Monty Python’s Flying Circus Restored for Blu Ray (1 Viewer)

[Coressel]

I got that same e-mail. WTF does "unless it's a pre-order" mean? How could it have been anything but a pre-order?

 

[David Weicker]

I got that same e-mail. WTF does "unless it's a pre-order" mean? How could it have been anything but a pre-order?

I received the same exact email when the Up Series was shipped. It’s probably just a standardized disclaimer so people don’t get upset if other items on your order (that have a later release date) are not included.

People tend to overthink these things and get waaaay too panicky.

 

[MatthewA]

Disappointed the German-language "FIiegender Zirkus" episodes aren't inlcuded on this. Glad I held on to the last two A&E DVD box sets.

That was a big oversight unless they plan to sell those separately.

 

[Steburstein]

I think the first 2 seasons you can only do so much. I remember hearing that S1 and S2 were to be overwritten and the tapes reused.

Some quick googling turned up this



However, this notes that when sold to other markets, it was sent on 16mm


https://www.pastemagazine.com/artic...n-hero-who-saved-monthy-pythons-flying-c.html

The Terry Jones story is misleading. The BBC changed their minds about wiping the episodes, so in the end it wasn't Jones who rescued the programs.

 

[Steburstein]

I think I've read that Jonathan Wood did the restoration work on Flying Circus, so the restoration should be in pretty good hands.

If they (Network) are the ones underwriting at least some of the costs, though, they definitely have a stake and, perhaps, at least partial ownership of the "remastered masters". They're certainly not going to give them away for free. I'm sure they would probably have come to some sort of deal for the BBC to have archive copies and/or copies that they could distribute via syndication, but if Network paid some (or all) of the restoration costs, I'm sure they're going to want to recoup some of that.

The BBC, technically, don't even have any rights to the Python episodes anymore, anyway. They lost those rights to the Pythons back in 1980.

From what I've seen, Eric Idle has mentioned on Twitter that the Pythons themselves have underwritten the restoration (certainly, at least, in part), so it might be that the Pythons themselves wholly own the remastered tapes. The BBC would probably have to negotiate/pay a fee to use them.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain that Network paid for the remastering of Space: 1999, even though the people at BBC Resources did the actual work. I think A&E/New Video ponied up some of the dough (half?) for Year One (which they gained distribution rights for), but part of the reason Year Two took so long was that Network had to "go solo" with it.

My understanding was the Pythons got the rights to the shows outside Britain, but for Britain the BBC still holds the rights.

 

[Steburstein]

About the unedited NTSC versions originally seen in the US: would I be right in suspecting that those were from tapes that Time-Life had lying around since 1970, and that's why they had bits that had already been cut in the UK?

 

[AndyMcKinney]

My understanding was the Pythons got the rights to the shows outside Britain, but for Britain the BBC still holds the rights.

That was the original arrangement (after ABC in America censored their episodes and the Pythons took then to court), but they gained total control of the episodes once their original contracts with the BBC expired in 1980.

 

[Moore Maxx]

Used Promo Code MISTLETOE at deepdiscount.com and total is $107.09.

 

[BobO'Link]

^That's not the full total - you have to add the $5.99 extra shipping and sales tax. At that point it's now only a couple of $$ less expensive than Amazon's current price plus tax ($122.69 vs. $124.67 for me).

 

[David Norman]

I think I'll wait until release then get it from BN with a 15% off code -- about $105 shipped. Especially if BN has their Gift Card deals in the next week that would decrease your net OOP another 15% to $85 or so.

Just noticed my AMEX card has a promotion -- $15 back for buying $100 Happy GC one of which works for B&N.

Or maybe wait for the 40% Christmas Sale and see if I can grab it for under $60

 

[Moore Maxx]

Email from dvddiscount.com

Final price with discount promo:

$107.09 incl free shipping.

I'll take that.

 

[David Norman]

I'm assuming from your last post it's Deep Discount (I couldn;t find a dvddiscount store), but I'm not sure how you got Free Shipping added unless DD is removing it after you place the order. What state are you in that DD doesn't add Sales Tax now -- or are you in one of those No Sales Tax at all states like Oregon and NH?


Very good price if they removed the Shipping for whatever reason.

 

[darkrock17]

I'd love to own this collection, but it's just too expensive, especially since it's being imported from the UK. I'm going to have to wait for it to come way down on price and is available single sets as well.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

as someone else posted up-thread, there's a decent chance that after awhile of 'exclusivity', Network and/or the Pythons might eventually partner with a U.S. label to release a new set (or individual seasons) on down the road.

I know I'll be waiting for the UK 50i sets to come way down (or get released in more sensible packaging) before I bite on this. I can wait.

 

[David Weicker]

I plan on picking up the individual seasons from Amazon UK.

Season 1 has been announced at £17.99 in a standard Blu case. Assuming the remaining three seasons are announced for the same, that would be about $85 (at the current exchange rate)

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I plan on picking up the individual seasons from Amazon UK.

Season 1 has been announced at £17.99 in a standard Blu case. Assuming the remaining three seasons are announced for the same, that would be about $85 (at the current exchange rate)

Just be sure you're compatible with 1080i/50....

 

[Coressel]

Review from The Digital Bits:
https://thedigitalbits.com/item/monty-python-norwegian-bd-box

 

[Angelo Colombus]

According to the Digital Bits not all the extras will be carried over from the 16 Ton Megaset to the new release. I might have to keep both sets?

 

[Coressel]

According to the Digital Bits not all the extras will be carried over from the 16 Ton Megaset to the new release. I might have to keep both sets?

Right. The German Episodes, Live at Aspen, Personal Best and Hollywood Bowl are not included here.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Right. The German Episodes, Live at Aspen, Personal Best and Hollywood Bowl are not included here.

Thanks for the info. While I am waiting for the Blu-ray to arrive I decided to watch some of the Fawlty Towers episodes and the Michael Palin travelogues like Around the Word in 80 days and Pole to Pole.