Z-Cars coming to DVD

[bernardstocks]

Just received Acorn's new gatalogue. Z Cars Collection 2 is due for release soon. No details as yet, but will post them as soon as I get them.

[Deleted]

Thanks. That's excellent to know. I loved the first volume and wondered why it took so long to get a second one out. I'll by buying!

[bernardstocks]

The details of the new Acorn release have just been announced. It brings the next six episodes following the former release. Release date is given as 28th July, but the previous release arrived at least a couple of months before the scheduled date so hopefully this will be the same. Pre-order price is £17.99 including postage. Episodes are:

Witness
Takes all sorts
Sins of the father
Damage
Day Trip
Public relations



Two of these, Damage and Day trip, were in the 39 episode pirate set advertised for sale on Ebay a couple of years ago, but the quality of the Acorn release will be far better.
I'm particularly pleased to see Takes all Sorts included. I remember this from first time around and it's a great episode. A new inspector arrives at Newtown and gets right up Bert Lynch's nose.

[John Green]

You can get the set early if you order it directly from Acorn. www.acorndvd.com/new/acorn-exclusives/z-cars-collection-2.html
Thanks to Simon at the MC for this.

[bernardstocks]

I've done just that. According to the new Acorn catalogue that arrived this morning stocks are expected during June so with luck we'll get it at least a month ahead of official release date.

[Patrick Coles]

Re Z Cars - the colour years (just as good as the original b/w ones in my view whatever Brian Blessed would have us think !)

one fav copper of mine was Det. Cecil Hagger (John Collin) - was it Cecil or Cyril ? - with light mac & cigar (but not exactly a 'Columbo' !) tho' Haggar also went his 'own way' on a case...

in one while everyone is out searching after a missing child an uninterested Haggar goes off looking for stolen cameras...and by sheer luck stumbles upon a child sex killer (who also nicked the stolen cameras !)

Haggar is thus the 'man of the moment' doing what the rest of the senior Detectives couldn't - the chief constable beams at him something like:

'well done Haggar good man !'

- Haggar modestly replies; 'all in a days work sir'

The chief says; 'Ah, I said that's what this case needed a good old fashioned British 'Bobby' on it...'
(the usurped plain clothes crime squad Dets all green with envy GLARE at Cecil...! )

does anyone remember that story - Haggar's finest hour ? & what was that one called ?

I'd love to see that one again...!

[Deleted]

I quite agree about the colour (or rather the twice weekly / soap-format version, as it returned initially in b/w) era being underrated. Funnily enough, I can remember the opening scenes to Haggar's first appearance, in 1968 (non-existent, unfortunately) and always enjoyed appearances of the character. I hope these Z-Cars releases continue for many volumes yet as I'd like to see the lot. I'm very sad that so many late '60s episodes are missing though as it's a period of the show I recall particularly well - there was a lot of good stuff in there.

[richardwoods]

Yes, I agree with you both, the later colour episodes were just as good and Hagger was probably my favourite character from the show as he was always interesting to watch.

[John Green]

Just uploaded by Acorn: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAUlCdoSS6Y

[Deleted]

That's a nice taster. Presumably it's an extra for the volume 2 release. Nice that we're getting something extra this time (a few more episodes per release would be ideal but their continuation is the main thing, I suppose)!

[John Green]

May 8, 2014 16:03:17 GMT @laurencepiper said:

That's a nice taster. Presumably it's an extra for the volume 2 release. Nice that we're getting something extra this time (a few more episodes per release would be ideal but their continuation is the main thing, I suppose)!

There are several interviews.Ian Cullen's another who's done one.

[bernardstocks]

One more for the Cecil Hagger fan club. What other character on TV would sit at his desk picking his nose! There's a great scene in Day Trip (happily on cllection 2) where he's interviewing a woman suspect in a cafe while eating a roll and spraying crumbs all over her!
It's tragic that so many great episodes have been lost. All the Leonard Rossiter ones have gone as is the first episode I ever saw - What kind of hero - which turned me on to Z Cars in the first place. I do wonder however just how many are actually lost. I know someone who works for the BBC in London and he's told me more than once that they've got mountains of stuff in the archives that they don't know they've got and that have never been catalogued. If they had any decency they'd let us fans in to rummmage around and copy whatever we liked.

[Deleted]

I'd not heard that one before but it wouldn't surprise me. Any large (or not so large) archive is bound to have some amount of uncatalogued material lying around, even if it they say it is (the BFI situation is a case in point).

[Stephen Doran]

Great to see the headmistress from Grange Hill on Vol 2 the episode Takes All Sorts and Paula Wilcox turned up in one too.Day Trip had Hilary Tindall from The Brothers

[bernardstocks]

Nov 6, 2014 15:27:52 GMT bernardstocks said:

[DO NOT PROMOTE BOOTLEG COPIES OF COPYRIGHT MATERIAL - RM]

Normally I'd agree with you, but I don't think the BBC deserve any consideration. For over 30 years they've sat on more than 300 episodes of one of the most popular TV shows of all time; they've refused to show repeats despite many pleas from the public and have restricted DVD issues to just 15 episodes with perhaps another dozen or so to come at widely spaced intervals. I think we have the right to grab copies wherever we can.