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DVD TV Show Reviews

I really enjoyed watching this. I remember when it came on TV, and for some reason I couldn't watch all of it. We didn't have VCR's, DVR's etc. back then, so possibly there was something else on at that time that conflicted with it. I know that everyone loved it, and it was somewhat controversial because it was about young gay men. In the early 80's, that was something foreign to most of us, I think. There had been nothing like this on TV before. I really loved Anthony Andrews and thought he was so gorgeous. He was on other TV shows at that time, like Love Boat, believe it or not.

This is great British television and literature. Anyone should love this, unless they are some kind of extreme homophobe. It's very funny, has great drama, and it's also classy and tasteful (yet not boring). I just can't praise it enough. If you don't watch this, then your education is not complete. The acting is superb and has such great acclaimed actors like Jeremy Irons, Sir John Geilgud, Claire Bloom, and Sir Lawrence Olivier. Of course this is where most of us first heard about Jeremy Irons, long before he became a huge movie star.

The DVD has some great extras, including many photos; a feature that looks back on the show (where you see what many of the actors etc. look like now); episode commentaries by the stars; and an audio commentary by the first director, Michael Lindsay-Hogg (they show many great photos while he speaks). I wonder why we don't ever see him because that was kind of weird. I was surprised that the directors were American. They had to switch directors in the middle because of a strike. He discusses in great detail how the miniseries came about. The first feature, "Revisiting Brideshead" not only discusses the miniseries and people's reactions to it, but also about the author of the original book, Evelyn Waugh.

The DVD set also comes with a very nice booklet that has info about the miniseries, the cast, and the author. It's a really nice set to have. Any TV or movie fan should love this as a gift for the holidays.

More Information:

Silver Spring, MD — Winner of 17 international awards and launching the career of Jeremy Irons, the iconic series returns in a stunning Blu-ray debut and DVD edition featuring exclusive new extras. Brideshead Revisited: 30th Anniversary Edition will be released on November 1, 2011 from Acorn Media. Starring Academy® and Emmy® Award winning actor Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Diane Quick, Sir John Gielgud, Claire Bloom, and Sir Laurence Olivier in an Emmy®-winning role, these 30th anniversary editions feature an all-new transfer from an HD source and are packed with special features, including a Revisiting Brideshead documentary, four commentaries, new photo galleries, outtakes, viewer’s guide, and more (Blu-ray $69.99 / DVD $59.99, 11 Episodes, www.AcornOnline.com).

Based on the timeless novel by Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited took a staggering two years to make and is the equivalent of seven feature films back-to-back. Waugh tells a poignant story of romantic yearning and loss set in the world of British aristocracy. The story is told in flashbacks as Irons, an officer in the British Army, is stationed with his company at a remote country home that turns out to be Brideshead, a home in which he spent much of his younger years. The stationing triggers a multitude of memories of his youth and young manhood, his loves, life, and his journey of faith and anguish.

Airing on PBS Great Performances in 1982, the visually ravishing production won 17 international awards, including seven BAFTA awards including Best Actor and Best Drama Series; an Emmy® for Outstanding Supporting Actor for Laurence Olivier; and Golden Globe for Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TV. In 2000, the series placed tenth on the British Film Institute’s 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. Brideshead Revisited also finished seventh in a Best of Masterpiece Theatre vote, despite not even airing on Masterpiece Theatre.

NOW WITH EVEN MORE BONUS FEATURES!

• Revisiting Brideshead, a 2006 documentary including retrospective interviews with Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Diana Quick, director Charles Sturridge, and many more (48 min.); Two episode commentaries featuring stars Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Diana Quick, and others; Photo gallery; Outtakes (10 min.); and 20-page viewer’s guide

• NEW TO THIS EDITION: Brideshead Remembered audio commentary by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg (40 min. during photo gallery of 60 images); Two episode commentaries ( Ep. 1 with producer Derek Granger, Ep. 11 with director Charles Sturridge); New photo galleries for each disc; and original companion guide available for download Street: November 1, 2011
  SRP: $59.99 (DVD), $69.99 (Blu-ray)
  DVD 4-Disc Set: 11 episodes on 4 discs - approx. 659 min., plus bonus - SDH subtitles
  Blu-ray 3-Disc Set: 11 episodes on 3 discs - approx. 691 min., plus bonus - 1080i (some bonus 480p)/4:3 full screen (some bonus 16:9 widescreen) - 2.0 Dolby Digital (except some bonus) - SDH subtitles
  NOTE: Though the running time is different between formats, the actual content is identical.
  
  Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media U.S. distributes distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special focus on the best of British TV. 2011 releases include Upstairs, Downstairs: 40th Anniversary Edition and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; U.S. debuts of must-see new series Garrow’s Law and Vera; and more episodes from New Tricks, Doc Martin, Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Marple, George Gently, Murdoch Mysteries. Acorn’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.

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