Armchair Theater – Volume One (Network U.K./Region Two/2/PAL DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: B-
PLEASE NOTE: This DVD set 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 or at finer retailers.
Armchair Theater began in 1956 and was a series of
telefilm-like shows that covered many genres, though the later spin-off shows
like Armchair Thriller and Armchair Cinema (both reviewed
elsewhere on this site) focused more on mystery, thriller and detective
works. Running until 1973, it turns out
the original show is really a series of dramas and melodramas that managed to
be a big hit by featuring then-bold social examinations of life in Britain, et
al. Though not as interesting as the
later spin-offs, this is still quality television of note that holds up well
enough.
Network U.K.
has issued a Volume One set that compiles
various shows from 1970 to 1973 (the end of the show) and includes:
Disc One
Say Goodnight To Your Grandma
starring Colin Weiland & Susan Jameson.
Office Party starring Peter
Barkworth, Ray Brooks & Peter A, Cooper.
Brown Skin Gal, Stay Home & Mind
Bay-Bee starring
Billie Whitelaw, Donal McCann & Ann Firbank.
Detective Waiting starring Richard
Beckinsale, Barry Linehan & Bryan Pringle.
Disc Two
Will Amelia Quint Continue Writing
“A Gnome Called Shorthouse”? starring Beryl Reid, Richard Vernon, Geoffrey Chater,
Sheila Staefel & Sally Bazeley.
The Folk Singer starring Tom Bell.
A Bit Of A Lift starring Ronald
Frazier, Ann Beach & Donald Churchill (who wrote it).
Red Riding Hood starring Rita
Tushingham and Keith Barron.
The
acting is good and a few good moments can be found here and there, but these
shows did not stick with me too much.
Still, you can see why the series was a hit and by sampling towards the
end of the show, gives us where the show finally played itself out. Maybe the earlier shows were better, but that
will have to be for another DVD release.
The 1.33
X 1 image throughout the shows are shot mostly on 16mm film, though these are
from older PAL analog video transfers and are worn-looking throughout. You can see some very good cinematography was
intended and we wonder and hope that the film footage survived, but these
copies will have to do for now. The
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is good for its age with some expected distortion, but the
shows sound better than they look by default.
There are no extras.
As noted above, you can order this PAL DVD import
exclusively from Network U.K.
at:
http://www.networkdvd.net/
or
www.networkdvd.co.uk
- Nicholas Sheffo
