British TV on DVD specialist Acorn Media is debuting some of the best series in all of television in March and April.
Hailed as a British Gone with the Wind and considered one of the most successful British television dramas of all time, Poldark makes its long-awaited DVD debut; as well as G.B.H., an award-winning political miniseries starring Michael Palin (Monty Python) and Robert Lindsay with a BAFTA-winning soundtrack by Elvis Costello; The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Set 2 with classic mysteries featuring the other detectives of Victorian England (release coincides with Sherlock Holmes film on DVD); and hailed by critics as one of the finest mystery series ever filmed, The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, features the recently passed away Ian Carmichael in the acclaimed, original BBC adaptations.
DVD debuts also include The Road from Coorain, a poignant Masterpiece Theatre drama based on the bestselling memoir; Midsomer Murders, Set 14, new episodes never before seen in the U.S. of Acorn’s bestselling series; a new DVD release of Wish Me Luck, Series 1, a compelling British WWII series based on the true stories of female intelligence agents behind Nazi lines; among many more listed below.
Acorn Media/Athena DVD Release Calendar (February – March)
February 23
G.B.H. (DVD Debut) – Award-winning political miniseries starring Michael Palin (Monty Python) and Robert Lindsay in a BAFTA-winning role. A timeless satire about power, corruption and madness during the turbulent Thatcher years. Nominated for nine BAFTA awards, including Best Drama Serial, the celebrated British satire follows the epic power struggle between an unassuming schoolteacher and a corrupt, ambitious politician. BAFTA-winning soundtrack by Elvis Costello
Wartime Britain – Three stories of bravery and betrayal set during Britain’s finest hour. Three complete dramas: the DVD debut of The Heat of the Day, Elizabeth Bowen’s psychological drama of love and espionage; as well as BAFTA-winner Housewife, 49, Victoria Wood’s moving glimpse into one woman’s life on the home front; and Island at War, a thrilling miniseries about the trials & temptations of Channel Islanders during the German occupation – co-starring Philip Glenister (Life on Mars). To listen to NPR’s segment on Housewife, 49, please visit www.NPR.org.
Midsomer Murders, Set 14 (DVD Debut) – Four contemporary, stand-alone British mysteries from Acorn’s top-selling series. Continually reaching new heights of popularity, Midsomer Murders counts Johnny Depp and even the Queen among its ardent fans. The series combines quirky characters and surprising mysteries with postcard-perfect English village settings and the ever-charming John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby. The feature-length mysteries in Set 14 have not aired in the U.S. and are available to U.S. audiences for the first time. Set 14 consists of the second half of series ten.
Taggart, Set 2 (DVD Debut) – Contemporary episodes from the world’s longest continually running police drama. Smash hit series follows a team of Glasgow detectives taking on the city’s worst crimes. With its deadpan humor, sordid setting, and “witty scripts rich with Glasgow patter” (The Guardian), this quintessentially Scottish series has won universal appeal. Set 2 includes the complete 20th season.
March 2
Poldark, Series 1 (DVD Debut) – Hailed as a British Gone with the Wind and considered one of the most successful British television dramas of all time, the Masterpiece Theatre favorite makes its long-awaited DVD debut. Based on the novels by Winston Graham, this landmark miniseries demonstrates the enduring appeal of a gripping storyline and unforgettable characters. Debuted on PBS in 1977, was featured on “The Best of Masterpiece Theatre” special, and voted one of the 10 most popular shows in the series’ history. This sweeping family saga follows the fortunes of the dashing Ross Poldark (Robin Ellis, The Good Soldier) in 18th-century Cornwall.
The Beiderbecke Connection (DVD Debut) – Award-winning playwright and screenwriter Alan Plater (Oliver’s Travels, A Very British Coup) returns with a third and final Beiderbecke mystery as quirky and fun as the first two. Akin to The Thin Man movies, with its unusual characters, witty banter, and twist-filled mystery, the series stars James Bolam (New Tricks, The End of the Affair) and Barbara Flynn (Cracker, Cranford). The Beiderbecke Connection broadcast on public television in the 1990s along with The Beiderbecke Affair and The Beiderbecke Tapes.
The Road from Coorain (DVD Debut) – Poignant Masterpiece Theatre drama based on the bestselling memoir by historian Jill Ker Conway and starring Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply). This extraordinary coming-of-age story follows the formative years of one of Australia’s most celebrated feminists. Winner of numerous awards, The Road from Coorain is a visually lush, emotionally compelling drama about childhood and the relationship between two extraordinary women. The drama was broadcast on PBS’s Masterpiece Theater in 2002 and 2003 but has never been available before on DVD
March 16
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection – Value-priced collector’s edition featuring 17 mysteries based on the bestselling crime fiction. The featured stars include Colin Firth (Bridget Jones’s Diary), Honeysuckle Weeks (Foyle’s War), James D’Arcy (Master and Commander), James Callis (Battlestar Galactica), Amanda Redman, among others. The collection includes three Inspector Wexford mysteries, a role made famous by star George Baker. The popular TV series aired on public television in the 1990s. One of the most honored, prolific, and critically acclaimed modern crime writers, Rendell has been called this era’s “Queen of Crime.”
Armchair Thriller, Set 2 (DVD Debut) – More gripping mysteries from the haunting, classic British television series. These transfixing tales from the small screen feature superb acting, eerie ambiance, and twisting plots by renowned mystery writers. The excellent casts include Michael Feast (Touching Evil), Renée Asherson (Tenko), and Maria Aitken (A Fish Called Wanda). The cult classic series received sky-high ratings in the U.K. when it debuted on ITV in 1978, and one of Set 2’s mysteries, Quiet as a Nun, aired on PBS’s Mystery! in 1982-83
Wish Me Luck, Series 1 – Civilians turn heroines in this compelling British WWII series based on the true stories of female intelligence agents behind Nazi lines. Driving this compelling British drama series is an exceptional cast, including Kate Buffery (Trial & Retribution), Jane Asher (Brideshead Revisited), Julian Glover (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), Michael J. Jackson (Doctors), Warren Clarke (Dalziel & Pascoe), and Jeremy Northam (The Tudors). Filmed on location in Britain and France, Wish Me Luck boasts strong female characters, tension-filled plots, and historical authenticity. Broadcast on U.S. public television in the 1990s.
March 30:
The Story of Math (ATHENA, DVD Debut) – The BBC makes math fun with this landmark documentary. Voted the best documentary of 2009 by BBC World News viewers, this highly-entertaining documentary debuts on DVD. With contagious enthusiasm and boundless energy, Oxford professor Marcus du Sautoy makes math accessible, engaging, and relevant. Filmed around the globe and aided by clever computer graphics, this 4-episode series blends education and entertainment to make math mesmerizing. Includes The Music of the Primes, a feature-length bonus program about math’s greatest mystery.
Legacy: The Origins of Civilization (ATHENA) – PBS series connects ancient history to today’s world. An epic documentary exploring the foundations of the modern world. Broadcast on PBS in the 1990s, the award-winning documentary examines the world’s first civilizations and their bearing on the present. Hosted by Oxford-educated historian, author, and documentarian Michael Wood (The Story of India), the six-episode series was filmed on location in Iraq, India, China, Egypt, Central America, and Europe, with stunning shots of exotic locations.
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Set 2 (DVD Debut) – Classic British mysteries feature the other detectives of Victorian England. DVD debut coincides with the DVD release of Guy Richie’s holiday blockbuster Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey, Jr. Featuring top-notch adaptations of detective stories from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s contemporaries, this classic anthology series features such iconic British actors as Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius; Cadfael), Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love), Jean Marsh (Upstairs, Downstairs), Robin Ellis (Poldark), and John Thaw (Inspector Morse). Offering unique insight into Victorian popular culture, intellectual preoccupations, and social ills, these 13 finely crafted mysteries deliver riveting performances and fascinating whodunits. Seen on public television in the 1970s.
The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, Set 1 – Hailed by critics as one of the finest mystery series ever filmed. Based on the novels by beloved crime writer Dorothy L. Sayers, the late Ian Carmichael stars as the debonair sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey in these wittily scripted and lavishly produced BBC adaptations. The mysteries ranked with Upstairs, Downstairs as the most successful series on Masterpiece Theatre in the 1970s, and the mysteries were so popular they inspired PBS’s spin-off series Mystery!. Set 1 includes two feature-length mysteries: Clouds of Witness and The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club.
Recent Releases:
(February 2) The Evelyn Waugh Collection, a star-studded, critically-acclaimed collection dramatizing two of Waugh’s darkly humorous novels; Hitler’s Bodyguard (ATHENA, DVD Debut), a fascinating WWII documentary; A Mind to Kill (U.S. Debut), a riveting Welsh cop drama; and Doc Martin, Series 3, the hit UK comedy with Martin Clunes.
(January 26) Bonekickers (DVD Debut), 2008 BBC action-adventure series following a motley team of archaeologists from the multi-award-winning team behind Life on Mars; Callan Set 2 (Home Video Debut), the concluding episodes of the classic British spy series with the late Edward Woodward (The Equalizer) in his first major television role; Pie in the Sky Series 2, more adventures from the much-loved, culinary cop series starring Richard Griffiths; and The Red Green Show: The Infantile Years (Seasons 1991-1993, DVD Debut) , first three years of hit PBS comedy series.
(January 5) Midsomer Murders: Barnaby’s Casebook (Sets 4, 6-8), a collector’s set of Acorn Media’s top selling series includes 17 feature-length, stand-alone mysteries plus two bonus discs; and Brava Italia, an intimate tour and celebration of the Italian way of life from the producers of the popular Visions travel series and narrated by actor Paul Sorvino.
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