70s Famous Five on DVD

[Leslie]

I think I'm going to wait to see if it comes out in the UK!

Drop Reknown a mail. The worst that'll happn is the'll say no. & uf you want to encourage them to release therest of Freewhelers & Rogues Rock whilst you're at it

My German is not brilliant! (And fairly basic!)

It's supposed to be having dual-audio I think (hope)

I have watched a couple of the German episodes on Youtube though and I've got a question: did the actors who played Uncle Quentin and Rogers do their own voice-overs? It sounds very like them (either that or it's my imagination!) To someone who is British, it is strange listening to German voices speak for the characters!

I think I recall reading that they did yes. Around here, or on wikiwakiwoopedia.

Checked out Renown - they mailed me back to say they are releasing Freewheelers & Rogues Rock. They say they own a lot of Southern stuff but it doesn't include The Famous Five. They won't be releasing then!

[Zar Quon]

Checked out Renown - they mailed me back to say they are releasing Freewheelers & Rogues Rock.

Series 6 & 1 respectively are out now (& very good too I think)

They say they own a lot of Southern stuff but it doesn't include The Famous Five. They won't be releasing then!

Rats. & I suspect Network are far too busy with Thames & LWT & HTV stuff. Oh, hang on tho - Delta released Worzel Gummidge - that's Southern - p'raps we should annoy them?

[Leslie]

Checked out Renown - they mailed me back to say they are releasing Freewheelers & Rogues Rock.

Series 6 & 1 respectively are out now (& very good too I think)

They say they own a lot of Southern stuff but it doesn't include The Famous Five. They won't be releasing then!

Rats. & I suspect Network are far too busy with Thames & LWT & HTV stuff. Oh, hang on tho - Delta released Worzel Gummidge - that's Southern - p'raps we should annoy them?

Well, we can try but they said they don't have the rights to that particular series - I had a sudden thought that Chorion have the rights?

[Zar Quon]

Well, we can try but they said they don't have the rights to that particular series - I had a sudden thought that Chorion have the rights?

They may do, but they'd likely just sell on to (say) Reknown or Network or someone to exploit for DVD, & then take a cut. I think that's how it works.

[Tony Summerfield]

It took the Germans five years to trace who actually owned the rights to the series and involved a great many letters and emails. I have been sent many pages to read over the years. You can find a link to their website on our Lashings of Links page and for those like me who can't speak any German at all, there is an automatic translator on the site. I suspect that these DVDs are going to be very much geared for the German market and I noticed on their site that the soundtrack that has been re-mastered is the original German one and not the English one.

[RDMorrell]

My German isn't too shabby, although I find written German a lot easier to follow than spoken. I suppose the DVD might have English subtitles, and if it had the option of English audio, that would be better still! But the price is rather offputting (it's about NZ$90), and I suppose Germany, like the UK, would be Region 2 anyway.

[Zar Quon]

I suspect that these DVDs are going to be very much geared for the German market and I noticed on their site that the soundtrack that has been re-mastered is the original German one and not the English one.

I can put up with a slightly crackly soundtrack - do you think that they'll have the funf freunde titles, or the Famous Five titles?

[Anita Bensoussane]

I suppose the DVD might have English subtitles, and if it had the option of English audio, that would be better still!

Personally I will only buy the DVD if it has the option of English audio, and if the English audio has been remastered. If that's not the case with this release, I'll wait for a UK release. I'd also like to know about the booklet that comes with the DVD - is that in German only, or in English as well?

[Tony Summerfield]

I can put up with a slightly crackly soundtrack - do you think that they'll have the funf freunde titles, or the Famous Five titles?

I think you will find that the opening and closing credits will actually be from the German Funf Freunde version, always supposing that I have made sense of the translated page!

'Available, we also have the master tapes of the German version - these are video tapes in the format Digital Betacam (DigiBeta) - currently still the most widely used storage medium in the television sector. Also available are the 16mm film prints of the ZDF and the German sound on 16mm magnetic sound. Consequently, it is exactly, had reduced the points at which some ZDF consequences. Of course, remains the original opening and closing credits of the German version, broadcast by ZDF so as to receive.'

I think the best person to comment on this would be our own Timmy254 as she is a member of the team responsible for the German website.

[Zar Quon]

I can put up with a slightly crackly soundtrack - do you think that they'll have the funf freunde titles, or the Famous Five titles?

I think you will find that the opening and closing credits will actually be from the German Funf Freunde version, always supposing that I have made sense of the translated page!

'Available, we also have the master tapes of the German version - these are video tapes in the format Digital Betacam (DigiBeta) - currently still the most widely used storage medium in the television sector. Also available are the 16mm film prints of the ZDF and the German sound on 16mm magnetic sound. Consequently, it is exactly, had reduced the points at which some ZDF consequences. Of course, remains the original opening and closing credits of the German version, broadcast by ZDF so as to receive.'

I think the best person to comment on this would be our own Timmy254 as she is a member of the team responsible for the German website.

Indeedy. It's this bit tht makes me wonder:

"At present, the examination of the footage and at the same time is the scanning of 16mm film prints. This is the original English version of the series. "

However, no doubt time'll tell

[Timmy254]

Sorry, I'm quite busy at the moment. I'll answer your questions as soon as possible!

[Timmy254]

As promised, here's some information for you:

In May the examination of the footage and the high definition scanning of the 16mm positive film prints of the original English and German version of the series took place in the studio at the same time.

Furthermore available were the master tapes of the German version - they were in Digital Betacam (DigiBeta) videotape format – which is still the most widely used storage medium in the television sector – as well as the 16mm English and German magnetic audio material.

Since the English 16mm positive film from the former production company
"Portman Entertainment Ltd." has already travelled halfway around the world and was used for several VHS video productions, it’s in a rather poor condition and almost consistently scratched.
Fortunately, the German footage from the ORF and ZDF (Austrian / German TV stations) is clearly better preserved because it hadn’t been used that often.

Those parts of the English footage that were damaged have been replaced by the above-mentioned Austrian/German footage. Due to the fact that two master reel versions were available, the studio could always use the best-preserved parts of the footage.
Then they re-added the English soundtrack.

http://www.fuenffreundefanpage.at/de_a- ... ereitungen" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.fuenffreundefanpage.at/de_a- ... viemax.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Both, the German and the English audio will be available on the DVD. The German episodes will start and end with the German opening and ending credits, the English episodes with the original English ones. The English audio will be remastered as well. But: due to licencing restrictions the English episodes run with permanent German subtitles.

I’m afraid the booklet will be only in German for this release.

...did the actors who played Uncle Quentin and Rogers do their own voice-overs?
@ Leslie, yes, they did.

The “Fünf Freunde Fanpage Team” and the search for the rights:

In 1998 Felix Böhm from Germany created the “Fünf Freunde Fanpage”.
Four years later, in 2002 Karl Kolar from Austria (not Germany) joined him and the “Fünf Freunde Fanpage Team” was born. In the same year Karl decided to begin to search for the exploitation rights to the TV series. Two years later he got in contact with the DVD label “moviemax GmbH movies & more” in Munich and they agreed to release the series on DVD if the rights would be found. Supported by moviemax Karl spent another five years searching for the rightholders.
In summer 2009 Karl and moviemax had finally found the rightholders and in December 2009 moviemax obtained the licence for a release of the TV series on DVD in all German-speaking countries.
I joined the Fanpage Team in April this year when the making of the DVD was just about to start.
Our new home: http://www.fuenffreundefanpage.at/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Zar Quon]

due to licencing restrictions the English episodes run with permanent German subtitles.

Permanent as in burnt in & cannot be switched off at all?

[Leslie]

http://www.fuenffreundefanpage.at/de_a- ... ereitungen" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.fuenffreundefanpage.at/de_a- ... viemax.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Both, the German and the English audio will be available on the DVD. The German episodes will start and end with the German opening and ending credits, the English episodes with the original English ones. The English audio will be remastered as well. But: due to licencing restrictions the English episodes run with permanent German subtitles.

I’m afraid the booklet will be only in German for this release.

...did the actors who played Uncle Quentin and Rogers do their own voice-overs?
@ Leslie, yes, they did.

The “Fünf Freunde Fanpage Team” and the search for the rights:

In 1998 Felix Böhm from Germany created the “Fünf Freunde Fanpage”.
Four years later, in 2002 Karl Kolar from Austria (not Germany) joined him and the “Fünf Freunde Fanpage Team” was born. In the same year Karl decided to begin to search for the exploitation rights to the TV series. Two years later he got in contact with the DVD label “moviemax GmbH movies & more” in Munich and they agreed to release the series on DVD if the rights would be found. Supported by moviemax Karl spent another five years searching for the rightholders.
In summer 2009 Karl and moviemax had finally found the rightholders and in December 2009 moviemax obtained the licence for a release of the TV series on DVD in all German-speaking countries.
I joined the Fanpage Team in April this year when the making of the DVD was just about to start.
Our new home: http://www.fuenffreundefanpage.at/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you for all the info! I have just discovered the Fanpage you mentioned - read all the stuff about the search for the rights. Quite ridiculous - why are things so complicated?!
Very pleased they have been able to couple something together for the English-speaking fans. Pity the rights issue means the addition of subtitles - it seems rather pointless and merely 'ticking a box'! I did a translation of that Amazon page and checked up on the price (which does seem quite a lot but I guess they are thinking 'cult'). Is the DVD out or what? When I looked it appeared to be saying it comes out in October.

[Petermax]

Both, the German and the English audio will be available on the DVD. The German episodes will start and end with the German opening and ending credits, the English episodes with the original English ones. The English audio will be remastered as well. But: due to licencing restrictions the English episodes run with permanent German subtitles.

Thank you Timmy254 for your very comprehensive update on the Famous Five DVD situation. I am very relieved to learn that an English audio soundtrack will be included after all. The presence of German subtitles will not bother me in the slightest, it is a very small price to pay. On most DVD players the subtitles can be switched off unless they are indelibly etched, we shall see.

It is a small miracle that the 16mm master prints and audio tracks have survived intact after 32 years. A direct transfer from 16mm will obviously yield far better picture quality than a broadcast tape. The whole subject of film restoration fascinates me, one of my favourite non fiction books is A Star is Born, The Making of the 1954 Movie and its 1983 Restoration by Ronald Haver. Perhaps in due course someone will write an account of the onerous task of restoring all 26 Famous Five episodes. Maybe Gary Russell can include this in his forthcoming book?

I will most certainly be placing an order with Amazon.de in the near future.
EDIT: TYPO