Michael Palin PBS Shows (1 Viewer)

[StevenFC]

Does anyone know if the Michael Palin PBS shows Full Circle, Pole to Pole and Around the World in 80 Days are available on DVD? Especially for region 1?

 

[Devin U]

I havent heard anything, but since they were all produced by the BBC, we can look forward to getting them for free over the net. Maybe a good time to buy a dvd burner.

 

[Adam Barratt]

All three are available/announced in Regions 2 and 4. A release in the US is undoubtedly forthcoming.

Adam

 

[Jeff Kuykendall]

Don't forget his most recent series, Sahara, which is also available on R2. I've been meaning to get these--the specials are wonderful--but I haven't checked out the DVDs yet.

 

[Michael Sliger]

BBC America's online shop has had a page reserved for "Around the World in 80 Days" for at least a few months (along with a catalog number), but there is no info about a release date at all. There are no pages for "Full Circle" of "Pole to Pole" yet, but those are not out in Region 2 yet (though "Pole to Pole" is due March 1st there).

http://www.bbcamericashop.com/defaul...d=1961&mdm=DVD

 

[StevenFC]

Man, I just don't get it. These things would sell like hotcakes here in the States. What could possibly be the holdup? It must be political. It can't be financial, unless someone's asking for too much of a cut from the profits or something like that.

 

[Michael Sliger]

BBC Worldwide does have some sort of strategy for their North American DVD release schedule, though it doesn't always make immediate sense to the consumer. A UK release almost always comes first and then those sales figures usually help determine how quickly the disks are replicated for a Region 1 release.

There may be a bit of a rights issue for "...80 Days" and "Pole to Pole" since both were co-produced with A&E. If there is currently dual ownership to the Region 1 rights, then profits would be lessed due to an A&E payoff. I hope that isn't the case though, but we still haven't seen a Region 1 "Doctor Who" 1996 TV Movie release here due to a similar (but worse) situation. "Full Circle" does not have that problem, but we need to wait for a UK release first.

In any case, it looks like there will be a BBC Video press release next week (the June Doctor Who DVD releases will be announced on January 28th according to those with contacts at BBC Worldwide). Hopefully an "...80 Days" release date will be announced then (and perhaps a Blake's Seven Season 1 date as well).

 

[Adam Barratt]

Full Circle is released in the UK in August.

Adam