Worzel Gummidge (1979 -1981)

[derek_1999]

King of the Castle was the 70's kids series that freaked me out...

I lived in a block of flats (18th floor) and stopped using the lift for weeks due to this show

Regarding Worzel - I loved it... so really looking forward to this release.

[ProfXtacy]

Originally Posted by CompleteCount

"Good grieth!"




Attachment 274030

Don’t forget Captain Beetroot, Dolly Clothespeg and Saucy Nancy!

[CrockettandTubbs]

I was thinking of Noseybonk (shudder)

That greenhouse sketch - surely they knew how rude his 'plants' looked.

Also - check out the early Bungle of Rainbow: the horror, the horror!

[Faustus]

Originally Posted by edmonddantes

Also a fan of the bizarre charm of worzel, but since I have you here and you guys seem to be about my age, anyone remember a series titled "into the labyrinth" with ron moody? Ive got the DVDs but Id love to see it in HD

Loved it.

Ron was great! But Pamela Salem (as Belor) often stole the show.

Network released the DVD set years ago, so if there's ever a blu, it'll most likely be from them. I'd definitely buy it.

[edmonddantes]

Originally Posted by Faustus

Loved it.

Ron was great! But Pamela Salem (as Belor) often stole the show.

so scary when she flew with that music (Sidney Sager) as background trying to catch the kids or find the nidus.

happy to finally found a fellow fan of this niche series. I always thought it was very popular in the UK (Im assuming you're from there), but seems it was more popular in spain (where I lived at that time) and other parts of europe rather than in its birth place.

It was rather low budget but I think it'd look really nice in BD, but given how obscure it is I dont think its realistic to even aspire to see it in any kind of HD.

happy to see worzel in HD though, hopefully with alot of quirky and eccentric extras.

[Faustus]

Yes, I'm in the UK. I watched it on TV as a kid and own the Network DVD set. Children's TV drama from that era was pretty amazing, compared to now.

Salem was perfectly cast; super-dramatic, like she was in a theatre play.

It pleases me to learn that it got an audience that far afield. And it's great to see Sager mentioned; his opening music really set the scene. His theme for the Children of the Stones series used to freak me out.

[Desk.]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Looked it up, never saw that one.

Can you remember Huckleberry Finn And Friends? Loved that show. Starred Ian Tracey as huck Finn.

Am in danger of being consumed by a massive wave of nostalgia, here. Anyone remember the Heidi TV series…?

https://youtu.be/KCRiLyL0koc

Desk

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Desk.

Am in danger of being consumed by a massive wave of nostalgia, here. Anyone remember the Heidi TV series…?

https://youtu.be/KCRiLyL0koc

Desk

Fragmented memories, but that’s all.

[jampot]

Out 28th November...

[drush9999]

Originally Posted by Desk.

Am in danger of being consumed by a massive wave of nostalgia, here. Anyone remember the Heidi TV series…?

https://youtu.be/KCRiLyL0koc

Desk

I can hum the Heidi theme from memory. I remember the bad dubbing too

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by Dickieduvet

Deffo getting this, I bought one the early DVD volumes and it was VHS quality at best. I read a few yrs ago that the original negatives were found in a barn in Essex and that they were being handed over for a full restoration.

For the nostalgia factor alone it's a no brainer, some of my earliest TV memories involved this and guessing with my family which way Worzel was going to fall at the end of each episode.

Was part mesmerised and part terrified by this as a nipper

I think some of my early TV memories included the original Worzel Gummidge, as well as Metal Mickey and Dark Towers (where is Dark Towers?)

I have a vague memory of being scared by one of the characters in Worzel Gummidge, an evil scarecrow.

Call it a cautious interest in this Blu-ray release. Will be waiting for reviews and comments/observations first on this occasion (transfer, audio etc.) before deciding whether to get Fabulous Films UK's release.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

I think some of my early TV memories included the original Worzel Gummidge, as well as Metal Mickey and Dark Towers (where is Dark Towers?)

I have a vague memory of being scared by one of the characters in Worzel Gummidge, an evil scarecrow.

Call it a cautious interest in this Blu-ray release. Will be waiting for reviews and comments/observations first on this occasion (transfer, audio etc.) before deciding whether to get Fabulous Films UK's release.

It was probably Dafthead you were scared of but I wouldn’t say he was evil. He was just trying to preserve the life Worzel gave him. He did look extremely creepy though.

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

It was probably Dafthead you were scared of but I wouldn’t say he was evil. He was just trying to preserve the life Worzel gave him. He did look extremely creepy though.

Well that's what memories can do to you. They can include being close to what actually happened, and be sort-of wide of the mark. Your memory can play tricks on you, but it can also be accurate.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

Well that's what memories can do to you. They can include being close to what actually happened, and be sort-of wide of the mark. Your memory can play tricks on you, but it can also be accurate.

Totally understand why anyone would think that. He looked evil!

My favourite episode was the wedding. Seeing all the various scarecrows come together was fantastic as a child, if not a little eerie also.

[saltysam]

This was £64.99 on Amazon the other day,it's now shot up to £89.99

[the ladykiller]

Dang Wanglers
It better also include The Christmas Special at this price or they can bugger off to Zoo Nealand

[daycity]

Full list of special features now listed on Amazon -

- 9 all new audio commentaries with cast and crew

- A Visit to Scatterbrook Farm with Jeremy Austin and Wayne Norman revisiting the original Hampshire locations

- Isolated music and effects tracks on 6 episodes

- Unearthed Southern Television promotional films released for the first time

- An option to watch each episode with the original Southern TV curation and the original continuity from a Southern TV repeat of the Christmas special

- BFI Restoration Preview - a panel discussion with Jeremy Austin, Mike Berry, Lorraine Chase, Wayne Norman and Sean Pertwee from the launch of the restoration

- A Chat with Saucy Nancy - Barbara Windsor reveals her experiences of appearing several times throughout the series

- A Visit to the Crowman - Geoffrey Bayldon recalls his fond memories of playing Worzel's creator

- Experience life through Worzel's eyes with "Worzel Cam" featuring rushes from the original production

- The abandoned episode 'Worzel Gives a Lecture' presented as an audiobook with Jon Pertwee

- Barn Find - an insight into the discovery of the original Worzel film cans

- Restoring Worzel - showing the process of bringing the original film negatives back to life

- Revisiting Worzel - Jeremy Austin shares photos from his personal collection while behind the scenes during the audio commentaries

- Outtakes - a couple of bloopers from the 2nd series

- Worzel Audio Outtakes - cast and crew can be heard rehearsing key scenes from the 3rd series

- Sounds Of Worzel - sound effects outtakes from 1981

- Worzel on Location - rare 8mm footage of Worzel And The Saucy Nancy being made

- Trailers and adverts - ITV publicity adverts shown across the network for the series and when Worzel went commercial for the TV Times

- Extensive photo galleries for each series

- Day by Yesterday with Jon Pertwee's final appearance on Southern Television as Worzel

- Day By Day Cast Interview - Worzel, Aunt Sally and the Crowman appear on the regional ITV programme to preview the series with predictably riotous results

- Series guide booklet

- Double-Sided Poster of all New Artwork

- And many other archive treats including: Una Stubbs and Geoffrey Bayldon on This Morning, Jerry Austin and Charlotte Coleman on Southern Gold, a rediscovered interview with Jon Pertwee on Robson's People, Worzel in character on The Saturday Show, Aunt Sally visits Downing Street, Lorraine Chase on Day By Day, plus Worzel on the radio.

[saltysam]

Would be interesting to see footage of Pertwee's Worzel appearances at the Liverpool Garden Festival in 1984

[Majikat]

Originally Posted by daycity

Full list of special features now listed on Amazon -

....

- Double-Sided Poster of all New Artwork

Bumswizzle it!

Double-Sided Poster!? Now Im going to have to buy a second copy just so that I can tape both sides onto the living room wall - like any normal 48-yr old man.

Seriously - this was some of the very highest quality family TV drama/comedy of the past 70 years (Keith Waterhouse - no less); it still makes an impressive impact by todays standards. The writing, directing, production, acting and post production was perfectly pitched and executed. This was not throwaway cheap kids telly, as an adult having the DVD's for about 20 years, I can really appreciate it, the comedy elements alone are absolute gold.

I've been hoping for this for almost 15 years - knowing it was shot on film, I've always moaned "Such a pity - the original film is probably long lost, damaged or incomplete and very unlikely to get a HD restoration and release" whenever I've watched the rough episodes on DVD. I'm so happy that this has survived in good enough condition to enable a Blu-Ray release.

The extras sound exciting too, I was happy enough when I saw it was coming out on Blu-ray and pre-ordered straight away; I never expected that there would be so much in the way of extras too.

[daycity]

Originally Posted by Majikat

I've been hoping for this for almost 15 years - knowing it was shot on film, I've always moaned "Such a pity - the original film is probably long lost, damaged or incomplete and very unlikely to get a HD restoration and release" whenever I've watched the rough episodes on DVD. I'm so happy that this has survived in good enough condition to enable a Blu-Ray release.

Yeah, those masters used on the DVDs were bordering on the unwatchable, some episodes appeared to be near enough monochrome; the colour was that poor on them.

I've noticed on both the Amazon listing and FF's website that English subtitles look to have been included, hope that's the case.