Sweeney Series On Dvd (1 Viewer)

[Anthony Neilson]

UK dwellers might be pleased to know that Fremantle Media acquired the rights to all episodes of THE SWEENEY, in Cannes last year. They intend to release them all and will be including extra features such as docs, deleted scenes etc. No news on whether they intend to release them as box-sets or skin us with two/three-episode discs.

Anyone have any more details ?

 

[Steve Holland]

Hi Anthony,
I've heard that Fremantle won't be remastering them in anamorphic widescreen like those few DVDs released a few years ago. I think those looked great in widescreen and certainly didn't look like they were filmed 25+ years ago - apart from the kipper ties and dodgy barnets!
Steve

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

I love this show, the widescreen DVD's looked awesome. I hope they do remaster them properly cause "The Proffesionals" DVD's weren't and that was disapointing :frowning:

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

The Sweeney: Season 1 is out in September. The episodes will be cleaned up TV negatives in there original full frame ratio. I liked the wide-screen re-masters but many fans didn't I heard. However they are being released by Network Entertainment who done a great job on Robin of Sherwood so i'm guessing The Sweeney will be done to a similar high standard

 

[Steve Holland]

Hi Craig,

The 1st series boxset was available for pre-order from HMV for £19.99 until recently - now it's up to £39.99. Glad I got my order in last Saturday.I had a feeling they'd got the price wrong!

Steve

 

[Cees Alons]

A £20 difference? That's something ....
Cees

 

[Rob Pritchard]

Nice to see a thread on The Sweeney.

Anyone who's seen Network Video's previous DVD's - such as their Robin of Sherwood boxsets or The Goodies - should knows they make a considerable effort both remastering & restoring programmes and acquiring extras. The details for the Sept 29 Series One boxset featuring all 13 episodes currently look like this:

*Brand new transfer and restoration in original 4:3 ratio

*New Dolby 5.1 track from the original sound elements

*Original as-broadcast mono track

*Music only tracks

*Interview with series creator Ian Kennedy-Martin

*Selected episode introductions by guest stars

*First episode of the 1974 comedy series 'Thick as Thieves' starring John Thaw

*Audio Commentaries featuring Dennis Waterman, Garfield Morgan, producer Ted Childs, directors Tom Clegg and David Wickes, writers Trevor Preston and Troy Kennedy-Martin and editor Chris Burt

*Restoration feature

In addition all episodes feature the original Thames Television idents and 'End of Part One/Part Two' ad breaks. Not all a bad package, I'd say

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

Well as a punk 21 year old this will be like watching a brand new series. I've only seen a handful of episodes but I think its a bloody good show. I bought all four series of The Proffesionals last year (why couldn't Network have bought the rights :frowning: ) and The Sweeney is next on the hit list. The two movies are out next week so i'll be snapping them up and then awaiting Series 1 with bated breath. Bring it on you slag!
Ps- Great extras!

 

[Rob Pritchard]

as a punk 21 year old this will be like watching a brand new series. I've only seen a handful of episodes but I think its a bloody good show.

Well, Craig - I think it's a fairly safe bet you'll be delighted with the other episodes. When I first got into the show in the early 80's I was amazed at the quality of the writing. With TV shows you often resign yourself to the fact that the quality control is a bit like a rollercoaster ride, eg up one minute, down the next, but The Sweeney was consistently well-written/acted/directed etc etc. Just one of those shows where everything came together.
HASKINS: You've made a lot of enemies, Jack. Can't you see this is just the opportunity they're waiting for? I could name you a dozen senior officers who'd be glad to see you gone.
REGAN: They're not coppers ... they're civil servants ... they were out on the streets with their bikes thirty years ago. If a window was done then it was a major crime ... they don't understand ... it's war now ... it's bloody war. If you stop a kid in a stolen car you can't be sure he isn't tooled up and ready to blow your face off!" - THE SWEENEY 'Big Brother'

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Shuuut up! Put me dahn fa one.
Gordy

 

[Rob Pritchard]

The final, confirmed specs for the Series 1 boxset from Network Video as listed on the Mausoleum Club forum. I tried to post a direct link to the MC site but apparently I don't have a high enough post count. :-(

Disk One

Ringer (with commentary featuring Dennis Waterman, Garfield Morgan, writer Trevor Preston and editor Chris Burt)

Jackpot

Thin Ice (with commentary featuring producer Ted Childs, writer Troy Kennedy-Martin and director Tom Clegg

Thick as Thieves first episode

Interview with Ian Kennedy-Martin

Disk Two

Queen's Pawn (with an introduction by Tony Selby)

Jigsaw

Night Out (Commentary One featuring director David Wickes and assistant director Bill Westley and Commentary Two featuring producer Ted Childs and writer Troy Kennedy-Martin)

Special Branch episode Stand and Deliver (which united Dennis Waterman and Tom Clegg and led to Dennis being cast as Carter)

Disk Three

The Placer (with an introduction by John Forgeham)

Cover Story (with an introduction by Prunella Gee)

Golden Boy (with an introduction by Dudley Sutton)

Restoration feature

Disk four

Stoppo Driver (with an introduction by Billy Murray)

Big Spender (with an introduction by Warren Mitchell)

Contact Breaker

Abduction (with an introduction by Wanda Ventham and commentary featuring Dennis Waterman, Garfield Morgan, writer Trevor Preston and director Tom Clegg)

All the episodes contain:

Remastered and restored episodes in their original 4:3 ratio

Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks

Original mono tracks

Music only tracks

The Thames logos have been remastered and reinstated and all break bumpers remain intact. The original LWT logo has been retained on Thick as Thieves.

The outer box artwork will use metallic colours and a UV finish in particular areas.

 

[Anthony Neilson]

This sounds fantastic. I just wish John Thaw was around to contribute.
I wish this lot had got hold of the SWEENEY films - the Warner disc is shoddy as hell, and the sound is terrible. :frowning:

 

[Alan Lee UK]

I hadn't yet watched the Sweeney movie set, but after reading the previous post I had a quick look/listen. The sound quality is no better than AM radio. I don't think they are going to be much fun to watch.

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

I got the films and the picture was fine. Sound was what I expected for mid 70's brit flicks. There worth a buy if you like the series. The fight scene near the start of the first movie is sheer class. "Kick him"

 

[Anthony Neilson]

The picture IS fine, and the sound - though dreadful if unaltered - can be tweaked on your sound system to an acceptable level.
But you've got to admit, Craig, that the packaging is rotten. A little bit of care in the presentation of discs goes a long way. It's just about having some pride in your product, and some respect for the punters, that's all . . The box set seems to have all that in spades.

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

I agree Anthony they could have put a hell of a lot more work into the packaging. But on the plus side they (Warner Brothers) gave us two good movies on one disc for around 13 notes. Thats a decent deal. The sound ain't great as you said but it can be tweaked to acceptable. Disapointing but not an awful effort by Warner. Heres to the future when a standard is set for ALL films no matter how popular.

 

[Anthony Neilson]

I truly wouldn't dare to complain about a set like this.
But . . I wonder why they couldn't include the REGAN film on this set. Would've been nice for the sake of completeness, that''s all . . .

 

[Rob Pritchard]

Network were unable to include the 1974 Armchair Cinema TV Movie 'Regan', because the rights had already been licensed to another company - Digital Entertainment.

Incidentally, DE's R2 release uses a transfer from rights holders Freemantle Entertainment which has been cropped from its original 4:3 ratio to 16:9. :-(

Freemantle have been doing the same thing with some of the other Euston titles such as 'Danger UXB' - recently issued by Anchor Bay UK in 16:9 format - despite having been shot 4:3 - with the addition of a DD5.1 track but with no original mono track. Yeuch.

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

If anyone hasn't bought the CD- Shut It!:The music of The Sweeney, I suggest you do so now. A work of sublime genius.

 

[Steve Holland]

Hi,
Just heard that my order has shipped from HMV - should be here tomorrow!
Steve