The Official Network Thread

[T4ffer]

Oh cool, those Ealing rarities look interesting. And I've recently accepted that some things I probably have to get on DVD. I have a lot of British stuff already on my plate, though. I wonder if there's a chance of these getting re-released on DVD or Blu-Ray during the next several years?

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by T4ffer

Oh cool, those Ealing rarities look interesting. And I've recently accepted that some things I probably have to get on DVD. I have a lot of British stuff already on my plate, though. I wonder if there's a chance of these getting re-released on DVD or Blu-Ray during the next several years?

I'm not sure on the Ealing Rarities front. These are the following mini-sub collections within Network's The British Film collection (ALL are DVDs albeit I have mentioned which ones have had BD upgrades & you'll have to find out which ones have):

Ealing Rarities (x14 Volumes - 56 Films in total) - Does what it says on the tin. There is also a boxset containing ALL 14 volumes & some of the films within the collection have had BD upgrades.

British Comedies of the 1930s (x12 Volumes - 24 films in total) - Most if not all of the films are quota quickies.

British Musicals of the 1930s (x6 Volumes - 24 films in total) - Does what it says on the tin.

Aldwych Farces (x4 Volumes - 8 films in total) - Some, but not all, are the original Aldwych farces while the others are from other filmed farces by Travers, with one or more of the Aldwych stars. Check Wiki for info about Alwych farces.

The Jessie Matthews Revue (x6 Volumes - 12 film in total) - Musicals starring Jessie Matthews.

The Edgar Wallace Mysteries (x47 separate discs - 47 films in total) - These are a series of B-movies, based on Edgar Wallace works, NOT a TV series as listed on IMDB. This series led to the German Krimi films. There's also a boxset, The Edgar Wallace Anthology, containing ALL 47 films across 20 discs.


Then there are several 4 disc sets such as British Film Comedy: The 60s & British Film Comedy: The 70s which are just 4 disc sets of already released films just packaged together & NOT really a mini-collection series like the above ones are. Some of the films within these 4 disc sets have had BD upgrades.

Hope the above helps you out.

[BobRusk]

In case anyone is on the lookout for The Likely Lads blu-ray, there's a single copy up for grabs at HMV:
https://hmv.com/store/film-tv/blu-ray/the-likely-lads

[fatboyslim142]

Anyone have a complete list of ALL the films in The British Film collection? ie ones with The British Film in the top right hand corner.

[alexrinse]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

Anyone have a complete list of ALL the films in The British Film collection? ie ones with The British Film in the top right hand corner.

There's one on letterboxd, can't vouch for it being comprehensive.

[T4ffer]

Quite a good chunk of those are on Netflix (for Estonia at least)... I hope that lasts for a while, might do a deep dive into those next year or later.

[alexrinse]

Same in Portugal, there's a huge Studio Canal dump on there although quite a few, mainly French classic, titles went earlier in the year.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by alexrinse

There's one on letterboxd, can't vouch for it being comprehensive.

Thanks. That list was last updated 20th July 2018 so NONE of the subsequent releases are included.

[alexrinse]

I've probably got release emails from 2020 onwards. Anyone that can fill the gap? We can clone and update the list...

[TheHistorian]

I have what I think is a mostly complete list for the period I care about (pre-1970). I'd be happy to collaborate to try to get One True List Of Everything™️.

[tuguegarao]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129536...7720319340605/

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by tuguegarao

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129536...7720319340605/

Thanks for this. Will go through it & make a list of what I want etc & also check/note which of those have BD releases.

[TheHistorian]

I see some of The British Film titles mention limited edition booklets. Were they ever actually limited like other labels do, or did they never really "run out" of any?

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by Mike0284

So Australia is getting The Baron films through Imprint.



Wonder if a UK release gets announced by the end of the year.

Arrived this morning in the post from Imprint in Australia.

[Deadend45]

Another place to buy network titles, BDs starting at 4.50GBP:

https://chalkys.com/search?page=1&q=...rice-ascending

Free shipping?

[Deadend45]

Originally Posted by Deadend45

Another place to buy network titles, BDs starting at 4.50GBP:

https://chalkys.com/search?page=1&q=...rice-ascending

Free shipping?

Love, Life & Laughter is much cheaper on Chalkys then rarewaves although I guess Chalkys has it listed on amazon uk.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Deadend45

Another place to buy network titles, BDs starting at 4.50GBP:

https://chalkys.com/search?page=1&q=...rice-ascending

Free shipping?

Thanks for this link, Deadend! Was hoping they might have the 1959 MAIGRET and a cheaper price on REDCAP, but no luck.

A handful of recommendations: Only on DVD, but VERY IMPORTAN PERSON is a great and very funny prisoner of war movie, despite the contradiction in terms there. It's also anamorphic and a great copy. I also really enjoyed the feature film version Blu-ray of LOVE THY NEIGHBOR for its politically incorrect humor.

THE HANGED MAN is a fine tv series and only 8 episodes.

Regarding the series sets mentioned above, I believe I wound up getting all the British Musical series and the Ealing Rarities, but haven't sampled any of them yet. I skipped the Comedy sets because you only got two movies instead of four and also I just didn't know if I would get on with 1930's UK humor. As for the musicals, I think those will probably prove a bust as it looks like many of them are classical music related which might include opera and operetta music as their focus, something I wouldn't enjoy too much.

Avoid SPRING MEETING like the plague, by far the worst Network buy I ever did as the movie stinks so much, I couldn't even finish it and gave it to my neighbor.

Anyone watch any of those "Aldwych Farces" sets?

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Thanks for this link, Deadend! Was hoping they might have the 1959 MAIGRET and a cheaper price on REDCAP, but no luck.

A handful of recommendations: Only on DVD, but VERY IMPORTAN PERSON is a great and very funny prisoner of war movie, despite the contradiction in terms there. It's also anamorphic and a great copy. I also really enjoyed the feature film version Blu-ray of LOVE THY NEIGHBOR for its politically incorrect humor.

THE HANGED MAN is a fine tv series and only 8 episodes.

Regarding the series sets mentioned above, I believe I wound up getting all the British Musical series and the Ealing Rarities, but haven't sampled any of them yet. I skipped the Comedy sets because you only got two movies instead of four and also I just didn't know if I would get on with 1930's UK humor. As for the musicals, I think those will probably prove a bust as it looks like many of them are classical music related which might include opera and operetta music as their focus, something I wouldn't enjoy too much.

Avoid SPRING MEETING like the plague, by far the worst Network buy I ever did as the movie stinks so much, I couldn't even finish it and gave it to my neighbor.

Anyone watch any of those "Aldwych Farces" sets?

The British Comedy Films of the 1930s are basically quota quickies.

[Deadend45]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Avoid SPRING MEETING like the plague, by far the worst Network buy I ever did as the movie stinks so much, I couldn't even finish it and gave it to my neighbor.

Months ago I looked up the really cheap network BDs on rarewaves and they all got only two stars in my PDFs of book film reviews.

[pferreira]

I just noticed that Network put out The Animals of Farthing Wood on DVD. For whoever now owns the home media rights I wonder if the original negatives exist to present the series in HD?