Relic Hunter Question (1 Viewer)

[William Waits]

A while ago, Relic Hunter was advertised as a Season 1 and 2 set prior to its release. Ads from the production company where you could even buy it directly even indicated Season sets....

Then, somewhere along the way, it was changed from Season 1 & 2 to Best Of Season 1 & 2.

Because of this, I returned my set, but was wondering if anyone knew why it was changed to Best of sets, and if/when we will see full season sets...

 

[David_Blackwell]

Well, you can go to canada.com or watchfireworks.com and look around for the Relic Hunter season One DVD set (it's an exclusive offered by Fireworks (a Canadian company). You can download a .pdf that has a US order form. The season one set for people buying from the US amounts to $80. Relic Hunter Season One DVD has been available from Fireworks for over a year (since Dec 2002).

Be Seeing You,
David Blackwell

 

[Gord Lacey]

David, the problem is that it isn't season 1, it's the best of seasons 1 and 2, as far as I can tell. I spoke to the person putting the set together at Fireworks and he said that clearance problems arose that prevented them from releasing some of the season 1 episodes so they changed it to "best of seasons 1 and 2." I haven't heard from anyone that a season 1 set exists.

Gord

 

[Rick P]

The Fireworks set is a poor, 4:3 full screen, mess. The rights are tied up in a legal hell that may take forever to get undone.

Season 2 was released in toto, Region 2 Pal by Contender Entertainment (Kult-Tv) IN FULL 16:9 Anamorphic (as all three seasons were filmed) They had planned on releaseing season 3, but then something on the rights came up and that was sacked.

 

[David_Blackwell]

Gord, this is screwed up. I didn't know about the Fireworks change. I do know about the Region 2 DVDs of season 2. This is just another reason to get a multi-region DVD player.

Be Seeing You,
David Blackwell

 

[Gord Lacey]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this show co-produced by Fireworks and a European company? Could it be that they split the rights somehow depending on where it was shot? That could explain the craziness that's going on - but at the same time I feel as though I'm making some wild guesses as to whats happening.

Gord

 

[Rick P]

Gord..

no, you're not confused (well, no more than normal {rimshot}). RH was a multi financed project...

lemme see (digs out his homemade DVD-R's)..

from the ending credit scroll..

season 1 shows as "produced in association with M6, Prosiben Media AG, CHUM Television, ltd., Rysher Entertainment ltd., Gaumont Television and Fireworks"

season 2 shows as "produced in association with M6, Prosiben Media AG, CHUM Television, ltd., Paramount Domestic Television(?!), GTV and Fireworks"

season 3 shows as "A Firecorp XII Productions/Farrier ltd. Production / produced in association with M6, Prosiben Media AG, CHUM Television, ltd., Paramount Domestic Television, AMY International Productions, and Fireworks"

SHEESH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Deb Walsh]

I had actually ordered the original season 1 DVD set from Fireworks (their link took you to the Global site, where you could also order the Queen of Swords set) - and my credit card was immediately charged as soon as the order was processed, even though the set was due to come out at some indeterminate point in the future. While I still had that order open, Fireworks first did a price reduction, then later sent out a notice to everyone who had ordered that they were retooling the season 1 boxed set to a best of season 1 and 2, and I informed them I was cancelling my order and wanted my money back. They're the only online retailer I ever found who charged a credit card on order rather than on shipment.

I ultimately got the best of set - considerably cheaper than Fireworks was originally selling it - through normal online channels. The price kept chunking down as the project progressed, I think because the market was changing, and they weren't putting as much into as they had originally planned. The original plan was really ambitious, and I don't know that there was ever that substantial a market for Relic Hunter, especially once Carerre pulled out after season 3.

Most of season 1 is out on DVD in one form or another - Japan had a release of 2 episodes per disc in a movie form from Pioneer. Region 2, no extras, but pretty nice, 8 discs total (pricey to order from Japan, but I did it). ILC Prime in the UK has released most of the same episodes. Their discs are much, much cheaper than Pioneer's Japanese release. I think they're still region 2, though.

Contender seems to have run into some serious problems overall in terms of licensing this year, as most of their lines seem to halt suddenly. They lost The Avengers license last October when it expired. But where the US was way behind them on releases of Andromeda, Contender is only now starting to release season 3, where ADV (I think that's who's doing Andromeda in the US?) already has several discs out. I hope they can sort out the licensing with Relic Hunter, because they did a really nice job of putting out the second season on disc. Their sets tend to be well done, and their pricing tends to be pretty reasonable compared to some disc producers in the UK.

 

[Charlie_K]

Season one will be released in region 4 Australia on 17th August in two volumes.
I think the price is very decent, 55 AUD for whole season without shipping charges.

 

[Rick P]

Hmmmmmmmmm... VERY INTERESTING... I must lurk about and see if this will be 4:3 or 16:9 (and FYI, all three seasons were shot in 16:9 and you can really tell the difference in the framing once you've see the S2 set that's out in 16:9).

 

[Charlie_K]

Bad news. R4 release is fullscreen :frowning:

 

[Mark_Wilson]

That's being very kind. I have the 'best of' set and it is the worst looking, most amatuer produced set I have ever seen. There is severe macroblocking in even the mildest of movement.

 

[David_Blackwell]

What a shame. Maybe Paramount will hopefully one day release season 2 and 3 in full season sets in the USA one day.

 

[John L]

Does anyone know if Season 3 of RH is being released in R4 (Australia) ?