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WHV Announce: Fawlty Towers and Black Adder Remastered

post #1 of 33
8/11/09 at 1:58pm
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Fawlty Towers - The Complete Series
post #2 of 33
8/11/09 at 2:46pm
I don't want to work here anymore.
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post #3 of 33
8/11/09 at 10:38pm
So remastered. . . . how?
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post #4 of 33
8/12/09 at 5:36am
Here's more details, but nothing really on the remastering:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Fawlty-Towers-Remastered-Release-Coming/12332
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post #5 of 33
8/12/09 at 6:38am
These two releases have been discussed for quite some time now on Zeta Minor's Roobarb's Forum.

The short version: BBC Resources appear to be the ones who worked on Fawlty, so that one should look wonderful (one sterling example of their work is the R2 version of the first season of Space: 1999, and some of their staff are part of the team responsible for the really nice-looking classic Doctor Who releases).

Blackadder was remastered by an outside company, so they don't appear to have taken the great amounts of care that BBC Resources do on their work. Most likely, they just applied some DVNR (video noise reduction). To be fair, those who've seen the R2 version say it is an improvement on the previous releases, it's just not up to "Doctor Who" standards. Also, the edited "Pimpernel" poem from "Nob and Nobility" has been restored (and hasn't been seen since the original broadcasts) and there's an extensive documentary on board, too that was shown on BBCtv earlier this year.

I've been holding out on buying both shows on DVD after concerns about picture quality. I'm confident enough in both of these releases to finally retire my old VHS tapes of these shows.
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post #6 of 33
8/12/09 at 8:52am
I have the FT set and the picture quality is just OK.  But it IS FT, so I had to buy it!  I hope the extras on this new set make it worth a probable double-dip for me.
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post #7 of 33
8/12/09 at 12:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricSchulz View Post

I have the FT set and the picture quality is just OK.  But it IS FT, so I had to buy it!  I hope the extras on this new set make it worth a probable double-dip for me.


I suspect it should be worth a double-dip to you. The set you have (if it's the US one) was rushed into production because the US office wanted Fawlty discs before the UK got around to doing DVDs, so those are simply straight dubs from 'off-the-shelf' master tapes with no clean up/restoration. The basic masters to Fawlty that have been doing the rounds have looked (IMO) pretty grubby.

This new release is not just remastered, but will have a proper restoration job done to the pictures. As I understand it, they most likely went back to the original 2" masters (or the digital tapes that were made from those masters) rather than using old syndication/broadcast copies as has been done before, and that the video will have been cleaned-up, graded, etc.

I've seen BBC Resources work before and if you were underwhelmed with the original release, I'm sure the new one will look lots better.

Also, I don't know about the R1, but the old R2 release ([b]not[/b] this new remastered one) has an edited episode on there: The Kipper and the Corpse. There was a cut where Basil was saying "is it your legs?" to Mr. Leman due to tape damage and at the time, they just cut it rather than trying to restore it from another copy. The new release will have the full, unedited episode.

Unfortunately for Blackadder, though, the line about 'nailing up the dog' from Christmas Carol is still edited out (no idea if the R1 DVDs were unedited, but at least the American VHS release was uncut, so I'll be hanging onto that videotape).
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post #8 of 33
8/12/09 at 12:40pm
I didn't thing FT looked that bad, especially compared to the LD transfer, which was horrid. I'd be interested in some side-by-side comparisons.
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post #9 of 33
8/12/09 at 1:04pm
Awesome news re FT
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post #10 of 33
8/13/09 at 5:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyMcKinney View Post

Unfortunately for Blackadder, though, the line about 'nailing up the dog' from Christmas Carol is still edited out (no idea if the R1 DVDs were unedited, but at least the American VHS release was uncut, so I'll be hanging onto that videotape).

The R1 DVD boxed set of the Blackadders does indeed have the unedited Christmas Carol. I bought it for that very reason!
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post #11 of 33
8/13/09 at 5:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonathan Kaye View Post




The R1 DVD boxed set of the Blackadders does indeed have the unedited Christmas Carol. I bought it for that very reason!

Okay, didn't know that. Maybe I'll find a secondhand used one of that disc, since the upcoming set is going to contain the edited version.

Just checked and noticed it's on "Blackadder the Third" (would've assumed it to have been on the "Back and Forth" disc). If the used ones ever fall to about five bucks, I'll pick one up just for the uncut "Christmas Carol" (or may just hold onto my VHS).
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post #12 of 33
8/13/09 at 8:48am
I can't access the Roobarb forum without registering. What "restoration" work was done on Fawlty Towers?

I wish studios had taken more time to actually restore material in the first place rather than rush shows out when TV shows started coming on DVD.
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post #13 of 33
8/13/09 at 11:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyMcKinney View Post
As I understand it, they most likely went back to the original 2" masters (or the digital tapes that were made from those masters)

I read once in a print interview with Cleese that he supervised a slight trimming down of the episodes in order to improve the comedy timing, and these new versions are what we've seen since. If that is true, I would assume they used the original broadcast masters as the source and the revisions are a generation down from those. (Again, if the story is true), would you know which masters are being used for this new release? If the originals, will the DVD be conformed to match Cleese's revisions? I couldn't argue against either approach.
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post #14 of 33
10/19/09 at 4:56am
This is coming out on Tuesday.  Has anyone seen any reviews that will help me decide if I will be double-dipping?
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post #15 of 33
10/19/09 at 5:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay Pennington View Post




I read once in a print interview with Cleese that he supervised a slight trimming down of the episodes in order to improve the comedy timing, and these new versions are what we've seen since. If that is true, I would assume they used the original broadcast masters as the source and the revisions are a generation down from those. (Again, if the story is true), would you know which masters are being used for this new release? If the originals, will the DVD be conformed to match Cleese's revisions? I couldn't argue against either approach.

 

From what I understand, they went back to the original 2" masters (or the 1990s digital tapes made from such), not to any later masters. They also went to the trouble to re-instate a sequence that was edited out of the previous discs (R2 anyway) that was cut due to a tape glitch on the original master.

Also, some (but not all) of the original film sequences were located, cleaned-up and re-inserted back into the episodes. These sequences are said to look a lot better (the film from "Gourmet Night" was amongst what was found). Those familiar with some of the Doctor Who releases (like "Earthshock") will be familiar with how much re-inserting the film improves the looks of those sequences.


Quote:
Originally Posted by EricSchulz View Post

This is coming out on Tuesday.  Has anyone seen any reviews that will help me decide if I will be double-dipping?


Well, I know some people on Roobarb's forum have reviewed it (I think one person reviewed the R1 and another the R2). I don't know if the R1 reviewer offered a comparison, but it was said the new discs are a definite improvement over the previous R2 in picture quality, particularly in the case of the film sequences that they were able to re-insert from the originals.

Also of note are the new commentary tracks with Cleese. Some R2 fans who found the "director's commentary" too boring found Cleese's commentaries a lot more entertaining (and the old R2 commentaries were also retained, BTW).

BBc Resources were in charge of the resoration for this, so they did do actual restoration work to the video. They didn't just blast it with a DVNR filter.
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post #16 of 33
10/19/09 at 2:48pm
    Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyMcKinney View Post




From what I understand, they went back to the original 2" masters (or the 1990s digital tapes made from such), not to any later masters. They also went to the trouble to re-instate a sequence that was edited out of the previous discs (R2 anyway) that was cut due to a tape glitch on the original master.

Also, some (but not all) of the original film sequences were located, cleaned-up and re-inserted back into the episodes. These sequences are said to look a lot better (the film from "Gourmet Night" was amongst what was found). Those familiar with some of the Doctor Who releases (like "Earthshock") will be familiar with how much re-inserting the film improves the looks of those sequences.




Well, I know some people on Roobarb's forum have reviewed it (I think one person reviewed the R1 and another the R2). I don't know if the R1 reviewer offered a comparison, but it was said the new discs are a definite improvement over the previous R2 in picture quality, particularly in the case of the film sequences that they were able to re-insert from the originals.

Also of note are the new commentary tracks with Cleese. Some R2 fans who found the "director's commentary" too boring found Cleese's commentaries a lot more entertaining (and the old R2 commentaries were also retained, BTW).

BBc Resources were in charge of the resoration for this, so they did do actual restoration work to the video. They didn't just blast it with a DVNR filter.

Sounds like they really went all out. I wonder if there's any chance of something similar for Monty Python.
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post #17 of 33
10/20/09 at 8:32am
Thanks, Andy. Sounds like a stellar job!
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post #18 of 33
10/20/09 at 9:22pm
I guess they didn't stick on the unaired pilot to Black Adder.
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post #19 of 33
10/21/09 at 5:58am
I can't wait to hear some reviews about the new PQ of Fawlty Towers. Anyone have any input or links to such reviews?

Thanks!

 

C

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post #20 of 33
10/21/09 at 8:41am
 Here's one:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/reviews/Fawlty-Towers-Complete-Series/9273
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post #21 of 33
10/22/09 at 9:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chas speed View Post

I guess they didn't stick on the unaired pilot to Black Adder.

I think there might have been some clearance problems there (perhaps with the fellow who played Baldrick in that one).
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post #22 of 33
10/22/09 at 9:29pm
It's weird that "Born to be King" was supposed to be the first show and the production values on the unaired pilot are pretty low compared to the rest of the series,.
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post #23 of 33
11/20/09 at 9:48pm
It sounds like FT is worthy of a double dip, but has anyone seen Black Adder?
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post #24 of 33
11/21/09 at 1:46am
I have a question about an episode of FT that's always bugged me.  I am pretty sure it's the "Gourmet Night" episode:  The chef gets drunk after Manuel rebuffs his affection;  Basil is trying to find out how to prepare one of the dishes from the passed-out chef.  Basil holds the plate in from of Chef's face and he proceeds to throw up on it, but the scene has ALWAYS looked like it was edited by a couple seconds, even on the first box set.  Was it EVER shown or released in full?
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post #25 of 33
11/22/09 at 10:38am
Funny you should mention that because we watched that ep last night. On the DVD it does look edited. It seems like I remember seeing it less choppy when it aired on TV.
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post #26 of 33
11/22/09 at 11:54am
I've always considered Black Adder one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.  It's sad if it received a short-shrift remaster, I'll wait to see reviews, because I'd love to see this in great quality.  The most recent pair of BBC documentaries on it last year were great stuff, some good insight.

I'm most interested in Black Adder Goes Forth, which is easily one of the best executed series of shows to ever air.  :)
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post #27 of 33
11/22/09 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricSchulz View Post

I have a question about an episode of FT that's always bugged me.  I am pretty sure it's the "Gourmet Night" episode:  The chef gets drunk after Manuel rebuffs his affection;  Basil is trying to find out how to prepare one of the dishes from the passed-out chef.  Basil holds the plate in from of Chef's face and he proceeds to throw up on it, but the scene has ALWAYS looked like it was edited by a couple seconds, even on the first box set.  Was it EVER shown or released in full?


According to Cleese's commentary on the new DVD set, no. A BBC executive objected, and they were forced to cut away from the shot of Kurt the chef vomiting on the plate. Cleese says it was one of the few times he disagreed with a BBC decision.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Elena S View Post

Funny you should mention that because we watched that ep last night. On the DVD it does look edited. It seems like I remember seeing it less choppy when it aired on TV.

This is how it's always been edited. It's the same on my laserdisc set.
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post #28 of 33
11/23/09 at 5:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben View Post
This is how it's always been edited. It's the same on my laserdisc set.

And that's how it was on the old VHS releases from the early '80s and that's also how it was shown on my off-PBS tape of same episode. I had always just assumed that the scene had always been edited that way as either a matter of "taste" or just so they wouldn't have to come up with the special effect (or that the effect didn't come off convincingly). At least, now there is a definitive answer from someone who should know.
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post #29 of 33
11/23/09 at 5:34am
sorry, double-post!
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post #30 of 33
11/23/09 at 1:40pm
Thanks everyone!  I'd only seen the "edited" scene and from the beginning thought it was edited for US audiences (although if PBS could show the occasional breast, but not this, it would have been odd).
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Fawlty Towers - The Complete Series
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