Des O’Connor – Volume One (Network U.K./Region Two/2/PAL DVDs)
Picture: C Sound: C+ Extras: C- Compilations: B-
PLEASE NOTE: This DVD can only be operated on
machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Two/2/PAL format
software and can be ordered from our friends at Network U.K. at the website
address provided at the end of the review.
If you have not heard of Des O’Connor, think of him as the
U.K.’s answer to Perry Como, The Lettermen and Andy Williams, landing a mix of
name guests and unknowns, plus many of the songs being less known that
others. Then consider that he lasted on
TV for 45 years in a row!
By 1971,
he was so popular that he landed Kraft Foods as a main sponsor and did his
first full color series, The Des O’Connor
Show. Of course, that was also the
name of his older show, but now it had color and a sponsor with deep
pockets. Their name is missing and
apparently, so are some complete episodes, so Network is offering two DVDs of
compilation work running over two hours each and dubbing it Des O’Connor – Volume One. Sometimes the show is like Benny Hill, but
more often, it is surreal or like Lawrence Welk.
Either
way, he sings very often, while he also has some good guests. They include Matt Munro, Liberace,
Terry-Thomas, Britt Ekland, Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, Roy Castle, Lonnie
Donegan and Patrick Newell in his first regular TV series appear since the
cancellation of The Avengers with
Patrick Macnee and Linda Thorson (reviewed elsewhere on this site) where he
played Mother. He more than holds his
own here, though ironically does not appear in a very funny spy spoof O’Connor
does as his best skit in this set.
The 1.33
X 1 color PAL image is a bit on the soft side throughout, though this looks
like a little better for its age and is a good transfer of what is early color
PAL material. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
is better, though has the usual harmonic distortion and sonic limits TV audio
at the time (especially for videotaped shows) that TV on both sides of the
Atlantic suffered. The only extra is a
silent series of stills lasting five minutes.
As noted above, you can order this PAL DVD import
exclusively from Network U.K. at:
www.networkdvd.co.uk
or
http://www.networkdvd.net/
- Nicholas Sheffo
