The Goodies on Engelbert- again

[Jim Exley]

I recall the ZDF copies of the Engelbert series having been located - so a little surprised the Country Code and Bodyguards Goodies segments didn't make their way onto the DVD box set. However as far as I have been able to search it seems to have passed unremarked that the 'Keep Fit' sketch may represent a 5 minute or so colour sequence from the otherwise black and white 'Commonwealth Games'. Or am I barking up the wrong tree again? Thanks.

[RWels]

Jan 7, 2019 7:53:46 GMT Jim Exley said:

I recall the ZDF copies of the Engelbert series having been located - so a little surprised the Country Code and Bodyguards Goodies segments didn't make their way onto the DVD box set. However as far as I have been able to search it seems to have passed unremarked that the 'Keep Fit' sketch may represent a 5 minute or so colour sequence from the otherwise black and white 'Commonwealth Games'. Or am I barking up the wrong tree again? Thanks.

And Keep Fit is not in the "collection / tax edition", right?

I think you are correct, but there are two problems:
1. ZDF are really difficult to get stuff back from.
2. The Germans dub their imports. Not the songs, but the introductions and the Bodyguards narration.

Apparently, lower quality copies (of the German version) were at one time sold and traded.


No, a more permanent solution would have been chroma dot colour recovery for both the b/w episodes. The DVD set did its best but never tried to cover EVERYTHING (it didn't include extras from earlier partial released long ago). Who knows, perhaps if Kitten Kong is found, that would trigger something.

[Jim Exley]

Thanks very much! I've tracked down the lower quality copies and having viewed them I note that the 'Pets' sequence from Kitten Kong is different to the Montreux version, containing as it does an extra couple of shots of Tim and the kitten doing sit-ups. I wonder if we have indeed found part of the original Kitten Kong here?

[richardwoods]

Didn't someone post a quote from PM not that long ago that a pile of Goodies episodes had been found somewhere including the original Kitten Kong?

[RWels]

Jan 8, 2019 18:55:56 GMT richardwoods said:

Didn't someone post a quote from PM not that long ago that a pile of Goodies episodes had been found somewhere including the original Kitten Kong?

Phil Morris - you may have heard the name before - might have a b/w kitten kong which might be the original. But we've heard nothing since, so...

[Jim Exley]

Oh yes, I think I've heard of him before! I do remember him recently saying he had a Kitten Kong but uncertain which one. I responded that he really should give it back before it escapes from its can and demolishes his Dexion shelving.

Ive been doing a little digging of late as you may have gathered and found the Australian film assessment report online - their description of Kitten Kong as episode 20 and the cuts advised suggest it was a black and white copy of the Montreux that was bought and the earlier version wasn't formally offered. That said it is known to have screened there. Perhaps they received more than one print and it went unnoticed that they were different.

[martinjwills]

I think 2 of the B&W goodies were recovered from a b&w video recording so dont have the chroma dots, on the dvd i cant see any of them unlike the 1st series b&w episode.

[Jim Exley]

I remember having a black and white copy of Come Dancing before the colour tape turned up, and I seem to recall it was crawling with chroma dots visible even on a VHS copy. I concur I can't see any on 'Commonwealth Games on the box set though. My memory perhaps isn't what it once was but I thought the latter was on 16mm with the recovered censor cuts being on tape.

[martinjwills]

Ive just checked my copies of the B&W episodes and think the following

Series 1 Ep 4 Caught in the act, has lots of chroma dots
Series 2 Ep 2 Commonwealth Games, cant see any chroma dots.

[RWels]

Jan 8, 2019 20:52:27 GMT Jim Exley said:

I remember having a black and white copy of Come Dancing before the colour tape turned up, and I seem to recall it was crawling with chroma dots visible even on a VHS copy. I concur I can't see any on 'Commonwealth Games on the box set though. My memory perhaps isn't what it once was but I thought the latter was on 16mm with the recovered censor cuts being on tape.

Well, at least - you pointed this out elsewhere yourself - at least there's 4 minutes in colour as part of the Engelbert shows.

[Jim Exley]

Very true. It's pretty well represented for a show that began in the early 70s when all's said and done.