Ripping Yarns hops to DVD marked by world record attempt

Any British lad of a certain age will remember Ripping Yarns, the TV show that poked fun at the kind of tales of derring-do published in countless boys' comics and annuals down the years. 

Created by members of the Monty Python team, the shw was hugely popular when first shown by the BBC in the 1970s - and it's about to be released on DVD.

Originally broadcast on the BBC between 1976 and 1979, this set is a must-have item for all fans of great British comedy - and there will be a special Guinness World of Records hopathon attempt, homaging an episode of the show, to mark the release.

Following the phenomenal success of Monty Python's Flying Circus, Michael Palin and Terry Jones created the BAFTA-winning parody of Boy's Own-style adventure annuals. Ripping Yarns sees Palin take the lead role in nine fantastic adventures - from stirring tales of sporting endeavour, intrepid exploration and wartime heroism to skullduggery, supernatural mystery and murder!

An illustrious supporting cast includes Ian Ogilvy, John Le Mesurier, Iain Cuthbertson, Denholm Elliott, Joan Sanderson and Don Henderson, with Terry Jones starring in one episode and fellow former Python John Cleese also making a cameo appearance.

Ripping Yarns was produced and directed by the multi award-winning team of Terry Hughes (The Two Ronnies), Jim Franklin (The Goodies) and Alan J.W. Bell (The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

Set for release as a two disc set on 5th March 2012, special features include commentaries on all episodes by Michael Palin and Terry Jones; a deleted scene from Murder at Moorstones Manor; audience laughter-free tracks on all episodes bar "Tomkinson's Schooldays" and "Murder at Moorstones Manor"; and Comic Roots - Michael Palin returns to his home-town of Sheffield; "Secrets" - a BBC play from 1973; a Stills Gallery; and Michael Palin's original scripts in PDF format.

To mark the DVD release and as an homage to the episode "Tomkinson's School Days", Network DVD are looking to recruit members of the public to set Guinness World Records for the largest group 400 metre hop as well as a 400 metre relay hop. This free event will take place at the Grade 1-listed Hampstead Heath Athletics track on Saturday 3rd March 2012.

People can apply to participate by visiting facebook.com/NetworkDVD. Both Michael Palin and Terry Jones will be attending and presenting prizes to the overall winners - £500 to the charities of their choice.

The Ripping Yarns Hopathon is inspired by the 30-Mile Hop at Graybridge School, motto: "Only in true misery can you find true contentment" which featured in the first ever episode of the cult comedy series "Tomkinson's School Days". Thankfully Messieurs Palin and Jones have rejected the idea of pitting members of the public in the much -featured grizzly bear fight (still compulsory for some boys at Graybridge), or a St Tagder's Day ceremony (where students are nailed to the school walls). However, selected participants will be provided with Team Graybridge and Team St Anthony's t-shirts plus a commemorative certificate for their commendable sporting efforts.

To break The Guinness World Records as listed above, Network DVD requires at least 250 people to participate in the largest group hop and also needs to set a time of seven minutes to achieve the fastest 400 metre hop on one leg. Participants must be over 18 years of age and in sound physical health. 

- Full details about registration are available at facebook.com/NetworkDVD by 'LIKING' the hop or accessing the facebook tab for existing people who 'like' Network DVD

- Ripping Yarns - The Complete Series (15) is available from Network DVD on 5th March 2012. RRP: £19.99. Discs: 2 Running Time: 225 mins (approx.) Screen Ratio: 1.33:1 Colour Catalogue Number: 7953361

Disc One

TOMPKINSON'S SCHOOLDAYS

Set in the frontier days of British education, when upper lips were stiff with cold and corporal punishment was an A-Level. A savage, searing indictment of something or other.Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 7 January 1976

THE TESTING OF ERIC OLTHWAITE

A boy becomes a man in the harsh world of the Depression. The rough, tough story of folk who couldn't afford to go on the Jarrow March.Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 27 September 1977

ESCAPE FROM STALAG LUFT 112B

A tale of courage and valour behind the lines in the Kaiser's Germany. An inspiring story of camp life and a British officer who wouldn't lie down.Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 4 October 1977

MURDER AT MOORSTONES MANOR 

Hugo and Dora drive down to see Mumsie and Dadsie-pie for a long weekend in the country. But it turns out to be longer than they thought.Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 11 October 1977

ACROSS THE ANDES BY FROG

The stirring story of one man and six frogs who tried to defy the world in the greatest gamble of all.Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 18 October 1977

THE CURSE OF THE CLAW

The terrifying account of a man who dabbled in the dark mysteries of the Orient, and lived to tell the tale. Or did he...?Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 25 October 1977

Disc Two

WHINFREY'S LAST CASE

Dashing, debonnaire Gerald Whinfrey saves his country twice a week. But in 1913 a German plot to start the First World War without telling anybody coincides with his holiday. Where do Whinfrey's priorities lie? Has he got any? A knockabout tale of international intrigue.Executive Producer Sydney Lotterby. Produced and Directed by Alan J.W. Bell. Original BBC Transmission 10 October 1979

GOLDEN GORDON

A torrid tale of football fanaticism in the 1930s. Super-fan Gordon Ottershaw supports a team which hasn't won a match for six years. But worse is to come, and Gordon and his bicycle clips are reunited in a last desperate bid for glory and Bovril. Executive Producer Sydney Lotterby. Produced and Directed by Alan J.W. BellOriginal BBC Transmission 17 October 1979

ROGER OF THE RAJ

Roger Bartlesham comes of age in a world of eighteen-course breakfasts and twelve servants per leg. But when the Great War breaks out Roger finds himself in a world of changing values and is forced by circumstances to the most despicable act known to the British Army. Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin.Original BBC Transmission 24 October 1979

 

Space:1999 comes to Blu Ray

Don your flares, set your ray guns to stun and prepare to take off on a High Definition journey on the Eagle transporter with the Blu-ray debut of Space 1999 - The Complete First Series.

The cult Gerry Anderson live action series telling the adventures of Moonbase Alpha will be available to own as a 7-disc set on 1st November 2010.

This is the first time that the series is available in High Definition anywhere (a new DVD release has also been announced) and this set comes packed with several special features - although, not, sadly any of John M. Burns superb strips published in the 1970s comic Look-In.

September 13th, 1999... A nuclear waste dump on the moon unexpectedly detonates, blasting the moon out of orbit and taking the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha on a fantastic (although, we have to say, scientifically ludicrous) voyage of discovery to the stars, fraught with danger at every turn. Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Barry Morse star in this memorable fantasy series filmed at Pinewood Studios.

Gerry Anderson's third live action series, Space:1999 sprang from plans for a second season of UFO, which was unexpectedly not renewed despite strong ratings in the US. The first season is a gritty, if often downbeat saga, with critics bemoaning its at times pessimistic storylines when it first aired in the UK.

Like UFO, it suffered from a lack of a co-ordinated network airing across ITV (unlike Gerry Anderson's puppet series, such as Thunderbirds) and ran for just two seasons - the second revamped to bring in an alien shapeshifter, Maya, played by Hungarian actress Catherine Schell, who first guest starred on the show in another role in  Guardian of Piri.

Although not featured on this release, Space:1999 spawned comic strips on both sides of the Atlantic. Look-In (a title today owned by IPC, although it is no longer published) ran a two-page strip for 81 issues, amongst other strips based on popular tv series featured on ITV, alongside sport and pop articles. Written by Look-In's editor Angus Allan, artwork was largely provided by John M Burns and Mike Noble, with covers by Arnaldo Putzu. Mirroring the key date of the series itself, the first episode appeared in Issue 38, cover dated 13th September 1975 and ran for 20 issues.

The strips are regarded by fans as the best Space:1999 comic incarnation, which included a monthly comic published by Charlton Comics in the US featuring early art by John Byrne and in the Italian Farinas-Cardona comics (republished in Zack magazine in Germany).

Special features unique to this Blu-Ray release include digitally restored from new High Definition transfers; a restoration of Metamorph (which saw the debut of Maya) from season 2; Gerry Anderson commentary on Dragon's Domain, one of the scarier episodes of the first season; trailers for Alien Attack and Journey Through the Black Sun; SFX plates and deleted SFX scenes - with music track; a 'Concept and Creation' featurette starring Gerry Anderson, Christopher Penfold and Barry Morse, Christopher Penfold, Brian Johnson and Keith Wilson; and a Special effects and design featurette.

Also included is a "Clapperboard" two-part special on the work of Gerry Anderson from 1975 and "Guardian of Piri Remembered" in which Catherine Schell remembers her time working on the series one episode.

• SPACE 1999 - THE COMPLETE FIRST SERIES (PG) 
• Releasd by Network DVD
• Release Date: 1st November 2010
• RRP: £79.99
• Discs: 7
• Running Time:1200 minutes (approximately)
• Screen Ratio:1.33:1 colour. Dolby 5.1
• Catalogue No:7957007

Web Links


• Space: 1999 in Look-In - Overview
• Space: 1999 Look-In Stories Checklist
• Space: 1999 Comics Gallery
• Gerry Anderson Complete Comic History - Space:1999

Classic British Movie on DVD

11 October see the release of an over-looked gem of a film on DVD. Three Cases of Murder sounds like a conventional crime movie. However, the film is made up of three individual stories (rather like the classic Dead of Night) and two of them have strong supernatural/fantasy elements.

Three Cases of Murder was shown at the Bradford Fantastic Film Festival at Bradford Media Museum earlier this year and museum curator Tony Earnshaw did not attempt to conceal his enthusiam for it. It is the first of the three stories in particular that you should look out for. In this tale, a museum warder steps into a painting and the fantasy world within. It's a chilling, gripping piece of cinema history and well worth a look. If that's not enough, the movie is introduced by Eamonn Andrews!

Actor Alan Badel appears in all three tales, with Orson Welles starring in the third one.

Three Cases of Murder is available from 11 October 2010.

New Abslom Daak, Dalek Killer story released

Following the release of Star Tigers Chapter One at the beginning of the year, Doctor Who fan film makers Altered Vistas have just announced the DVD not-for-profit release of Chapter Two: With Friends Like These, based on the classic Doctor Who Magazine comic strips starring Ablsom Daak, Dalek Killer.

This second chapter of Star Tigers - a series for Doctor Who Weekly created by Steve Moore back in the 1980s - sees Abslom Daak and Prince Salander set off across the galaxy in search of a crew for the Killwagon. First is Harma the Ice Warrior, working on the seedy world of Paradise, then Vol Mercurius, owner of the planet Dispater... But Dispater is being invaded by the Daleks.

The fan production comes with the usual raft of bonus features: a Star Tigers Gallery; dozens of images from the original unlettered strip, reprinted with kind permission from David Lloyd; and the Making of Star Tigers, a comprehensive documentary illustrating the creative process and taking you through script, sound design, character and set design to animation and editing.

Also included is World of the War-King, a story based on an original, unpublished Star Tigers script written by Steve Moore. Back in 1980, Steve wrote a third story in the Abslom Daak/Star Tigers sequence that was never published, and he eventually forgot about the story. Until recently, that is. Upon rediscovering the original script, he sent it to Altered Vistas who have created a new version of the strip in the style of their animated Star Tigers - and you can also read it online here.

An exclusive ‘living comic book’ version of this 1980 comic strip that contains one or two surprises...

• Visit the Altered Vistas website

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Blu-Ray, DVD Details

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is coming to DVD and three-disc Blu-ray on November 30 2009 from Paramount Home Entertainment in the UK.

From director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen delivers non-stop action and fun, featuring out-of-this-world heroes in the form of the mighty Autobots and a malevolent and powerful villain known as The Fallen, the film boasts some of the most sensational – and complex – visual effects in film history.

In addition to audience favourites Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, the film’s human stars have returned to help save the world including Shia LaBeouf (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Megan Fox (How to Lose Friends & Alienate People), Josh Duhamel (Las Vegas), Tyrese Gibson (Four Brothers) and John Turturro (The Good Shepherd).

The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen three-disc Blu-ray and 2-disc Special Edition DVD both feature over three hours of in-depth, immersive special features that let viewers further explore the world of the legendary ‘robots in disguise’.

Among the engrossing content is a multi-chapter documentary, including interviews with the cast and crew, that chronicles the entire making of the film, from development and design to filming in locations around the globe, working with the U.S. military, creating the groundbreaking visual effects and putting it all together to produce one of the biggest films of the year.

The discs also include an all-access featurette following renowned director Michael Bay through an entire day, a comprehensive exploration of the ‘confidential files’ on a dozen of the Transformers characters featured in the film, multi-angle breakdowns of some of the most sensational action sequences and much, much more.

The three-disc Blu-ray and 2-disc Special Edition DVD packages will also feature augmented reality technology that will allow people to interact with a holographic image of Optimus Prime by using a webcam and a special website.

As an added bonus, the Blu-ray will include an exclusive interactive feature that gives viewers the ability to customise their own robot characters and get a glimpse at a rogue robot. Out of all the available permutations, one will unlock an exclusive interview with Michael Bay about his plans for the next adventure.

• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is available to buy on DVD & 3-disc Blu-ray with Digital Copy on 30th November 30 2009 from Paramount Home Entertainment: Buy it from Amazon.co.uk

TECHNICAL DETAILS – SINGLE DISC DVD



Title: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Release date: November 30 2009

Discs: 1 Disc Set

RRP: £19.99

Cert: 12A

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Running time: TBC

Special features

• Commentary by Michael Bay, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

• Buy Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen from amazon.co.uk

TECHNICAL DETAILS – 2 DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD



Title: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Release date: November 30 2009

Discs: 2 Disc Set

RRP: £24.99

Cert: 12A

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Running time: TBC

Special features

Disc 1: Commentary by Michael Bay, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

Disc 2:

The Human Factor: Exacting Revenge of the Fallen

• Seeds of Vengeance - Development and Design

• Domestic Destruction – Production: United States

• Joint Operations – Production: Military

• Wonders of the World – Production: Middle East

• Start Making Sense - Editing

• Under the Gun – Visual Effects

• Running the Gauntlet – Post-Production and Release

• A Day with Bay: Tokyo

• 25 Years of TRANSFORMERS

• NEST: Transformer Data-Hub

• Deconstructing Visual ‘Bayhem’ with Commentary by Pre-Vis Supervisor Steve Yamamoto

• Extended Scenes

• Music Video: Linkin Park’s “New Divide”

• Buy Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen from amazon.co.uk

TECHNICAL DETAILS – 3-DISC BLU-RAY WITH DIGITAL COPY


Title: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Release date: November 30 2009

Discs: 3 Disc Set

RRP £29.99

Cert: 12A

Picture: 1080p High Definition

Sound: TBC

Running time: TBC

Special features

Disc 1:

• Commentary by Michael Bay, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

Disc 2:

• The Human Factor: Exacting Revenge of the Fallen:

• Seeds of Vengeance – Development and Design

• Domestic Destruction – Production: United States

• Joint Operations – Production: Military

• Wonders of the World – Production: Middle East

• Start Making Sense – Editing

• Under the Gun – Visual Effects

• Running the Gauntlet – Post-Production and Release

• A Day with Bay: Tokyo

• 25 Years of TRANSFORMERS

• NEST: Transformer Data-Hub

• Deconstructing Visual ‘Bayhem’ with Commentary by Pre-Vis Supervisor Steve Yamamoto

• Extended Scenes

• Music Video: Linkin Park’s “New Divide”

BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVE:


• The ALLSPARK Experiment: Viewers get their chance to unleash the power of the recently recovered ALLSPARK shard on Earth vehicles. Begin by selecting and customising a vehicle with a selection of parts and accessories. Then apply the ALLSPARK to this creation and watch what happens. Applying the ALLSPARK to certain custom combinations enables four new robot characters with special powers. If viewers discover all four, they unlock a fifth vehicle, which reveals a top secret message about the future of the TRANSFORMERS movie franchise

• NEST: Transformer Data-Hub: A database of some of the TRANSFORMERS characters that appear in the new film, offering users access to each robot’s confidential file including:

• Innovative 3D spin galleries of each robot

• A timeline for each TRANSFORMERS character charting its origins, back story and design evolution from toys to animated series to comics and finally feature films

• Giant Effing Movie: A very personal look at the making of the movie

• The Matrix of Marketing: An archive of the film’s promotional media including trailers, posters and television spots

• Buy Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen from amazon.co.uk

• Please note special features subject to change

Dave Gibbons to launch Watchmen 3D Graffiti Art Instillation

To celebrate the UK DVD & Blu-ray release of Watchmen, London’s Southbank will stage an art exhibition with a difference on Tuesday 28th July with the comic's artist Dave Gibbons and acclaimed graffiti artist Chu.

Chu will showcase his artistic talents, as he and Dave Gibbons work alongside each other giving fans a one-off Watchmen experience to remember.

London’s Southbank will be transformed into the Watchmen world as Chu unveils his Watchmen masterpiece, and brings to life a selection of cult scenes and characters from the film in his own unique 3D comic book style.

With a running commentary from Dave Gibbons as Chu re-creates key scenes from the film in 3D comic book style, this one-off event will be an amazing launch for the DVD and Blu-ray release.

• The event takes place at the Skate Park, below London’s Southbank Centre, London SE1 8XX between 2.00pm and 5.00pm on Tuesday 28th July 2009

• Watchmen is available to buy on DVD & Blu-ray with Digital Copy on 27th July 2009 from Paramount Home Entertainment

• Buy the Watchmen - 2 Disc Limited Edition DVD from amazon.co.uk

• Buy the Blu-Ray Watchmen (2 Disc + Digital Copy - Exclusive to the UK) Limited Edition from amazon.co.uk

Panel Borders Goes SciFi Mad!

We don't often cover every podcast or radio show Alex Fitch and his team are about to broadcast, but he's got plenty lined up we think downthetubes fans will want to check out, so hold on to your hats...


• This week's Strip! show is titled Doctor Who comics now... in which Alex Fitch talks to the creators of a couple of recent innovative Doctor Who comics about bringing a new angle to the popular franchise. Leah Moore and John Reppion wrote the recent one off comic The Whispering Gallery for IDW, which saw the Doctor and Martha exploring a terrifying museum on an alien planet.

Alex also talks to Richard Morris, creator of the popular and unauthorised web comic, The Ten Doctors - an epic serialised graphic novel which celebrates almost every aspect you can think of from 46 years of the Time Lord's adventures.
 
Strip! Doctor Who comics now airs at 5.00pm on Thursday 16the July, repeated 11.30pm Sunday 19th July on Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast soon after transmission at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
 
Alex is also celebrating the Moon Landing anniversary with I'm ready for my close-up: Fly me to the Moon, featuring interviews with astronomer and broadcaster Sir Patrick Moore and Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson.
 
Sir Patrick Moore was one of many who covered the events of the Apollo 11 mission live on TV and discusses the events of that day with Alex as well as the highlights of his six decades presenting The Sky at Night.

Alex also talks to Gerry Anderson about how the space race and technological innovations of the 1960s inspired such shows as Fireball XL5 and Thunderbirds.

Network DVD recently released a special collector's edition of the entire Fireball XL5 series, which is well worth tracking down, since in addition to all the show's episodes - including a specially colourized episode - it features a new, exclusive documentary, Drawn in Supermarionation chronicling the comic strip adaptations of the early AP Films series and features contributions from director of merchandising Keith Shackleton and artists Bill Mevin, Mike Noble and Colin Page (See full news story).
 
The interview with Sir Patrick is available to download now from www.sci-fi-london.com/audio and the interview with Gerry Anderson will be broadcast on Thursday 16th July at 10.30pm Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com
 
Online from 19th July (also at www.sci-fi-london.com/audio) is Reality Check: Torchwood in Print. In a panel discussion recorded live at a meeting of the British Fantasy Society, late 1980s Doctor Who script editor Andrew Cartmel talks to a quartet of Torchwood novelists - Mark Morris, Sarah Pinborough, Guy Adams and Joe Lidster - about bringing the show to the printed page and expanding the adventures of Captain Jack, Ianto and Gwen to the length of a hardback novel.

Finally, if your interest in science fiction and fantasy goes wider than stories inspired by TV shows, then check out Panel Borders: Small press Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Continuing the podcaster's Sci-Fi comics month on the show, this features a couple of interviews recorded at comic book conventions with small press creators who are working in the SF and Fantasy genres.

In an interview recorded at this year's Bristol Comics Expo, Dickon Harris talks to comic book creator and musician Dave Lander who contributes to the anthology comic Decadence which in the last couple of instalments has been heavily SF themed. Dave also produced a CD soundtrack to go with recent issues and there are extracts in the podcast.

Also, Alex Fitch talks to Rob Jackson about his fantasy comics, Random Journeys and Bog Wizards, which combine unreliable narrators, humour and magical landscapes, in an interview recorded at a pub in the East End after the UK Web & Mini Comix Thing.
 
Originally broadcast on 9th July check it out vial this link. (And don't forget Alex has also interviewed the brilliant Paul Rainey as part of this thread - check that out here)

• For a full list of all Panel Borders comics podcasts to date, visit: www.tinyurl.com/panelborders
 
• Follow Panel Borders on twitter: http://twitter.com/panelborders and facebook: http://tinyurl.com/facebookborders

Fireball XL5 Special Edition DVD Announced

(Updated 22/5/09): Network DVD has announced a "Special Edition" release of one of Gerry Anderson’s most cherished fantasy series, Fireball XL5, next month - and released a clip from a colourized episode.

Available from 29th June 2009 this six-set - wrapped in a cover inspired by one of the series original annuals but spruced up with a CGI-enhanced Fireball XL5 -- includes all 39 episodes from the iconic 1960s series, complete and uncut, plus exclusive extras including a 60-page book by top British TV archivist Andrew Pixley.

Also included is Drawn in Supermarionation, a new, exclusive documentary chronicling the comic strip adaptations of the early AP Films series in TV Comic and TV Century 21, and features contributions from director of merchandising Keith Shackleton and artists Bill Mevin, Mike Noble and Colin Page.

Although the show was filmed in black and white, also in the set is A Day in the Life of a Space General, a brand new, colourised edition of Fireball XL5, taken from a new HD transfer of the original film elements.

The show is set between 2062 – 2063, the peace of the universe maintained by World Space Patrol’s finest rocket ship, the eponymous Fireball XL5. A brave, gallant crew led by the heroic Colonel Steve Zodiac - surely inspired by 1950s comic characters such as Dan Dare - explore various exotic planets and other life forms and protect the innocent from sinister intergalactic villains such as Mr. and Mrs. Space Spy.

The memorable crew comprises of the glamorous doctor Venus, middle-aged navigator and engineer Professor Matthew Matic and Zodiac’s co-pilot Robert the Robot, who was voiced by series creator Gerry Anderson himself.

This series harks back to a more innocent and naive age of space adventure: the series producers for example did away with the need of spacesuits by having the crew swallow 'oxygen pills' to move about their spacecraft. But it's still something of a classic and this edition looks pretty impressive!

• Buy Fireball XL5 - The Complete Series - Special Edition from amazon.co.uk

Special Features Include:

• A Wonderland of Stardust: taking its name from a line in the show's theme tune, a brand new documentary about the making of Fireball XL5 featuring contributions from creators Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson - a pretty remarkable feat! - as well as numerous members of the crew including David Elliott, Alan Pattillo and Brian Johnson



• A Day in the Life of a Space General: A brand new, colourised edition of Fireball XL5, taken from a new HD transfer of the original film elements

• Drawn in Supermarionation: This new, exclusive documentary chronicles the comic strip adaptations of the early AP Films series and features contributions from director of merchandising Keith Shackleton and artists Bill Mevin, Mike Noble and Colin Page.

• Bill Mevin’s Supercar Home Movie: Previously unseen footage filmed by TV Comic artist Bill Mevin during production on Gerry Anderson's earlier show, Supercar

• Zoom ice lolly commercials

• Image Galleries

• PDF Material and a 60-page book written by TV historian Andrew Pixley


• • Buy Fireball XL5 - The Complete Series - Special Edition from amazon.co.uk

Watchmen Gets DVD, Blu-Ray Date

Paramount Home Entertainment has announced that Watchmen will be available to purchase on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK on 27th July 2009.

Directed by Zack Snyder (300), Watchmen is a based on the 1986-1987 comic book limited series Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Listed in Time magazines "All-Time 100 Novels", the film adaptation stars Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Patrick Wilson.

• Watchmen will be available to buy on 1 Disc DVD, 2 Disc Limited Edition DVD & 2 Disc Blu-ray which also includes Digital Copy