" hasn't been the victim of "shrinkage" and doing the opposite of what was expected in TV paid off in spades. Gee it sounds as if the show mirrored George's life not Jerry's.
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Columbia-Tristar has sprung for the best for "Seinfeld". The series is presented in high definition with a picture much, much better than what has been seen in syndication. "Seinfeld" was originally shot on 35mm film so some of the grain visible was inherent in the original film. I didn't detect any analog defects nor did I see any digital ones that were noticeable. The sound has nice presence and the dialogue is crystal clear.
Since the gift set is, essentially, the same as the individual releases (minus the puffy shirt and copy of Seinfeld's handwritten script), I'm going to break them down based on the season. With Season five "Jason+Larry=George" discusses the creation of George out of the parts of Jason Alexander and co-creator/writer/producer Larry David. "Inside Look" has featurettes for the following episodes: "The Puffy Shirt", The Glasses", "The Sniffing Accountant", " The Mango" , "The Lip Reader", "The Non-Fat Yogurt", "The Barber", "The Conversion", "The Stall", The Marine Biologist", "The Pie", "The Stand-in", "The Fire", "The Raincoats", "The Hamptons", "The Opposite" we also get deleted scenes for all of those episodes except "Sniffing", "The Lip Reader", The Barber" and "The Hamptons". Promotional spots are included as well. Stand up footage cut prior to the airing of the episodes is included as well.
Also included are alternate versions of "The Non-Fat Yogurt". One was created with an eye towards syndication and runs slightly longer. The original episode will play automatically unless you selected the syndicated version. There isn't a huge difference between the two episodes although, again, the syndicated version runs a little longer probably due to the timing and performances.
Season six has a half hour featurette calling "Running with the Egg" which provides an inside look at the creation of a single episode from conception to the time its shot. Bloopers are include and run about 20 minutes as well as a short animated version of the episode "The Race" entitled "Sein-imation: The Big Race". There's also a pair of more animated segments entitled "Seinfeld: Noir" and "Kramer vs. The Monkey". We also get "Inside Looks" for the following episodes: "The Big Salad", "The Pledge Drive", "The Couch", "The Soup", "The Switch", "The Race", "The Label Maker", "The Kiss Hello", "The Doorman", "The Diplomat's Club", "The Jimmy", "The Fusilli Jerry", The Face Painter" and "The Understudy". Deleted scenes include most of the above episodes as well with the exception of "The Fusilli Jerry", "The Jimmy" and with deleted scenes for "The Beard" and "The Scofflaw" as well.
Let's not forget the puffy shirt and the replica of the handwritten script. While these aren't as informative or fun as the extras include on the DVDs, it is nice to have something tactile that you can touch or play with while you're watching various episodes. I'd like to note that if you can get a better price on the two sets individually than the boxed set, I'd suggest that approach because, while thee extras are clever and fun, they don't add that much value to the package.
Commentary: We get a total of 14 commentary tracks from a variety of teams. Unfortunately, Michael Richards only appears on one for this set while Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jason Alexander appear on three. Seinfeld appears on three commentary tracks one with Larry David which was a delight. I haven't had a chance to listen to all of these commentary tracks but I found a couple of the writers commentary tracks entertaining as well as we get the genesis of the story and the various changes the story went through before production.
Seinfeld at its peak. While the show would coast at the same level for some time, the writing, direction and performances never got better than seasons 5 and 6. The extras are great providing viewers a chance to see the creation of an episode, inside glimpses into some of the most popular episodes and commentary tracks that are both amusing and enlightening. If you absolutely need the puffy shirt and script (which make for a great gift with the set if you're giving it to someone else), keep in mind it's a miniature puffy shirt. The script is a miniature replica of a handwritten script as well.
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Seinfeld - Seasons 5 & 6 Giftset (Includes Handwritten Script and Collectible Miniature Puffy Shirt) (1990)Season 5 Trivia
1. The Mango What kind of fruit does Kramer attempt to return to Joe's Fruit Stand? a) Plum b) Mango c) Peach d) Kiwi
2. The Puffy Shirt What does George's father wear in the pool? a) Swim cap b) Sneakers c) Flip Flops d) T-shirt
3. The Sniffing Accountant Which grammatical element causes Elaine to break up with Jake Jarmel? a) Split infinitive b) Capitalization c) Exclamation point d) Question mark
4. The Bris Who does Jerry enjoy mimicking in The Bris? a) Marlon Brando from The Godfather b) Al Pacino from Scent of a Woman c) Robert De Niro from Taxi Driver d) Sylvester Stallone from Rocky
5. The Barber What movie calms Jerry's barber Enzo during his fit of rage? a) Edward Scissorhands b) Shampoo c) The Barber of Seville d) Hairspray
Answers:
1.Peach 2.Sneakers 3.Exclamation point 4.Marlon Brand from The Godfather 5. Edward Scissorhands
Season 6 Trivia
1. The Chaperone What fabric does George suggest the Yankees use for their uniforms? a) Rayon b) Lycra-Spandex c) Nylon d) Cotton
2. The Big Salad Who does Elaine describe as "an enigma, a mystery wrapped in a riddle"? a) Frank Costanza b) Newman c) Kramer d) Mr. Pitt
3. The Pledge Drive What does Mr. Pitt eat with a knife and fork? a) Granola bar b) Snickers bar c) Baby Ruth bar d) Oreos
4. The Chinese Woman What unusual article of clothing does Frank Costanza's lawyer wear? a) A cape b) An army uniform c) A kimono d) A kilt
5. The Gymnast What is forbidden in Mr. Pitt's office? a) Ink b) Perfume c) Smoking d) Music
Answers:
1. Cotton 2. Newman 3. Snickers Bar 4. A Cape 5. Ink
Product Description: SEINFELD DVD:5TH SEASON: DISC 1 THE MANGO- Jerry learns Elaine faked orgasms with him and pleads for another chance. Kramer's banned from his local fruit stand and George discovers the sexual power of mango. THE GLASSES-George loses his glasses and thinks he sees Jerry's girlfriend with his cousin. A strange dog bites Elaine and Kramer helps Jerry buy a powerful air conditioner. THE PUFFY SHIRT-During dinner with Kramer's low-talking girlfriend, Jerry unwittingly agrees to wear a puffy pirate shirt for his upcoming "The Today Show" appearance. THE SNIFFING ACCOUNTANT-Jerry thinks his accountant is a drug addict. Jerry, Kramer and Newman plot a stakeout. George plans another career change: bra salesman. THE BRIS-Jerry and Elaine agree to be godparents to their friends' newborn boy. They find a shaky mohel to perform the bris. Kramer is convinced he saw a pigman at the hospital. DISC 2 THE LIP READER-George tries to get Jerry's deaf girlfriend to read lips at a party. Kramer becomes a ball boy at the U.S. Open. THE NON-FAT YOGURT-Jerry and Elaine try to confirm that their favorite frozen yogurt is non-fat. Their research causes a stir during the NYC mayoral election. Elaine dates George's boyhood nemesis. Now, for the first time, see two versions of this episode! THE BARBER-Jerry frets over leaving his incompetent barber. Elaine enlists Kramer to participate in a bachelor auction. THE MASSEUSE-Jerry's masseuse girlfriend won't give him a massage. Elaine dates Joel Rifkin - not the mass murderer. THE CIGAR STORE INDIAN-Jerry offends Elaine's friend with a cigar store Indian. Kramer sells his coffee table book idea to Elaine's boss. DISC 3 THE CONVERSION-George converts to the Latvian Orthodox religion for a girl. Jerry spots a suspicious ointment in his girlfriend's medicine cabinet. THE STALL-Elaine agonizes over a woman's refusal to pass toilet paper under the stall of a public restroom. Kramer convinces Jerry that his girlfriend makes a living as a phone sex operator. George befriends Elaine's "mimbo" boyfriend. THE MARINE BIOLOGIST-George starts dating an old classmate when Jerry tells her that George is a successful marine biologist. Elaine's electronic organizer injures a passerby when her Russian novelist client launches it from their limo. Kramer golfs on the beach. THE DINNER PARTY-En route to a dinner party, Elaine and Jerry pair off to buy a babka. George's jacket gets in the way at the liquor store where he and Kramer look for a bottle of wine. THE PIE-Jerry meets his girlfriend's father and loses his appetite. Elaine discovers that a mannequin resembling her has been showing up in window displays. George plots to buy a suit on sale. Kramer dates a Monk's cashier. THE STAND-IN-Kramer is hired as a stand-in on a soap opera. He encourages Mickey to put lifts in his shoes, but his advice doesn't sit well with the other little people. George is ready to break up with his girlfriend until he discovers that she's being urged to call it quits with him. DISC 4 THE WIFE-Jerry lets his girlfriend pose as his wife so that she can receive his dry-cleaning discount, but the scam backfires when his family learns of his "marriage." Elaine's health club boyfriend wants to turn George in for peeing in the shower. THE FIRE-George panics during a fire at his girlfriend's son's birthday party and bolts for an escape route. Kramer saves Elaine's co-worker's pinky toe. THE RAINCOATS (PARTS 1 & 2)-Elaine dates a "close talker" who loves spending time with Jerry's parents. Jerry is caught making out during Schindler's List. Morty and Kramer go into business together. THE HAMPTONS-A weekend getaway to the Hamptons spins out of control when Jerry's girlfriend sees George, a victim of "shrinkage," naked. THE OPPOSITE-George decides to do the opposite of his instincts and everything falls into place, even a job with the Yankees. Meanwhile, Elaine loses her boyfriend and her job, but Jerry remains "even Steven."
SEINFELD DVD:6TH SEASON: DISC 1 THE CHAPERONE-When Jerry dates a beauty contestant, Kramer wants to chaperone. Mr. Pitt hires Elaine. George encourages the Yankees to make cotton jerseys. THE BIG SALAD-George has issues when his girlfriend takes credit for buying Elaine a salad. Jerry is disturbed that his girlfriend was Newman's ex. Kramer gets involved in a slow-speed chase with a suspected murderer. THE PLEDGE DRIVE-Elaine sees Mr. Pitt eating a candy bar with a knife and fork, starting a trend. George thinks everyone's giving him the finger. Jerry hosts a PBS pledge drive. THE CHINESE WOMAN-George's phone lines get crossed with Donna Chang's and Jerry dates her - but she's not Chinese. THE COUCH-Elaine dates a hunky moving man. Kramer and Poppie go into the pizza business. George tries to rent Breakfast at Tiffany's instead of reading it to impress his girlfriend. Poppie pees on Jerry's couch. THE GYMNAST-Jerry dates a Romanian gymnast. Elaine tries to tear Mr. Pitt from a 3-D poster. George's girlfriend's mother catches him eating from the trash. DISC 2 THE MOM & POP STORE-George thinks he bought Jon Voight's car. Kramer tries to save a store. Jerry crashes a party to watch the Macy's parade. THE SOUP-Kenny Bania offers Jerry a suit in exchange for a meal, but soup doesn't count. THE SECRETARY-Jerry sees his dry cleaner wearing his jacket. George's secretary out-earns him. Kramer gets Uma Thurman's phone number. Elaine finds that Barneys uses skinny mirrors. THE SWITCH-Jerry tries to pull the roommate switch. George dates a bulimic. Elaine agonizes over Mr. Pitt's busted racket. Kr+C62amer's first name is revealed and we meet his mother. THE RACE-Superman fan Jerry dates a woman named Lois, whose boss is his high-school nemesis. Elaine dates a Communist; now George wants to. Kramer works as a Santa with Mickey as his elf. Jerry races his nemesis again to settle their score. THE LABEL MAKER-Elaine and Jerry find that Tim Whatley "re-gifted" a label maker. Kramer and Newman play Risk. George is threatened by his girlfriend's male roommate. Everyone has Super Bowl fever and Jerry's sick over who joins him at the game. DISC 3 THE SCOFFLAW-George learns the truth about a friend's illness. Kramer brings in a notorious scofflaw. THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 100 (PARTS 1&2)-An hour-long look at highlights from the first 100 episodes. THE BEARD-Elaine poses as a beard for a gay man and tries to convert him. George wears a toupee and turns down a bald woman. Kramer makes money posing in police lineups. Jerry takes a lie detector test to prove he's not a fan of "Melrose Place." THE KISS HELLO-Elaine's friend loves to "kiss hello" but Jerry hates it. Kramer adorns the apartment lobby with photos to encourage tenants to know their neighbors. THE DOORMAN-Mr. Pitt's doorman intimidates Jerry. Elaine and Jerry cover themselves when a couch is stolen from the lobby. Frank Costanza moves into George's apartment. Kramer and Frank make a bra for men but argue over the name. DISC 4 THE JIMMY-George goes into business with a buddy who refers to himself in the third person. Jerry discovers his dentist keeps Penthouse in his waiting room. Kramer comes off as mentally challenged at a benefit. THE DOODLE-George is upset by his girlfriend's sketch of him. Jerry's flea-infested apartment forces his parents into Elaine's hotel. THE FUSILLI JERRY-Elaine's boyfriend uses one of Jerry's moves. Kramer mistakenly receives license plates that read "Assman." THE DIPLOMAT'S CLUB-Jerry's plan to meet a gorgeous model is derailed. George proves that he's not racist. Elaine plans to quit her job, until she realizes she's in her boss's will. THE FACE PAINTER-Puddy paints his face for a hockey game. George tells his girlfriend he loves her. THE UNDERSTUDY-Jerry and George are accused of injuring Bette Midler so Jerry's girlfriend can take the stage in their Broadway show. Elaine has Frank translate her manicurist's conversations. Elaine meets J. Peterman and lands herself a new job.
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