Only Fools and Horses - The 80s Specials

[Ben_C]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

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

Don’t watch much regular tv nowadays, but if I ever see a trailer reel for some BBC shows before some footy, it looks like utter dreck, especially considering what amazing stuff we used to get on a regular basis.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by Ben_C

Don’t watch much regular tv nowadays, but if I ever see a trailer reel for some BBC shows before some footy, it looks like utter dreck, especially considering what amazing stuff we used to get on a regular basis.

There seems to be an inverse relationship with TVs getting ever larger screens and more sophisticated and today's TV content. The definition increases and on the other hand the TV programme quality decreases.

I don't have a TV. If I go to someone's home and they have the TV on, it is generally appalling what is transmitted, even the serious programmes are childish compared to how they used to be like and come the adverts a sort of sickness comes over me like I have had the A Clockwork Orange, Ludovico Technique treatment.

With a decent size physical video collection, one does not to have to endure all the cr@p and the relentless bombardment of consumerism commercials.

[GreatUncleBaal]

Not a fan of the BBC, but the argument about quality is one that happens all the time, since the beginning of tv,
you get older and the things you loved change or go away,
you don't get as invested in the things that replace them.

Sitcoms come and go, a lot of people seem to like Mr's Browns Boys, not me,
Still Game was great for me though and then you have Derry Girls, which was probably the best thing on terrestrial TV in an age.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by GreatUncleBaal

Not a fan of the BBC, but the argument about quality is one that happens all the time, since the beginning of tv,
you get older and the things you loved change or go away,
you don't get as invested in the things that replace them.

Sitcoms come and go, a lot of people seem to like Mr's Browns Boys, not me,
Still Game was great for me though and then you have Derry Girls, which was probably the best thing on terrestrial TV in an age.

I appreciate everything you are saying there. I don't think automaticlly something is better just because it was made in a certain period, there is the "time machine" appeal seeing a place at a different time which can be fascinating to see, but I would like to show for example a BBC production made in 1969, before I was born and I never saw until it caught my eye on the shelf at HMV a decade ago, it was a chance buy.

Civilisation by Kenneth Clark


The beauty of this series shot on 35mm film is tremendous, the photography, the narration, the music. The vast majority the locations shown are timeless, so no risk of nostalgia tripping bias. The refined and knowledgeable Kenneth Clark talks to you as an adult. If I put this series on the projector it sends shivers down my spine to how deeply magnificent it is. Others who I have shown this to have also been very impressed. In a way this series reminds of the Saturday morning BBC Open University programmes of 40-45 years ago.

The BBC's 2018 Civilisations series with all the modern technological advantages falls way short of what you experience compared to the 1969 production.

I do like Mrs Brown's Boys, but I don't have it in the video vault, I do have though Count Arthur Strong, so I am quite modern and up to date.



Another series that would not be made today to such a high standard of in depth knowledge regarding architecture are the 3 series by Alec Clifton-Taylor, Six English Towns (1978), Six More English Towns (1981) and Another Six English Towns (1984). If this was made now it would not have the depth nor the time spent on individual aspects, buildings or towns, but be rushed to the next thing or town and Alec Clifton-Taylor would be pressed by the BBC to often dress up in old fashioned costumes and be a bit silly to keep the audiances's attention.




Sadly, things to this level and charm will never be repeated again in new TV productions. This is another TV series I would love to see in HD if the film elements were still around, but again I highly suspect it is far too niche by half.

Six English Towns, A Pattern of Building, Stamford Lincolnshire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGC7yC2iXa4

[fatboyslim142]

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.

They should release the St. Trinians films since one of them was re-rated (went from U to PG) by the BBFC recently.