RIP Network :-(

[Philip Ayres]

Looks like Network DVD have gone under

See The Network Thread on Roobarbs DVD forum and posts following

:-(

[Philip Ayres]

I didn't buy much from Network but what I have, mainly on Blu Ray, is good stuff with top notch restorations

The Prisoner

Space 1999 s1 & 2

Regan & The Sweeney s1 (did annoy me they never did s2-4)

The Professionals s1-4

Star Cops

I can't say I'm 100% surprised - constant sales on their website and their founder dying last year - but am very sad they've gone.

[The Doctor]

Absolutely gutted. They released stuff no other company would put out and did great restoration jobs. Their streaming service often had freebie themed nights too.



-Ralph

[Pinwig]

No! They were the only hope for a lot of releases.

[Pinwig]

The website has already gone! Gah! There was stuff there on the to buy list.

[The Doctor]

Same.

They were advertising new releases just this week.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

They remade old compilation 'movies' from tv shows from home video/cinema releases back in the day and put them in HD. Who else would do that?

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

May 31, 2023 16:34:51 GMT Philip Ayres said:

I didn't buy much from Network but what I have, mainly on Blu Ray, is good stuff with top notch restorations

The Prisoner

Space 1999 s1 & 2

Regan & The Sweeney s1 (did annoy me they never did s2-4)

The Professionals s1-4

Star Cops

I can't say I'm 100% surprised - constant sales on their website and their founder dying last year - but am very sad they've gone.

I'd forgotten they did the Monty Python sets too

[Nigel]

Oh, that's a shame. I must admit, I don't have many of their releases and off the top off my head, quite possibly only on VHS (which shows how long they've been around) but I've always found them to put out interesting stuff. Their catalogue is large and diverse; I can't imagine someone not acquiring it, but also I can see the releases being trimmed back and cherry-picked.

My future father-in-law will be disappointed. He's been buying a lot from them lately.

Edit. I do have something of theirs on DVD, Robin of Sherwood.

Edit again. I've found a couple of others.

[legios]

Network have been a great company over the years. They will be much missed.

Karl

[The Doctor]

Network gave me the chance to finally see William Russell's Sir Lancelot show! They also put out all of Timeslip and a decent release of Sapphire and Steel.

Also HD release of original and new Captain Scarlett, Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Terrahawks, Space: 1999, UFO, Joe 90, etc. Most of these had previuosly just been dumped on disc in a 'that will do' fashion by other companies.

Their releases of The Prisoner on DVD (and blu ray) also far surpassed the Carlton releases.

Network did a lot of good stuff for niche archive tv. The market for that kind of thing as a going concern may be passing, alas.

They also did some astonishly high quality colourised versions of a handful of episodes from some Anderson shows (1 from Four Feather Falls, 2 from Supercar and 3 from Fireball XL5). I don't usually like b&w turned into colour but these were very well done and, pleasingly, offered as an alternative release and not a replacement for the proper versions.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

And they put out that amazing advertorial of Nicholas Parsons slumming around Europe, shilling for a travel company as a slick-talking travel god. Has to be seen to be believed.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

But they did put out Pipkins, so no-one is perfect.

-Ralph

[Nigel]

I've been prompted to get back to watching my The Lost Worlds of Gerry Anderson DVD, finally seeing The Day After Tomorrow and Space Police pilots some thirty-plus years after first learning of their existence.

I was also prompted, having long considered stocking specialist DVDs in my shop, to order some Network while I still had the chance. So now on my shelves I have Sapphire and Steel, Dick Spanner, an Arthur Askey horror comedy and Hammer House of Horror to name a few.

[The Doctor]

Sapphire and Steel is a good release and looks as good as it can, considering the source material.

I have a soft spot for Day After Tomorrow.

I must pick up Hammer House of Horror.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

Interesting thread, with contributions from reliable sources, about what Network were working on when they went under:

www.zetaminor.com/roobarb/showthread.php?59430-Projects-that-Network-were-working-on-before-they-closed&p=2912865

In this spirit of disclosure: 'Forgotten TV Drama' titles that we were told were happening (before Tim Beddows forgot about them):

SATURDAY NIGHT THEATRE featuring:
THE PIANO TUNER
IN ANOTHER COUNTRY
FAITH AND HENRY
THE TALKING HEAD
ROLL ON FOUR O’CLOCK
BANGELSTEIN’S BOYS
Plus ACHILLES HEEL as a special feature on the same set

CLOUDS OF GLORY

ARMCHAIR THEATRE featuring:
VERITE
THE GOLDEN ROAD
SIMON FENTON’S STORY

PLAYHOUSE featuring:
THE PATRIOT GAME
NO MAMA NO
ROADRUNNER

THE ODD MAN

That Saturday Night Theatre one would have been fantastic.

Andrew Pixley

Of the projects that I was involved in with Network from 2004 to the company's sad demise, the ones that never saw the light of day were as follows:

"Shirley's World" - Soundtrack Album
A single CD of the existing scores.

"Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus" - Blu-ray
A set of viewing notes that were an abridged version of the box-set and focusing on the specials for a separate set.

"Wolfshead" - Blu-ray
No idea why this one didn't happen. It's a pilot film with a very complex history... but the viewing notes were completed.

"The New Avengers: The Lion Awakes"
Viewing notes for Blu-rays of the 1976 season. The project was cancelled soon after I delivered the notes presumably due to some issue with availability.

"The New Avengers: Lion by the Tail"
Viewing notes for Blu-rays of the 1977 season. Ditto.

"The Sweeney - The Sweet Smell of Success" - Blu-ray viewing notes
All beautifully designed, with 575 pages all prepared and signed-off the week Network went into liquidation.

"The Avengers" Soundtrack: 1965-1966
Six CD set of scores for the monochrome filmed episodes; this had been remastered.

"The Avengers" Soundtrack: 1966-1967
Six CD set of scores for the colour Diana Rigg episodes.

"The Avengers" Soundtrack: 1967-1968
Two CD set of available Laurie Johnson scores for the Linda Thorson episodes.

"Edgar Wallace: The Merton Park Mysteries"
Viewing notes for Blu-ray release of the dual purpose TV films/second features.

"International Detective" - Blu-ray
Brief viewing notes for prospective release; this had been designed and was ready to go.

Naturally, there were a lot of other projects that other people were working on. And those are their stories to tell... not mine. But that's what I ended up with in terms of delivered but unrealised projects when - sadly - it all came to an end. There were a number of other items that I'd done some initial assessments on - but these were the firm commissions.

Fun while it lasted.

Hope that's of interest.

All the best

Andrew

[The Doctor]

Good grief. 575 pages on The Sweeney.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

I'd been waiting for those Sweeney BDs for years.

There's a LOAD of stuff you can write on the Sweeney, I have several books on the matter. That page count makes it look like Pixley was being concise!

[The Doctor]

Well you are getting them now.

-Ralph

[primenova]

I like watching the Sweeney because Dennis Waterman doesnt sing the theme tune. Also it's got the amazing John Thaw in it

[Philip Ayres]

Mar 22, 2024 12:19:36 GMT The Doctor said:

Well you are getting them now.

-Ralph

No I'm not this is stuff Network were working on when they went under :-(