Only Fools and Horses - The 80s Specials

[darrellmaclaine]

Originally Posted by Lost-in-time

Am I right in thinking Gold use the edited versions? Having the specials (mostly) uncut was the best thing about that boxset.

Gold use their own proprietary edits, which are versions made compliant for pre-watershed, plus any cuts required for racist language or contentious references (Jimmy Savile, Princess Diana etc, the usual), not unlike the set of masters the BBC used for regular terrestrial repeats after the 1996 resurgence in popularity. The video versions (mostly the same between VHS and DVD) were not intentionally cut for content, only music reasons (these releases pre-dating the historic MCPS agreement they signed in the mid-2000s), but in one or two cases the censored BBC repeat tapes escaped onto the DVDs (Tea For Three was one). Some edits, like "the only provo weightlifter in London" being redubbed to "genuine" are very, very old so you'll find them everywhere, but the established idea that there is one "uncut version" and one "edited version " of Only Fools is a bit of an invention by the fan community.

[pferreira]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

There's some quite nice bobblehead type figures, and they seem to be selling well, as there's quite a few in the line now, some standouts being the Jolly boys outing set in a bus, and a mini-diorama of Del calling through the bar in Yuppie Love. The same company makes Laurel and Hardy and Dad's Army bobble figures, but they don't have anywhere near the number of figures as OFAH does.

They released a book on the making of the show. That looked pretty good.

[david_blu]

Does anyone know if they improved the dvd encode over the years? I have the old massive box from 2006 with the leopard theme like the size of a big book.

I can see they have released newer dvd sets from 2017 I just wondered if the BBC recoded the discs at some point even if the masters are the same?

[Phil92]

Originally Posted by david_blu

Does anyone know if they improved the dvd encode over the years? I have the old massive box from 2006 with the leopard theme like the size of a big book.

I can see they have released newer dvd sets from 2017 I just wondered if the BBC recoded the discs at some point even if the masters are the same?

Nope, they’re all exactly the same. I have the Leopard print too.

[SoundableObject]

I think I got the version after it with two disc amarays. As said, all the same.

Aside from the Blu-ray, I believe the best way to get the episodes officially is Google Play/iTunes but even then they are still cut. Just a little less cut.

[GlacierTuba]

I have 29 of the 30 partwork releases. Those are supposedly the nearest to 'uncut' available? Hole In One and Watching The Girls Go By are both uncut. I was surprised Yuppy Love was still cut. The extended scene from that episode is on YouTube. Royal Flush is uncut, I think, but I have the Blu Ray so am not that fussed about it.

[GlacierTuba]

This is really silly but I figure it's worth mentioning.

I was watching The Jolly Boys Outing today, and for the first time ever I noticed that during the Margate interlude, when the ride operator starts the ride for the Mary Rose ship, the button he presses to start the ride is labelled Scheissen.

Which means Shitting* in German.




*I'm assuming it does as Scheisse means Sh*t in German.

[DisneyDreamer2023]

Why are the BBC releasing Red Dwarf on Blu-ray for a second time (I know they are now including Back to Earth, Series X, Series XI, Series XII & The Promised Land this time but still…) yet they can’t be bothered to release a complete Only Fools & Horses collection on Blu-ray even just once!
I know Red Dwarf is popular, but Only Fools has been voted the UK’s most popular sitcom so many times over the years.

Red Dwarf, Fawlty Towers, The Young Ones, Blackadder have all been released as complete collections on Blu-ray, why are the BBC so reluctant on Only Fools?

I heard someone on Reddit say Only Fools has too many episodes at 64! Well Red Dwarf has 75…

https://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/red-dw.../16994054.html

[darrellmaclaine]

The new Red Dwarf release is a repackage. The Only Fools release didn't sell enough to do more - and quite a lot of film still exists (including the film-heavy Ashes To Ashes from series 2!) so it would need to be done properly.

It's a shame. There are a lot of BBC comedy Blu-rays we nearly got but didn't. I haven't a clue what they're even doing now, it all went so off-course.

[CouncilSpectre]

Originally Posted by darrellmaclaine

The new Red Dwarf release is a repackage. The Only Fools release didn't sell enough to do more - and quite a lot of film still exists (including the film-heavy Ashes To Ashes from series 2!) so it would need to be done properly.

It's a shame. There are a lot of BBC comedy Blu-rays we nearly got but didn't. I haven't a clue what they're even doing now, it all went so off-course.

Timely. We need something to long for now that we've finally got The Sweeney I suppose.....

[The Hornets]

Already covered but the new Red Dwarf package is very cheap to produce as it is just all the existing BDs and DVDs but in a new single box.

OFAH as noted would have a cost to produce new BD discs restoring film elements and upscaling video. They don't see the sales potential as justifying the cost, especially as it seems the 80s Specials release sold so poorly.

[jonboy24]

The BBC should have just released it as a complete collection in the first place.

At this point, I just want the BBC gone. They don't produce anything worthwhile anymore, especially comedy.

Let another company handle the series with respect. Not going to happen though.

[The Hornets]

The problem is shows like OFAH are ubiquitous on GOLD and that satisfies most people. If they want it on disc a £20 DVD boxset is good enough.

Is why I’m amazed the BBC did upscaled of Blackadder and Fawlty Towers on BD. No idea how well those sold. But both are shorter runs.

Shows like OFAH, Dad’s Army and Are You Being Served they almost certainly feel being longer running shows so more discs and work to upscale and restore film elements it’s just not worth the cost.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

The problem is shows like OFAH are ubiquitous on GOLD and that satisfies most people. If they want it on disc a £20 DVD boxset is good enough.

Is why I’m amazed the BBC did upscaled of Blackadder and Fawlty Towers on BD. No idea how well those sold. But both are shorter runs.

Shows like OFAH, Dad’s Army and Are You Being Served they almost certainly feel being longer running shows so more discs and work to upscale and restore film elements it’s just not worth the cost.

Regarding Are You Being Served we don't even have the spin off film on BD in the UK, I only got it by ordering it from Imprint in Australia which was bundled with with the Steptoe & Son films that I wanted on BD.

I always felt that Blakes's 7 was very worthy of an upgrade to BD and it seems to have paid off. I would like OFAH and On the Buses on BD, however eventhough I like to be positive about things and give things a chance I can see the market being very limited for these 1970s-80s comedy shows, not unless there is some cult resurgence with a younger generation.

[The Hornets]

Those comedy film versions of popular TV shows are owned mostly by ITV or Studio Canal and neither has seen the worth of sticking on BD here.

Studio Canal are happy to licence as we see with Imprint doing the On the Buses boxset.

They have loads of film sitting in their archive such as St Trinians only has the first film on BD. For that series of films they missed the trick as should have issued when the two new reimagined films came out but those were years ago now and the moment has passed.

[McCrutchy]

I wish we could get at least "One Foot in the Algarve" on Blu-ray. I know One Foot in the Grave was generally shot on tape with film exteriors, but that feature-length Christmas special was shot on location and if I recall correctly, is entirely on film. The series had its 35th anniversary this year and that episode was already remastered and even had a cinema screening, too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yow7dLKVJzw

This could be a terrific single-disc release from the BBC. I don't really get why it hasn't happened, to be honest, but then, the BBC has a ton of archive programming on film which they haven't thought of putting out.

[darrellmaclaine]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

This could be a terrific single-disc release from the BBC. I don't really get why it hasn't happened, to be honest, but then, the BBC has a ton of archive programming on film which they haven't thought of putting out.

It was pitched/offered to them, and even though the work was already done they still said no. I believe the idea was to also include the all-film episodes Hearts Of Darkness and The Beast In The Cage, and a new commentary on the main feature.

[CouncilSpectre]

It wouldn't be quite so galling if 99% of the **** they DO commission these days didn't make me instantly wretch.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

Those comedy film versions of popular TV shows are owned mostly by ITV or Studio Canal and neither has seen the worth of sticking on BD here.

Studio Canal are happy to licence as we see with Imprint doing the On the Buses boxset.

They have loads of film sitting in their archive such as St Trinians only has the first film on BD. For that series of films they missed the trick as should have issued when the two new reimagined films came out but those were years ago now and the moment has passed.

If Tim Beddows and Network were still about I am sure from the period of 2023 to today we would have seen many more British comedy films on BD in the UK.

[spearce8]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

I wish we could get at least "One Foot in the Algarve" on Blu-ray.

This could be a terrific single-disc release from the BBC. I don't really get why it hasn't happened, to be honest, but then, the BBC has a ton of archive programming on film which they haven't thought of putting out.

Last of the Summer Wine’s “Getting Sam Home” is another that had a HD restoration, if memory serves the local cinema in Holmfirth had a showing at the time, was a ‘double feature’ on BBC3 (with Algarve) both new prints were shown on Christmas Eve a couple of years back, was hopeful of a BD release then, but nothing.