[SC_NEWS] The Saint on (region 2) DVD

[Ian Dickerson]

Please excuse the cross-posting. I'm rather busy at the moment...as
you'll see!

Ian

***

"...it's the famous Simon Templar!"

2006 will see the return of The Saint with Network DVD releasing all 118
episodes of the 1960s series starring Roger Moore. They will be
presented in two handsome, collectable box sets - one comprising all 71
black and white episodes and one all 47 colour episodes.

Legendary actor Roger Moore (James Bond, The Persuaders!) stars as
debonair playboy Simon Templar in the series that made him a global
star. Exciting and dashing, and always with an eye for the ladies,
Templar travels the world targeting thieves and con-men - fleecing them
with a clever combination of his trickery and trademark charm. It’s a
dangerous game, but with his suave, panache and devilish good looks, The
Saint proves to be one cool customer.

Made in the latter half of the Swinging Sixties and based on the world
famous series of bestselling stories by Leslie Charteris, this
fourteen-disc set presents the complete run of colour episodes (the
original series three and four) alongside some unique and entertaining
special features, including the definitive documentary on the making of
these colour episodes, featuring contributions from Roger Moore and
other members of the team that made The Saint one of the greatest
success stories of British television.

Included in this set are all 47 colour episodes, including both the
movies and original two-part versions of Vendetta for the Saint and The
Fiction Makers (not seen in this format since their original
transmission run ended), which feature exceptional performances from
guest stars such as Edward Woodward, Francesca Annis, Peter Wyngarde,
Barry Morse, Sue Lloyd, Sylvia Syms and Robert Hardy. Fun, cool and
exceptionally popular in its day, The Saint remains a staple part of
television programming and continues to be enjoyed by fans the world over.

With an RRP of £99.99, this set is in shops on 27th March 2006.

This set contains the following special features:

* The Saint Steps In... To Colour - an exclusive documentary, narrated
by Ian Ogilvy, on the making of the colour shows featuring contributions
from Roger Moore, Robert S Baker, Johnny Goodman, Roy Ward Baker, Peter
Manley, Malcolm Christopher, Caron Gardner, Alexandra Bastedo, Stuart
Damon and Alvin Rakoff
* episodic versions of Vendetta for the Saint and The Fiction Makers –
not seen in this format since their original transmission run and
transferred from the original film elements exclusively for this set
* the movie versions of Vendetta for the Saint and The Fiction Makers
and their respective trailers
* trailers for all of the colour episodes (some of which have been
transferred from their original film elements exclusively for this set)
* commentary on The Ex-King of Diamonds with Roger Moore, Johnny
Goodman, Alvin Rakoff and Robert S. Baker
* commentary on The Fiction Makers with Roy Ward Baker, Peter Manley and
Malcolm Christopher
* commentary on Vendetta for the Saint with Johnny Goodman and Robert S.
Baker
* commentary on The House on Dragon's Rock with Peter Manley and Malcolm
Christopher
* three booklets including episodes guides, original PR for the movies
and the exclusive publication of the Leslie Charteris short story The
Saint and the Uncritical Publisher, which has never previously seen
print in the UK
* The Saint at the Wheel - an exhaustive essay on the cars used by the
Saint in both Leslie Charteris' original stories and the various
television series. Written by acknowledged Charteris/Saint expert Ian
Dickerson, this essay includes extracts from some of Charteris' works,
correspondence with Robert S. Baker (series producer) and a previously
unpublished article he wrote for Playboy entitled "The Car I Remember
Best". It is presented in PDF format and can be read via your DVD-ROM
drive.
* Approximately forty minutes of Edwin Astley's outstanding incidental
music for the series, presented exclusively here as two suites of music
set to extensive image galleries. The music tracks have been sourced
from the original surviving music masters and have never been made
available in this fashion before. The inclusion of this incidental music
is a worldwide exclusive to this Network DVD set and a companion music
CD to this set will be available soon.
* further image galleries, including a number of behind the scenes
stills, for both two-part shows
* foreign titles
* ad bumpers
* textless material

This major release will be supported by Sir Roger Moore who, as well as
doing in-store signings and PR, will be attending a public screening of
some Saint episodes and take part in a Q & A.