The Official Network Thread

[Shillingbury Tales]

I had despatch emails on Monday for volumes 4 and 5 of Dept S and today Volume 6 of Randall and Hopkirk. Would have expected Dept S to be here by now if they had been shipped but based on the original release dates given I'm thinking this is another Network cockup.
I got the email today which made no mention of which title had been shipped. Clicked into My Orders and even with the order number there is no mention of the title. You have to download the PDF invoice to get it.
They do release some great stuff but their website remains as shit as it has ever been - worse in fact

[oddbox83]

The pre-buy system never gave proper notifications, so I don't think it's any worse just equally crap. They still physically post when they should at least.

I had some pre-buys in with my Naked Civil Servant order. Despatch notices for all, but only The Naked Civil Servant has turned up so clearly the others aren't posted yet. Maybe they'll improve matters when new pre-buys go up native to the new site. The others might not have ported over correctly, the old weblinks sent out in emails are certainly broken.

[Shillingbury Tales]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

The pre-buy system never gave proper notifications, so I don't think it's any worse just equally crap. They still physically post when they should at least.

I had some pre-buys in with my Naked Civil Servant order. Despatch notices for all, but only The Naked Civil Servant has turned up so clearly the others aren't posted yet. Maybe they'll improve matters when new pre-buys go up native to the new site. The others might not have ported over correctly, the old weblinks sent out in emails are certainly broken.

On their previous site My Orders did show the product that had been ordered. Doesn't seem to now.
The pre buys also don't now include the T&C about pay now ship later etc.
Seen that plenty of others also got emails for DS 4&5 but nobody has the discs yet.

[rapta]

Just saw BFI posted a trailer for Stephen Frears' Prick Up Your Ears (newly restored), and noticed it was an ITV release. I assume Network will get this since they've released quite a few ITV titles recently (and if not, ITV themselves or possibly even BFI may do it instead).

[Shillingbury Tales]

Originally Posted by rapta

Just saw BFI posted a trailer for Stephen Frears' Prick Up Your Ears (newly restored), and noticed it was an ITV release. I assume Network will get this since they've released quite a few ITV titles recently (and if not, ITV themselves or possibly even BFI may do it instead).

Network are on their second 10 year contract with ITV. I'm not sure about "quite a few" ITV titles. They've released hundreds and they usually release anything that ITV don't want themselves which is good because generally ITV don't seem interested in Bluray releases very much at all.

[malcy30]

However on many TV shows in particular ITV are holding onto rights even they only want to exploit as DVD even they are happy to licence on BD overseas including Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. Now it may be Network don't see BDs as financially viable in UK or ITV won't let them release them.

[Shillingbury Tales]

Originally Posted by malcy30

However on many TV shows in particular ITV are holding onto rights even they only want to exploit as DVD even they are happy to licence on BD overseas including Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. Now it may be Network don't see BDs as financially viable in UK or ITV won't let them release them.

Basically if it's shown on ITV Encore they will keep the UK rights but anything else generally they don't seem to.
And just because ITV release shows on dvd doesn't preclude Network from releasing a Bluray version.
UFO being the most recent example.

[rapta]

Doesn't explain why there are still Powell & Pressburger titles not available on Blu-ray in their native country!

[Shillingbury Tales]

Originally Posted by rapta

Doesn't explain why there are still Powell & Pressburger titles not available on Blu-ray in their native country!

Because the rights owner obviously doesn't believe the UK market is strong enough.
They belong to ITV so it's no surprise.
There are lots of popular modern ITV shows on Bluray elsewhere but not in the UK and many films that ITV own were released on Bluray in other countries long before they came out here and some still aren't.

ITV really have a downer on Bluray but they don't have a very good track record of exploiting their library ever going back decades.
They purchased multiple film libraries in the late 90's to show on pay tv but when it didn't work out the stuff didn't pop up elsewhere- they just sit on it.

If ITV don't feel releasing classic material on Bluray like the Hammer films they own or the 18 Carry on films they own is worth it what hope for the other niche material?

One of the problems seems to be that ITV appear to have very little interest in ensuring that HD masters are available for masses of the content they own.
They've only just got round to the ITC library (bar the big hitters) and despite still broadcasting the Carry on Films on their channels the only HD ones seen are the ones owned by Studio Canal. The ITV owned ones remain in SD only

[Yami]

All of the major Powell/Pressburger restorations have been made available; I haven't heard of any others since the gorgeous restoration of Tales of Hoffman.

Network did give us Powell's Thief of Bagdad, and while it's certainly good it's quite easy to imagine that it could be much better.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by Yami

All of the major Powell/Pressburger restorations have been made available; I haven't heard of any others since the gorgeous restoration of Tales of Hoffman.

Network did give us Powell's Thief of Bagdad, and while it's certainly good it's quite easy to imagine that it could be much better.

I was hoping for a better effort on Thief Of Baghdad especially as The Four Feathers was a decent effort on Network's part.

[rapta]

My comment was more in reference to the fact that titles like A Matter of Life and Death, 49th Parallel and The Battle of the River Plate have been licensed to labels outside of the UK but yet still not released over here - not by ITV themselves, or another label such as Network.

I can understand if these had not been restored like many of the classic titles and were older masters, but it's strange we haven't heard anything about more P&P restorations nor Blu-ray editions of anything since The Tales of Hoffmann. They're arguably our greatest filmmakers!

[Pecker]

I think with AMOLAD, they won't release that in the UK until it has been properly restored. This will involve a 4K scan of the original 3-strip Technicolor elements so they can be re-aligned properly (unlike the current European Blu-ray Disc releases).

I'd love to see all the remaining P&P films released in the UK on Blu-ray Disc, but particularly AMOLAD and IKWIG!

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Pecker

I think with AMOLAD, they won't release that in the UK until it has been properly restored. This will involve a 4K scan of the original 3-strip Technicolor elements so they can be re-aligned properly (unlike the current European Blu-ray Disc releases).

I'd love to see all the remaining P&P films released in the UK on Blu-ray Disc, but particularly AMOLAD and IKWIG!

I'm sure we'll get A Matter of Life and Death eventually. It might actually be my favourite P&P film so I hope they do it justice. I'm sure Scorsese et al will make sure it's done properly!

Never seen I Know Where I'm Going! but would like that on UK Blu-ray eventually too, as well as One of Our Aircraft is Missing. Are these likely to be restored as well?

[rapta]

On another note, anyone else notice this listing on Zoom for the Hammer House of Horror Collection due in October?

https://www.zoom.co.uk/product/hamme...ox_set_blu_ray

Might be of interest to some...

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by rapta

On another note, anyone else notice this listing on Zoom for the Hammer House of Horror Collection due in October?

https://www.zoom.co.uk/product/hamme...ox_set_blu_ray

Might be of interest to some...

The House That Bled To Death, The Carpathian Eagle (Suzanne Danielle ), Children of the Full Moon (Diana Dors), Witching Time (Patricia Quinn), Rude Awakening (Denholm Elliot), The Silent Scream (Brian Cox, Peter Cushing ) - my favourite episodes.

Growing Pains not so much.

Good news, though: especially if there's any new extras coming?

[the blob]

Originally Posted by rapta

On another note, anyone else notice this listing on Zoom for the Hammer House of Horror Collection due in October?

https://www.zoom.co.uk/product/hamme...ox_set_blu_ray

Might be of interest to some...

Fantastic and also very interesting as when the Synapse version was released only tape masters existed apparently.

[BigNickUK]

Originally Posted by rapta

On another note, anyone else notice this listing on Zoom for the Hammer House of Horror Collection due in October?

https://www.zoom.co.uk/product/hamme...ox_set_blu_ray

Might be of interest to some...

When I was little, my grandparents used to let me watch tv all night pretty much

I caught The House That Bled To Death one night.......I had nightmares for weeks

[SteveBriz]

Summer Sale's on. Site must be taking a battering. It hangs endlessly & items chosen don't always make it into the cart. Still if you are patient, some excellent prices in there.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by the blob

Fantastic and also very interesting as when the Synapse version was released only tape masters existed apparently.

Restored in standard def by Carlton now absorbed by ITV in the early noughties. Nice but rather heavy handed with the noise reduction. I'll happily rebuy with new HD scans.