11th August 2008

DVD NEWS

As mentioned last week, Graves has added hundreds of new (forthcoming) DVD and Blu-ray releases to the Incoming database over the last few days. There should be something there for everyone!

Browsing the new titles, a couple of things seemed worth making note of...

The first is that several Granada titles, formerly released by 2 Entertain, are being released by ITV DVD soon. ITV DVD is (initially) pricing these titles as new releases, rather than the hoary old catalogue releases they really are. Some etailers are still listing the previous versions, which are generally considerably cheaper. These include box sets of Cracker, the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes series, and Inspector Morse.

I suppose there's a chance that these new sets might be re-mastered (Cracker and early episodes of Inspector Morse, particularly, sorely need re-transferring from the original film elements), but I think it's unlikely. Fans have been waiting patiently for years for someone to re-visit Cracker, and issue the original episodic versions, which would finally allow whoever releases it to stop using the analogue tape masters which have been used for about a decade now (the existing masters are probably at least three generations away from the original transmission tapes, let alone the original film elements!)

ITV DVD have apparently brought forward the DVD release of its ludicrous archaeology action series Bonekickers, which seems to have caught out a few of the etailers, who have it listed for release later this year. Luckily those etailers that are listing it are offering a chunky discount on the set's £24.99 RRP, and are offering it for £17.99 (which takes it under the limit for import duty).

Notable titles with additional information include the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the Sci-Fi Channel's re-interpretation of The Wizard of Oz, Tin Man; Boston Legal - Series 4; and the Blu-ray edition of the terrific Spielberg-produced WW2 mini-series Band of Brothers (HBO's first UK Blu-ray release).

4DVD are re-releasing eight more titles for £4.99 each on September 1st. They are: Crush (Andie McDowell, Imelda Staunton, Anna Chancellor); The Debt Collector (Billy Connolly, Ken Stott, Francesca Annis); The Winter Guest (Emma Thompson, the directorial debut of Alan Rickman); Dancing at Lughnasa (Kathy Burke, Michael Gambon, Meryl Streep); Kama Sutra: A Tale of Life (Torchwood's Indira Varma and Lost's Naveen Andrews); A Midsummer Night's Dream (1996 version with Lindsay Duncan as Titania and Public Eye's Alfred Burke as Egeus); With or Without You (Christopher Eccleston, Bonekickers' Julie Graham); To Kill A King (Civil War drama with Tim Roth and Dougray Scott).

EVENT NEWS

Kaleidoscope have announced the details of their next archive TV event, which will take place on September the 6th. Here's their announcement:

KALEIDOSCOPE EVENT
Saturday 6th September 2008, 12:00 - 7:00 pm
Amblecote Room, Stourbridge Town Hall,
Stourbridge, West Midlands, UK
Free Admission

MAIN ROOM

* 12:00 pm Z Cars - Family. James Ellis and Douglas Fielding star in
this episode of the BBC's groundbreaking police series, directed by John
Bruce.

* 1:00 pm Rime of the Ancient Mariner - John Ryan animation in the
style of Captain Pugwash, made for Associated-Rediffusion.

* 1:30 pm Izeena - an untransmitted episode of this rare Anglia
wildlife show with Fenella Fielding, designed by Robert Fuest.

* 1:45 pm Break

* 2:00 pm Designing Direction - our guests for today are veteran
directors Darrol Blake and John Bruce. John Bruce has been behind the
camera on many popular and acclaimed series, including Crown Court,
Strangers, Second City Firsts, Tales of the Unexpected, Play for Today and more recently The Bill, Casualty and Agatha Christie's Poirot.

Starting out as a designer, Darrol Blake created the original Blue Peter
set and worked on Quatermass II and Adam Adamant Lives!; as a director his credits include Coronation Street, Paul Temple, The Onedin Line, Doctor Who, Doomwatch, Ace of Wands, Crossroads, Tucker's Luck, Brookside and The Tomorrow People. Appearing together on stage, our guests will provide a fascinating insight into directing popular
television through the decades.

* 3:30 pm Afternoon Tea

* 3:55 pm Preview: Blue Peter Goes Gold! - a sneak peak at our
forthcoming event celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of a children's
television institution. The event takes place at BAFTA in London on
Saturday 25th October 2008.

* 4:00 pm Director's Choice - Darrol Blake has brought along a
favourite piece of his work, what is it?

* 5:00 pm Wolfshead - a pilot based on the legend of Robin Hood, made
by LWT but never shown in the UK.

* 6:00 pm Raiders of the Lost Archive - a unique chance to see another
episode of the series which remains untransmitted by ITV. Episode 2
features material from Bill Oddie, Morecambe and Wise and Ronnie Corbett.

* 6:30 pm Shadows - The Other Window. John Woodvine heads the cast
in an episode of the much-loved supernatural anthology series, produced
by Pamela Lonsdale and directed by Darrol Blake.

* 7:00 pm Closedown

SECOND VIEWING AREA

* 12:00 pm Terra Nova - play about Scott and Amundsen's race for the
South Pole, adapted and directed by John Bruce.

* 1:30 pm Armchair Thirty - Alfred Potter's Story - play starring
Arthur Lowe and Ian Ogilvy, directed by Darrol Blake.

* 2:00 pm Some Day Man - A West Indian Fable by Barbara Angell,
producted and directed by John Bruce for TSW.

* 3:00 pm The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Dancing Men. John
Bruce directs Jeremy Brett's definitive Holmes in this fine episode of
the Granada series, adapted by Anthony Skene.

* 4:00 pm Leap in the Dark - The Fetch. Rescheduled from our June
event, Juliet Harmer and future Doctor Who companion Lalla Ward star in
an episode from the seventies anthology series.

* 4:45 pm Goodbye to ABC (Midlands Version) - Last time we screened
the just recovered Northern Version, now see the other variant of this
farewell celebration of the work of ABC Television.

* 5:00 pm Just Another Little Blues Song - play starring Adam Faith
and Gwen Taylor, directed by John Bruce.

* 6:00 pm Not Quite Cricket - Anthony Milner, John Salthouse and
Elaine Donnelly feature in this play directed by John Bruce.

* 7:00 pm Closedown

All material at Kaleidoscope events is screened with the permission of
the copyright holders. Programmes and timings may be subject to change
before the day. Guests appear subject to professional and personal
commitments.

In 2008 Kaleidoscope is supporting the Royal National Lifeboat
Institution once again.

Full details of this event and Kaleidoscope's other activities can
always be found on our web site: www.kaleidoscope.org.uk

Last week's Zeta Minor News can be viewed here.

Previous Zeta Minor News entries can viewed here.